Chapter 111

The little sister instinctively thought her baby brother was greeting her. She pushed past her older brother and ran to the bedside, resting her chin on her hands as she stared at him with wide-eyed curiosity.

“Can you say ‘sister’? If you can, I’ll take you up the mountain to pick red berries.”

An An couldn’t see the person in front of him clearly, but he could sense that her curiosity held no malice. He’d been lying in bed bored out of his mind, and now someone had finally come to see him—of course he was excited.

“Waaah~”

The baby’s spontaneous cooing completely satisfied the little girl’s dream of having a younger brother. She leaned in close and gave him a sniff, her eyes lighting up with wonder.

“Brother, he smells so nice!”

Seeing his sister, who had always stuck by his side, now fawning over a bald-headed baby more than him, Li Shi was not having it. He huffed in protest:

“No way! Grandma said he stinks! She even told Mom to wash his diapers. So embarrassing!”

Li Xiaohua hesitated a little after hearing her brother’s words. She gently poked her baby brother’s tiny hand, and An An responded with a big gummy grin.

That one simple gesture tipped Li Xiaohua’s heart completely in favor of her baby brother.

“He really does smell nice! If you don’t believe me, come smell him yourself!”

“I’m not smelling him! He stinks!”

Li Shi stormed out of the room, fuming. What a stupid baby brother! They never should’ve brought his sister to see him!

Li Xiaohua lingered by the bedside for a long time, unsure whether to follow. In the end, she stayed. She carefully wrapped her baby brother’s tiny hand in her palm.

His little hand was warmer than hers—soft and fragrant. It reminded her of a wildflower she’d once seen on the mountain.

Beautiful, but fragile. You had to be extra careful when picking it.

Out in the courtyard, Auntie Li was tidying up when she saw her son come out with a scowl on his face. She couldn’t help but ask,

“What’s wrong with you?”

Li Shi had been glancing back every few steps after leaving the room, waiting for his sister to chase after him like she always did. But she didn’t. By the time he reached the courtyard, he was on the verge of tears.

Now, hearing his mother’s question, he felt even more wronged.

“I’m never playing with her again!”

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he added,

“Just for today!”

“What happened that you’re not playing with your sister? Come on, tell me.”

Li Shi recounted how his sister had ignored him for the baby and refused to leave the room with him. As he finished, even he felt a little embarrassed and lowered his head, not daring to meet his mother’s eyes.

Auntie Li had thought the siblings were just having a spat. She didn’t expect it to be something so trivial. The more she thought about it, the more amused she became.

What kind of siblings get jealous over a baby who hasn’t even reached one month old?

“You silly boy. Your brother’s just a baby, and Xiaohua’s still little too. She’s never seen a baby this small before, so of course she’s curious. Doesn’t she usually play with you all the time?”

But for once, Li Shi didn’t agree with his mother.

He knew she had a temper, so he didn’t argue further. He picked up a basket and headed out to gather grass for the sheep.

He used to believe everything his mother said, but this time felt different. This time, he could tell—his sister genuinely liked that baby. Liked him just as much as she liked her big brother.

Auntie Li had plenty of chores to do and didn’t have the time to worry about her kids’ feelings.

After what she thought was a successful pep talk, she went back to her work.

Li Xiaohua stayed by the bedside, watching her baby brother intently. Every tiny movement of his little hands and feet filled her with joy.

“Hey, little brother, grow up fast, okay? When you do, I’ll take you to pick berries.”

“Waaah~”

“Your sister’s amazing at climbing trees—no one’s faster than me!”

“Ooh~”

“I can even catch fish in the river. If I catch one, we’ll make fish soup together.”

“Aah~”

Just as An An let out another sound, the door was suddenly flung open from outside. Auntie Li stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, glaring at her daughter like she was about to explode.

“You went to the river again without telling me? How many times have I told you—people have drowned in that river! Why won’t you listen? Do I have to give you a good beating, or do you have to fall in yourself before you’ll learn?”

She raised a broom and started chasing Li Xiaohua around the room.

An An, who had been lying quietly on the bed, suddenly began flailing his little arms, clearly distressed by the commotion and trying to sit up to see what was happening.

“Ah, waaah~”

Auntie Li didn’t want to accidentally hit the baby, so she drove her daughter out of the room.

