C5 There Was Only One Arm

"Mom... I'm fine." Of course, Yingchu couldn't tell Dung Qiu about Qiuqiu; otherwise, she'd be scared to death.

Yingchu assured her she was okay, and her color slowly returned to normal, which finally put Dung Qiu at ease.

While there was still some daylight left, Dung Qiu picked up a piece of grass, threaded it through the fish's jaw, and dangled it in her hand as she went door to door asking around.

Yingchu found it fascinating. In her previous life, fish were always packed in bags, often frozen. She never imagined you could carry a fish like that.

At this time, the village didn't have electricity yet. So, in this rundown house, there was no entertainment. After Dung Qiu left, Yingchu tried several times to contact Qiuqiu, but it didn't work.

Dung Qiu returned before dark, having managed to trade for some rice. She seemed really happy, her voice even carried a hint of excitement.

The shabby house had only one bed, with a single blanket that had two large holes. It also had a strong, musty smell. Even though it had been aired out in the sun today, Yingchu still noticed the odor.

Dung Qiu looked at her daughter, sighed, and said, "Make do for now. I'll wash it first thing in the morning."

"Let's just sleep," Yingchu said helplessly.

...

Early the next morning, just as the sun was rising, Yingchu got up to dig for worms. After drinking a bowl of clam soup, her stomach still felt empty, so she quickly ran to the creek.

After getting everything ready, Yingchu walked along the creek upstream. The unpolluted environment was so much better than the era she used to live in. She kept trying to recall something and finally remembered an important detail. In the 1980s, a wave of independent entrepreneurs emerged, mostly in the petrochemical and metallurgical mining industries.

One particular entrepreneur had an exceptional vision and saw potential in a mountain that others overlooked, which led to his rise to fame. She thought the location might be around this area. With this thought, Yingchu felt a bit more at ease. On her way back, she noticed the driftwood on the water was moving.

Yingchu quickly reeled in her line and caught three more fish that morning. She didn't stay there any longer because she was feeling faint from hunger. Carrying her bucket, she returned home. Her mother, Dung Qiu, saw her daughter bringing back more fish. This time, she couldn't help but ask, "How did you catch so many fish?"

"The fish are just not that smart," Yingchu replied.

Dung Qiu chuckled at Yingchu's comment.

"Mom, let's cook them quickly. I'm starving."

"Alright, I'll add some rice, and we can make fish porridge."

"Sounds good," Yingchu agreed, eager to eat.

Dung Qiu started cooking the porridge. In all her years with the Gu family, she rarely had enough to eat and had never experienced a meal where she could eat an entire fish. The Gu family would slaughter fish and chicken during festivals, but she never got to taste those delicacies.

After finally managing to grab a bite, she always let Yingchu have it. Now, as she cooked the porridge, she felt life was starting to look up.

Once the porridge was ready, Yingchu devoured two bowls and still wanted more. "Mom, let's trade a fish for something else later."

"Alright," Dung Qiu replied, chewing on fish bones.

As they discussed how to fill their stomachs properly, they heard footsteps approaching. Dung Qiu looked up, and her expression suddenly changed.

The moment Yingchu saw who it was, she wanted to grab a broom and chase them away.

As soon as Lin Manru reached the doorway, the enticing aroma of fish hit her. Her sharp eyes caught sight of the leftover porridge in the pot, with pieces of fish still floating in it, and her expression shifted.