The freshly baked buns exuded an enticing aroma, causing the two kids who had been doing their homework to stop in their tracks. Soon, a pair of dusty cloth shoes appeared in front of Sinian. She looked down to see a face dripping with saliva, eager and longing, yet hesitant to touch.

Zhou Yuehan, at the tender age of seven or eight, had just started first grade but looked no different from a five-year-old. His big eyes seemed even larger due to his thinness. The cracks and scars on his cheeks made him look older than his years. His hands, dirty and calloused, were a far cry from what one would expect from someone living in such a nice house.

A hint of amusement shone in Sinian's almond-shaped eyes as she picked up a large bun and blew on it, teasing the child whose eyes followed her every move. Then, she handed it to Zhou Yuehan.

"Eat up," Sinian said gently. "Don't be afraid, let's eat together."

She tried to make her voice as soothing as possible, knowing well that these two children harbored a deep aversion to women.

Before Sinian could finish her sentence, Zhou Yuehan's face lit up with undisguised excitement as he reached out to grab the bun and stuff it into his mouth. But the next moment, *slap*—the bun in his hand was swiftly knocked to the ground.

Zhou Yuedong immediately shielded his brother behind him, his expression a mixture of vigilance and fear as he stared at Sinian.

When Aunt Liu left earlier, she warned that this woman was here to steal their father away. The previous woman had even tried to poison their food, nearly killing his brother. Surely, this woman had ill intentions too!

Sinian was taken aback, while Zhou Yuehan was left stunned, nearly in tears at the sight of the large bun falling to the ground, feeling heartbroken.

"Brother," his voice trembled with a hint of tears.

"We can't eat it," Zhou Yuedong said firmly, biting his lip.

Zhou Yuehan trembled, too scared to say anything. Meanwhile, Yao Yao burst into loud sobs.

Sinian felt a mix of shock, anger, and sympathy for the fallen bun. But considering the description of Zhou Yuedong in the novel—naturally suspicious, never easily trusting anyone, and sensitive—she understood why he would be wary. Having been mistreated by several women before, he wouldn't easily believe that someone could be kind to them.

So be it. Such a personality trait couldn't be changed in a short time.

Just as Zhou Yuedong thought the woman before him was about to explode in anger and strike them, she surprised them by bypassing them, picking up the dirty bun from the ground, brushing off the dust, and taking a bite.

Zhou Yuedong froze, and Zhou Yuehan stared in disbelief, eyes wide and watering with saliva.

With a few bites, their stomachs finally stopped growling.

Sinian wiped her hands before walking over to the sofa and picking up the sobbing little Yao Yao. She gently patted her thin back and coaxed, "Yao Yao, don't cry. Stepmommy will make you delicious food."

Yao Yao was easily comforted, especially since she had a fondness for Sinian. She stopped crying almost immediately.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

After wiping away her tears, Sinian went to the kitchen and brought out a bowl of steamed eggs. Placing it on the table, she sat Yao Yao on her lap and fed her the steamed eggs while blowing on them to cool them down.

The steamed eggs were fragrant and tender, with no hint of fishiness, melting in the mouth with each bite. As soon as Yao Yao tasted the delicious food, she eagerly devoured it, nothing like the force-feeding she experienced with Aunt Liu.

Zhou Yuedong and Zhou Yuehan were both stunned by the scene. That woman actually steamed eggs for Yao Yao to eat.

Although there were plenty of good things at home, Aunt Liu would always take the best for herself or bring them back home, leaving them with leftovers. Their father was busy and worked from dawn till dusk. They didn't want to cause trouble for him and didn't dare to say much, fearing retaliation.

But this woman had just arrived and already made delicious food for Yao Yao.

No, that couldn't be right. She must be pretending!

A year ago, the woman Dad brought home was just like this. She came, petted his head, saying how cute he was. But later, she poisoned their meals to secure the Zhou family's assets, almost killing the three of them! After that, Dad kicked her out.

Aunt Liu, when she arrived, was also kind to them, cooking delicious meals every day. But as Dad got busier, she started neglecting them, making less and less appetizing food. He and his brother went hungry every day. He even saw Aunt Liu secretly taking the meat Dad brought home, but he couldn't say anything because without her, his sister wouldn't have anyone to take care of her.

Zhou Yuedong endured silently, thinking that when he grew up a little more, he could take care of his sister properly. But Dad's new wife showing up out of nowhere was like a bolt from the blue for him.

