Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Prettiest Girl (2)_1 Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Prettiest Girl (2)_1 Lin Yuan gratefully accepted it, promising she would definitely repay the favor in the future, before leaving without further delay.
Aunt Chen leaned against the door, watching Lin Yuan’s retreating figure, and sighed unconsciously.
She was aware of the difficulties at Lin Yuan’s house these past few days, but had not dared to visit due to her old man’s tyranny; yet the girl didn’t complain at all.
Her old man and Zhu Zi didn’t like the girl much, but Aunt Chen always felt that Lin Yuan was a good kid, full of loyalty and gratitude.
By the time Lin Yuan got back home, it was time to cook dinner.
She put some water in the pot for Lin Wei to start heating, while she scooped cornmeal into a wooden basin, stirred it with some cold water to make a paste, ready to be added to the boiling water later.
There were some wild vegetables left from lunch that she cleaned and chopped, to be added later as well.
While Lin Yuan was washing the vegetables, she saw the three wild duck eggs she had found by the river in the morning.
She cleaned them carefully and put them in the pot to boil.
With five mouths to feed at home, three wild duck eggs were definitely not enough.
As she was worrying, Lin Wei, who was tending the fire, suddenly said, “Big sister, is the pot clean?
I kept smelling ‘that’ during lunch.
Just give me a small bowl later, okay?
I dare not eat too much for fear of throwing up.”
Lin Yuan chuckled, knowing that her elder sister was hinting she didn’t want to eat the wild duck eggs.
But did she really have to find that excuse?
After all, Lin Wei had cleaned the pot thoroughly at least three times after making the Snake Soup at noon.
How could it not be clean?
“Big sister, in a few days, I’ll be able to make something even tastier than wild duck eggs for you.
Lin Wei tossed another piece of firewood into the stove and said with a giggle, “I’ve always believed what big sister says.”
“Right, big sister said we could definitely separate our household, and today we did,” Xiao Linshuang chimed in from the kitchen doorway, her small face still pale and frail, but her eyes twinkling brightly.
Lin Yuan knew the girl was happy about the separation and had been chatting with her mother about it for a long time.
“Big sister, I want to eat something tastier than wild duck eggs too.
I don’t want to eat them!”
Lin Yuan and Lin Wei didn’t expect the girl to have overheard their conversation.
They were just about to persuade her to eat more to grow stronger, but the little girl, imitating Lin Jiazhong’s tone, shook her head and said in a sage-like manner, “The sage says, ‘The good stuff should be left for parents,’ and also, ‘Shuanger is the older sister, she should leave the tasty things for her younger brother to eat.’
The girl was thinking of the little brother in Lady Liu’s belly.
Lin Yuan and Lin Wei couldn’t help laughing at her antics: “Big sister, huh?
You’re still a big sister?
Then how do you know for sure that it’s a younger brother and not another little foodie like you?”
Xiao Linshuang raised her head proudly and declared, “I just know it—the one in Mom’s belly is definitely a brother!”
Laughing and teasing, the three sisters decided to leave the three wild duck eggs for their parents.
Lin Yuan, concerned they might refuse to eat them, peeled and mashed the eggs finely, leaving no room for complaints, and then had Lin Wei bring them in.
After dinner, while Lin Wei washed the dishes, Lin Yuan took the opportunity to pick out a few pieces of usable wood from the kitchen, planning to take them into the east room to show her father.
But just as she walked into the kitchen, she felt her sleeve being tugged.
Turning around, she saw Xiao Linshuang, lit by the gentle moonlight, speaking earnestly, word by word, “Big sister, I think you are the prettiest girl in our village.
You are the most beautiful!” After saying this, she nodded affirmatively.
Lin Yuan was taken aback, remembering her encounter with Lin Siyu today, and realized the girl must have hurried to offer comfort, worried she would feel hurt and inferior.
Warmth filled her heart, thinking about how the little girl had been troubled and upset about this all day; she tenderly touched her head and said seriously, “Hmm, big sister is the prettiest girl, and then Xiao Shuangshuang is the prettiest.”
What was meant to cheer up Xiao Linshuang surprisingly made her shake her head like a rattle-drum, “No, no, after that, it’s the second sister, and then it’s Xiao Shuangshuang.”
Lin Yuan couldn’t hold back her laughter at her earnestness, and the wood she was holding in her arms dropped to the floor as she laughed along with her.