Chapter 69: Children Must Taste the Hardship of Learning

On an early morning at the end of April, the sun had yet to rise, and though the day already carried a hint of warmth, the air still held a lingering chill.

Juanjuan panted as she jogged behind her second brother.

“Juanjuan, don’t breathe through your mouth. You can exhale slowly through it.”

“Juanjuan, no need to match my pace. Just go at your own speed, nice and easy. As long as you keep moving, that’s enough.”

“Juanjuan, you can slow down now. Five laps is good for today…”

Bai Yunxing patiently guided his young sister.

Even though this body was only six years old, Bai Yunxing still felt like he was sixteen.

He had already passed that age where even dogs would turn their noses up at you. If he were still alive, he would surely be one of the most promising young talents in Jingcheng.

Back then, their father, uncles, and a few aunts were stationed at the border with the army.

The children at home were raised by their grandmother and older siblings.

The elders in the family always played the “good cop”—they never laid a hand on the children. But the older siblings? They were the “bad cops,” and when they hit, they didn’t hold back.

So, every child in the Mu Family was basically well “taught” (beaten) by their older siblings.

Now, Juanjuan was getting a taste of that herself.

Though, this was the gentle version—the kind of teaching the Mu siblings gave when they weren’t in a beating mood.

Juanjuan panted, watching her second brother jog with steady breath and calm steps. In her eyes, he was amazing.

“Come on, Juanjuan. Time to practice your forms.”

Bai Yunxing quickly finished his laps. If the family didn’t have enough money or food, he wouldn’t dare train himself this hard.

“Okay!”

Juanjuan scampered after her brother on her little legs, following him into the courtyard.

Then…

She came to a halt, frowning in confusion at the object lying beside the bamboo basket. A… kitchen knife?

Wait, why was a kitchen knife here?

“Juanjuan?”

Bai Yunxing turned around when he noticed she hadn’t followed. He looked puzzled.

Following her gaze, he too spotted the kitchen knife—something he hadn’t noticed before.

Silence settled between them once more.

【So I wasn’t hearing things last night. There really was movement outside. This kitchen knife… someone must’ve gone into the kitchen and brought it out.】

【This body is too young, and I haven’t fully adapted to it yet. If it were my original body, I would’ve been more alert last night.】

Juanjuan listened to her brother’s murmuring and suddenly remembered what felt like a dream from the night before.

She seemed to recall Third Brother standing in the courtyard in the middle of the night, grinning like a fool.

He said something about… a cat?

Bai Yunxing bent down and picked up the kitchen knife that definitely shouldn’t have been there.

“Juanjuan, it’s okay. Go stretch in the courtyard. I’ll be right back!”

With that, he went to inspect the small courtyard wall, then stepped outside for a closer look.

The wall was indeed easy to climb over.

Examining the faint footprints outside and the barely visible smears of dirt on the wall, he returned to the courtyard and checked the spots where someone might have landed.

Sure enough, he found more footprints inside.

Near the bamboo basket, there were also signs of something being dragged.

That was the one part Bai Yunxing couldn’t figure out.

【Someone definitely climbed over the wall last night.】

Juanjuan, who was stretching just as her second brother had taught her: Huh?

Someone climbed over the wall last night?

How come she didn’t see anything?

【Looks like they went into the kitchen first, but then ran into Third Brother who came out to pee. So they hid behind the bamboo basket with a kitchen knife in hand. Good thing they didn’t attack him.】

Juanjuan suddenly remembered what Third Brother had said yesterday.

Her clever little mind started turning.

So… last night wasn’t a dream after all.

That “cat” Third Brother mentioned—could that have been the bad guy Second Brother was talking about?

But then why didn’t Third Brother tell Mom and Dad?

She couldn’t untangle the logic, but she had a feeling Third Brother definitely knew something.

Since she couldn’t figure it out, she decided not to dwell on it.

After finishing their martial arts practice, the siblings went to prepare breakfast for the family.

With Second Brother helping now, Juanjuan’s burden had lightened considerably.

She no longer had to tend the fire or chop vegetables, and Second Brother was almost ready to start making flatbreads on his own.

At this rate, he’d be able to cook by himself soon.

Breakfast was the usual: flatbreads and plain rice porridge.

Jiang Dai sipped her porridge, marveling at how healthy her current lifestyle was.

Early to bed, early to rise. No staying up late on her phone—there wasn’t even a light, just the faint glow of the moon.

What else could she do?

Stay up and make more babies?

She already had four! And she wasn’t planning on having any more. Besides, with who?

She glanced at Bai Tian, who was quietly drinking his porridge, and shuddered.

【Forget it. Not even a little tempted.】

Jiang Dai shifted her thoughts away from that mess and looked at the lone egg on the table.

“Our chickens are eating too poorly. Not only are they laying fewer eggs, but most of them have soft shells. I heard feeding them leftover herbal dregs helps. Don’t know if it’s true, but maybe we can get some from town and try.”

Bai Tian replied, “Alright. Should we buy some eggs from Auntie’s place in the village for the next few days?”

“Eggs are the only real source of nutrition we’ve got around here. The kids should be getting at least two a day.”

He said it casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world—standard for any modern child.

Sure, some kids in poorer areas might not have that, but there was no need to compare their material conditions to those less fortunate.

Since he had transmigrated, he ought to do his best to give the kids the best life possible.

And he believed that his motherland would one day ensure every child could eat eggs.

But Juanjuan stared at Bai Tian in shock. “T-Two?”

What kind of family lets kids eat two eggs a day?!

Only a few children enjoyed such treatment.

Like Dachui from next door.

He was the only grandson in his family, and they were doing relatively well, so naturally he got to eat an egg every day.

But most of the other kids hadn’t split off from the main household yet. In those big families with lots of children, the eggs all went to the adults doing the hard labor. Where was the chance for a child to eat one egg a day?

Let alone two.

Bai Tian said, “Mm, two eggs a day—that’s the only way to get enough nutrition!”

Juanjuan asked hesitantly, carefully, “Do… do I get them too?”

In every household, the boys got first dibs on eggs. Would she really get any?

Bai Tian chuckled. “Of course you do. Your father and mother don’t believe in favoring boys over girls. Every child in our family deserves to grow tall and strong, and one day find something they truly want to do!”

Jiang Dai quietly added, “But you still have to study. At the very least, learn to read. It’s fine if you don’t take the Imperial Examination.”

Bai Tian and Jiang Dai exchanged a glance, understanding each other perfectly.

Every child—

Has to taste the hardship of learning!