Chapter 77: Good Days

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Good Days

Even so, the rich, intoxicating aroma of the rabbit meat was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

She even heard people shouting from beyond the courtyard wall, wondering which family was making something so delicious—the scent was simply divine.

Bai Zhi dished out all the rabbit meat from the pot, filling the largest earthenware basin in the Hu Family’s kitchen to the brim.

The rice on the other small stove was also ready. Bai Zhi carried the main dish while Hu Feng carried the rice. In the main hall, Uncle Hu and Zhao Lan sat talking as they waited to eat. The scene resembled a true family, complete with parents, a son, and a daughter.

Uncle Hu thought of his wife and son, both of whom had died young, and his heart filled with a mix of sorrow and gratitude. Heaven had been good to him, letting him meet Hu Feng. Now, his final years would not have to be spent in solitude.

When Zhao Lan saw her daughter carrying a basin of plain white rice, she frowned. "Zhi’er, why didn’t you make porridge?"

Bai Zhi set down the basin of rice and smiled. "Mother, things are different now. When Doctor Lu returns today, he’s sure to bring back the money from selling the ginseng. From now on, we’re only eating proper rice, not rice water."

Zhao Lan laughed in amusement. "Oh, you. Nothing’s set in stone yet, and you’re already making such bold declarations. What if Doctor Lu doesn’t bring the money back today? Then what will Uncle Hu and Hu Feng eat tomorrow?"

Bai Zhi filled a bowl with rice for Zhao Lan and grinned. "That’s impossible. It might be a risk with an ordinary ginseng, but ours is a hundred-year-old wild one. Countless people would love to buy it but can’t. When the pharmacy manager sees it, there’s no way he’ll make Doctor Lu come back a second time. He’ll pay up today, one hundred percent."

’Even though she wasn’t in business herself, she understood the merchant’s mindset. Upon seeing a treasure like a hundred-year-old wild ginseng, any merchant would seize the opportunity. They’d surely buy it up immediately and hold onto it, waiting for the perfect time to sell it for a fortune.’

Uncle Hu laughed and said, "Even if the money doesn’t come today, we won’t starve. Bai Zhi is right. We’ve suffered our whole lives, been poor our whole lives. Now that we’re finally about to have some money, there’s no reason to keep making ourselves miserable. From now on, let’s eat well and drink well. Let’s enjoy some happy days, so we can feel our time on this earth was worthwhile."

Seeing that Hu Changlin wasn’t just being polite, Zhao Lan felt greatly relieved. She smiled and said, "Brother Hu is right. We’ve suffered our whole lives. From now on, we can’t let the children suffer too." She glanced at Bai Zhi, her gaze as gentle as water, and a honey-sweet warmth spread through her heart.

「The Bai Household」

Liu brought a basin of braised pork to the table and ladled a bowl of thin porridge for everyone.

The family sat around the table. With both of his arms broken, Bai Dazhu had to be fed by Liu. Mouthful after mouthful, she fed him. Just as Liu tried to take a bite for herself, Bai Dazhu began to clamor for her to feed him faster, afraid that if he ate too slowly, Bai Erzhu and Fugui would finish all the meat.

Liu grew frantic. She had barely managed two bites herself, yet the large bowl of meat was already almost empty. Bai Erzhu was desperately piling meat into his own bowl, not forgetting to add some to Bai Fugui’s as well.

It had been a long time since Bai Dabao and Bai Xiaofeng had tasted meat. At the sight of it, they forgot their parents even existed. Old Mrs. Bai was even more selfish; her bowl was already heaped with pork, but she kept grabbing more pieces from the serving bowl and shoving them directly into her mouth.

Panicked, Liu reached out with her chopsticks and snatched the last piece of braised pork from the bowl. Just as she was about to put it in her own mouth, Bai Dazhu bellowed, "Where do you think that’s going? The mouth is over here!"