Honestly, she felt quite sorry for Fangfang.
From childhood to adulthood, she had been spoiled by her parents. It was the first time she had ever seen a child as miserable as Fangfang.
Not enough to eat, not enough to wear, and an endless amount of work every day.
Despite her young age, her body was covered in scars, yet she was cheerful every day, as if life were full of hope.
Zhan Jingchun knew Fangfang was innocent. She wouldn't resent anyone, so she insisted on giving her the noodles.
"They'll go bad if left until tomorrow. I don't want to eat leftovers. If you don't eat them, I'll throw them away. Peng Fei, take them and discard them."
Hearing her say this, Fangfang and Peng Fei were immediately filled with concern.
Peng Fei knew her temper; once she made up her mind, there was no changing it. Adhering to the principle of not wasting food, he handed the noodles to Fangfang.
"Your sister-in-law cares about you, so eat them when she tells you to. Quickly thank your sister-in-law."
Fangfang, being young, didn't know how to hide her emotions. Smelling the chicken soup, her eyes lit up with adoration. She quickly thanked Zhan Jingchun and took a small portion to enjoy.
Zhan Jingchun didn't eat well during dinner, and Peng Fei felt very guilty.
He worked exceptionally hard to help her wash up after dinner.
Zhan Jingchun was surprised to find that he had even brought a separate basin for washing her feet.
Sitting by the fire, after washing her feet, Fangfang and he took turns soaking theirs.
Zhan Jingchun stood aside, looking at the bed covered with grass and a thin sheet, not daring to lie down on it.
Peng Fei said, "It's okay. After I finish washing my feet, I'll go up first and flatten the bed for you before you lie down."
Fangfang felt a little embarrassed.
After all, this was the first time she had lived with her elder brother and sister-in-law.
With adults, a man and a woman, and then her, it felt a bit awkward.
While waiting for Peng Fei to soak his feet, Zhan Jingchun, with nothing else to do, chatted with Fangfang, asking about her academic performance.
Fangfang said her grades weren't great. She actually didn't want to continue school, but the tuition for this semester had already been paid, and she didn't want to waste it. She planned to quit after the New Year.
This was the first time Peng Fei had heard his sister express such a thought. He was very surprised and immediately turned to look at her.
"Haven't your grades always been pretty good? Why do you suddenly not want to go to school? Does Mom know you're thinking this? Why wouldn't you go to school at such a young age? Who allowed you to think this way?"
The reason Fangfang had been able to attend school for so long was entirely due to her brother's support.
In their area, for poor families, girls didn't need to go to school. They could help with chores at home, and by the time they were teenagers, they would get married. That was considered a woman's lifelong mission.
But Peng Fei didn't think that way.
He felt his own life was already ruined, and his sister's shouldn't be. As long as he lived, he would support her.
Fangfang was too sensible. Seeing the family's hardship, with nothing to eat or drink and burdened by debt, and with his sister-in-law expecting another child next year, she didn't want to be a burden to them.
Peng Fei sternly reprimanded her.
"What good will saving that little bit of money do? Is this something you should be worrying about? Go back and study hard! Continue with your studies as you should. You are not allowed to think like this anymore!"
Fangfang felt a bit wronged and helpless after her brother's scolding.
Seeing her sitting there, unsure of what to do, Zhan Jingchun felt even more sorry for her.
"Your brother is right. He's not blaming you. What can you do at such a young age without going to school?"
"Being born here is not your fault, but if you have the opportunity to leave and you don't, then that's your problem. The outside world is vast and wonderful, wonderfully beyond your imagination. Don't you want to go out and see it? Are you willing to be cooped up here your entire life?"
"Your brother isn't willing to be cooped up here his entire life, and neither are my children. So, what we need to do is strive to improve our lives. Not make meaningless sacrifices, understand?"
Fangfang didn't quite understand.
Zhan Jingchun then told her that they could go out and find work.
Outside, even as a cleaner or a waitress, one could earn 3,000 yuan a month.
In big cities, a domestic worker with skills like Peng Fei's mother could earn four or five thousand, even seven or eight thousand yuan a month.
They could completely escape poverty; there was no need to endure hardship by staying on these few acres of land.
Fangfang's eyes were opened to a new world, and she suddenly filled with longing for the outside.
Was the outside world really that good? Was money that easy to earn?
Zhan Jingchun said, "If you don't believe me, let's go out and see together."
She wanted to take this opportunity to persuade Peng Fei. Even finding a job in the county town would be better than staying at home. Money outside was truly easy to earn; as long as he was willing to work hard, it would be better than farming.
But Peng Fei showed no reaction to her words.
He had been out of school for too long, and he no longer had any desire for the county town or the outside world's temptations.
There was no one he knew there, no one to welcome him, and he didn't know what he would do.
Although farming was hard work, he had his mother, his sister, and many relatives and friends.
Now, he even had his beloved wife, and there would be children in the future. He didn't want to be separated from them.
He wanted to be like all the men in this village, enjoying family harmony every day, which was enough for him.
Whenever going out to work was mentioned, Peng Fei would fall silent, and Zhan Jingchun truly hated this aspect of him.
Her mood, which had just improved, plummeted to freezing point again due to his attitude.
Peng Fei silently finished washing up, lay down on the bed, tossed and turned, and flattened the bed for her.
Looking at his unmotivated state, Zhan Jingchun just wanted to make things difficult for him.
"Take off your clothes and give them to me to wear. I'm cold."
The fire was indeed a bit far from the bed, and for safety, Peng Fei had almost extinguished it, leaving only a few embers.
He thought Zhan Jingchun was genuinely cold, so he obediently took off his shirt and gave it to her.
Zhan Jingchun wrapped herself in the shirt and then asked for his pants.
"My legs are also cold."
Fortunately, the underwear he wore were all handmade by his mother, wide and loose boxers.
Men often wore them like this during the hot summer. Fangfang was used to it.
Peng Fei also gave her his pants.
Zhan Jingchun, dressed handsomely, lay down on the bed. Peng Fei covered her with the sheet, and she kicked him to the side.
"Go away, you smell terrible. Stay away from me. Fangfang, come sleep here."
Fangfang lay down between them. Zhan Jingchun covered both of them with the only sheet, leaving Peng Fei with nothing.
But he had no complaints, nor did he feel cold. He just lay there stiffly. Perhaps it was due to exhaustion, but he soon fell asleep.
Zhan Jingchun couldn't sleep. Listening to his steady breathing, she felt a surge of restlessness.
"Peng Fei, Peng Fei!"
Peng Fei startled awake and sat up. "What's wrong?"
"I'm thirsty. Get me some water to drink."
The fire was about to go out, and there wasn't much firewood left.
But Peng Fei immediately rolled out of bed and went to start a fire to boil tea for her.
The water was from the mountain spring, which could be drunk directly, but Peng Fei couldn't bear for her to drink cold water.
His clean and handsome profile was illuminated by the flames as he busied himself diligently.
Watching her brother work himself to exhaustion, Fangfang felt distressed.
"You have to get up and work tomorrow. I can't sleep anyway, so why don't you go to sleep and I'll tend the fire?"
Peng Fei's eyes were fixed on the flames. He rubbed his eyelids forcefully with his rough hands.
"No need. You sleep."