Under the dim kerosene lamp, Niu Xinfen happily ate from her bowl. Her cheeks bulged like a little hamster.
Niu Hong watched with joy in his heart. Finally, he no longer worried about his little sister starving.
At that moment,
Zhang Qiaoying came over with a ladle and added some meat to Niu Hong's bowl. She said softly, "Brother Hong, I've prepared the bed in the west room. It's nice and warm. After dinner, you and Xinfen can stay there."
Niu Hong looked up and saw a pair of beautiful eyes gazing at him. There was a captivating sparkle.
His heart stirred slightly, about to refuse. But then he remembered their collapsed house was uninhabitable. He gave a helpless smile and said,
"Sister-in-law, I'll be a bother to you."
...
Leaning against the bed, Niu Dongsheng listened to their conversation. He silently ate while his eyes darkened, finding the broth in his mouth bitter.
"Dad, here..."
Shuanbao took a half-eaten piece of meat from his mouth and offered it to Niu Dongsheng on the bed.
Niu Dongsheng turned to look at his young son. His face showed genuine joy. "Good boy, eat it while it's hot."
"Dad... eat." Shuanbao held it up with his small hand, insisting.
"Master of the house, Shuanbao is offering it to you. Eat it! There's plenty left in the pot."
Zhang Qiaoying heard the sound and turned to see this scene. She scolded playfully,
"Brother Dongsheng, Shuanbao is so well-behaved. At such a young age, he already knows how to respect you. He'll definitely be a good boy when he grows up."
Niu Hong sitting nearby praised repeatedly.
"Ha ha, yes, my son will definitely be a good boy when he grows up."
Niu Dongsheng switched his chopsticks to his left hand, affectionately stroked Shuanbao's head, lowered his head, and took the piece of meat from his son's hand.
Zhang Qiaoying watched the tender scene between father and son. Her nose tingled with emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes as she quickly turned and pretended to put the ladle back in the pot.
...
After finishing dinner quickly, Niu Hong took Niu Xinfen to the west room to rest. He needed to regain his strength.
As the saying goes, a broken home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold. Even a golden or silver nest isn't as good as one's own humble abode.
The house may have collapsed, but it was still their home.
The old furniture, clothes, bedding, and kitchenware buried under the rubble needed to be salvaged tomorrow.
If he remembered correctly, that beautiful figure he had longed for would definitely appear tomorrow.
He was looking forward to seeing her again!
...
The night grew deeper.
In his sleep,
Niu Hong felt something crawl into his bed. A furry head appeared on his chest. A familiar feminine scent instantly filled his nostrils.
His heart leaped in alarm as he instantly understood the situation.
"Sister-in-law?"
"Shh, Brother Hong, I'm here with you tonight."
"No."
Niu Hong pressed Zhang Qiaoying's rough hand that was about to continue.
Today, this very hand had saved his sister's life with half an egg. Tonight it had given him and his sister a warm place to stay.
Having received two great acts of kindness in one day, how could he take advantage of the situation and destroy this kind and good family!
"How come, Brother Hong, do you think I'm too old?"
Zhang Qiaoying felt Niu Hong's rejection and immediately stopped her movements. She curled up in the bed as she whispered resentfully.
She was a woman, a very young woman.
She had normal female emotions and needs. Since her husband Niu Dongsheng became paralyzed, she had forgotten about herself.
Today her husband had asked her to be more proactive, to try to keep Niu Hong's person and heart. That long-closed valve slowly opened, both for herself and to prove their sincerity in inviting Niu Hong as a helper.
She abandoned a woman's usual reserve and shyness, being bold and unrestrained once.
But she didn't get the expected response. While surprised, a trace of resentment also welled up in her heart.
Niu Hong gently patted Zhang Qiaoying's back and discovered she was completely naked. He instantly understood her intentions - she was determined to make him their helper.
He sighed inwardly and quickly sat up to cover her with the blanket.
"Sister-in-law, you have my brother. You can't be like this with me!"
"Brother Hong, you've seen our situation. If you don't help us, our whole family won't survive the winter. We'll only have one way out..."
Zhang Qiaoying spoke in a weak voice, sobbing softly.
In nearly two years, she had been supporting this family alone. Now they were at their wit's end. There was no food stored at home, and with such heavy snow outside, finding something to eat would be very difficult!
What would happen next was obvious even to a fool!
Fortunately:
The game Niu Hong brought back today had let their family enjoy a rare full meal. The extra game could be stored as food reserves, giving life new hope.
Niu Hong's hunting skills had amazed both her and her husband Niu Dongsheng, making them even more eager for him to join their family and help them through this difficult time.
Feeling Zhang Qiaoying's sorrow, Niu Hong comforted her,
"Sister-in-law, why wouldn't I help you?
You and Brother Dongsheng are good people.
Your family's difficulties are temporary. When Shuanbao and Erya grow up, things will get better.
Listen to me, go back to Brother Dongsheng's side!"
Zhang Qiaoying couldn't help but sob bitterly, as if trying to vent all her grievances.
Niu Hong sat quietly watching, lost in thought.
He was only 18, in the most beautiful years of his life. He had a long road ahead.
And the time of his rebirth was precisely when his former lover had not yet married. He still had a chance to win her back.
How could he willingly fall into the role of being someone else's helper?
Brother Dongsheng's family had shown him great kindness. He couldn't help them in such an improper way.
Thinking about this, Niu Hong said,
"Sister-in-law, let Shuanbao and Erya call me godfather. I'll treat them like my own children. What do you think?"
Zhang Qiaoying instantly understood Niu Hong's thoughts. He was using the children to both build a relationship with their family and consider their faces.
Was this something an 18-year-old boy should think of?
Zhang Qiaoying was momentarily stunned, forgetting to cry.
"Sister-in-law, what do you think? Do you and Brother Dongsheng agree?"
Faced with Niu Hong's question, Zhang Qiaoying suddenly came to her senses and quickly responded.
"Agreed, I agree. Brother Hong, then tonight..."
"Sister-in-law, don't stay with me tonight. Go back and discuss it with Brother Dongsheng. See if he agrees." Niu Hong said, involuntarily shivering. Even with clothes on, he wanted to get into the warm bed immediately.
"Ah!"
Zhang Qiaoying happily agreed, wiped the tears from her face, hurriedly put on her clothes, and shuffled back to the east room.
Listening to the gradually fading footsteps, Niu Hong got back into bed, feeling Zhang Qiaoying's lingering warmth. Thinking about what had just happened, his emotions were mixed.
The next day, Niu Hong got up very early. Without clearing the snow in Brother Dongsheng's yard, he hurried toward his own home.
The quiet street was empty, covered in thick snow.
Approaching his yard, Niu Hong noticed a trail of fresh footprints in the snow, indicating someone had entered the courtyard but hadn't left.
So early in the morning, who would come to his house?