I Pampered Twin Sisters During a Famine and Built a Self-Sufficient Empire with Wives and Wealth! - Chapter 6:

Chapter 6:

Just as the rabbit stew began to boil, a crowd gathered outside the Xu household, squatting by the wall, whispering among themselves. It was winter now, and with no work to be done, everyone stayed home, eager for gossip and excitement.

No one from the Xu family paid them any attention. When the rabbit stew was ready, it was brought into the main hall.

“Everyone, dig in. You two, come eat as well.”

Yun Niang placed a basin of meat on the table and glanced around. Everyone stood there frozen.

Meat…

It smelled so good!

The moment the meat was placed on the table, Xiao Yue couldn’t stop drooling. She stared at it without blinking, but deep down, she was worried Xu Changnian wouldn’t let her eat. That bad uncle always liked to hog everything for himself.

If you dare trick me again… I’ll steal your wife!

The Shen sisters sat farther away, feeding the stove with firewood. Eating meat was something they didn’t even dare dream of. Just having a bowl of porridge today already made them feel content. They didn’t dare ask for more.

Life in the Xu family wasn’t easy.

“Don’t worry. From now on, this will be our home… my two wives.”

Xu Changnian quietly walked up behind the Shen sisters, pulling both of them into his arms and whispering beside their ears.

“Thank you… benefactor… I’ve already had porridge today… I’m not hungry…”

Shen Wei kept her head down and said nothing, just fidgeting with the corner of her clothes. In the end, it was Shen Yourong who finally spoke.

“What benefactor? Call me husband. Say it out loud for me… be good.”

“There are so many people inside…”

“Mm… say it tonight in my room, then…”

With Xu Changnian’s teasing, Shen Yourong’s face turned bright red like an apple. Compared to him, these two ancient-era women were way too innocent. Just a little teasing, and they were already too shy to speak. They had a lot of growing up to do.

Tap tap—

Yun Niang tapped her chopsticks on the table. 

Was anyone planning to let her eat? That scoundrel—his mouth was full of sweet nonsense just to coax young girls.

Seeing the Shen sisters too embarrassed to approach, Xu Changnian grabbed one in each hand and led them to the table. 

Shen Yourong shyly sat beside him, while Shen Wei lowered her head and sat near Xiaoyue instead. She was honestly afraid of Xu Changnian. His words stirred her heart in ways she didn’t understand. What a scoundrel.

Once everyone sat down, Yun Niang said nothing but turned her gaze toward Xu Changnian. No matter what, it was Xu Changnian who’d brought the rabbit home, so it was up to him how it was shared.

With five pairs of eyes watching him, Xu Changnian felt a bit shy. Still, being the one in charge for the first time… felt great.

“Dad, your leg isn’t doing well. Here, have two big pieces of meat to nourish you.”

He picked out two meaty chunks and placed them in Xu Tielin’s bowl.

“I don’t eat rabbit… just looking at it upsets my stomach. Give it to your two new wives instead.”

The old man’s lips parted slightly, touched. In all his years, it was the first time his son had ever served him food. Not liking meat? That was a lie. He just couldn’t bear to eat it. Still, Xu Changnian was in charge today. After some polite refusal, he finally picked up his chopsticks.

“Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard too.”

Xu Changnian then served Yun Niang. She had truly been holding things together and would continue to work hard in the future.

“Finally acting like a person.”

Yun Niang nodded, looking at him with surprise. Today’s scoundrel felt a little unfamiliar.

“I heard someone call me a bad uncle earlier. Was that you?”

Just as he was about to give Xiaoyue a piece of meat, Xu Changnian paused, putting on a serious face.

“I said Uncle is the best…”

Xiaoyue looked at the meat dangling over her bowl, so anxious her eyes watered, pouting as she gave in.

“Say it again.”

“Uncle is the best…”

Only then did Xu Changnian drop the meat into her bowl. Xiaoyue grabbed it with her hands and started chomping away.

“I really don’t need any. I’m fine with just some soup…”

“Me too.”

When it came to the Shen sisters, they both shook their heads like rattles, politely declining.

Did Xu Changnian accept that? No way. These were his women—what was a bit of meat?

“Eat, now.”

He ordered seriously, then served each of them a portion.

In the end, Xu Changnian didn’t even bother using a bowl. He simply pulled the remaining half-basin in front of himself—true scoundrel style.

Today felt like a dream… Shen Yourong looked at the meat in her bowl and murmured softly. Just this morning, they were homeless. She had been grateful just to have a warm bowl of porridge, and now she was eating meat?

The change was too sudden.

Xu Changnian picked up a piece and popped it in his mouth. 

Ah, meat really was delicious! 

Even without seasoning, it didn’t taste gamey. He felt completely satisfied. It was his body’s craving for protein, transformed into taste—bringing overwhelming joy to both body and mind.

He hadn’t eaten meat in so long that even the plainest bite was amazing.

But after two or three pieces, the initial excitement wore off, and a faint gamey taste emerged.

“This rabbit stew is nothing like roast chicken. I don’t really like it. You guys finish the rest.”

After a few more bites, Xu Changnian pushed the basin back to the center of the table.

The moment roast chicken was mentioned, Xiao Yue’s eyes lit up as if the rabbit meat in her hands suddenly lost all flavor. She stared at Xu Changnian. You still owe me one… no, several roast chickens!

A basin of salt-boiled rabbit meat wasn’t all that tasty, but it was still the best meal the Xu family had eaten in half a year. 

Especially for the Shen sisters—one bowl of meat filled them with complicated emotions. 

Without having lived through hunger and homelessness, one couldn’t understand this kind of hardship.

“Can I have some wine?” Xu Changnian asked Yun Niang tentatively.

“Wine? You want to drink? If we don’t trade that wine for Millet, what are we going to drink in a few days—the northwest wind?” Yun Niang snapped.

After finishing a bowl of Millet porridge, Xu Changnian smacked his lips, snapping back from the short-lived dream.

The family’s tensions were eased for now, but the issue of food still loomed large.

As evening fell and everyone had their fill, the Shen sisters helped Yun Niang wash the dishes, their hearts full of unease.

…

Xu Changnian, on the other hand, went to Xu Tielin’s room—there was still something he needed to ask the old man.

Standing in front of him, he wanted to say something nice, but the words just wouldn’t come out.

Suddenly having a father… was still a hard thing to adjust to.

Since he couldn’t speak, he chose to act. Xu Changnian began massaging his father’s right leg.

Whether it worked or not, Xu Tielin was deeply moved—sniffling and tearing up.

“Do you really like those two girls, or are you just blinded by their looks and acting on impulse?” Xu Tielin glanced outside, saw no one nearby, and whispered to Xu Changnian.