Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

"I'm back. Thank you for taking care of Yuanyuan."

"Do I need your thanks? She's my sister, I care about her. Anyone else would be better than you."

After Zhao Yanli finished speaking, she snorted and went inside.

Inside, Su Yuanyuan had also heard their conversation and was genuinely grateful for Zhao Yanli's protection.

Honestly, she felt like someone who had shallow family ties in both her lifetimes and never expected to have such a non-biological sister this time around.

Zhao Yanli saw Su Yuanyuan smiling at her as soon as she came in.

She smiled back and sat on the kang (a kind of heated bed platform), "Now I'm relieved. Even if Tan Shaoting is okay, I've made up my mind. If he doesn't come back when you give birth, I'll wait till the kids grow up and tell them, so they won't be close to him."

"Well, he came back just in time."

"Exactly, right? How was this afternoon?"

"Same as usual. Xiao Li, you've really worked hard these days."

"What's hard about it? What's our relationship? Isn't it my duty to take care of you? I'll remember your kindness for a lifetime."

Su Yuanyuan just smiled, but she didn't feel like she had taken care of Zhao Yanli much.

"Alright, since Tan Shaoting is back, I'll head home. I'll start harvesting wheat from tomorrow."

"Okay, let Tan Shaoting help you."

"No need. It's better for him to stay at home and look after you. Now that he's back, I don't have to keep running back and forth. That's a big help for me.

Yuanyuan, really, there's no need. If you weren't pregnant, I wouldn't refuse. But now with your heavy condition, I'm really afraid to use your help."

Su Yuanyuan understood Zhao Yanli's feelings, so she didn't say anything more.

"Then you bring Hai Yan over tomorrow, let her stay here for a while. Otherwise, you two can't take care of her, it's no problem, there's nothing I need to do. With Tan Shaoting taking care of the two of us, it's enough."

Zhao Yanli smiled, "Okay, I'll bring Hai Yan over tomorrow morning. She'll stay with you in the evening too."

"Of course, that's no problem. Let Tan Shaoting bring you meals at noon. Don't refuse this. He can only make flatbreads, so you'll have to eat those."

"Alright, I won't refuse, we'll just finish quickly."

Once everything was discussed, Zhao Yanli hurriedly left. The sisters have forty acres of wheat, which is quite an undertaking.

Tan Shaoting stayed in the living room to light the fire. Though the weather is hot, it's still necessary to have the fire going, otherwise, it's too damp.

"Yuanyuan, what do you want to eat?"

"Rice porridge, salted duck egg. Also, stir-fried cucumber slices with a bit of minced garlic added at the end. Can you do that?"

"I can, that won't be a problem for me. Just wait and enjoy your meal."

Although Tan Shaoting wasn't a good cook, he could manage these simple dishes.

Su Yuanyuan complimented Tan Shaoting while eating, making him a bit embarrassed.

He had already heard his wife's words, "Yuanyuan, I can steam buns and stir-fry dishes too."

"Great, just bring meals to the Zhao sisters and the Li family's grandparent and grandchild, so they can work faster."

Honestly, the time spent cooking could be better spent resting a bit more.

"No problem, I can definitely manage that."

After dinner, the two of them strolled in the yard. At this time, mosquitoes were particularly fierce, so after a while, they went back inside.

Tan Shaoting gently moved closer to Su Yuanyuan and carefully held her, feeling complete inside.

He finally understood that his wife had to go to the bathroom five or six times a night, feeling like she just fell asleep and had to get up again. It was really tough.

Pregnancy is indeed very painful. He really wished he could take her place.

Early next morning, at four o'clock, Zhao Yanli came over carrying a still-sleeping Hai Yan.

Tan Shaoting opened the door before she even knocked.

"This is my niece."

"Alright, just give her to me." Tan Shaoting took the child, feeling like she was soft and fragile to hold.

He brought the child inside and laid her on the kang, the little one slept soundly and didn't wake up at all.

After putting the child down, Tan Shaoting went to the living room. He started to knead dough, having asked and learned how to use yeast the previous day. He prepared two big basins of dough.

Last night, Su Yuanyuan mentioned it would be best to steam stuffed buns, and the vegetables in the garden, like chives, were just right for that.

So after kneading the dough, he went to pick chives, a task he was familiar with.

After cleaning the chives, he set them aside, and by this time, the day was already bright. He let the ducks and geese out.

Afterwards, he fed the chickens and pigs, and tethered the sheep and little donkey outside, so they could eat on their own.

It took quite a while to finish all the household tasks.

Thinking about how his wife had to do this every day, he decided he must find a way to convince her to come with him, so she could just do what she likes without being so exhausted.

Immediately, he began preparing breakfast, not knowing what she wanted to eat. But seeing how sweetly his wife was sleeping, he really couldn't bring himself to wake her, so he decided to wait.

Remembering there was a lot of beef in his space, he decided to make her beef noodles, which would be simple. The beef was already stewed, and there was broth; he just needed to roll out some noodles.

He boiled eggs while kneading the dough and making noodles.

The pak-choi in the garden looked quite good, so he used that for the dish.

Su Yuanyuan slept especially well today. It was because Tan Shaoting came back, putting her at ease.

When she woke up, she saw Hai Yan at the edge of the kang, smiled. Having someone by her side made a big difference, it meant not having to do everything herself.

She slowly got up to use the bathroom, something she found increasingly unbearable, but there was no other way.

Seeing Tan Shaoting in the living room rolling out noodles, she thought men were strong, especially since he kneaded firm dough. Watching him roll out noodles made it look delicious.

It was really nice, just like this. Having him take care of her.

"Yuanyuan, are you going to the bathroom?" He said as he put down the rolling pin, clapped his hands, intending to help her.

"I'll go myself. You keep making noodles, I'm hungry."

By the time she finished washing up, the noodles were already in the pot.

Su Yuanyuan went to wake Hai Yan, and the little girl opened her eyes to see Su Yuanyuan, so she sweetly called out, "Auntie."

"Hai Yan, get up, let's eat."

At that moment, Tan Shaoting came in, "Let me, you go eat."

The little girl looked at Tan Shaoting with some apprehension.

"Hai Yan, this is your uncle."

Tan Shaoting was delighted, being called "uncle."

Hai Yan softly greeted him, then went outside to the bathroom. When she returned, Tan Shaoting had already prepared water for face washing, allowing the little girl to wash up before all three of them sat down to eat.

There was beef, a favorite of the little girl. However, Su Yuanyuan didn't eat much, as she was used to having milk and steamed bread in the morning, now even daring not to eat bread. Eating the steamed buns she made herself felt safe and comforting.

She knew these were her own wild thoughts, but there's never any harm in it.