At night, Xiaomi successfully fed her dad and older brother the cold remedy, and when she touched Big Wa's forehead, she clearly felt a bit of a fever.
Fortunately, the fever wasn't high. With the timely cold medicine and the nourishment from the Spiritual Spring water, the fever quickly subsided, and by the next day, he was full of energy again.
After all, Jiang Hu was an adult with a stronger resistance, so he didn't show much reaction. However, when he was preparing to go to the river in the morning, Er Niang stopped him and gave him a makeshift raincoat made of straw from the night before.
"It's still raining out there, seems even heavier than yesterday. Big Wa shouldn't go along, lest he catches a cold."
The eager Big Wa suddenly deflated: "Mom, why didn't you make a raincoat for me too? Then I could go with dad."
The fish soup from last night was so delicious, and there was fish to eat. He even dreamed of eating, not feeling hungry at all when he woke up.
But just as Big Wa finished speaking, Jiang Hu, who hadn't left yet, knocked him on the head: "Why don't you make it yourself? Your mom hasn't fully recovered and still has to take care of your younger siblings."
Knowing he was in the wrong, Big Wa pouted: "Then I'll make a raincoat myself today. Next time, dad, you have to take me along."
He wanted to watch his dad catch fish himself.
"No problem," Jiang Hu said as he headed out, paying particular attention to the surroundings before leaving.
It seemed the rain was heavier today, as not even the sparrows were out.
Fortunately, they had saved ten fish at home, along with other food. By eating a little less each day, they should have enough for a few days.
Perhaps due to the weather, Xiaomi also wasn't very spirited today. Luckily, the house was windproof and rainproof, making it warm inside.
In the corner of the room, a pile of straw was stacked, and Big Wa took a bundle to learn from his mom how to make a raincoat, while Er Ni teased Xiaomi and Iron Egg.
Thanks to the nourishment from the Spiritual Spring water over this period, Iron Egg finally had some energy, interacting with his second sister for a while before continuing to sleep.
Xiaomi didn't enter the space, fearing her family would worry if she slept for too long, so she watched Er Ni and Iron Egg with her eyes half-closed, not feeling bored.
Outside, the rain drizzled lightly—not heavy, but dense. Judging by the looks, it seemed this spring rain would last for several days.
Yesterday, Xiaomi put some Spiritual Spring water in the wooden basin holding the fish. If her dad didn't change the water idly, the fish in the basin could certainly last a few more days.
From birth until now, it has been about ten days. In another twenty days, she could go out with her mom.
Jiang Hu soon returned, and fortunately, he caught a few more fish. Although not as many as yesterday, it was enough to make the whole family very happy.
In the morning, they still made fish soup. It had rained yesterday, so they hadn't gone to dig wild vegetables, and had eaten what they had before. Thus today, there was only fish soup. More soup and less fish meat, but being able to save a meal's worth of grain was still a good thing.
After eating, Big Wa volunteered to wash the dishes, while Jiang Hu washed the diapers he had changed in the morning at the door. The door had a gap opened, not facing the bed, letting in light without the wind.
"Er Niang, I noticed sparrows love the places watered by the diaper wash water. Do you think it's because the insects there are fatter?"
Xiaomi whimpered in her swaddle. Of course, she and Iron Egg drank the most Spiritual Spring water, which means their waste also contained Spiritual Energy, nourishing the garden soil and its microbes and insects, attracting the animals that feed on them.
She believed that the manure from their household's pit would have the same effect once used to water the land, considering the family had all drunk Spiritual Spring water.
Thanks to good meals in recent days, Er Niang was more energetic, deftly making a raincoat for Big Wa, not missing Jiang Hu's words.
"Possible, this garden left unused for years now gets daily watering. Grass seeds and insect eggs in the soil must have come back to life."
Jiang Hu nodded thoughtfully, deciding to pour the diaper wash water into another spot.
"Er Niang, since birds like to peck for food there, I might try looking for bugs and earthworms there later. Maybe I can catch more fish."
"Oh, and some of the little weeds—the fish might eat the grass too. It's likely to rain in the coming days, considering there are no sparrows during rainy days, I'll go by the river to catch more fish. They're easier to catch in the rain."
"Watch out, wear the raincoat and don't catch a cold."
"Mom, what about me? Is my raincoat almost done? I want to catch bugs and fish with dad too!"
Big Wa came over from washing the dishes, just in time to hear his parents talking about catching fish, and jumped excitedly into the room.
"Alright, alright, almost done, look how anxious you are. Come here, change into these shoes first."
The shoes were straw too. One had to admit that Er Niang was quite skillful. She could make raincoats and weave straw shoes, everything, and make them look good too.
"No need, mom, I'll just wear this. It's starting to wear out, so I might as well wear it out completely and get rid of it. I'll save the new ones for later."
Big Wa set aside the straw shoes and, returning, saw Xiaomi watching him with wide eyes. He hurried over to coax her.
"San Ni, stay home and keep mom company, okay? Big brother is going to catch fish for mom to eat so she can be full and so can you!"
Even at just five years old, a boy, he had a way with words when it came to coaxing.
Xiaomi extended her hand, thinking, "Big bro, be careful, the roads are slippery when wet, don't fall into the river."
Seeing Xiaomi stretch out her hand and babble, Big Wa was delighted: "Mom, San Ni wants me to hold her!"
He then picked Xiaomi up and planted a wet kiss on her cheek: "Haha, does San Ni want to eat fish too? Don't worry, you'll have some when you grow up."
Er Niang thought to intervene, but seeing Big Wa holding the baby steadily and Xiaomi not crying, she decided to let it be: "Be careful not to drop your sister."
"Don't worry, mom, I've got her tightly."
Big Wa even forgot about his bug-catching mission, holding Xiaomi for a while, then switching to Iron Egg. Unfortunately, Iron Egg didn't cooperate, keeping his eyes closed and snoring away, not glancing at his older brother even once.
Disappointed, Big Wa put down Iron Egg, played a bit more with Xiaomi, and only when his mom finished his raincoat did he hurriedly drape it on and run outside to dig for bugs with his dad.
Listening to her dad and brother's enthusiastic voices, Xiaomi gradually felt drowsy. She simply closed her eyes and fell asleep.
She wasn't worried at all about whether her dad would catch fish.
The ants and bugs that drew in the sparrows would surely attract the fish too. As long as her dad was careful about the slippery roads when it rained.
But to have survived a few years fleeing, managing to keep the entire family, including a pregnant woman and children, safe until they settled down, Xiaomi thought her dad was indeed capable and certainly wouldn't overlook such details.
So, Xiaomi slept even more peacefully.
Although she could enter the space to absorb Spiritual Energy and let her body sleep, achieving the same resting effect, it could never compare to regular sleep.
Sleeping was still the best!