Out in the courtyard, Li Xiaohua burst into tears. Li Shi, who had just returned with a basket of grass, heard her crying and immediately forgot all about his earlier grudge.

He rushed over, shielding his sister behind him, and glared at their mother.

“Mom, what did she do wrong that you’re hitting her? If you’re going to hit her, then hit me first!”

Even with her son standing protectively in front, Auntie Li wasn’t about to let them off. She gripped the broom tighter and pointed at Li Shi with her free hand.

“You’re not getting off either!”

Clearly, the two of them had been sneaking off together to climb trees and play by the river. Auntie Li had planned to deal with her daughter first, then go find her son. Now that they were both here, it saved her the trouble.

In the end, both kids got a good spanking and were left bawling. It wasn’t until Granny Li returned and saw the scene that she stepped in to stop it.

Granny Li was worried the kids might get seriously hurt, but she didn’t plan to interfere with the punishment.

The river the village kids liked to play in had a deep pool at the bottom. Just last year, a child had drowned there.

And the trees on the nearby mountains were tall—falling from one could easily break a limb.

So these two sneaking off to do such dangerous things definitely deserved a beating.

Li Shi and Li Xiaohua were made to stand in the corner by the wall. Xiaohua sniffled from time to time, and the more she thought about it, the sadder she got, until a snot bubble formed under her nose.

Once their mother and grandmother had gone back inside, Li Shi finally asked how they’d been found out.

“I said I’d take little brother to catch fish, and Mom overheard.”

“Next time, don’t tell him stuff like that, okay? It’s all that stinky brat’s fault!”

Li Xiaohua nodded obediently at first, but froze midway through. She sniffled again and defended her brother.

“It’s not his fault. I slipped up.”

“Big brother, he’s really well-behaved.”

Li Shi snorted and turned his head away, clearly not buying it.

“Traitor!”

“I am not a traitor!”

What had started as Li Shi sulking turned into Li Xiaohua getting angry too. To show just how mad she was, she even took two steps to the side, putting space between them.

Auntie Li peeked through the window and saw the distance between the siblings—enough to fit two more people. She couldn’t help but wonder what on earth had happened to make the usually inseparable pair so standoffish.

At dinner, the two of them ignored each other completely.

While Li Shi fed the sheep as usual, Li Xiaohua sat beside Granny Li, watching her baby brother drink his milk.

Moonlight bathed An An’s face, and after days of careful care, his cheeks had started to plump up.

“You really like your little brother, don’t you?”

Granny Li turned to look at Xiaohua. The girl nodded shyly and grinned.

“Mm-hmm. I like him.”

“Well, when Spring Plowing starts in a few days, how about you stay home and help look after him?”

“Okay!”

It was the first time she’d been given such an important task, and she didn’t hesitate at all. She even patted her chest to show her determination.

“I’ll take great care of him!”

“Good girl. You’re amazing.”

In the village, it was normal for kids this age to start helping out. In big families, the older ones usually looked after the younger ones or went to the fields together.

Kids like Little Shi were already doing chores and earning half a Work Point.

That’s why Auntie Li had been so frustrated with her younger brother-in-law—he had a kid now and still refused to lift a finger.

After his milk, An An snuggled into Granny Li’s arms, clearly ready to sleep.

“Time for bed, little brother. We’ll play again tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.”

The next day, the team leader returned from the county with seeds, and many villagers went to take a look.

Their main crop was rice. Being in a transitional climate zone, they couldn’t grow wheat well, nor could they harvest two rice crops a year like some regions.

So every household treated their crops with extra care—sometimes even more than their own children.

When Spring Plowing began, Li Dazhuang struggled to adjust. His father woke him before dawn every day.

His sister-in-law got up even earlier to wash the family’s clothes by the river.

Soon after, the rest of the household would rise. Auntie Li would return from the river and prepare breakfast in the kitchen.

Granny Li handled laundry for herself, her husband, Dazhuang, and little An An.

Feeding the sheep fell to Elder Brother Li, who had to gather grass before breakfast. Thankfully, the weather was warming up, and grass was easier to find.

Li Dazhuang grabbed a bowl to milk the sheep, planning to feed it to his son.

