The Eldest Sister Has Space Chapter 5: white rice

Upon entering the courtyard, a suspicious voice from inside the room reached Gu Yundong’s ears. "Mother, Eldest Sister seems different than before. She used to cry all the time and was terrified of pain, but now she has changed instantly. That’s it—she’s very manly."

Gu Yundong was speechless. Did he even know how to speak? What on earth did he mean by "manly"?

Nevertheless, her temperament was indeed vastly different from the original Gu Yundong. She realized she would eventually need to fabricate a logical excuse to explain the transformation.

Before she could dwell on it, Gu Yunshu’s voice drifted out again. "It must be because Grandpa drove us away; that shock must have provoked Eldest Sister. Since Dad isn't here, she feels the burden of protecting and caring for us is too great. Mother, do you think there is a way for me to grow up all at once? I want to become a strong worker for this family. That way, Eldest Sister won't have to pretend to be a man. I’m so useless right now."

Mrs. Yang merely tilted her head, not quite grasping his words. "Grown up... so tall."

Gu Yundong felt a wave of complicated emotions. This little fellow was so young, yet his heart was filled with such heavy worries.

Judging by the sound of his voice, however, he seemed to be doing fine. It appeared that even though Gu Dahe had left a terrifying mark on the boy's neck, no lasting damage was done.

Gu Yundong adjusted the items in her grip and intentionally made her footsteps heavier. The conversation inside ceased instantly.

She pushed the door open to find Gu Yunshu standing protectively in front of Yang and Gu Yunke. His small face was tense and his expression was full of alertness.

When he realized it was her, he sighed in relief, a wide smile breaking across his face. "Eldest Sister, you’ve returned!" His gaze shifted to the objects in her hands, and his large eyes sparkled immediately. "Did you find something to eat?"

"Yes." Gu Yundong set the cloth bag on the floor. "I’m going to check the kitchen for water."

She turned and exited once more. There was definitely no water in this abandoned place, but she was merely putting on an act. After reaching the kitchen, she located a jar, retrieved mineral water from her Space to fill it, and then headed back to the room.

Inside, Gu Yunshu’s eyes were wide as he stared at the white rice in the bag with total disbelief. He began to stutter, "Bi—Big Sister, where did this come from? There is so much, and it’s so white!"

He had never laid eyes on rice so polished and large. Each grain appeared almost translucent, looking even higher in quality than the most expensive stock in the town’s rice shop.

Gu Yunshu couldn't help but swallow hard, feeling as though he had wandered into a dream.

"I discovered it tucked under a bed in one of the neighboring houses," Gu Yundong claimed.

Gu Yunshu was stunned for a moment before a look of realization dawned on him. "I understand! That family must be just like Second Aunt—secretly hoarding their food and then forgetting to grab it in the rush to escape." He nodded his head emphatically after speaking.

Back when they were preparing to flee the village, his Second Aunt had surreptitiously dug up two large bundles of dried sweet potatoes from beneath her bed. She had intended to sneak them away, having hoarded them for her own branch of the family for years. Unexpectedly, Grandma had caught her and cursed her for being an ungrateful white-eyed wolf, making the whole Gu family aware of the theft.

Since the white rice was found under a bed, Gu Yunshu immediately found the explanation perfectly reasonable.

Gu Yundong realized she didn't even need to invent excuses; the boy would always provide a justification for her.

"That’s likely it," she agreed with a nod. She then shut the door and began to rekindle the fire they had used earlier.

After pouring water into the earthenware pot, Gu Yundong set out to boil some porridge.

The entire family was starving with completely empty stomachs; they could only handle soft, easily digestible food right now.

As she poured the rice, Gu Yunshu looked on with distress. "Sister, cook less. I’m not actually that hungry; I can get by on just a little."

"Didn't you say you wanted to grow up quickly? How can you grow if you don't eat more?"

Gu Yunshu froze, falling into a state of confusion. He desperately wanted to grow up, but their food supply was limited. If they ate too much now, what would they do in the days to come?

While he struggled with his dilemma, Gu Yundong had already moved swiftly to get the porridge cooking.