Chapter 4: Each Has Their Own Way of Living

"Mother, why are you just standing there? Quickly, put the silver away. Haven't we been wanting to build a house? Now that we have the money, ask Father to speak with the clan leader and the village chief. We want to buy that patch of wasteland at the foot of the mountain to build on; it’s cheap and the location is perfect."

Ning Xin had her own plans.

At the foot of the mountain, far from the village, and most importantly, far from her uncles, grandparents, and the rest of the clan. Once she brought back wild game from the mountains, she could cook and eat it in the privacy of her own home.

It would save her mother from having to endure her grandmother’s constant nagging. If her mother gave her food, the old woman would claim she didn't know how to manage a household; if she didn't, she was accused of being unfilial. The old woman was not only elderly and long-winded but also hopelessly biased.

"Oh..."

Mother Meng snapped back to reality. She found herself in complete agreement with Ning Xin.

"I’ll listen to you on this matter, daughter. We will buy the wasteland and build our home, but I must discuss it with your father. He is the head of the household, after all."

Ning Xin smiled.

*Mother, please, let’s not pretend.*

It was true that Father was the head of the house, but when did he ever decide anything of importance? Everything was determined by Mother. Since Mother had agreed to the house, it was as good as done.

"Mother, what about these grains?"

"I’ll fetch some flour to make a few pancakes for breakfast, and I’ll cut a piece of sugar to make a sweet egg-drop soup." Mother Meng calculated the number of people in the house, wondering how many pancakes to make. *Three eggs... no, three is too few, I’ll use five.* She cut an extra piece of sugar, thinking that the children hadn't tasted anything sweet in a long time.

She didn't forget to caution Ning Xin: "Help me take the grain into the room; don't let the little ones see." She was worried about the three younger ones sleeping inside.

***

Mother Meng decided to go along, just in case they woke up and she needed to cover for her eldest daughter.

Inside the bed, wrapped in the quilts, the three little ones were sleeping soundly. Even when their big sister pinched their cheeks and gave them kisses, they didn't stir. Mother Meng urged Ning Xin to go wash up and then get some sleep.

"Mother, I’m not tired."

Ning Xin was truly not tired; she was brimming with energy. She was just a little hungry.

"Even if you aren't tired, go take a nap."

"Mother, I’m really not tired, just hungry."

"..."

Mother Meng felt a pang of heartache and urged her, "You have money in your pocket. We can't afford delicacies, but go buy a steamed bun or two to fill your stomach. Don't run yourself ragged and ruin your health from hunger."

"..."

Ning Xin choked back a word. She regretted saying she was hungry. She certainly couldn't mention that she had already eaten a Swiss roll. Eating alone made her feel guilty, but she didn't dare share it either—that snack didn't belong in this era. She would have to take things slowly.

Mother Meng didn't keep nagging. As she cut the brown sugar, she popped a piece into Ning Xin’s mouth. Ning Xin’s eyes crinkled with sweetness, and she beamed with happiness. Seeing this, Mother Meng popped a piece into her own mouth as well.

***

It was truly sweet.

Ning Xin tended the fire while Mother Meng prepared the batter for the pancakes. She added a little salt and chopped green onions to the flour, mixing it into a thin paste. After greasing the iron pan with a piece of fat, she ladled the batter in, swirling it around the edges of the pan. She covered it with a lid for a moment, and soon, thin, fragrant pancakes were ready.

The aroma of the freshly made pancakes made Ning Xin’s mouth water. Mother Meng placed a pancake in a bowl and handed it to her. "Eat this to settle your stomach first."

"Thank you, Mother."

Ning Xin took a bite. "Mother, it’s so fragrant, so delicious!"

Mother Meng’s cooking skills were beyond reproach; she was exceptionally talented in the kitchen. Ning Xin hadn't inherited those skills, but her second sister, Ning Nuan, and third sister, Ning Huan, had learned quite well.

Ning Dalang, having finished washing up in the back room and changing his clothes, caught the scent. *What a good day this is, the wife is making something delicious again.*

From next door, the sound of his second brother’s wife scolding Zhaodi and Pangdi drifted over. Ning Dalang sighed in annoyance. He was also frustrated by his younger brother’s lack of fatherly conduct. *Are his daughters not human? Are they not his own flesh and blood? Since they were born, can he not raise them and cherish them properly?*

It wasn't that he minded the girls doing chores—children in the countryside weren't like young masters and misses in the city who had servants to wait on them; they had to do everything themselves. But one shouldn't resort to beatings and insults at every turn, leaving the children with no dignity at all.

He had tried to advise them several times, but it was useless. Listening to it every day was truly exasperating. If only they could move away, somewhere further off, that would be for the best.