Chapter 3

    Madam Zhang and Lu Santing watched the scene unfolding before them in disbelief. Lu Santing furrowed his brow, scratching his head as he looked over at his wife. Madam Zhang, regaining her composure, gave Zhao Ying and Xiao Bao some space, then exchanged a glance with Lu Santing that said, 'Let’s just wait and see.' Lu Santing nodded, then turned back into the main hall, with Madam Zhang following, though her expression wasn’t exactly pleased.

    She resolved that if Zhao Ying continued mistreating Xiao Bao, she would step in to protect her grandson herself. Even if it meant divorcing this cold-hearted daughter-in-law, she would do it to protect her grandson. But she silently prayed it wouldn’t come to that. Madam Zhang glanced back at Zhao Ying, who was holding Xiao Bao and talking to him. Watching them for a moment to reassure herself, she finally returned to the kitchen to continue preparing the meal.

    “Mother, today Grandpa gathered wild vegetables by the house, and Grandma is making medicine for him. After that, we’ll have dinner—are you hungry?” Xiao Bao asked sweetly, happy and surprised that his mother was holding him close instead of pushing him away as she had in the past.

    “Mother isn’t hungry. Are you hungry, Xiao Bao? I have something special for you to eat,” Zhao Ying replied, and Xiao Bao’s eyes lit up with excitement.

    His bright eyes sparkled like a dark night sky full of stars, Zhao Ying thought as she carried him to her room. She set him on the bed, then walked over to a small wooden cabinet where Zhao Yingying had kept her things. Opening it, Zhao Ying found a box of treats inside—some honey, sugar, and flour all hidden away.

    'Zhao Yingying, you really were selfish. The whole family barely has enough to eat, and yet you hid all this away. No wonder no one could stand you.'

    Zhao Ying sighed internally. Pretending to rummage in the cabinet, she quietly took a small apple from her mystical dimension and handed it to Xiao Bao—the smallest one, so he could easily bite into it.

    “Mother, what is this? It’s so beautiful!” Xiao Bao asked, examining the red fruit in his hands.

    “This is called a 'ping guo', an apple. It’s sweet and delicious—try taking a bite,” Zhao Ying said, demonstrating a bite for him to mimic.

    As soon as Xiao Bao bit into it, the sound of the crisp, juicy fruit filled the air, and sweet juice burst into his mouth. He couldn’t stop exclaiming how delicious it was and ran circles around Zhao Ying, laughing with joy.

    “Mother, it’s so good! It’s so good! I’ve never eaten anything this tasty before!”

    Zhao Ying watched him, amused; he reminded her of a little golden retriever puppy running excitedly, his eyes sparkling with delight.

    At that moment, Zhao Ying took the opportunity to observe Xiao Bao more closely. His skin had a yellowish tint, a clear sign of malnutrition, and his hair was dry and brittle—another result of his lack of a varied, nutritious diet.

    Xiao Bao’s overall size was... well, a bit shorter than average for a four- or five-year-old. Thinking about it, her parents-in-law also looked pale and frail. It was obvious that they were all genuinely struggling.

    “Ah, Xiao Bao, don’t eat the middle part—those are seeds, and they’ll make your stomach hurt.”

    “It’s so tasty, Mother. I wanted to save some for Grandpa and Grandma, but before I knew it, I finished it. Do you think they’ll be upset with me?” Xiao Bao’s face fell, and he looked down in guilt.

    “They won’t be upset with you. Mother has more ping guo—how about we take some to share with Grandpa and Grandma?”

    “Yes, that would be wonderful!” Xiao Bao’s face lit up with joy.

    Zhao Ying turned to take out all the food stored in the cabinet and pulled a few more apples from her mystical dimension. She chose apples because they existed in this world, though they weren’t as plump or flavorful as the ones she had stored. Xiao Bao, being a child, quickly forgot his worries when distracted by the food. But she knew she’d need to be more cautious around her parents-in-law.

    “Xiao Bao, has your father told you when he’ll be back?”

    “Mother, don’t you remember? Father said he’ll return once the snow starts falling.”

    “Oh, yes, I forgot,” Zhao Ying replied, though she truly hadn’t known.

    Right now, it was the end of summer, nearly the rainy season. Her husband in name wouldn’t return for over four months. In the meantime, she would look after this family—to atone for the mistakes of her body’s previous owner and repay her debt for being here. But mostly, she would do it for Xiao Bao. Her heart went out to him, and she gently stroked his head as she thought.

    More than that, she didn’t want him to grow up an orphan. She knew firsthand how hard it was to grow up without parents. And she also needed to treat her father-in-law’s leg injury, which had partly been caused by the original Zhao Yingying’s recklessness.

    Besides, her husband was a Jinshi, a high-ranking scholar. Maybe one day, she could become the wife of an official, and her life would no longer be the constant struggle it had been in her previous existence.

