Chapter 30: Heading to the town

The same old, worn-out wooden table.

On it were three roasted sweet potatoes, six bowls of wild vegetable porridge, and four eggs.

Juanjuan was already sitting obediently, waiting for her mother to announce the start of the meal.

Jiang Dai broke the sweet potatoes in half, placing half in front of each person, then set the four eggs in front of the four children: “Each of you gets a bowl of porridge, an egg, and half a sweet potato.”

“Time to eat!”

During the meal, it was particularly quiet.

Because.

Except for Juanjuan, everyone else was deep in thought.

As for Juanjuan, she just quietly ate her meal, listening in on the whispered conversations between her parents and brothers.

Mother was contemplating how to make money.

Eldest Brother was thinking about finding a certain type of stone?

Second Brother was considering how to contact people in the Capital City.

Third Brother…

Juanjuan turned her head instinctively and locked eyes with Third Brother.

Bai Yunan gave his sister a smile. Building goodwill is something that needs to be done from all angles, little by little.

Juanjuan: !

Third Brother wants to win her over.

But what does “win over” even mean? Juanjuan didn’t understand.

For now, it seemed that Third Brother wanted to win her?

Juanjuan wasn’t sure what it meant.

Meanwhile, Father was calculating how much money the whole family would need to spend.

Juanjuan was worried.

Would the ox cart tip over again? This was a heavy and important question.

Juanjuan thought about it, and so did Jiang Dai.

So, the next day, as the entire Bai Family watched the ox cart slowly approach, Jiang Dai posed a soul-searching question: “It won’t tip over again this time, will it?”

Bai Tian: …

“It won’t, it won’t! I’m here! What’s there to fear?”

Jiang Dai: “As if you could stop it from tipping over.”

Bai Tian: …

He realized his wife had a rather sharp tongue.

Jiang Dai looked around at the four children who had come along: “If something happens this time, our whole family will be wiped out!”

Bai Tian waved his hand dismissively: “It won’t happen. We’ve changed our name, we won’t be unlucky anymore.”

As the ox cart arrived, Bai Tian bent down to pick up Juanjuan and placed her on the cart first, saying, “Besides, it was a blessing in disguise. The kids have become sensible, I’ve realized I need to turn over a new leaf, and you, my dear wife, are no longer foolish.”

Jiang Dai nodded, hoping so.

“Here, let me help you.”

Bai Tian extended a hand to assist Jiang Dai onto the ox cart, then lifted their second son, who hadn’t fully recovered, onto it as well.

As for the eldest and third sons, they had already climbed up and sat down by themselves.

Along with them on the ox cart were several aunts.

Throughout the journey, the aunts kept chatting with the Bai Family.

There was no helping it; the Bai Family had been the talk of the town lately.

Naturally, the more lively a family was, the more there was to talk about.

After half an hour on the ox cart, they finally reached the town.

Once off the cart, Juanjuan watched as her mother pulled a few ropes from a tattered cloth bag and expertly flicked them open.

It was clear to see there were three ropes.

The children were puzzled, not knowing what their mother intended to do.

Juanjuan’s three brothers were equally confused.

Bai Tian sighed but said nothing, only looking a bit heartbroken at his three sons.

The three not-so-dull sons: They sensed something ominous.

“Come here, you three.”

Jiang Dai smiled at her three sons, beckoning them over.

Eldest Brother Bai Yunqi: [I have a bad feeling about this, but I just got scolded yesterday. Running away now might not be a good idea.]

Second Brother Bai Yunxing: [What’s this about? I have a bad feeling.]

Third Brother Bai Yunan: [Why does it look like… a dog leash?]

In the next moment, the three ropes were looped around the waists of the three children.

The three once-proud, powerful figures all looked down at the ropes around their waists, then at their mother, who was holding the ropes with satisfaction and reassurance.

So…

Bai Yunqi: “Is this…”

Bai Yunxing: “Leashing a dog?”

Bai Yunan: “Yeah, a dog leash, the kind for taking them on a walk.”

Juanjuan looked at her three brothers, then at herself.

The little girl with two pigtails spoke with anticipation in her voice: “Mother, doesn’t Juanjuan get one?”

The three brothers: What? Are you envious?

Bai Tian bent down to pick up his little daughter.

