Chapter 13: Eggs and Milk

Yu Jinzhen moved quietly, so by the time her family woke up, she had already boiled water for washing and prepared breakfast.

Now that there was more water in the space, she was more generous with it.

Madam Liu saw the steaming breakfast and felt embarrassed. “Jinzhen, you’ve worked hard. I should be the one making breakfast for you.”

Yu Jinzhen smiled and said, “Godmother, no need to be so polite. Come sit down. I made some delicious food. Eat first, then wash up.”

Mu Guhuai glanced at his wife’s face and said in surprise, “Child’s mother, your face…”

Madam Liu paused, touching her face. “What about my face? Is it dirty? Maybe I should wash up before eating.”

Mu Guhuai shook his head. “No, I feel like your skin is much better than yesterday, and your complexion looks great.”

Madam Liu felt her skin and noticed it was smoother than before. “It seems so. I did sleep very well last night, straight through until dawn.”

Since having the children, she had felt her health decline day by day. Especially at night, sleep was painful, waking up four or five times each night.

But last night, she hadn’t woken once, and now her mind was clearer than ever.

Yu Jinzhen said, “It’s the cherries. Eating them beautifies and nourishes the skin and has various health benefits. The effects come quite quickly. Godfather and the boys’ skin has improved a lot, too.”

Mu Guhuai laughed. “Cherries have so many benefits! Child’s mother, you seem to have grown younger by a few years.”

Madam Liu happily touched her skin.

If only there were a mirror at home.

Suddenly, Yu Jinzhen took out a portable makeup mirror from her past life. “Godmother, you really look beautiful.”

Madam Liu held the mirror and, seeing herself reflected so clearly, was stunned. “Is this... me? This is a mirror? It’s so clear.”

Yu Jinzhen replied, “Yes, my family sent it here.”

Madam Liu glanced at herself a few times then carefully put the mirror down, afraid she might accidentally drop it.

She approached the table, saw the food, and then noticed a container holding something clear like water beside it. Surprised, she said, “Eggs, and… is this water?”

The others also stared in astonishment.

This water container was the plastic bucket Yu Jinzhen had mentioned yesterday.

So, using plastic buckets to hold water was actually so neat-looking.

At this moment, they only thought that Yu Jinzhen’s family had brought water from the lake in plastic buckets.

They had no idea that in a world unknown to them, bottled water existed.

Yu Jinzhen nodded. “Yes, two eggs per person, a glass of milk, a dish of sweet and sour shredded pork, unlimited roasted potatoes, and cherries—eat as much as you want.”

Madam Liu and Mu Guhuai exchanged a glance, tacitly choosing not to ask further.

The three children were about to speak but were stopped by Madam Liu, who urged them to hurry and eat.

If they started talking, it would never end.

They didn’t want to annoy Jinzhen.

Such a lavish breakfast was unimaginable to them before.

Seeing this, the children refrained from asking questions and happily ate their eggs.

Since the drought, they had never tasted eggs.

Especially five-year-old Mu Yiyue, who had lived five years with two of them during the drought, had already forgotten the taste of eggs.

“Oh, right.” Yu Jinzhen placed a bowl of white sugar in the center of the table. “You can also dip boiled eggs in sugar.”

She demonstrated once.

The children followed suit.

Madam Liu and Mu Guhuai, seeing the distinct white sugar granules, felt numb.

Such pure white sugar—they would probably never see it if not for their adopted daughter.

Even the finest sugar sold in the city couldn’t compare.

Mu Yiyue tasted the sweet egg for the first time. “It tastes so sweet. Eating eggs like this is really good.”

Yu Jinzhen smiled warmly. “Glad you like it. I also put some sugar in your milk, drink it while it’s warm.”

Mu Yiyue took another sip. “Sister, this milk is delicious.”

Mu Er-yue said, “It’s sweet; I like it.”

Mu San-yue said, “Me too.”

Mu Guhuai said seriously, “Jinzhen, thank you. We owe you so much.”

Seeing Madam Liu about to express her feelings, Yu Jinzhen quickly interrupted, “Enough. We agreed not to say such things anymore. We are family, and family should help each other.”

Mu Guhuai laughed. “Alright, Godfather won’t mention it again.”

Madam Liu felt more at ease.

With an adopted daughter helping watch over the household, their family would neither starve nor thirst.

Mu Guhuai, being a man with a big appetite, ate six potatoes after finishing the eggs and milk before feeling full.

The children didn’t eat potatoes; after finishing milk and eggs, they continued munching on cherries.

The family happily finished breakfast and then went to wash up.

Of course, they didn’t dare to use too much water.

While no one was paying attention, Yu Jinzhen threw all the breakfast waste into the space’s recycling bin.

Though she wasn’t afraid of trouble, if the villagers saw this, it would surely cause gossip and waste her time and energy.

Just as Yu Jinzhen was considering what items Madam Liu should bring back to the General’s Mansion, villagers began to gather from afar.

They weren’t coming to see the Mu family’s third branch but because not far off was an open space where the village held meetings when needed.

When about a third of the villagers had arrived, the old Mu family suddenly appeared aggressively near the stone cliff.

Madam He, still injured on her foot, was supported by Mu Gushan and shouted sharply, “Mu Guhuai, you unfilial son! Now that you have a wife, you abandon your mother, conspiring with your wife to deceive me, saying she made a mistake just to make me separate you. Your family is truly sinister!”

Mu Dehong’s face darkened as he frowned. “Third brother, what you did was truly unkind. How could you deceive us like this out of filial piety?”

Yu Jinzhen frowned. So soon they found out the truth—consider yourselves lucky.

Mu Guhuai and Madam Liu blushed deeply, having their lie exposed before so many.

The three children shrank their necks, not daring to speak.

Yu Jinzhen, not a Mu family child and unafraid of the old Mu family, didn’t go down. Standing at the edge of the stone cave, looking down upon them, she said, “Who lied to you? Godmother is leaving today, only a day late.”

Madam He shouted, “You little brat! It was you who said yesterday that Madam Liu made a mistake and that five men in black came to arrest her. I met those five men yesterday and asked them myself—they were not there to arrest Madam Liu at all! You’ve been making things up!”

Some villagers recalled yesterday’s events and realized it was indeed Yu Jinzhen who first claimed Madam Liu was at fault, which made the old Mu family rush to split the household.