Chapter 2

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He was never the type to drag his feet. Once he made up his mind to act as Chen Sanlang, he no longer pretended to be dead. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a rumbling sound, "Gurgle, gurgle." It turned out that he hadn't eaten a grain of rice since morning, and his stomach was growling.

"It's so dark," his face flushed with embarrassment. Looking around, he could only see two small, indistinct figures in the darkness. "Why isn't there any light?"

"Has Third Brother forgotten?" The two figures were stunned for a moment, and the older one, Wulang, said in a deep voice, "You asked for it in the afternoon, but Grandmother refused and even scolded you."

"Damn..." Chen Sanlang couldn't help but feel his anger rise. "This is child abuse!"

"What's child abuse?"

"Exactly like you two!" Chen Sanlang said irritably.

"Then what about you?"

"This unlucky kid, which pot is boiling..." Chen Sanlang was wary of this world and wasn't ready to deal with outsiders. He decided to make do in the dark for the night. After all, he wouldn't accidentally stick chopsticks up his nose, right?

"Is there any food?"

"There is, there is." Children are the most sensitive. Sensing that he was back to normal, the two kids relaxed. Liulang immediately clung to him like a leech. This time, Chen Sanlang didn't push him away and let him lean on his knee.

Wulang handed him a cone-shaped object. Chen Sanlang took it and felt it; it was probably a coarse grain cake. He couldn't help but give a self-deprecating smile: 'This won't stick to my nose.' He took a tentative bite. Whether it was made of bran or wheat bran, it was rough and gritty in his mouth and throat. He frowned and said, "Can this be eaten?"

"It can be eaten..." Wulang said in a deep voice. "We ate this in the afternoon."

"Damn..." Chen Sanlang muttered in frustration, but he was so hungry that he had to force it down. He couldn't swallow it without gagging and gasped, "Water..."

Liulang shakily brought a large bowl to him. Chen Sanlang took it and drank two big gulps to wash down the food. He then realized that the water was unusually clear and sweet, which slightly comforted his depressed mood.

After finishing the cake with the water, Chen Sanlang still felt hungry and asked instinctively, "Is there more?"

"There is." Wulang pulled out another piece from his pocket.

"Thanks..." Chen Sanlang took it and ate it, but instead of feeling satisfied, a wave of hunger washed over him, as if he hadn't eaten for days. "Is there more?"

"There is." This time, it was Liulang who answered, handing him another piece.

Chen Sanlang took it and bit into it, then suddenly realized he might have eaten their food. His face flushed with embarrassment. "Is there anything else to eat? I mean, have you eaten?"

His mumbled words were hard for the children to understand. After a while, Wulang shook his head. "There's nothing left. These three cakes were secretly given to us by Uncle Lu."

"I have more!" Liulang proudly showed him a handful of something. Chen Sanlang picked one up; it seemed to be a soybean. He said happily, "Where did you get these?"

"Third Brother picked them for me..." Liulang said softly. "Have you forgotten?"

Chen Sanlang put one in his mouth and found it was raw. He quickly spat it out. "These need to be cooked before eating, or they're toxic!"

"We've been eating them all along..." Liulang picked one up and crunched it. Chen Sanlang couldn't stop him and quickly took the rest from his hand, angry. "Spit it out, no eating!"

Liulang obediently spat it out but was clearly scared, with tears welling up in his eyes.

"Good boy, Liulang..." Chen Sanlang's heart softened, and he hugged him tightly. "I'll cook them for you tomorrow."

Liulang nodded obediently but whispered after a while, "I'm still hungry..."

Chen Sanlang offered him the cake, but Liulang pursed his lips and didn't eat it. He said softly, "Third Brother is sick and needs to eat more to get better..." Wulang nodded vigorously in agreement.

Chen Sanlang felt a lump in his throat and his eyes welled up. He cursed himself for being too emotional and forced a smile. "I'm not a bottomless pit. I'm full, can't eat anymore..." After some coaxing, he finally got Liulang to eat half the cake.

Liulang, who was not yet four years old, had been scared and exhausted all day. He fell asleep in Chen Sanlang's arms. Chen Sanlang gently laid him down and then remembered Wulang. He apologized, "You haven't eaten, right?"

"It's okay." Wulang smiled foolishly. "Third Brother said that when you sleep, you're not hungry. It works well." He climbed onto the bed and fell asleep.

Chen Sanlang was still weak and couldn't get out of bed. With Liulang hugging his arm and Wulang holding his clothes, he couldn't move at all and had to lie still.

