Divorced woman with child travels through time

Seeing the last sliver of light fall behind the door, Fifteen slowly squeezed closer to her brother and said, "Brother, do you think we're dreaming?"

Chu Yi touched Shiwu's little face. The soft, fragrant blankets, mixed with the faint milky scent of Shiwu, filled the bed.

"It's not a dream, it's real."

"Brother, the poached eggs for dinner were so delicious! Do you like them?"

"I like it, and the noodles are delicious too." - Chu Yi.

"I really like to eat, and there's rice from lunch. I could actually eat another bowl, but I've already had two. I can't eat anymore. If I eat too much, Madam Chen will complain about us," Fifteen said softly.

"Are you full? I can actually eat a lot of bowls," Chu Yi said.

"I'm full, very full, brother, feel your tummy," Fifteen said with a smile.

Chu Yi touched his stomach and smiled, "I'm full." This was a game the two of them often played. After they started wandering, Chu Yi was always worried that Shi Wu was hungry, but Shi Wu was too obedient and often lied and said he was full. Chu Yi would touch his stomach to see if he was lying.

"Brother, the young master gave me candy today. It's in that cabinet in the kitchen, and there are some snacks in there too."

"Is the candy tasty?" Chu Yi asked.

"It's delicious and sweet, and there's still so much left inside. He took me there," Fifteen said.

"You can't sneak in and take it, we can't do that. We'll get kicked out," Chu Yi said.

"Fifteen knows, brother, I saved one for you, it's in the pocket of your coat."

"fifteen?"

"kindness?"

"Actually, my little master also gave me some, and I saved a piece for you in my pants pocket," Chu Yi whispered.

"Hehe, brother, let's take it out and eat it," Fifteen said happily.

"You can't eat anymore. Madam Chen said you're not allowed to eat anything after brushing your teeth tonight. Did you brush your teeth tonight?"

"I don't think I brushed my teeth," Fifteen thought to himself.

"You already swiped it, you swiped it with me." Chu Yi said speechlessly, "You're not allowed to eat it anymore, you can eat it tomorrow. It won't run away."

"Hehe, I got it," Fifteen replied obediently. The two were quiet for a while.

Fifteen whispered, "Brother, do you think that since we're so well-behaved, Lady Chen won't send us away?"

"No, Madam Chen is a good person. She promised to take us with her. As long as we take good care of our young master, she won't send us away in the future." Chu Yi hugged Shi Wu, as if she were talking to herself.

"Really? I dreamt yesterday that we were back in town. I'm so scared," Fifteen said weakly.

"Really, brother promises, we won't go back. Don't be afraid, brother's here," Chu Yi said firmly.

"Okay, Fifteen trusts brother, brother, I'm sleepy." Fifteen snuggled closer to First Year's arms.

"Sleep well." Chu Yi gently patted him until he was completely asleep. Chu Yi glanced at the cracked window. Life was so wonderful now; even Chu Yi, let alone Shiwu, often wondered if she was dreaming. There were white flour pancakes, cornbread buns, rice, braised pork... so many delicious things. Whatever Chen Niangzi and Chen Xuanyu ate, they ate too, eating at the same table, eating the same things. There were no beatings, no hunger, and a warm bed covered with a thick quilt—things she had never dared to dream of before. Quilts were something most families couldn't afford; even the beggar at the restaurant she went to didn't have one at home.

Actually, for the first few nights, I was basically waking up in terror every night and couldn't fall back asleep. I was worried that when I woke up, it would all be a dream. Now, after some time, I can sleep again and I'm sure I'm not living in a dream. I'm very proactive in doing things every day. Before, at home, if I did a lot of work, my stepmother would sometimes not hit me. I know I need to behave well and that I'm useful.

Moreover, Madam Chen never criticized him; in fact, she praised him every day, cooked him delicious food, and treated him better than his own mother. She even made him new clothes. Recently, she's been making a cotton-padded coat, and the little master said that after the coat is finished, they'll make cotton-padded shoes. He didn't know what cotton-padded shoes were, but the little master said that wearing them would prevent his feet from getting cold and chilblains. He suddenly remembered last winter, when his younger brother and he squeezed into a cowshed. Every night, they would sneak in and sleep with the cows, then return to their corner before dawn, before the cow owner woke up. The dilapidated temple was inhabited, and they dared not stay there. They would be beaten and driven away. His feet were red, painful, itchy, and swollen terribly. Was that chilblains?

Chu Yi lay in bed with his eyes open, lost in thought. The moon rose outside the window and shone through the crack. Chu Yi stared blankly at the light. He wanted to open the window, but Chen Niangniang said it was cold and you shouldn't sleep with the window open, or you might wake up with facial paralysis. He asked, "What's facial paralysis?" The little master made a face with his tongue sticking out and his neck tilted to one side, saying, "That's facial paralysis." Chen Niangniang laughed at him, saying, "That's not facial paralysis, that's a hanged ghost!" The little master burst into laughter.

Chen Niangniang is such a grown woman, how could she speak so disrespectfully to her young master? It's so unlucky. But then she remembered how they all laughed, and Chu Yi thought it was alright; she liked her godmother.

As I watched it for a while, I gradually fell asleep.