“Juanjuan doesn’t need one. Juanjuan is well-behaved and doesn’t run around. Besides, there’s a lot of walking to do in town, so your parents will carry you.”

The three sons who were leashed: …

Bai Yunan put on a harmless smile: “Father, Mother, I promise I won’t run around. It’s Eldest Brother who runs around; just leash him.”

Bai Yunxing glanced at his twin brother and decided to sell out Eldest Brother: “Eldest Brother is strong, so Mother and I both had to hold onto him.”

Bai Yunqi: ???

【Wait, what’s going on here? How did I end up being the only one tied up?】

Jiang Dai looked at her two twin sons, who indeed had no prior offenses. After a moment of hesitation, she untied the ropes from the second and third sons.

“You two, stay close and don’t run off!”

Bai Yunxing nodded. “Okay.”

【No worries, I’ll run later. I definitely need to contact the Capital City.】

Bai Yunan smiled and nodded. “Got it, Mother!”

【Don’t worry, I’ll sneak away quietly. No one will notice! I have to sell the BBQ Powder for silver!】

Juanjuan, overhearing her brothers’ whispers: …

Should I suggest Mother tie my brothers up again?

If they’re tied up, they can’t do what they want.

But if they’re not tied up, what if they get lost?

Bai Yunqi realized he was indeed the only one still tied up and couldn’t accept it.

“Mother, I promise I won’t run off! Let me go!”

Faced with her eldest son’s promise, Jiang Dai dismissed it as nonsense.

There was no helping it.

When her eldest son first woke up, he was a troublemaker, only calming down after his father gave him a slap. Later, when he went with her to dig for sweet potatoes, he got lost and fell into a cesspit.

He even dared to sneak out and, upon returning home, complained that she was useless for not finding sweet potatoes!

In short, to Jiang Dai, Bai Yunqi was an absolute troublemaker.

He could promise to behave one moment and be off causing chaos the next.

Jiang Dai thought: 【They say the eldest son is supposed to be the most responsible, but in this family, it’s the opposite. The eldest is a troublemaker, while the second, third, and fourth are so well-behaved!】

Juanjuan wanted to speak but chose to remain silent.

Actually, Second Brother and Third Brother were also thinking of sneaking away.

Only Mother didn’t know yet.

Jiang Dai’s gaze swept over her children and landed on Bai Tian.

She spoke, “Time is tight. I’ll take Yunxing to see the doctor and bring Juanjuan along.”

“Bai Tian, you take Yunqi and Yunan to buy rice and flour.”

“Alright!”

Bai Tian nodded but quickly realized, “Wait, why do I have to take Yunqi?”

Jiang Dai ignored him, handed the rope to Bai Tian, and scooped Juanjuan back into her arms.

“As a weak woman, of course, I need to take the obedient children.”

Bai Yunqi, feeling neglected by his parents: …

【Wait, I’m still here! Are my parents openly showing their disdain for me now?】

“Anyway, since you’re going to the clinic, Jiang Dai, take the third one along and have him checked too.”

“Let me take Juanjuan to buy rice and flour. A child shouldn’t go to the clinic; there are sick people there, and what if she catches something?”

“Besides, doesn’t Juanjuan want to go shopping and see if there’s anything she wants to eat?”

Bai Tian smiled, initially appealing to reason, then shamelessly trying to win over his little daughter.

In a short time, Juanjuan was passed from her father’s arms to her mother’s and back again.

Juanjuan: Feeling a bit dizzy.

Jiang Dai’s gaze lingered on her little daughter and eldest son.

She wanted to take her soft little daughter, which meant going to buy rice and flour.

But if she went to buy rice and flour, she’d have to take responsibility for watching over her eldest son.

So, Jiang Dai decisively chose to go to the clinic.

Her eldest son was too much to handle.

She’d rather watch over the sickly twins.

Strangely enough, just a few days ago, her eldest son was the most severely injured, yet now he was full of energy.

Could this be… the remarkable self-healing ability of a troublemaker?

Juanjuan lay on her father’s shoulder, watching her mother leave with her two brothers.

Suddenly, she felt a bit sorry for her mother.

Because…

Second Brother and Third Brother seemed like they were both planning to run away.

While on her father’s side, only Eldest Brother wanted to run.