Qi Qingyao glanced at the thick fog outside through the crack of the door and thought, 'It's already noon, but the fog is still showing no signs of dispersing. It must be because the terrain is surrounded by mountains on three sides and a river on one. I'm afraid that it might even snow tonight.'

It seems that she would have a rest later, then she would have to go out again in the afternoon. It was best to get some food for the children before it started snowing.

It was a good thing she had drunk some chicken soup and ate some meat. She was afraid that she would not be able to carry through with the continuous labor with the host's slightly weaker constitution otherwise.

Qi Qingyao was thinking that the babies who had been fed, clothed, and tucked into the bed-stove must be sleepy, as they lay on both sides of Qi Qingyao. The mother and three children all drowsily dozed off. 

Qi Qingyao's alertness was very high. She had woken up after a short doze. She looked at the sleeping children, thought about it for a moment, then gently woke up Dabao.

"Mm~" Dabao rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Dabao," Qi Qingyao called out. 

"Mom… Mommy~~~"

"It's good that you're up, now listen to Mommy. It may snow tonight, and we don't have food at home, so if it starts snowing, we'll starve tomorrow. That's why Mommy's going out to get some food for us. It'll take a few hours, so when your younger brother and sister wake up, tell them not to cry and wait for me at home."

"No!" Dabao started to panic when he heard that it would take a few hours.

"You're not being a good boy," Qi Qingyao said as she laughed. 

Dabao anxiously explained, "No, Mommy, Baby is afraid that Uncle and Grandfather will come over and they might beat us..."

"..."

"Mommy, I've slept enough. 'I'll wake the both of them up, so let's go find food together. Baby don't wanna leave Mommy's side for even half a step!" Da Bao said that rather pleadingly. He did not want to stay at home with his younger brother and sister, because a home without Mommy was a place that was not safe.

"..." Qi Qingyao felt that the bed was very warm and wanted them to stay in a warm place such as this.

Dabao saw that his Mommy did not seem to relent, so he whispered, "Mommy, think about it. The last time when you went out for just a moment, Aunt-in-law came over..."

The emotions in Qi Qingyao's eyes stirred for a moment, and after a brief silence, she said, "In that case, wake the two of them up, and once we've gotten ready, the three of us will go out to find some food."

Dabao hurriedly shook his younger brother and sister awake, pleased.

Erniu and Xiaobao—who had been sleeping soundly—were naturally a little dissatisfied after being shaken awake, but when they heard their older brother say that they could go out with Mommy to find food, the three little buns happily began to dress!

Qi Qingyao got out of the bed-stove and was about done getting ready. An axe hung around her waist, and she even brought along a fishing rod!

Just as she turned around and was about to help her three babies, she saw it. 

They were just three-year-old little kids, but they did not ask her for help. Maybe it was because they did not have a mother to coddle them before, so the three children learned to help each other since they were young, helping each other to put on their clothes and fastening their buttons!

At this sight, Qi Qingyao felt a pang in her heart. 

They were only three years old, an age where they should enjoy being spoiled by their parents. Physically, they were still as small as a two-year-old child, but they were forced to mature like a seven or eight-year-old child. They had gradually learned to be self-reliant.

Qi Qingyao sighed with a smile as she walked over to help them fix their outer padded jackets and fasten their belts.

The four of them were done getting ready.

Qi Qingyao carried two buckets and left the house with the three children.

The three little beans followed her, unable to contain their excitement. They did not feel cold at all. Dabao looked at the axe and fishing rod that hung from Qi Qingyao's waist and asked puzzledly.

"Mommy, are we going hunting?"

"It's freezing cold out here, so there's no prey in the forest for us to hunt as they've all went into hibernation."

Qi Qingyao calmly said, "My plan is to go to the Jiuli River and catch some fishes. What do you guys think?"

"Fish!"

Three pairs of eyes lit up.

Dabao then asked why she brought an axe along...

Qi Qingyao easily said, "Of course, it's for self-defense! If we were to encounter any bad guys, there's no way we could defend ourselves with a fishing rod!"

The three little ones had a sudden realization on the spot.

Wow.

Mommy is so clever!