Chapter 14: Evil Begets Evil

Although the conversation was filled with disdain for Jiang Youfu, it also revealed a hint of surprise at the tenacity of life.

Jiang Ziling responded solemnly and forcefully, "Evil people will be punished by heaven, there's no need for us to worry too much."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, as if declaring his firm belief in the justice of the world.

Su Yu nodded slightly in agreement, "That's quite true. Even if he was lucky enough not to die, he must be grievously injured, suffering to the point of not wanting to live, which can be considered a punishment for his evil deeds."

After this sudden turn of events, by the time the couple returned home, the eastern sky was already showing the first light of morning, and the gentle dawn spread quietly, heralding the arrival of a new day.

The courtyard gate creaked open, and in view was their young daughter Xixi, standing alone at the door, with tearful eyes and a pale face. Clearly, she had been awakened by the previous commotion, and on waking up to find no sign of her parents, her heart was filled with fear and helplessness.

Su Yu's heart ached tremendously, and she hurriedly stepped forward to take Xixi into her arms, gently wiping the cold tears from her cheeks.

Looking at her daughter's shivering body, she thought to herself that the child must have waited alone in the cold night wind for a long time.

Jiang Ziling was also distressed, and he walked over quickly. Xixi struggled out of Su Yu's embrace and threw herself into her father's arms, burying her head deeply in his broad chest, and silently sobbing.

Jiang Ziling gently patted her back, softly comforting her until Xixi's emotions had gradually calmed down, and then carefully carried her back to the warm bed, patiently coaxing her back to sleep.

The upheaval of the night left Su Yu with no desire to sleep, so she simply got up and went to the stove to prepare breakfast for the family.

The firewood crackled, a pot of water gradually boiled under the caress of the flames, and the sweet potato porridge happily tumbled in the pot, its orange-yellow hue looking exceptionally tempting in the morning light.

However, looking at the pot of plain sweet potato porridge, Su Yu always felt something was missing.

She remembered how in recent days, Jiang Ziling often brought back a few plump wild rabbits from the fields, adding a touch of abundance to their otherwise bland dining table.

Gradually, they had almost forgotten about the affair of fishing by the riverbank.

Now that the rabbit meat was running low, Su Yu decided it was time to revive the old trade of fishing, to offer a change of taste for the family.

Once she made up her mind, Su Yu immediately sprang into action.

During the gap in tending the porridge, she quietly left the house, stepping onto the path leading to the riverbank.

By this time, the sky was just turning the pale white of a fish belly, and all things were waking up under the baptism of the morning sun.

With her familiarity with the river's currents and the principles of light refraction, Su Yu quickly found the best spot for fishing.

Her gaze was as sharp as a torch, and with a fishing spear in hand, her movements were precise and swift. In no time, several lively fish fell into the wooden bucket. The clear river water splashed on her skirt hem, but it could not dampen her joy at the bountiful catch.

Carrying the full bucket, Su Yu returned home along the winding path.

Jiang Ziling was busy by the stove, gently stirring the sweet potato porridge in the pot with a wooden spoon. Seeing Su Yu suddenly appear, he couldn't help asking, "Where have you been?"

Su Yu lifted the heavy wooden bucket in her hands, her face brimming with pride, "I went fishing. How about that, a pretty good catch, isn't it?"

Jiang Ziling looked at the lively fish in the bucket and suddenly realized, "So you went to the riverbank. I thought all the fish nearby had been caught!"

Su Yu teased playfully, "Far? I think it's just that your legs and feet aren't nimble enough to consider it far!"

Not only did Jiang Ziling not get angry, but he also laughed heartily and admitted frankly, "Alright, there's some truth to what you said."

Su Yu quickly and deftly handled the fish meat, carefully removing the bones and checking repeatedly to ensure that every bite of fish meat was tender and boneless.

Afterward, she put the chopped fish meat into the pot, slow-cooking it with the sweet potato porridge.

In an instant, the aroma of the fish mingled with the scent of rice, filling the entire kitchen. She added a pinch of salt and some vibrant green scallions, making the fragrance of this bowl of fish porridge even richer and more tempting, its deliciousness unparalleled.

On this ordinary morning, a steaming hot bowl of fish porridge not only warmed the stomach but also warmed the heart.

The little girl Xixi sat in front of the dining table, her round eyes sparkling with excitement. Her chopsticks moved swiftly, picking up bite after bite of tempting dishes, eating with relish, her mouth still glistening with the shiny soup.

Ever since that gentle and amiable big sister—Su Yu—came into the home, Xixi's diet seemed magically transformed, improving drastically day by day.

Her once slightly thin face had now become full and rosy, emanating a healthy glow, like a peach bathed in the morning sun, irresistibly making one want to give it a light pinch.

After breakfast, Su Yu stood in the simple but tidy kitchen, adeptly organizing the items she had carefully prepared for the past two days, considering every detail meticulously.

She turned to look at Jiang Ziling, who was busy in the hall. Her bright eyes were filled with determination and decisiveness, "Lady Zhao should be too preoccupied to trouble us these few days. I should take this opportunity to go into the mountain."

Upon hearing this, a wave of indescribable worry surged in Jiang Ziling's heart.

He was well aware of the many dangers in the mountains, where wild beasts roamed freely, especially for a woman, it was extremely perilous.

However, seeing Su Yu's resolved expression, he knew that any attempt to dissuade her would seem feeble.

He sighed deeply, his only option was to repeatedly warn her, "Be extremely careful, the deep mountains are full of wild beasts. Don't venture too deep, and no matter whether you find the herbs or not, you must come back home before dark. Remember, remember."

Su Yu smiled slightly, her determination mixed with Jiang Ziling's concern. She nodded solemnly and responded, "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Then, she hoisted the bamboo basket filled with essential supplies onto her back and, with steadfast steps, set off on the path leading into the deep mountains.

Jiang Ziling watched as her silhouette gradually disappeared at the winding path's end, prayers surging in his heart like the tide, "May heaven protect her, she must not encounter any accidents!"

Su Yu followed the winding sweet potato slope to the southeast, where the sunlight filtered through the lush leaves, casting dappled shadows to pave her way with golden light.

Her goal was the thatch-roofed hut hidden in the forest that Jiang Ziling had once mentioned, which could provide refuge from wind and rain and a place to stay in case she couldn't come down from the mountain at night.

Along the way, like a vigilant leopard, her keen gaze swept the surrounding environment. She was still at the foot of the mountain, where the sun was bright, and the only creatures she encountered were small animals, such as the agile wild rabbits, wild chickens ready to take flight, and those little birds singing on the branches, whose names she did not know.

This trip into the mountains was not for hunting, so Su Yu simply admired these creatures without any intention of disturbing them.