Volume One, Chapter Eight: The Thoughts of Children

As a modern soul, that small piece of meat held no allure for him whatsoever.

“Thank you, Brother,” Xiao Ning said with a sweet smile, reaching out his small hand to take the piece of cured meat.

Just as Xiao Yun’s face relaxed into a look of relief and gratitude, his fingers about to release their grip, Xiao Ning’s hand moved like lightning.

His little hand, initially reaching for the meat, suddenly twisted sharply, precisely pinching the small piece of dried meat, and with a speed faster than sound, he stuffed it directly into Xiao Yun’s open mouth just as he was about to say, “You’re welcome!” The whole motion was seamless and swift, catching Xiao Yun completely off guard.

“Mm!” Xiao Yun felt a hard, intensely salty and fragrant object slide into his mouth, instantly triggering a flood of saliva on his tongue. He instinctively chewed once, and the long-missed, complex aroma of animal fat and smoky fire exploded wildly in his mouth.

But the sensory shock lasted only a moment. The next second, he was utterly bewildered.

“Wah, wah, wah!” Xiao Yun’s face flushed red with panic. He wanted to spit it out, yet couldn’t bear to lose the taste. He mumbled incoherently, “Little… little brother! That… that meat was given to you by mother! Why did you stuff it into my mouth? Hurry… spit it out!”

Beside him, Xiao Yao’er was also shocked, her mouth wide open, forgetting even the piece of meat in her own hand.

Xiao Ning had no intention of lingering over this piece of meat. His mind was more focused on the “unwelcome visitor” seventh uncle at home.

“You all eat it! Just don’t let anyone see!” Xiao Ning waved his hand, then turned abruptly, tossing out a sentence as he dashed away, “I’m going back to see what the village head wants at our house!” His footsteps were quick and nimble like a little rabbit. When the village head entered earlier, rubbing his hands and frowning with a hint of reluctance but forced professionalism, Xiao Ning’s alarm bells rang loudly in his heart. His intuition told him the seventh uncle had not come just to make small talk.

Watching Xiao Ning’s small figure quickly disappear, Xiao Yun stood dazed, the piece of cured meat still stuffed in his mouth, its warm and rich aroma filling his palate.

“Sis…” He slowly chewed the meat into small pieces and swallowed with difficulty, his throat seemingly choked by some emotion, his voice muffled, “Did you see? Ning-ge’er… he’s always been the greediest for this piece of cured meat…”

Xiao Yao’er carefully nibbled a tiny corner of her meat, savoring it. Hearing this, she nodded eagerly, her face instantly filled with immense happiness. “Mmm! Mmm! It’s delicious! So fragrant!”

To her, the temptation of meat was plainly straightforward.

“But just now, Ning would rather not eat it himself than not give it to me,” Xiao Yun’s voice grew low, tinged with a childlike, incredulous solemnity. “This kindness is more precious than gold.” On his small, somewhat scholarly face appeared a rare expression of near-mature resolve.

“Sis,” he looked at Xiao Yao’er’s eyes shining brightly from eating the meat, speaking seriously and deliberately, “Since Ning-ge’er gave me cured meat, I must give Ning-ge’er something else in return.”

“Huh?!” Xiao Yao’er stopped chewing, surprised, and asked curiously, “What do you want to give him? Money? Or wheat cakes?”

Xiao Yun shook his head, pressed his lips tightly, and said no more. His eyes flashed with a memory from a few days ago—the conversation that had almost crushed his young heart—

In the dim corner of the woodshed, Grandmother Yu’s stern face spoke in a low voice that struck his heart like a heavy hammer: “Yun-ge’er, you’re growing up. If… if this time at the courtyard exam, your father and uncle remain so… undisciplined…” Her breath trembled faintly, “…Grandmother will risk this old face and ask someone to pull strings to send you to Master Li in Shangwan County to begin your studies. Learning some characters is better than digging in the fields all your life…”

A nine-year-old child, hearing the phrase “begin your studies” for the first time, his heart pounded wildly. But his first thought was not joy, but an impulsive question:

“Grandmother, what about Ning-ge’er then?”

Silence.

A suffocating silence spread instantly in the small woodshed.

Grandmother’s once sharp, expectant gaze darkened upon hearing the question; the lines on her face seemed to deepen. She clutched her clothing tightly, turned away, and remained silent for a long while.

That suffocating silence became the clearest, most painful answer in Xiao Yun’s heart. The family, even if they sold everything, could barely afford to support one child—the “only one” who bore the weight of the family’s hope, quietly entrusted to him as the eldest grandson.

At that moment, Xiao Yun’s heart wrenched tight. In that heavy silence, he made a decision.

“Mother always said the eldest grandson must be sensible and responsible.”

“Mother also often said Ning-ge’er’s mind is much sharper and livelier than mine.”

“If the family can only have one chance to rise…”

Xiao Yun lifted his head and looked toward the direction where Xiao Ning had disappeared at the doorstep, his gaze clear and resolute.

“Then let the smarter Ning-ge’er take it!”

That thought planted a heavy seed firmly in his heart. Today, his cousin’s act of giving him the meat made that seed sprout instantly, growing into a small sapling called “Responsibility.”

“Come on, sis, let’s go back!” Xiao Yun grabbed Xiao Yao’er, still wondering what he would give in return, and together they hurried toward home, chasing after Xiao Ning’s figure.