This life, fortunately, had Sister Xiaomei and Brother Xiaogang to accompany her, and she regarded Uncle Shen as her own father.
Especially Brother Xiaogang, he had already changed his surname.
For Uncle Shen, who had no biological children, this was some solace.
Shen Zizhen, Su San Gong, and An Rongxue went to Nanhe Village.
They were hosting Shen Zizhen and the others for dinner that evening, and the family had prepared fish, chicken, and duck. These were time-consuming ingredients, so Li Guihua didn't delay after sending the guests off.
Li Guihua busied herself with cooking, with her mother-in-law assisting her.
As for the baby of the family, only four or five months old, it lay in a small cradle made under a large tree, babbling and gnawing on its tender little hands, muttering something unknown.
Su Xiaotian stayed home, playing with Xiaoliuzi and Xiaoshu, the two children. Despite the age gap, the three of them had a great time.
Wisps of cooking smoke curled upwards, and the years were peaceful and quiet.
If it weren't for the injury on Xiaoshu's arm, Su Xiaotian would have almost felt that this was the most comfortable life imaginable.
Xiaoshu was a very timid and fearful child, perhaps due to the absence of relatives.
While playing with Xiaoshu, Su Xiaotian consciously asked him about some things.
She was a kind-faced person, and she spoke as gently as possible, quickly earning Xiaoshu's trust.
When Su Xiaotian asked questions, Xiaoshu would answer.
She learned a lot from Xiaoshu.
Xiaoshu's grandmother had passed away just as summer began.
At the time of her death, arrangements were made for Xiaoshu.
It was agreed that the house, courtyard, and other possessions left by Xiaoshu's father and mother would go to Xiaoshu's paternal uncle.
In return, Xiaoshu's paternal uncle was to raise Xiaoshu until he was eighteen years old.
However, as soon as Xiaoshu's grandmother was buried, Xiaoshu's tragic life began.
Xiaoshu's paternal uncle indulged his wife in verbally and physically abusing Xiaoshu.
Xiaoshu's aunt used the most vile words against a child.
The child, who had just lost all his relatives, would stand meekly to the side, afraid to say a word when his aunt called him a jinx.
Yet, even so, the woman did not allow Xiaoshu any respite; instead, she intensified the beatings.
It was common for the little child to be covered in bruises.
If it were just scolding and beatings, it would have been bearable, but Xiaoshu also went hungry in this household.
The young boy was not old and didn't eat much to begin with.
Even so, he was still hungry.
It was considered good if Xiaoshu received one meal out of three.
Many times, Xiaoshu subsisted on a bowl of thin rice soup, so thin that one could see through it!
Having been scolded, beaten, and underfed, Xiaoshu finally harbored no hope for this household.
After another severe beating from his aunt, Xiaoshu ran away one dark night.
He took nothing with him when he fled, wearing only a tattered set of clothes.
He had been so beaten that he was truly afraid, and his fear of being beaten made him forget his fear of the dark.
Xiaoshu walked in the dark for an entire night, not knowing where he had ended up.
In any case, the next morning, a kind person gave him some food, and he continued to wander.
By now, Xiaoshu had been wandering for a month.
He ate whatever kind strangers gave him, and for shelter, he mostly slept in abandoned houses, ruined temples, or haystacks.
Any place where he could hide was a place Xiaoshu could sleep.
Perhaps it was because Heaven favored unfortunate children, but the little boy survived.
He arrived at this village eight or nine days ago and had been living in the abandoned house at the entrance of the village for the past few days.
It was the best house Xiaoshu had ever seen that he could live in, so he was reluctant to leave.
During the day, he begged in the surroundings, and at night, he stayed in that house.
There was a pile of straw in the house, and since the weather wasn't too cold, Xiaoshu didn't freeze.
While begging, Xiaoshu inadvertently encountered Xiaoliuzi playing outside.
When Xiaoliuzi heard he was hungry, he had been secretly giving him some food from home for the past few days.
But Xiaoliuzi didn't dare to tell his family and could only give it secretly.
Su Xiaotian listened to all this with great emotion.
What could such a young child understand?
He had to beg for food and live in a dilapidated house on his own.
She wondered if the child was afraid during those dark nights.
Su Xiaotian couldn't help but reach out to hug Xiaoshu.
But Xiaoshu sensitively took a step back.
"Sister, I'm dirty!"
Su Xiaotian burst into tears at these words.
What an understanding child.
"It's okay, sister doesn't mind." Su Xiaotian hugged the child.
She thought about redeeming a piece of clothing for the child from the system store, but felt that producing it now would arouse suspicion.
However, she thought she could take out a plain colored dress and alter it for the little one to wear.
Xiaoshu felt that Su Xiaotian truly didn't mind him, and finally, he couldn't help but extend his little arms and hug Su Xiaotian back, very quickly.
"Xiaoshu, everything will pass, everything will get better. From now on, you won't be bullied like this anymore," Su Xiaotian said softly.
Even though she said this, Su Xiaotian had no real plan for how to arrange the child's future.
She just felt that she should probably help this child.
"Sister Xiaotian, I can help Xiaoshu!" Xiaoliuzi said, clenching his little fists.
It was only after hearing Xiaoliuzi's words that Su Xiaotian remembered another important issue.
If Xiaoshu's boldness was forced out of him, then Xiaoliuzi was truly fearless due to ignorance.
It was fortunate that the current public security was good and kidnappers were relatively few. Otherwise, these two little fellows could have been abducted at any time without anyone knowing.
"Xiao Liu, it's good that you want to help your friend, but some things still need to be clearly communicated to the adults at home."
Su Xiaotian patiently explained to Xiaoliuzi.
It was good that children were kind-hearted, but this time he encountered Xiaoshu. If he had encountered someone with malicious intentions, his momentary kindness might have led to him being deceived.
Xiaoliuzi lowered his head and said, "I don't dare to say. I want to wait until my mom and dad come."
Su Xiaotian understood.
Although An Rongxue and his wife were good to Xiaoliuzi, Xiaoliuzi was no longer a child and naturally knew that this was not his home.
Although his uncle and aunt liked him, it didn't mean they would indulge him in giving food to an unrelated child.
Su Xiaotian smiled and said, "It's not wrong for you to think that way, but look, if you tell them, won't your uncle and aunt be willing to help Xiaoshu?"
Xiaoliuzi thought for a moment and nodded heavily, saying, "Sister, you're right. From now on, I won't hide things from the adults anymore."
He was just a child, and his ability to help Xiaoshu was limited, but adults were different.
Xiaoshu, listening to the conversation between Xiaoliuzi and Su Xiaotian, felt scared.