For crying out loud, why spill the beans?
Who doesn’t like eating meat?!
I like eating meat too!
But the problem is, the Tian Family can’t afford it.
Especially now that they’re fleeing from famine! Fleeing!
If they can even have a meal, it’s already something, haven’t you seen that even Yaozong in their family can only eat flatbread.
Tian Daniu, a daughter already married off, still has the nerve to come back to her parents’ house and shout about "loving to eat meat."
Why doesn’t she just fly to the heavens?
This wretched girl, she seemed alright before; what’s wrong with her today?
Is her mind broken, or has she been possessed, why is she always saying some infuriating nonsense?
Sigh, maybe it’s because the old lady brought up selling Xiao Bao today, and it upset Daniu.
No matter how foolish Daniu is, uh, no, no matter how filial, she’s still a mother too.
He Xiaobao is literally flesh of her flesh, and he’s a boy; how could Daniu bear to sell him easily?
The old lady, too, is pushing too hard, it’s just the beginning of their escape, Daniu hasn’t realized the hardships yet.
Once she experiences the suffering, she’ll understand that selling off the burden that is Xiao Bao will lead to a better life for her!
Mr. Tian fiddled with these thoughts in his head, but wore an awkward smile: "Yes, yes! Love to eat meat. Well, once we get to Prefecture City, and escape this disaster, we’ll, we’ll eat meat!"
People fleeing from famine don’t just run around aimlessly, usually, they head for the most prosperous area they can reach.
Those from remote areas head to Prefecture City, and if they can’t find a way to survive there, they go to the Capital City!
So the target for Mr. Tian and this batch of people is the Prefecture City, over six hundred miles from Tianjiawa.
And now, if Mr. Tian wants to make any empty promises or paint any big dreams to comfort his precious son, he instinctively says "when we get to Prefecture City"!
As if Prefecture City is the paradise they’ve been dreaming of, where they can eat and dress well and live comfortable lives!
Ms. Hetian:... Haha, who are you trying to fool!
With how much you prefer sons over daughters, do you think my son and I can reach Prefecture City smoothly?
It’s not Ms. Hetian deliberately slandering her own parents, but they’ve already proven their selfishness, indifference, and cunning through their actions.
The escape has just begun, they still have a horse-drawn cart and food, they haven’t reached the point of desperation, yet Old Lady Han has already started encouraging her daughter to sell her grandson!
If they continue on the road, waiting for their food to run out little by little, and even the donkey pulling their cart is slaughtered for meat, the family will reach a point where they can’t survive without selling people, and Ms. Hetian has no doubt, even her, their own biological daughter, would be "sacrificed" by Old Lady Han and Mr. Tian!
At that point, being sold might even be a blessing.
There’s a saying, "swap children to eat"!
If pushed to a dead end, people become cannibals out of instinct.
"When we get to Prefecture City"!
Yes, that might be what Mr. Tian really thinks.
Only, the "we" Mr. Tian envisioned definitely doesn’t include Ms. Hetian and her son.
Even the sister-in-law from the Wang Family probably holds more importance in Mr. Tian’s heart than Ms. Hetian.
Ms. Hetian, after all, is water that has been thrown out, while Sister Wang is an in-law married in, someone who can continue the Tian Family line!
After that commotion just now, Ms. Hetian is truly awake now.
Things she couldn’t see or understand clearly before are now especially clear and eye-catching.
After facing these painful truths, of course, Ms. Hetian is sad, but after the sadness comes relief.
Fortunately, she’s realized in time and didn’t cause a huge disaster.
Her Xiao Bao’s still—
Wait a minute, where’s Xiao Bao?
Only then does Ms. Hetian realize that while she was arguing with her parents, her son was nowhere to be found.
Ms. Hetian’s heart sinks with a jolt, fearing her mother has secretly taken her son away to sell him.
She quickly calms her panic, steadies herself, and tries to recall.
A moment later, Ms. Hetian remembers, her Xiao Bao, though only six years old, is just a year and a half older than her chubby nephew being held by her sister-in-law.
But ever since he was born, his mother has been a Helping-Brother Demon, only caring for her own family.
Ms. Hetian has always been able to sacrifice herself for her parents, her brother, and her nephew, not to mention her own son who she considers her belongings.
He Xiaobao has a father, but his father often works away from home to earn money.
He Xiaobao has a mother, but his mother’s eyes only see the Tian Family.