Chapter 4: Liking the Little Sister_1

"What should we do about the child?"

Su Hu rubbed his hands together, warming them over the flames, and gently kicked the brazier towards the bed with his toes.

"You're the head of the household, so it's your decision."

Li Xiu'e took a clean towel from the washbasin by the door and wiped her husband's hair.

"With our current situation, raising another child is difficult!"

Su Hu glanced at the docile little girl lying in the basket, not crying or fussing. She clutched the small chick, wide-eyed and curious, looking all around, making him couldn't help but sigh.

"Mother, little brother is hungry, when can we have breakfast?"

As they spoke, a girl about seven or eight years old with pigtails and not very tall came from the next room, leading a four-year-old boy by the hand.

Both children were thin and malnourished, slow to grow with patched clothes.

"The food's warming on the steamer, I'll bring it for you."

Li Xiu'e's face broke into a loving smile, her footsteps light as she crossed the threshold and went towards the kitchen. She returned soon after with a tray.

"Husband, it's time to eat."

She called her husband and children to the kang (traditional platform bed) and handed him the only steamed bun, then gave two boiled sweet potatoes to the children. She picked up a bowl of cornmeal and wild vegetable porridge and ate small spoonfuls at a time.

"Wu wah wah, wu wah wah."

Upon smelling the fragrant food, the infant girl crinkled her delicate little nose, opened her mouth, and softly began to cry.

"The baby must be hungry."

Li Xiu'e carefully picked up the child, and feeding her some porridge with a small spoon.

"Smacking sounds, smacking sounds."

The little girl ate happily, her eyes curving into a smile between mouthfuls.

"This child is good, she can eat porridge, and she'll be easy to raise."

Su Hu, amused, waved some crumbs of his steamed bun in front of the infant girl.

"Yiyaya, yiyaya."

The infant girl was obviously interested in the crumbs, waving her arms and legs enthusiastically.

"Stop teasing her, an infant's stomach is weak, she can only eat liquid food."

Li Xiu'e pretended to be angry and slapped Su Hu's hand, then continued to feed the infant girl the cornmeal porridge.

"Mother, is she a child you found?"

The eight-year-old girl was already sensible, watching her parents play with the infant, couldn't contain her curiosity. She swallowed her sweet potato in a few bites, leaned in close, and looked at her closely.

"Yes, I pity her, so I had your father jump into the water and save her."

Li Xiu'e pushed her feelings of unease aside. She feared her daughter would resent her for bringing a child of unknown origin into their already impoverished household, making their hardships even greater.

"Little sister is pretty, Doudou likes her."

Before the girl could respond, the boy leaning on his mother's right shoulder suddenly spoke up, excitedly reaching out his small hand to touch the tender, fragrant cheek of the little girl.

"Doudou likes the little sister?"

Li Xiu'e's eyes brightened, delighted as she stroked her son's hair, feeling proud of her growing children.

"Yes, Doudou likes little sister."

The boy's big eyes flickered, clearly expressing his thoughts.

"I also like her, having a little sister is better than having a little brother. She can keep me company and help mother with work when she grows up."

The girl, unwilling to be outdone by her brother, showed her affection for the baby in front of her parents, fearing they would be angry or think her petty compared to her straightforward brother.

"Sister Qiao has grown up, she understands things now, mother is really happy."

Upon hearing her daughter's words, Li Xiu'e's anxiety finally settled. She lovingly ruffled her daughter's hair, once again feeling proud of her growing children.