The pheasant had just been put into the pot when Old Man Song hurried over.
"I heard you go up the mountain to hunt every day and sell the game in town?"
Song Jinzhao nodded.
Seeing the villagers' gossip was true, Old Man Song immediately grew anxious.
His voice, like a rooster's strained crow, shot up an octave.
"You're not allowed to go anymore. The mountains are dangerous. If something happened to you, I'd have no face to meet your father in the underworld after I die."
After the incident of adopting her for the wedding ritual, Old Man Song knew his granddaughter was bold and strong-willed, but he never imagined she was this daring.
Seeing his face darken with genuine worry, Song Jinzhao quickly explained, "Grandfather, don't worry. I only wander around the outskirts. I won't encounter any danger."
Old Man Song raised his voice, his right palm unconsciously moving up and down, slapping the table with loud pats.
"It's not like the family has no food. After the autumn harvest, the surplus can be sold in town for money. If we're frugal, the food will definitely last you four siblings until next year."
Song Jinzhao added water to the pot and covered it, her gaze meeting Old Man Song's eyes.
"Grandfather, I don't want Qiming and the others to have to skimp on meals every day, lying awake at night with their stomachs growling, just having to endure it."
"I don't want to wear the same set of clothes for years, patched all over and still needing more mending."
"And I especially don't want to be unable to afford medicine if we get sick later. Anhao's health isn't good; there will be many places to spend money in the future. If we just cling to our tiny plot of land, when the time comes to pay for medical treatment, would you have me watch him die right before my eyes?"
"I want a good life, not one where we eat husks and wild herbs every day, constantly worrying about money."
Old Man Song stood dumbfounded. He very much wanted to say, whose family doesn't live like this?
But looking into Song Jinzhao's stubborn, determined, and resolute eyes, he simply couldn't open his mouth.
Yes, which family doesn't save money? If an accident happens, wouldn't they be left empty-handed, waiting for death?
He closed his eyes heavily and opened them again. "The mountains are dangerous. People have been killed by wild beasts before. Never go deep into the mountains, just wander the outskirts. You must be careful in all things."
Seeing that he had listened and compromised, Song Jinzhao nodded firmly to reassure him.
A four-catty pheasant yielded two full plates when cooked, filling the kitchen with the aroma of braised chicken.
Song Qiming, sitting by the stove, kept sticking his head out to look.
If not for worrying the strong smell might bother Song Anhao, who couldn't stand it, Song Shixue would have moved her stool to the doorway to inhale all the fragrance.
The last time the family ate meat was during the New Year.
After stir-frying some spinach, they could cook the rice.
"Qiming, take this bowl of chicken to Uncle's house."
When Song Qiming ran into the old house's courtyard with the bowl, Elder Aunt Song was just placing a plate of wild vegetables on the dinner table.
"Aunt, my sister asked me to bring this for you to eat."
Old Man Song and Old Lady Song came out of their room.
Seeing the full bowl of braised chicken, Old Man Song quickly took it and tried to hand it back to Song Qiming. "Take it back. Your grandfather isn't short of meat. You take care of yourselves."
Song Qiming raised his hands to dodge. "There's still plenty at home, enough for us. I have to go."
Watching his grandson's quickly retreating back, Old Man Song felt a mix of sourness and bitterness in his heart, the meat in his hand feeling scalding hot.
Old Lady Song took the bowl and placed it on the table. "Jinzhao is filial. Sending it back would only create distance."
She glanced at Oldest Song, figuring there was also the goodwill from him fetching water these past days.
With all the dishes on the table, the eldest son's family of four and Old Man Song and his wife sat down around it.
Old Man Song watched his grandson Song Yongnian staring at the heaping pile of braised chicken, swallowing hard with a greedy look, and softened. He picked up a piece and put it in his bowl.
Then he gave a piece to Old Lady Song before finally looking at the others and saying, "Everyone, eat."
Elder Aunt Song immediately picked up a piece of meat for her younger daughter before starting her own meal.
The eldest son's family had two children, a boy and a girl. The eldest son, Song Yongnian, was nine this year, and the younger daughter, Song Qiaoniang, was eight.
Halfway through the meal, Old Man Song suddenly spoke. "Hunting in the mountains is risking your life. Jinzhao still remembers to send some over for you to eat. You must remember this kindness."