Lying in bed, he noticed that through the holes in the roof, he could see the brilliant stars. He stared in amazement, finding the night sky so beautiful. He couldn't understand how such a heartless family could abuse their underage children so cruelly. They should be torn apart!

After cursing the heartless elders, he began to worry about his own situation. As a child, would he be abused forever? He should run away, but what about the two children who clearly saw him as their only support? How could he leave them behind?

'These two little fools, I don't even know who to rely on myself.' Chen Sanlang was extremely depressed and eventually fell asleep in his worries.

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"Rooster, rooster, rooster..." A series of loud rooster calls broke the dawn's silence.

Chen Sanlang's body was numb from being pressed by his two younger brothers. He didn't sleep well and woke up as soon as the rooster crowed. He found Liulang lying on his chest, drooling all over him.

For the first time, Chen Sanlang took a good look at his little brother. He had long eyelashes and delicate features, a rare beauty, but his malnutrition made his head look disproportionately large and his body small, which made him even more pitiful.

He turned to look at Wulang, who was also skin and bones but looked sturdier due to his frame. Even in his sleep, Wulang had a furrowed brow and a serious expression—noble and upright, or more realistically, deeply troubled.

'Are these my brothers?' Chen Sanlang felt a warm feeling in his heart, something he had never experienced as an only child in his previous life.

Outside, voices gradually grew louder, and the two brothers woke up. Liulang rubbed his sleepy eyes and mumbled, "I need to pee..."

Chen Sanlang tried to get up but couldn't find a chamber pot. Wulang led him outside to relieve himself.

Once they left, the shack became quiet. Chen Sanlang then realized his own condition—his body felt like it was being pricked by needles, and he was sweating profusely, clearly running a fever. His soul from the future, though not a doctor, had been influenced by his family's medical background and could diagnose himself as a half-decent doctor.

The headache last night was a symptom, but he had been too distracted to notice.

He lay down and didn't dare move. With the medical conditions of this era, if he overexerted himself, he might die.

The door, which was slightly ajar, opened. He thought it was Wulang, but when he looked up, he saw a boy about his age.

After a brief moment of confusion, Chen Sanlang remembered this was his cousin, the second son of his uncle, Chen Si.

Compared to his two ragged brothers, Chen Si was dressed in fine clothes. He wore a dark blue silk robe with floral patterns, a black vest, and new soft boots.

Though he didn't recognize the fabric, Chen Sanlang was envious to the point of madness, wishing he could strip Chen Si and dress his brothers.

The boy spoke in a Sichuan-accented Mandarin, "Third Brother, are you okay?"

Seeing the genuine concern on his face, Chen Sanlang suppressed his urge to rob him and said irritably, "I won't die..."

"I heard about your trouble yesterday but couldn't come over." Chen Si looked uneasy. "Third Brother, have you seen a doctor?"

"Can I afford a doctor?"

"It's all my mother's fault..." Chen Si's face darkened. "I'll go back and ask Cuihua to help find Mr. Hu." In this era, 'Mr. Hu' referred to a doctor.

"No need for that trouble," Chen Sanlang didn't want to cause a fuss and shook his head. "Si, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, as long as I can help." Chen Si nodded repeatedly.

"I know there are silkworms in the east of the village. Get me some silkworm droppings... and ask Cuihua for some dried tangerine peel, the kind used in cooking. She'll know what I mean."

"..." Chen Si silently remembered and nodded. Before he could speak, a loud, harsh female voice called from outside, "Si! Chen Si, where are you!"

"My mother is calling me, I have to go!" Chen Si took out a package from his pocket and put it on the bed. "I stole this from the kitchen!" He hurriedly left.

Outside, a voice like a she-devil's scolded, "How many times have I told you, if you go to that pigsty again, I'll break your legs!"

Chen Sanlang, who couldn't stand injustice, was instantly enraged and tried to get up to confront the old hag.

But his legs felt like lead, and he couldn't move fast. By the time he reached the door, he could no longer see anyone, only hearing faint voices from the bamboo grove.

"Madam, my Third Brother is sick..."

"Defiant, I'll tear your mouth apart!" The angry voice grew distant, but the harsh, insulting words still pierced his ears: "What Third Brother... a poor, ragged brat... bringing bad luck for generations!"

Chen Sanlang's eyes blazed with fury. He vowed that once he recovered, he would make the old hag pay for her cruelty!

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Starting from tomorrow, I will update regularly. If there are no unexpected events, I will post one chapter at 8 AM and 8 PM. Please recommend and collect!

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