    Lost in these thoughts, Zhao Ying and Xiao Bao walked into the main hall, which doubled as the dining room. The first thing that caught her eye was the old, broken table propped up with stones in place of one of its legs. At the table, her parents-in-law, Lu Santing and Madam Zhang, were already seated.

    Zhao Ying noticed Lu Santing’s leg extended out, wrapped in a makeshift bandage. The leg was swollen and red—clearly not well cared for and lacking proper rest. It seemed the injury had started to worsen, and in this heat, an infection could easily set in. Left untreated, he might lose the leg entirely.

    Seeing the state of her father-in-law’s leg, Zhao Ying decided to approach her in-laws with humility and sincerity to rebuild their trust. She placed all the food she’d brought on the table and knelt before them, recognizing this as the first step toward mending family bonds.

    Lu Santing and Madam Zhang were startled to see her suddenly bring out supplies and kneel down. Madam Zhang began to stand in surprise, but Zhao Ying quickly spoke.

    “Father, Mother, I know I’ve done many terrible things. Now, I realize nothing I did before had any good in it. I truly regret my actions and ask for your forgiveness. Please give me, Zhao Ying, a chance to make things right.”

    With that, she bowed her head deeply, humbling herself before them.

    The elderly couple exchanged looks of disbelief. Zhao Ying’s heart raced as she kept her head bowed, waiting anxiously. After a moment, Lu Santing nodded to Madam Zhang, and the two, having been married for so long, understood each other’s intentions without words. Madam Zhang stood, gently helping Zhao Ying to her feet.

    “We’re only simple farmers,” Madam Zhang said. “We don’t ask for much, only that our family is safe and healthy. As for what’s happened… well, what’s past is past, and we’re willing to forgive. But you must be sincere with Xiao Bao.”

    The straightforward words, free from fancy phrasing but full of genuine warmth, brought tears to Zhao Ying’s eyes, filling her heart with a deep sense of warmth and belonging.

    “Yes, Mother,” she replied, her voice slightly trembling, as she rose with Madam Zhang’s support.

    Xiao Bao, not fully understanding what had just happened, tugged on Zhao Ying’s sleeve, looking up at her innocently and saying, “Mother, I’m hungry.”

    The boy’s endearing gesture brought laughter from all three adults, lightening the atmosphere in the household.

    When it was time to eat, Madam Zhang brought out rice porridge and stir-fried wild vegetables, placing them on the old, wobbly table. Zhao Ying was taken aback—this porridge could hardly be called rice porridge; she could count the individual grains in her bowl. Quickly hiding her reaction, she sighed softly, feeling even more resolved to improve this family’s circumstances.

    The two elders had been bracing themselves for Zhao Ying’s complaints, but to their surprise, she simply lifted her bowl and quietly drank the thin rice water.

    As Zhao Ying sipped her porridge, she glanced over at the corner where the supplies she had taken from Zhao Yingying’s cabinet still sat untouched.

    Zhao Ying felt a pang of sadness. No one believed she could really change—not even enough to touch the food she’d brought, opting instead for the watery rice porridge and bland wild vegetables.

    'Zhao Yingying, Zhao Yingying... I'd like to pull your spirit back and examine your heart to understand.'

    After finishing her thin porridge, Zhao Ying turned to Xiao Bao and said, “Xiao Bao, go bring some treats and apples for Grandpa and Grandma.”

    “Yay! Apples! They’re so delicious! But make sure not to eat the seeds, or you’ll get a stomachache—Mother told me so!” Xiao Bao, in high spirits, jumped down from his chair and ran to fetch two apples. Rubbing them against his sleeve to polish them, he looked adorable.

    He handed one each to his grandparents and then ran back to the stash, returning with another apple. After a bit of clumsy but earnest polishing, he handed it to Zhao Ying with a bright smile.

    “Thank you, Xiao Bao,” Madam Zhang said. “Why don’t you have one with us too?”

    “Grandma, why aren’t you eating? It’s really delicious!” Xiao Bao asked, noticing his grandparents were hesitant.

    “Have you eaten this before, Xiao Bao?” Madam Zhang asked cautiously, still unsure.

    “Yes! Mother gave me one already, but it wasn’t as big as yours,” he answered innocently.

    Seeing Madam Zhang about to give her apple to Xiao Bao, Zhao Ying quickly intervened. “Mother, Xiao Bao already had one. If he eats a bigger one, he might get a stomachache. Please, have it yourself, or Xiao Bao will be disappointed. Isn’t that right, Xiao Bao?”

    “Yes, Grandma, eat it!” Xiao Bao nodded eagerly.

    Touched by her grandson’s pleading, Madam Zhang took a tentative bite. To her surprise, it was the most delicious apple she’d ever tasted. She glanced at her husband, only to see that his apple was already half-finished.

    Afterward, Xiao Bao asked for more treats, but Zhao Ying, worried he might get an upset stomach, promised to give him more tomorrow. He agreed without complaint.

    And thus, Zhao Ying’s first meal in this new life came to an end.