Oldest Song stopped chewing. "Father, I heard Scarface killed a wolf when he was young. Jinzhao learned skills from him. She definitely won't have an accident hunting."
Old Man Song glared at him.
At the second son's doorway, Second Aunt Song watched coldly as Song Qiming, empty-handed, trotted past their door. She slammed the courtyard gate shut.
"Only giving to the eldest son's family. She's looking down on us."
Second Song, holding his bowl, said, "Father and Mother are at eldest brother's house."
Second Aunt Song sat down heavily with a dark face. "Sitting at the same table, how could eldest brother and his wife not eat? When it comes down to it, we're the ones losing out. Those twenty-three taels of silver are just gone, and we got nothing."
Second Song looked annoyed. "Don't bring that up again. Haven't you heard the villagers' gossip? They're all saying my brother and I are heartless and unjust, even Father and Mother are being criticized."
Second Aunt Song shot him a sidelong glance. "It's fine if we don't get to eat, but haven't you thought about how long it's been since your son had meat? He's so thin his clothes are hanging loose."
The second son's couple had two daughters and a son. The eldest daughter, Song Laidi, was nine this year, the second daughter, Song Pandi, was eight, and the youngest son, Song Yaozu, was only seven.
Before the family split, the family was too poor to afford a bride price. Third Song married without giving one, so he, being the youngest, actually married the earliest.
Song Jinzhao was born early, the eldest daughter of the third son, and also the oldest among the Song family's nine children.
Song Yaozu looked on eagerly, whining, "Father, I want to eat meat."
Second Song pursed his lips. One chicken, three children definitely couldn't finish it, and it would spoil if left overnight.
"Yaozu, go play with Qiming."
Song Yaozu immediately ran out the door with his bowl.
"Sister Jinzhao!" His voice arrived before he did.
The three people sitting at the table turned to look. Song Yaozu, bowl in hand, hurried in anxiously, his gaze fixed directly on the dinner table, his purpose obvious.
Seeing two pieces of chicken left on the plate, his throat bobbed. His bowl was already resting on the edge of the table.
"Sister Jinzhao, I want to eat chicken."
Song Jinzhao guessed who had sent him. She picked up a piece of chicken leg meat and put it in Song Yaozu's bowl, then gave the last piece to Song Shixue.
"Eat."
Song Yaozu didn't complain it was too little. He gobbled the chicken down and, unsatisfied, stared at his empty bowl. "Sister Jinzhao, isn't there any more?"
Song Jinzhao swallowed her last mouthful of rice. "It's all gone."
Song Yaozu put down his bowl, disappointed. "Sister Jinzhao, my mother said you sent meat to Uncle's family. Why didn't our family get any?"
Song Jinzhao spread her hands. "These days, Uncle has been helping our family fetch water. Grandfather and Grandmother live at Uncle's house. I sent meat over both to be filial and to thank them for fetching water. If you want to eat meat, you should ask your parents to buy some."
Second Aunt Song crouched by the door, peering out. Seeing her son return with an empty bowl, she frowned. "Didn't you get any chicken?"
Song Yaozu nodded vigorously. "I did."
Second Aunt Song snatched the bowl and sniffed it. It did smell of braised chicken.
"Why didn't you bring back a bowl for me and your father to eat?"
Song Yaozu said aggrievedly, "When I got there, they were almost finished eating. I only got one piece of meat."
Second Aunt Song's face was dark with rage. She slammed her bowl down on the table with a thud.
Song Laidi and Song Pandi trembled with fear, picking up their bowls and tiptoeing away to hide in the kitchen.
"Like a starving ghost reborn, you've finished a whole chicken in one meal. Don't you fear you'll burst?"
Song Yaozu looked up and shouted, "Mother, I want more meat. Go buy some tomorrow."
Second Aunt Song's eyes bulged like a cow's. "Buying meat costs silver! Where's the money for that in this house?"
Second Song frowned and lowered his voice. "Keep your voice down. If anyone hears, they'll think we're coveting what belongs to the younger generation."
Fuming, Second Aunt Song turned toward the kitchen, the whites of her eyes red with anger.
"Song Jinzhao can catch pheasants for the family to eat, but you two only know how to eat for free, never once thinking to share your parents' burdens."
In the kitchen, Song Laidi and Song Pandi huddled close together, shoulders touching. They didn't utter a word, their mouths shut tight, as if long accustomed to being scolded for no reason at all.
