Chapter 204

Luna White sat in the clinic, lost in thought. It suddenly struck her how many women's vulnerabilities stemmed from their children. Just like her eldest sister, who endured domestic violence from that man—wasn't it all for the sake of giving her three children a complete family? Once a woman becomes a mother, the first thing she sacrifices is always herself.

How was her eldest sister doing now?

Last month, when she received her paycheck, she sent money to both her sisters and wrote letters to reassure them. But so far, only her elder brother, Ethan, had replied. Her second sister and eldest sister remained silent.

There was good news, though: Ethan had received a transfer order and would be moving to the province where she lived. This was wonderful. He had originally been stationed at the Yunnan border before being reassigned to a border inspection post—partly as a disciplinary measure, partly due to work requirements.

Now that he was being transferred inland, the danger level dropped significantly. It seemed he could live out the rest of his days in peace.

Meanwhile, Luna Whitaker was thriving in the village.

Winter was approaching. By the twelfth lunar month, the five pigs she raised would be ready for market. Aside from one breeding sow, the other four had already reached two hundred pounds each. With another month of feeding, they’d likely hit two hundred forty to fifty pounds.

Four pigs would fetch several hundred yuan. She planned to buy a few more piglets afterward—life was looking brighter every day.

Her three sons were also making her proud. The youngest, Samuel, was excelling in school in the neighboring village, ranking at the top of his class. His teacher said he was sure to pass the entrance exam for the county’s middle school next year. Luna couldn’t help but smile—maybe her son really could follow in his aunt’s footsteps, go to college, and secure a stable job.

The two older boys, Ethan and Aaron, were just as hardworking. They took care of the pigs and chickens, eager to help with any chore. Feeding five pigs was no small task, but the brothers gathered wild greens in summer and gleaned wheat ears in autumn. During the ten-day harvest season alone, they’d lost over ten pounds from the hard work.

The wheat ears they collected filled four large sacks, each weighing at least three hundred pounds. Ground into flour, it would last them the entire winter. The leftover bran could still be used to feed the pigs.

The villagers praised the brothers for their diligence. They left for the fields before dawn and didn’t return until after dark. Everyone said that if their family had a few acres of land, they’d farm better than anyone else.

Raising chickens was another skill. While other households lost birds frequently, not a single one of her thirty-odd chickens had died. The brothers dug up wild vegetables and caught insects daily, keeping the flock plump and healthy. With twenty-five hens, she now collected over twenty eggs a day.

Aside from giving each of her three sons an egg daily for nutrition, she sold the rest at the market every three days. At fifteen cents per egg, she made eighty to ninety yuan a month just from eggs—an income that rivaled even city workers.

Luna now walked with her head held high. When she’d first left that house with her children, she’d been terrified—no land, no food, afraid of burdening her siblings. But now? Through her own hard work, raising pigs and chickens, she lived better than most.

Selling two batches of pigs a year could bring in over a thousand yuan. She planned to save up first to renovate the house. When her younger brother married, he couldn’t live in this shabby place. If any homestead land became available in the village, she’d buy a plot to build new houses for her sons in the future.

She could afford Samuel’s education and save up for her sons’ wedding dowries. In the past, she wouldn’t have dared dream of such things even if it killed her.

Now? Luna Whitaker had strength to spare!