Chapter 268: Skin and Bones

Aunt Liu sighed. She wanted to ask about her own family, but seeing the state Taotao was in, she decided to wait until Taotao had a chance to recover.

Xing’er was making a bed in an upstairs room. When she came downstairs, she saw Aunt Liu standing in the kitchen doorway, waving to her. "Xing’er, hurry! Your older sister is here."

Xing’er’s eyes went wide. She ran into the kitchen and saw a woman in ragged clothes with disheveled hair. The woman was gaunt and sun-darkened, nothing but skin and bones, and was sitting on a small stool eating a bun.

Xing’er simply couldn’t believe this was her older sister, who was once known as the prettiest girl for miles around.

She looked even older and uglier than their own mother.

She called out tentatively, "Older Sister—"

Taotao looked up, tears instantly welling in her eyes. "Younger Sister—"

The two sisters couldn’t help but weep in each other’s arms.

After they had cried for a while, Gu Fei brought her a bowl of water. "Drink some water, so you don’t choke."

Taotao drank the water, then tucked the remaining bun into the front of her robes.

Gu Fei looked at her, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Why don’t you eat it all? What are you saving it for?"

"I’m going to take it to Fugui later." This was a white-flour bun, after all.

Gu Fei smiled and said, "Go on, you eat. There are more here. You can take a few for your brother-in-law later."

Speaking of her husband, Taotao grew anxious. "I have to go now. We managed to beg for a little food yesterday, but Fugui gave it all to me. He hasn’t eaten anything. If he doesn’t eat soon, he’ll starve to death."

Gu Fei said, "Xing’er, go with your older sister to pick up your brother-in-law. Hire a mule cart."

She gave Xing’er a handful of Copper Coins, then ladled a bowl of congee and gave it to Taotao to carry.

Xing’er ran outside to hire a cart, just as Gu Sanlang happened to arrive driving his mule cart.

Taotao and Xing’er climbed onto the cart, and Gu Sanlang drove it toward the West City Gate.

Having eaten a bowl of congee and two buns, Taotao had regained some of her strength. She asked Xing’er, "How are Mom and Dad?"

Xing’er replied, "Dad pulls a cart in Ping’an City every day now, and Mom stays home to cook, take care of Grandma, and look after Bao’er."

"Once we’ve picked up your husband, we’ll take you both back to the house."

Before long, they arrived at a ruined temple just outside the West City Gate.

The ruined temple didn’t even have a door; only half of its main hall remained. In one corner of the hall, on a bed of straw, lay a filthy, disheveled man. It was impossible to tell if he was dead or alive.

Taotao rushed over to him. "Fugui! Fugui, wake up! There’s food! I’ve found my family."

Fugui’s eyelids fluttered open a crack. Taotao quickly held the bowl of congee to his lips. Fugui drank listlessly, but soon, he had finished the entire large bowl.

Taotao then broke off pieces from the bun, feeding them to him bit by bit.

Once Fugui had eaten one of the buns, Xing’er said, "Sister, let’s get him onto the cart. He’ll be more comfortable resting at home."

Gu Sanlang came over, carried Fugui onto the cart, and laid him down. The others climbed aboard, and Gu Sanlang drove the cart toward the South City Gate.

A little over half an hour later, they arrived at the estate.

Having eaten the congee and the bun, Fugui had regained some strength and managed to struggle off the cart by himself.

Taotao stared at the estate’s white walls and black-tiled roofs, scarcely able to believe her eyes. "Mom and Dad live here?"

’In such a nice house?’

Xing’er nodded. "We all live here. It’s Young Master Su’s estate; he’s letting us stay here."

Sanlang supported Fugui on one side while Taotao supported him on the other. As they walked through the inner gate, they saw a woman in the courtyard, sitting beside a wooden washbasin and scrubbing clothes.

Seeing Ms. Qian, Taotao cried out, "Mom—"

Ms. Qian looked up and saw Taotao. She was so shocked she dropped the clothes she was holding. "My heavens, Taotao, how did you get into such a state?!"