The only ones with a bit of leisure were Li Shi, Li Xiaohua, and the baby An An.

After breakfast, with the sun just rising, the family headed to the production team’s fields to start plowing.

Even Li Shi helped out with whatever tasks he could manage.

Li Xiaohua stayed home to watch her brother. Before leaving, Auntie Li reminded her repeatedly to come find them if anything happened.

Over the past few days, Granny Li had made sure Xiaohua knew how to change diapers and feed the baby before trusting her with the responsibility.

Once in the fields, it was back-breaking work. Everyone was treated like beasts of burden.

Most were used to it, but for first-timer Li Dazhuang, it was pure torture. He barely lasted before everything started aching.

As the sun climbed higher, he grew dizzy and disoriented, feeling like he might collapse face-first into the paddy.

Compared to this, clearing the riverbank with his father and brother had been a walk in the park.

This was a torrential downpour pounding his head, nearly knocking him flat.

Sweat stung his eyes with every blink, each one a fresh agony.

Because of his poor track record, the team leader didn’t trust him and assigned someone to keep an eye on him.

Only after confirming he wasn’t slacking off did the overseer move on.

The production team had a rule: from Spring Plowing to Autumn harvest, everyone ate from the communal pot.

Granny Li was known for her cooking and had been one of the main cooks before.

At lunch, Auntie Li ate quickly and rushed home to check on An An, telling Xiaohua to go eat on her own.

If not for the exhausting labor, Xiaohua would’ve looked forward to this—she got to eat more here than at home.

On the first day of Spring Plowing, Li Dazhuang didn’t run off, but when he got home, he felt like he was floating, like walking on clouds in a dream. He couldn’t even lift his arms.

“Mom, can I rest at home tomorrow?”

He was completely spent and longed for the carefree days of idling around.

“No way. You’ve started working with us now, so you’ll keep working!”

This was the last year they’d be eating from the communal pot. New policies meant that after this year’s Autumn harvest, food would be distributed based on Work Points, and each household would cook for themselves.

That’s why Granny Li insisted her son pitch in.

This wasn’t like before, when they only had to ration food from Autumn to Spring—this time, it was for a whole year.

Originally, they thought the new policy would start this spring, and even then, Granny Li and Auntie Li had worried their food wouldn’t last.

But just a few days ago, the team leader corrected himself—it would start after this year ended.

Still, Granny Li was firm. No slacking.

Li Dazhuang groaned, trying to plead.

“Come on, Mom, I really get it now. Can’t we just let this go? I swear I’ll listen to you from now on. If you say go east, I won’t dare go west!”

Granny Li gave him a glance, then looked away.

“Good. Then go work.”

“Wait, Mom, let’s talk this through—”

Even after a full day of labor, Granny Li looked completely unfazed as she walked ahead.

Li Dazhuang scrambled after her, suddenly forgetting all his aches. All he could think about was catching up and begging for mercy.

That night, Granny Li hurried to put An An to sleep. Li Dazhuang, afraid the baby would cry at the sight of him, didn’t dare go in.

After pacing outside for a while, exhausted, he finally went to bed.

The next morning, it was Granny Li who dragged him out of bed again. No matter how pitifully he begged, she was resolute.

Auntie Li might look fierce, but she was soft-hearted with family. Seeing her mother-in-law finally disciplining her brother-in-law, she decided to let bygones be bygones.

At least he was working now—that was better than nothing.

When Li Dazhuang first started working, even the team leader didn’t think he’d last three days.

Old Wang’s family even bet he’d quit within three days.

But to everyone’s surprise, half a month passed, and aside from screaming when leeches bit him in the paddies, he’d been fine.

Back when the Work Points system was first introduced, their team leader had only applied it to food distribution after the Autumn harvest.

Everyone slacked off, just putting on a show to get by.

But other teams that fully adopted the system saw much higher productivity—what took them a week, others finished in two days.

Learning from that, the team leader implemented full Work Points this year. Communal meals would end after the harvest.

Before Spring Plowing began, he held a meeting and warned that anyone caught slacking would have their Work Points docked.

Now, every field worked meant more food for their own families come harvest. No one dared slack off.

Today was An An’s one-month birthday. They couldn’t throw a big celebration, so they just dressed him in clothes with a bit of red fabric.