Even though this woman now seemed nice, he couldn't let his guard down. Meanwhile, Zhou Yuehan was salivating over the steamed eggs and meat buns in his bowl, dying of hunger.

Sinian calmly finished feeding Yao Yao, waiting until both boys were stiff from standing and their legs were numb before saying, "I accidentally steamed too many buns. If you want to eat, eat; if not, then don't. Don't just stand there."

These kids were too sensitive. If you suddenly showed them too much kindness, they'd think you had ulterior motives. Sure enough, when she said that, Zhou Yuedong visibly relaxed. Zhou Yuehan immediately grabbed a bun and stuffed it into his mouth. It smelled so good that even if there was poison inside, he'd eat it. He'd rather die full than starve.

Sinian withdrew her gaze, still favoring Yao Yao. Perhaps it was because she was young and didn't understand much, making her easier to connect with. Seeing the child still wanted to eat, she pinched off a small piece of bun and fed it to her. However, she dared not let her eat too much, considering Aunt Liu had just fed her. Overeating could lead to indigestion, which wouldn't be good. Once the child in her arms was full and satisfied, she began to eat slowly.

The buns made by Sinian were made with genuine ingredients, and after one bite, she felt completely satiated. She didn't eat much, as the sour smell emanating from the child in her arms was affecting her appetite. She didn't even know how long it had been since they last bathed.

Unable to tolerate the filth any longer, Sinian ignored Zhou Yuedong and the voracious Zhou Yuehan, getting up to heat some water in the kitchen for Yao Yao's bath.

"Good girl, Yao Yao, do you want stepmom to give you a bath?" Sinian carried Yao Yao upstairs to bathe under the gaze of Zhou Yuedong.

Yao Yao didn't understand anything; she just giggled at whatever Sinian said. Sinian chuckled and pinched her little nose before entering the children's room to find two sets of clothes. However, they were a bit small; children grow quickly, but someone like Zhou Yueshen probably wouldn't notice such details.

After pouring hot water into the basin and ensuring the temperature was suitable, Sinian stripped the little one of her dirty clothes. However, when she saw the myriad of lice crawling on the clothes, she instantly abandoned the idea of cleaning them. Her whole body felt itchy, and her scalp tingled.

The little girl seemed to be afraid of water, struggling as soon as she was put in. Sinian quickly peeled a piece of candy and stuffed it into her mouth, calming her down. The girl closed her eyes, savoring the candy as if she had never tasted anything so delicious before.

"Good girl, Yao Yao, you get candy for bathing," Sinian reassured her, tossing the dirty clothes into the nearby trash bin and then using her own shower gel to diligently wash the child. She had never bathed a child before, but she had bathed her own cat. It was similar, but her cat was even more obedient than the little girl.

During the first rinse, there was hardly any lather. The child was just too dirty.

Fortunately, there was plenty of hot water she had boiled, and with the weather not being too cold, the child seemed to relax and enjoy the bath, obediently extending her arms and lowering her head as needed. She occasionally let out giggles.

At the door, Zhou Yuedong stood outside, his tense expression relaxing upon hearing his sister's laughter from inside. This woman probably wouldn't harm them so soon; the previous woman took a month before making a move. So he still had time, and during this period, he had to find a way to deal with this woman. He couldn't let his siblings suffer from their persecution again!

Zhou Yuedong clenched his fists, his face exuding a fierce aura that didn't match his age.

Downstairs, Zhou Yueshan, who had eaten one of the buns, dared not eat more. But he secretly kept one and, seeing Zhou Yuedong coming down, quietly handed it to him. "Brother, you eat."

"I won't eat," Zhou Yuedong said, glancing at the delicious smelling meat bun, unconsciously swallowing his saliva before patting his brother's head.

Zhou Yueshan looked at him cautiously. "Brother, are you angry with me? I ate the bun made by the bad woman."

Zhou Yueshan had been poisoned before because of his greediness, causing Zhou Yuedong great anxiety. Zhou Yueshan also had his own shadow, but he really wanted to eat. This big bun was so soft and fragrant, the most delicious one he had ever eaten. He almost burst into tears when it entered his mouth.

His brother must despise him for lacking discipline and being easily swayed by the food made by the bad woman.

He promised earnestly, "Brother, rest assured, even if I eat her buns, I won't acknowledge her as our mother. I won't eat her food again. If I do, I'll be a little dog."