The cold moon in the mountains was colder than the town. The north wind blew through the withered branches and brought up thin snow, shouting wantonly.
Under the night sky, the moonlight reflected the dazzling white and fell on the ground through the broken cracks on the walls of the thatched cottage.
The only oil lamp in the room flickered with dim flames, faintly shining on the two trembling children in the corner.
Huo Xiao Hua shrank back into her brother's arms. Her dark eyes were fixed on the woman sleeping on the bed, and her stomach growled again.
"Brother... I'm hungry..."
Huo Xiao Hua said in a low voice, with a hint of tears in her voice.
Huo Shi raised his hand and said, "Shh." He was afraid that he would wake up the woman on the bed.
Ever since his father married this woman named Su Jiumu a year ago, he and Xiao Hua had never had a good life again.
Aunt Liu, who occasionally came to deliver corn noodles, said that she was tough and had a bad temper, perhaps because of this.
"Good boy, Xiao Hua. Daddy's coming back soon. Daddy said he wanted to beat up a rabbit for us to eat!"
The cold wind outside the house blew the loose tiles. The sound of it made Huo Xiao Hua even more scared. Her nose twitched and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Brother... I'm afraid..."
Huo Shi gently patted his sister's back, and his stomach growled.
"Dad..."
Huo Xiao Hua cried out in grievance, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
The girl's sobs followed the sound of the wind into Su Jianan's ears. She endured her splitting headache and slowly opened her eyes. The scene that entered her eyes made her mind go blank.
The dim flames gradually died out, and cold light poured in from the broken window.
In the small space, there was only a simple wooden table and two thick wooden stools. In the corner not far away, there was a stove made of stone. The two children next to them hugged each other and trembled.
Seeing the woman on the bed move, Huo Xiao Hua held back her sobs in fear and crawled into Huo Shi's arms.
Su Jiujiu supported her forehead and sat up. The bone-piercing wind penetrated her thin cotton-padded clothes and made her shiver.
"Achoo!"
Su calmed himself down and carefully recalled.
She was supposed to take advantage of the break and work as a public service in the welfare home. However, as soon as she stepped on the bus, she saw a big truck coming from the intersection, and then the bus turned over. She also lost consciousness.
Then, what was going on?
Sujiujiu quietly sat on the bed, carefully searching for memories. Suddenly, fragments of fragments appeared in her mind.
The owner of this body was called Su Jiuci. One year ago, her husband died of illness in the bridal chamber. Her parents thought that she was unlucky, so they called the matchmaker to send her home.
After that, she married Huo Yan, her wife's dead wife, through her aunt's connections.
However, Huo Yan was so poor that he brought along a pair of children, which made Su Jiuci very disgusted.
As a result, Su Jiumu often beat and scolded the two children, so Huo Yan had always treated her coldly. Even when she was sick, he never took care of her.
That was why she had traveled to the dead Su Jiuci.
Su Jiujiu finally managed to convince herself to accept all of this. She looked up at the two babies in the corner and her heart suddenly ached. Frowning, she got out of bed and walked over.
There was a hint of fear in Huo Shi's eyes, but he still tightly protected his sister behind him. He said bravely, "Aunt, don't play with Xiao Hua. Xiao Hua, don't cry."
Su Jiujiu frowned, took off her cotton-padded clothes, and carefully put them on the child.
When she saw Su Jiujiu approaching, Huo Xiao Hua's body trembled and she started to sob.
"I, I'm no longer hungry... and I don't cry either... Aunt, don't hit me..."
Su Jiujiu sighed. Her eyes were slightly moist, and her eyes were filled with pity.
She couldn't understand. Wasn't Madame Su's heart made of meat? She had to be ruthless in front of such a young child.
Thinking of this, Su Jiujiu forced a smile and comforted her in a gentle voice, "Don't be afraid. I won't hit you again."
Hearing Su Jiujiu's words, Huo Xiao Hua clutched Huo Shi's clothes tightly, a fearful expression appearing on her dirty face.