The little guy seemed to know it was a special day—he was unusually lively that evening.

Li Dazhuang leaned in to pinch his son’s hand. An An had been happily blinking, but the moment he saw his father, his lips puffed up.

If he hadn’t just been smiling at everyone else, the pout wouldn’t have meant much.

But he had been, and now he frowned at his own dad like he’d been wronged. Anyone watching might think Li Dazhuang had bullied him.

Still, he was his son. Li Dazhuang pinched his hand again, ready to scold him.

He’d heard babies could recognize faces after one month. This was his chance to show the brat who was boss.

He glared, and An An’s puffed-up face deflated into confusion.

Li Dazhuang was pleased. If his mother hadn’t been there, he might’ve even pinched the baby’s cheeks.

Finally, some joy after all his hard work.

Just like when he used to tease his nieces and nephews until they cried—it was oddly satisfying.

Even his own son wasn’t going to escape.

Turns out, the baby wasn’t so tough after all. A little scare and he behaved.

Li Dazhuang was basking in this triumph when An An’s lips began to tremble.

A bad feeling crept in. He reached out too late—An An burst into tears.

Granny Li, mid-conversation with her daughter-in-law, turned sharply and locked eyes with her son’s panicked expression.

Then she looked at the wailing baby. The culprit was obvious.

“What are you doing? You’ve got nothing better to do than make the baby cry? It’s his one-month birthday! I’ve never seen such an unreliable father!”

“Old man, where’s the stick? Bring it here! I’m going to teach this brat a lesson!”

Grandpa Li usually stayed out of these things, but with his wife calling him out, he handed over a broom.

Granny Li passed the baby to her daughter-in-law and gave Li Dazhuang a few solid whacks.

A guy like him, with a history of screw-ups, getting hit was nothing new.

Usually, he didn’t care what people thought. He’d done worse.

But getting beaten in front of his son? That stung. His face flushed with shame.

“Mom, come on! Let’s talk this out. An An’s watching! You’re embarrassing me in front of my own kid!”

An An, perhaps understanding, clapped his hands.

“Waaah~”

The crying stopped, replaced by soft clapping.

Li Xiaohua and Li Shi, both frequent victims of their uncle’s teasing, were delighted to see him get a taste of his own medicine.

With so many kids watching, Li Dazhuang felt his pride crumble. He coughed and tried to stop his mother.

Granny Li didn’t care who was watching. She knew her son had the thickest skin in the village.

After a few more smacks, she tossed the broom aside.

Li Dazhuang grinned sheepishly, picked up the broom, and stashed it far away.

“Hehe, I knew it—Mom still loves me best!”

Granny Li ignored him and carried An An inside.

Everyone was exhausted from the day’s work. They’d only stayed outside to celebrate An An’s milestone.

Now that he was inside, they all went to rest.

Granny Li and Grandpa Li had a habit of chatting before bed. They’d guessed An An might survive, but now that he’d reached one month, they felt more confident.

Given how useless their youngest son was, no one in the village had high hopes for him. It was doubtful any woman would marry him.

Even widows preferred men who were hardworking—not someone like him.

So they’d raise this child well. By the time they passed, he’d be a teenager and wouldn’t be alone.

At the very least, he’d take care of his father out of familial duty.

Granny Li and Grandpa Li smiled, eyes full of hope for the future.

Beside them, little An An slept soundly, chest rising and falling in the quiet spring night.

A spring rain fell, but the villagers toiling in the fields didn’t dare rest. They threw on whatever they could and kept working.

At home, Xiaohua not only watched her brother but also helped care for the sheep.

For some reason, the sheep still produced milk—and plenty of it. Xiaohua drank half a bowl every day.

Her brother hated the smell of sheep milk, but she didn’t mind. She thought it was delicious.

She took good care of the sheep, and it grew fond of her.

At first, Auntie Li had been nervous about leaving An An in her daughter’s care—after all, she was still a child herself.

But she also wanted her brother-in-law to work, and this was her chance.

So she reminded her daughter every day to take good care of the baby.

Each night, she’d ask how things went. Xiaohua always said everything was fine, even snuggling into her mother’s arms and saying An An was better behaved than his brother.

Li Shi, hearing this comparison, was not pleased. Was he really worse than a baby who hadn’t even been weaned?

