At the beginning, he took his seven younger siblings to join Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhongding sat in the car, lost in thought, his expression blank.

Uncle Li thought he was still immersed in grief, so he didn't disturb him.

The two people and the mule cart swayed and wobbled along the mountain road.

Even if there were mule carts.

However, it took more than an hour to walk from the village to the township.

The mule cart finally stopped in front of a mud-brick house.

"Uncle Li, thank you so much. Come in and rest your feet, have some hot water to warm yourself up."

Yi Zhongding jumped off the carriage and gratefully extended the invitation.

"No, Dingya, we're not outsiders. You and your younger siblings should just live your lives peacefully."

"I still have to go to the township to take care of things. It's snowing, so I can't delay any longer. I need to get back as soon as possible. I'll come back another day and visit you all at home."

"If you ever need anything, just ask someone or come back to the village. Uncle Li may not have any other skills, but he'll lend a hand without hesitation."

Uncle Li said this sincerely.

Despite Yi Zhongding's repeated attempts to persuade him to stay, he could not convince him to get off the carriage.

At this moment, the second brother, who had heard the commotion inside, ran out in a flash.

"Second brother, go and fetch the two bottles of wine that Dad left behind."

Yi Zhongding quickly called out to his younger brother.

"Look at what you've learned in your studies back in the countryside, all you've done is go astray. I'm leaving."

Uncle Li slapped his arm in feigned anger.

"Uncle Li, it's not a joke, this is what my father left behind. If he were still here, he would be drinking with you all."

"Now that he's gone, we won't drink it either. Please take it back and use it to treat the uncles and elders who helped with my mother's burial."

Yi Zhongding pulled on the reins, trying to stop him.

In the end, Uncle Li couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he left with two bottles of wine.

Yi Zhongding then took his younger brother home.

"Dingya is back. Your little radishes have really worn me out."

A middle-aged woman saw him and quickly smiled.

This is Aunt Wang, his mother's colleague.

They live right next door to him.

He wanted to take his mother back for burial, but his younger siblings were too young to go with him.

So he could only ask his mother's colleague to help take care of the little ones.

"Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Wang. This is cured meat stored in my old house in the village. Please take a piece of cured meat back with you to nourish your child."

Yi Zhongding thanked him while taking out a piece of cured meat weighing two or three pounds from his basket.

"What are you doing? Did your aunt come to help because she wanted your meat? Your aunt doesn't want this meat. You should give it to your younger siblings."

Aunt Wang's face fell, and she said sternly.

"Well... I'll repay this kindness when I'm able to in the future."

Seeing her serious expression, Yi Zhongding knew it wasn't just polite talk, so he could only put the meat back.

"That's right, Dingya, you need to think carefully about how you're going to live your life from now on. Your grades are so good, getting into high school and then university is a sure thing, but... sigh..."

Aunt Wang's hesitant expression conveyed pity and sympathy...

"It's alright, Auntie. We'll deal with whatever comes our way. At worst, they can just stop studying. We can definitely support them."

Yi Zhongding's words were harsh, but his smile was bitter.

Looking down at the bunch of little radishes in the house.

He felt a tingling sensation on his scalp.

Is this something a modern, unmarried, childless animal could possibly raise well?

The eldest of the brothers, Yi Zhonghua, was born in 45 and is only 7 years old this year.

The remaining six younger siblings are three sets of twins.

The third and fourth sisters, Yi Zhongmiao and Yi Zhongyao, were born in 1947 and are only 5 years old this year.

The fifth and sixth younger brothers, Yi Zhongren and Yi Zhongmin, were born in 1949 and are only 3 years old this year.

My seventh and eighth brothers, Yi Zhongxin and Yi Zhongyan, were born posthumously in the winter of 1951. They are only 2 years old this year, but actually only 1 year old.

That's the configuration.

Let alone in this day and age.

Even if we were to move to a later era...

That still sends chills down anyone's spine.

As for why there are so many younger siblings, even though they are so small...

The War of Resistance against Japan broke out not long after he was born.

Henan Province has been a strategic location fought over by military strategists since ancient times, as well as a place prone to natural disasters and man-made calamities.

The breach of the Huayuankou dike was a horrific disaster caused by human error.

The village where the Yi family lived was in the center of the flood.

The entire village suffered heavy casualties.

The Yi family suffered a devastating blow.

The entire family was either dead, injured, or fled.

It thus fell apart.

Even his father, Yi Shixin, didn't know that besides him, there was no one else in the Yi family still alive.

Ever since the day the flood breached the village.

He never saw another member of the Yi clan again.

They barely escaped the flood.

But then came the drought and the locust plague.

Yi Shixin had no choice but to flee south with him and his mother once again.

Finally, they settled down in Shennongjia.

After life became stable.

Yi Shixin was determined to continue the bloodline of his deceased relatives and brothers.

Then, one after another, his younger brothers and sisters were born.

Fortunately, they were blessed by Heaven.

After giving birth to her second child, Yi Zhonghua, she subsequently welcomed her third pregnancy with twins.

But little did they expect that hardship would continue to plague the Yi family.

After Yi Shixin's sacrifice.

His mother, Chen, was already heartbroken.

She finally managed to give birth to Yi Zhongxin and Yi Zhongyan, her posthumous children.

But it also damaged the body's foundation.

He contracted typhoid fever this winter and passed away.

The original owner's rudimentary Taoist medical skills meant he could only watch helplessly as his mother died.

This made the original owner so heartbroken, ashamed, and filled with self-blame that she could not bear it any longer.

These multiple factors led him to follow his mother.

"Guoguo..."

The four little ones saw his gaze, their eyes lit up, and they waddled into his arms on their short legs.

"Hey, little one, have you been good? Have you been crying?"

Yi Zhongding squatted down, embraced the four of them, and asked with a doting smile.

The two younger sisters took turns saying how well-behaved they were.

His two younger brothers just giggled and didn't answer him.

"Alright, here you go with these little radishes. I have to go home now; my little rascals should be home by now."

"By the way, I just fed these four little ones rice cereal, so please don't feed them anymore."

Aunt Wang felt a pang of sadness at the sight. She wiped away a tear, gave a few words of advice, and then turned and left.

"Thank you, Auntie. Let me see you off."

Yi Zhongding put the little guy down and turned around as well.

"Alright, it's right next door, what should I send?"

Aunt Wang waved her hand and quickly went out the door.

Yi Zhongding didn't chase after them, but instead turned around and went home with his younger siblings.

"Second brother, you watch over your younger siblings. I'll go cook for you. I'll make meat for you today."

Yi Zhongding picked up a piece of cured meat and said with a smile.

"Meat, meat, eat meat."

Before Yi Zhonghua could respond.

The four talking little guys cheered.

"Yes, eat meat, be a good boy/girl."

Yi Zhongding affectionately patted the heads of the four little ones, then carried the things into the kitchen.