Zhao Xiaoshu didn't move.
Just as Zhao Dahe's patience was wearing thin, Zhao Xiaoshu shifted a bit and spoke up, "Second brother, you want to sleep in my room, but you're not being polite to me at all."
The second brother is mother's favorite son, if he angers the second brother, what would mother do?
If mother scolds him, then it would prove that what she said isn't real.
Zhao Xiaoshu quietly waited for his second brother to get angry.
But for a while there was no reaction.
Then, he heard the rustling sound of his second brother undressing.
"Second brother, are you angry?" Zhao Xiaoshu asked.
"You're so pitiful, I can't bear to be angry with you. Besides, mother wasn't wrong, I live at school and only come back during my monthly holiday. Leaving the room empty is a waste, so I graciously let you have it," Zhao Dahe mumbled, "You better be grateful and remember how kind I've been to you."
Zhao Dahe's reaction was completely different from what Zhao Xiaoshu had expected.
For a moment, Zhao Xiaoshu didn't know how to react.
"Hey, second brother's asking you, do you hate mother?" Zhao Dahe suddenly asked.
Zhao Xiaoshu remained silent.
Zhao Dahe went on talking to himself, "If I were you, I'd definitely hate mother. That carpenter nearly beat you to death, right?"
"I didn't die, mother saved me," Zhao Xiaoshu said quietly.
"Indeed, mother saved you. I said there was no need to go, it was just a dream. But mother insisted on going, promised a lot of extra fare to Uncle Niu, persuading him to take us to town," Zhao Dahe said, "I could tell that mother was really worried about you."
Meng Yao: No, that wasn't the original intent, I just wanted to survive.
"Second brother, you're a scholar, do dreams really forewarn?" Zhao Xiaoshu asked.
"How would I know? Everyone dreams a lot, some can be remembered when awake, some are completely forgotten. So what do you say?" Zhao Dahe replied, "However, as for mother and child being connected, it might be true."
Mother and child connected?
"You were born by our mother, you are a part of her," Zhao Dahe added, "Maybe in the future if I'm in danger, mother might dream about it too."
Would that be? Zhao Xiaoshu wondered.
"But, I always feel like our mother has changed compared to before," Zhao Dahe continued.
The person is still the same, yet something feels different.
Zhao Xiaoshu was silent for a while, then said, "I don't feel anything."
In fact, he wanted to say: I think this is quite good.
"Really? Surely I'm overthinking it. Alright, hurry up and sleep, you're all bruised, you need a good rest," Zhao Dahe yawned, sleepiness swept over him, he didn't want to keep talking with Zhao Xiaoshu.
He forgot, he was the one who started talking to him.
Soon there was a sound of even breathing next to him, and Zhao Xiaoshu gradually fell asleep too.
Meng Yao dreamed again.
In the dream, fifteen-year-old Zhao Xiaohua jumped into the river.
The reason was that Zhao Xiaohua was too fat and ate too much, always unable to find a husband, becoming a joke in the whole Shanghua Village.
The previously doting parent of Zhao Xiaohua's original self exploded after one of the matchmaking attempts failed.
She pointed at Zhao Xiaohua's nose and hurled various insulting words at her.
Zhao Xiaohua rushed out the door, met a young man from the village by the riverside, Zhao Xiaohua liked him. In a burst of impulse, Zhao Xiaohua confessed her feelings to him.
"Look at yourself, like a fat pig, where do you get the face to like me? Being liked by you is utterly disgusting. Someone like you serves no purpose living. Hurry up and die, save some food."
The parent's insults didn't crush Zhao Xiaohua.
The humiliation from the secret love became the last straw.
Zhao Xiaohua despairingly jumped into the river.
The young man was scared and ran away.
He didn't inform the Zhao family to save Zhao Xiaohua.
By the time the villagers discovered Zhao Xiaohua, her body had already become more bloated.
A blossoming age became a lifeless body.
Meng Yao awoke with labored breath from the dream.
In her mind was the scene of Zhao Xiaohua intimately linking arms and coquettishly smiling at her, how could she watch such an adorable girl die?
And that young man, what was his name again, remembered, Han Muchi, who settled with his widowed mother in Shanghua Village. No one knew where he came from, only that Lady Han donated an acre of sacrificial land to the village, and the village chief arranged for them to settle.
Han Muchi had fair skin and attractive features, distinct from the other young men in Shanghua Village.
Yet it was this distinctiveness that made him the heartthrob for all the young women in Shanghua Village.
For now, Han family mother and son hadn't settled in Shanghua Village yet.
Meng Yao didn't know whether she could stop them from settling, but she knew she could change Zhao Xiaohua.
Let her have a normal girl's physique, so no one would insult her because of it.
That way, even if Zhao Xiaohua were to express her feelings to Han Muchi, at least his rejection wouldn't be as cruel as in the dream.
Perhaps just a simple, sorry, I don't like you.
This way, Zhao Xiaohua would be sad, but not to the extent of seeking death.
Calming her emotions, Meng Yao lay back down, tossing and turning for quite some time before falling asleep.
The next morning, Meng Yao woke up.
Looking at the still unfamiliar room, Meng Yao was momentarily dazed.
Oh, right, she had transmigrated.
With four kids and a daughter-in-law.
Originally, breakfast at home was made by Song Xiu'er, now that Song Xiu'er was recovering, she had to do it.
Her cooking skills were quite commendable, so let her, the freshly minted mother, make a hearty breakfast for the children.
Using food to win hearts has always been a good strategy.
Lump soup, steamed egg custard, pancakes, and mix small salads.
Meng Yao swiftly prepared everything just as the children got up.
Zhao Dahe was the first to wake up, as in school, he had to get up at a set time every day for morning reading.
The aroma coming from the kitchen drew Zhao Dahe straight inside.
"Mother, why are you cooking?" Zhao Dahe blurted out, only remembering afterwards that yesterday sister-in-law had a miscarriage, currently recovering from it.
"You're just in time, take Xiaoshu's breakfast to his room, he's hurt and can't get off the kang," Meng Yao promptly directed Zhao Dahe.
Zhao Dajiang got up too, and Meng Yao gave Song Xiu'er's portion to him.
Then, she went to call Zhao Xiaohua to get up.
Zhao Xiaohua was still thinking about going to town today to make pretty clothes, so she didn't dawdle like usual, got up when Meng Yao called.
While eating, Zhao Dahe was amazed by the taste of breakfast, "Mother, how did your cooking skills get so good?"
Meng Yao remained calm, "Did my cooking taste bad before?"
The original self's cooking skills were average, certainly not as good as Meng Yao's.
But purposely making food taste bad was disrespectful to it, Meng Yao couldn't do that.
So, she just wouldn't admit it.
Zhao Dahe didn't answer by himself, instead nudged the engrossed eating Zhao Dajiang with his elbow.
"Was mother's cooking good before?"
Zhao Dajiang, not understanding the question, answered honestly, "It wasn't good before, today's cooking is delicious."