Auntie Li found their reactions hilarious—her son sulking, her daughter clueless.

Sometimes she’d nudge her husband to share the laugh.

Elder Brother Li didn’t see what was so funny, but he was happy the kids got along.

An An was growing day by day, and everyone in the family could tell he was smarter than most babies.

When he was hungry, he’d hum. When he peed, he’d whimper.

If he hadn’t peed yet, he’d squirm like a little caterpillar.

Li Dazhuang hadn’t given up after being humiliated last time. He wanted to redeem himself.

But every time An An saw him, he’d pout like he’d been gravely wronged—making it impossible to get close.

He was the kid’s father, for heaven’s sake! Li Dazhuang was so upset he even complained to his mother.

“What kind of baby doesn’t like his own dad? If he’s going to be like this, we might as well give him away!”

The moment those words left his mouth, Granny Li kicked him out of the kitchen.

“What kind of son doesn’t listen to his mother? Might as well throw you in the river!”

Li Dazhuang scratched his head, utterly confused.

Wasn’t he trying to mess with that brat? How did the fire end up burning him instead?

Spring Plowing soon ended, but the work didn’t stop. Other crops needed planting and care, and the rice seedlings needed weeding.

Villagers took turns checking the paddies to make sure the water didn’t dry up. If it did, they had to find the cause and fix it.

Compared to the grueling pace of Spring Plowing, this was a welcome relief.

Whenever Li Dazhuang went to check the water levels, he’d take An An with him.

He’d noticed that whoever spent the most time with the baby was who An An liked best.

Like Xiaohua, or his mother—whenever they appeared, An An would light up, waving his tiny hands in delight.

Li Dazhuang refused to admit it, but deep down, he was a little jealous.

At first, Granny Li didn’t trust him and sent Li Shi along. But after a few trips with no mishaps, she let Shi return home.

After all, An An was his son. Maybe becoming a father was helping him grow up.

With that comforting thought, Granny Li stopped worrying.

An An, whenever carried outside, would look around with wide-eyed curiosity.

He’d spent so many years in a silent, motionless world that even the faintest sound or movement now thrilled him.

It was like stepping from darkness into sunlight.

The warmth of the sun, the rustle of leaves, the babble of water—all of it was wondrous.

In flatter areas, Li Dazhuang would focus on his son.

This was his son—his firstborn. He felt a strange mix of affection and awe.

Everything about him was tiny and perfect. His little expressions were endlessly amusing.

This was his son. A living, breathing son.

Li Dazhuang suddenly felt it clearly. But because he’d teased the baby before, he didn’t want to admit it out loud. He just stared at him.

Not to brag, but no baby in the village looked as cute as An An.

An An first noticed the grass underfoot. When he saw it flatten beneath his father’s step, his delicate brows furrowed, and he puffed out his cheeks in protest.

A few steps later, he spotted a cluster of tiny blue flowers—delicate and beautiful.

His mouth opened in awe, and his dazed expression made Li Dazhuang chuckle.

Two butterflies fluttered past, chasing each other in the sunlight. An An’s eyes followed them until they disappeared, then he buried his face in his father’s chest.

Today’s task wasn’t as simple as checking the water. One paddy was low, and he had to find the blockage and clear it.

If the team leader or anyone else saw it and reported him, he’d lose Work Points.

He used to not care about that. But now, after working so hard, every point mattered.

Luckily, he’d come prepared. He spread a rag on the ground and set An An down, then rolled up his pants and waded into the field.

Halfway through, he heard An An fussing.

The baby was usually quiet—only whining when hungry or wet. But Li Dazhuang was too busy to stop.

He figured he’d deal with it later.

So much for being a sweet little angel—this kid was just like every other baby: needy, smelly, and loud.

Maybe he needed a diaper change. Or maybe he just missed his dad.

If it was the latter, then what a spoiled little brat!

Li Dazhuang glanced over, then went back to work.

Once he finished, he washed the mud off his legs and picked up his smelly little prince to head home.

Though his face was twisted in obvious distaste, his feet told a different story, picking up speed with surprising eagerness. But when he was just five steps away from An An, the scene before him brought Li Dazhuang to a sudden halt, leaving him utterly stunned.