During my escape from famine, I survived by eavesdropping on the whispers of food.

As soon as Qin Shuangshuang went out, she saw the people standing at the door, and their faces were very familiar.

She knew this was the same group that had followed her in the village back then; the old men and the men all had slightly shy looks on their faces.

They knew that Qin Shuangshuang was doing quite well now and had moved into a large mansion.

Will she accept them coming back?

Then, a few shameless women stepped forward and said to Qin Shuangshuang, "Qin Shuangshuang, we were wrong before. We didn't know people well and that's why we left. Now that we've left, can we go back?"

"Exactly, exactly. After all, we were all from the same village before. There's no need to be so calculating. So, do you think we can go back?"

Qin Shuangshuang then said, "I remember before I left, quite a few people said some very unpleasant things. If I were to take you all back now, wouldn't that mean that the people in my team who had suffered those injustices before would be..."

Now, I'm being asked to reconcile with you all. Whether they can do it or not, I simply cannot.

Seeing Qin Shuangshuang's reluctance, one of the women twisted her waist and said to her, "You're being petty and ungrateful. We're all from the same village. We're all stranded on the road, without even a bite to eat or a sip of water. Please have mercy and save us!"

The people around Qin Shuangshuang apologized to her one after another.

They all said they shouldn't have spoken about Qin Shuangshuang and Qin Shuangshuang's mother like that before.

However, Qin Shuangshuang clenched her fists. The thought that they only realized they had come back to find her now made her think that people were indeed all so opportunistic.

Qin Shuangshuang told them, "Go find your eldest son of the Qin family. Don't look for me anymore. I don't want to see you again."

Don't loiter around my house anymore. Go back to where you came from. I don't want to repeat the nasty things you said. It's too embarrassing for a young woman like me to say them. So, I guess our relationship ends here.

Qin Shuangshuang turned to leave.

The women behind him immediately said, "If you hadn't made military contributions, how could you have such good luck, with this house and food to eat!"

"Now that you have achieved military merit, it is a blessing for our whole village. Why don't we all share in this blessing?"

"Exactly! Does it have to be so heartless? We're all from the same village. How can you do this to our Qin family ancestors?"

Qin Shuangshuang turned around and argued with them, saying, "If I could, I would not believe in this surname. If it weren't my father's surname, why would I want such a surname? Why would I work with you snobbish relatives?"

If you continue to cause trouble at the gate, I'll have no choice but to use my military merits to summon those soldiers and give you a good talking-to.

Upon hearing Qin Shuangshuang's heartless words, no one dared to say anything more.

They knew Qin Shuangshuang's temperament—she was passionate and decisive, giving them no chance to breathe—so they all had no choice but to give up and leave.

Qin Shuangshuang turned her head away. Uncle Li was standing behind her. Qin Shuangshuang was curious about when he had arrived.

Uncle Li sighed and said to him, "I arrived when you first started talking. I know what those people said was a bit too harsh, but we're from the same village after all. As your uncle, I didn't know what to say."

But I know you must have your reasons for doing this, and your choices are all correct. However, some of them are my brothers, and I was thinking that if I had any extra soup to give them, I wonder if that would be alright?

Qin Shuang's eyes turned cold as she said to him, "That's your choice, Uncle Li. I know you're a good person, but even good people need to know their place. You need to think about this..."

If you ever fall on hard times, especially given the circumstances you were in, and they didn't even glance at you, wouldn't they, following the eldest son's family, have had enough to eat and drink? If not, why did they stay there for so long? You should be able to discern people's true intentions.”

Uncle Li smiled wryly and said to her, "Sometimes I think, I can't even do as much as you, a little girl. Oh well, I think you're right."

Qin Shuangshuang looked around thoughtfully and said to him, "There are so many refugees around who can't get anything to eat. Are you going to hold onto this kind of compassion for them all?"

Only when we become strong can we help those kind yet timid people; otherwise, if we can't even help ourselves, how can we help others?

Uncle Li nodded and said, "I understand what you're saying. Let's go inside; everyone's waiting for dinner."

Qin Shuangshuang responded and followed Uncle Li inside.

However, before she could even take a step, she heard a baby crying. She turned around and saw a woman holding a little boy dressed in tattered clothes in front of her.

The little boy kept crying, probably because he was very hungry.

Qin Shuangshuang walked over and asked, "Who are you two?"

Uncle Li, standing to the side, said, "She's the daughter-in-law of that pockmarked man's family at the east entrance of the village. Her husband just died, she's very pitiful."

Qin Shuangshuang looked at the little child in front of her, who was very thin and weak, and guessed that he hadn't eaten for a long time. She took out half a steamed bun from her bosom and gave it to him, saying, "Here, eat this."

Qin Shuangshuang turned to leave, but the mother and son immediately knelt on the ground, pleading with her, "Please, please save us! Please save us! We really have nowhere else to go!"

There's not a single grain of food left in the group. My poor child is already frail and sickly, and now he's drained almost all the blood from my body. I don't know how I can get him a proper meal.

"It's alright if you don't want to take me in, but please take in this child."

Qin Shuangshuang felt a sense of familiarity with these words. Perhaps it was in her memory, or perhaps it was in the original owner's memory that her mother had held her frail body and tried every possible way to beg for food for her at the door of each house.

Qin Shuangshuang's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and she felt a pang of sadness. She turned around and said to her, "Have you thought this through? If you come with us, you'll definitely be doing activities. We can provide you with food, but you can't go back to the main branch of the Qin family anymore. You can only stay with me. Are you willing?"

The woman quickly nodded and said to her, "Yes, yes, I'm willing. I have some other skills I can do."

"When the time comes, I'll be able to work, please give me something to eat and serve you."

Qin Shuangshuang shook her head and said to her, "Everyone here is equal, and no one needs to serve anyone."

Qin Shuangshuang asked Uncle Li, "Could we spare a room for her?"

Uncle Li thought for a moment, then frowned. "There is a small, dilapidated house, but wasn't that already given to Lu Jun?"

Qin Shuangshuang smiled and said, "Let's give that room to this lady first. Since Lu Jun is here, let him sleep in the pigsty for now."

Qin Shuangshuang laughed jokingly and, together with Uncle Li, led the mother and son behind her inside.