Chapter 33: Utterly Adorable

Zhao’s expression darkened, and she did not speak a single word to Bai Yan all the way home.

Bai Yan clutched the money pouch, standing dazedly at the doorway.

“In this freezing weather, what are you doing standing there? Are you trying to be a door god?” Zhao snapped at Bai Yan and yanked her into the house.

Once she had pulled Bai Yan inside, Zhao had no time to pay her any more mind, focusing instead on picking over the beans, tossing out the bad ones.

While Zhao was busy, Bai Yan, bundled up in her coarse clothes like a plump potato, squatted down beside her.

She reached out, picked up a bean, and popped it into her mouth.

With a crunchy bite, she shook her head and said, “It doesn’t taste good.”

“You’re not a rabbit. What do you expect to get from eating raw beans?” Zhao glanced at her in disgust, continuing her sorting. “These beans are big, grown in good soil. They’re probably the best beans you’ll find around here.”

“Still, they’re not tasty. They’re astringent.” Bai Yan stubbornly nodded.

Zhao thought the little fool didn’t know any better and paid her no further heed, busying herself with her work.

After gnawing on beans for a while, Bai Yan grew sleepy—a habit she’d always had, wanting to nap whenever she’d eaten her fill.

……

Although Zhao kept her head down sorting beans, she was actually observing Bai Yan’s movements all along.

So when she saw Bai Yan yawning and climbing onto the kang to sleep, her expression visibly softened.

About half an hour later, she finished picking the beans. She tiptoed outside, washed her hands several times, then walked over to Bai Yan lying asleep on the kang.

The little girl was curled up under the covers, snoring away. Zhao finally couldn’t resist and reached out to pinch Bai Yan’s cheek.

How adorable!

……

Bai Yan was oblivious to everything that happened while she slept.

When she woke and got up, it seemed the sky had already begun to darken.

She rubbed her eyes, patted her cheeks with her small hands, then climbed down from the kang.

Contrary to what she’d imagined, the east room was filled with noise.

She groggily put on her shoes and followed the commotion to its source.

There, she saw Father Jiang in a sorry state.

Inside the room,

Jiang Cheng’an was clutching his leg, sweat beading on his forehead, clearly in pain.

Father Jiang looked just as bedraggled, covered in scrapes and with a bruise on his face.

“It’s my fault. I was in too much of a hurry, carrying my son and still managed to fall.” Father Jiang’s face was filled with guilt, while Jiang Cheng’an buried his head in the pillow, silent.

Zhao looked at the empty money pouch. She said nothing, did not scold, but as if making up her mind, declared, “From now on, let’s try running a small business.”

If things continued as they were, perhaps the family could get by peacefully, but they’d have no way to weather any crisis. The slightest trouble, and they’d lose everything.

As Father Jiang stood there stunned, Bai Yan suddenly pressed her nose close, sniffing at his shoulder.

Ignoring his tense expression, the three of them heard Bai Yan’s crisp voice ring out, “Daddy was beaten up!”

“As if you know everything! Go make a fire!” Zhao scolded Bai Yan, as if nothing was out of the ordinary; in fact, she was even fiercer than usual.

At this, Bai Yan shook her head vigorously. “My husband said I don’t have to do chores.”