《The Kitty Became a Cutie and Was Pampered in the 80s》 Chapter 1 - 1 Rebirth (1)_1 Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Rebirth (1)_1 When that golden lightning struck, the chubby cat was blissfully gnawing on a chicken leg she had snatched from a wolf! She instinctively looked up, only to be hit squarely by the bolt. Then, she felt her entire body electrify, tingling from head to tail, immediately followed by a bone-aching pain that swept over her. As she lost the last bit of her consciousness, she vaguely heard the sound of a wolf''s anguished howl... ¡ª¡ª "Doctor, how is my Jiaojiao doing?" "The fever has subsided, she''ll be fine after a few days of quiet rest." The chubby cat thought that after being struck dead by lightning for stealing a chicken leg, she should have entered King Yama Hall, but to her surprise, upon opening her eyes, she was facing the current scene. She stealthily opened her eyes and saw the room was filled with people, about a dozen heads staring at her¡ª their eyes shining like 100,000-volt light bulbs, scaring her into closing her eyes again quickly. However, the people around her had already seen that she was awake, and they were all overjoyed. Standing right in the front, a woman from the Ruanlin Family pressed her hands together and bowed repeatedly to the heavens, muttering incessantly, "Jiaojiao, you little darling, you''ve finally woken up, truly our ancestors have blessed us, bless us, ancestors." Then, she impatiently shooed the men standing at the front of the bed, disgusted with them for blocking the air for her little darling, "Move, move aside!" Reluctantly, they began to leave the ward one after another. Once they were gone, the ward finally fell completely silent. "Mom, let me hold her," said the last one left in the ward, besides Ruan Jianguo and the woman from the Ruanlin Family. "No need, I can still carry her." Ruanlin Family''s woman refused, looking down at her granddaughter who was gazing back with wide open eyes. Her heart melting into a pool of water, she couldn''t help but recall the frail appearance of the girl a few days prior, and her eyes moistened. "My little sweetheart, if something had happened to you, how would grandma live on? Thank goodness, thank the heavens." As she spoke, a stream of warm kisses fell upon the child. Frightened, the chubby cat instinctively let out a sound. But unexpectedly, the sound wasn''t the familiar "meow" she expected, but instead a human baby''s "ah-ah-ah"! She was horrified and her eyes went wide! Struggling in the woman''s arms, she then noticed that her limbs had also transformed into the small hands and feet of a human. This... this... THIS!!! "Ah-ah-ah-ah¡ª" Chapter 2 - 2 Rebirth (2)_1 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Rebirth (2)_1 "Thump, thump." A crisp sound, and the egg cracked open on cue. A nimble little paw peeled away the hard eggshell, revealing the tender flesh inside. The plump baby dressed in a red jacket opened her small mouth and howled, trying to stuff the entire egg into her mouth for a forceful gulp, but she was unsuccessful. "Sister, you can''t eat an egg like this, you''ll choke." A pair of slightly rough but clean little hands reached in front of the little mouth preparing to swallow the egg and took the egg away. The chubby baby looked up at the person snatching food from the cat''s mouth, about to resist with her little brows furrowed, when she saw the rough little hands break open the egg and bring it to her lips, cajoling her with a coaxing tone, "Sister, eat." "..." Fat Meow. She leaned in with her little mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. While smacking her lips, she casually glanced at the human child feeding her, her little brows knitting into a small lump. The three had a good relationship when they were young, but things changed after the male lead was recognized by his real family and the trio met again. The Ruan Family became wealthy in the early nineties, and with her beauty and wealth, Ruan Jiaojiao became the epitome of a rich and beautiful woman. At a gathering, she interacted with the male lead, a high-ranking official''s son, and under the matchmaking efforts of their elders, Ruan Jiaojiao, who already had a favorable impression of Xiu Xun, quickly fell in love with him. Although Xiu Xun never explicitly reciprocated, he also didn''t discourage the match-making attempts of their parents. The two swiftly progressed to the stage of engagement. However, just as they were about to get engaged, Xiu Xun was reunited with the female lead, Wa Yiting, through Ruan Jiaojiao. As they grew closer, they fell deeply in love and composed a heart-wrenching love story, only to realize they were deeply in love with each other, and so they callously abandoned the female rival, Ruan Jiaojiao. Having been spoiled from childhood, Ruan Jiaojiao certainly couldn''t stand being treated this way. In her attempts to split the two apart, she committed many vile deeds, and in the end, she was exterminated by the male lead, who was also deeply in love with Wa Yiting... and her actions even led to the ruin and death of the entire Ruan Family. Chapter 3: Rebirth (3)_1 Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Rebirth (3)_1 ``` But in the end, the male and female leads didn''t achieve a HE, because the male supporting character, who was deeply in love with the female lead, turned villainous and eventually developed a virus that destroyed the entire world... Remembering this, the fat cat who had transmigrated into Ruan Jiaojiao deeply sighed. Although she felt sympathy for the original person, she also thought that the original person must have been blind. Since childhood, she was doted upon and was a wealthy young lady, so rich that she could buy so many, so many dried little fish; what a blissful life it was. How could she become so infatuated with a man who did not love her? And in the end, lose her family and life for this man? Really... so stupid! "Sister, drink some water." Seeing that Ruan Jiaojiao was sighing while swallowing the egg, the person feeding her the egg hurriedly brought over some tea, holding it up to Ruan Jiaojiao''s small mouth, afraid that she might choke. Ruan Jiaojiao felt thirsty and took a sip. After a round of pampering her darling in a sweet and tender manner, she then scolded Ruan Jie with a fierce expression, "Are you trying to kill yourself again, you naughty monkey? You scared Little Jiaojiao, I''ll tear you apart!" In others'' homes, their child might be a treasure, but in the eyes of the Ruanlin family matriarch, they were as trifle as weeds, unable to contain her anger, she slapped Ruan Jie on the head. When Ruan Jiaojiao was screaming, Ruan Jie actually already regretted his actions, and now, even after being slapped twice by his grandmother, he wasn''t angry but only looked at Ruan Jiaojiao apologetically and softly said, "I''m sorry, Jiaojiao, it''s brother''s fault." He forgot that his sister was not as tough as his other younger brothers who could endure his roughhousing. In the arms of the Ruanlin family matriarch, Ruan Jiaojiao waved her little paws, wanting to say it was alright, but the matriarch didn''t give her a chance to speak and glared at Ruan Jie, sending him out to call the adults back for dinner, then turned and carried Ruan Jiaojiao into the kitchen. The Ruanlin family matriarch had previously been worried that the kitchen smoke might suffocate Ruan Jiaojiao, which was why she had given her an egg to eat outside. Now, however, she felt that there was no one in the house she could trust to keep her at ease, except for keeping Ruan Jiaojiao close by her side. ``` Chapter 4 - 4 Rebirth (4)_1 Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Rebirth (4)_1 She carried Ruan Jiaojiao to the kitchen, coaxed her to sit on a small stool, and went back to her busy tasks. In the countryside now, it was fashionable for stoves to have two pots, one big and one small. In the larger pot, the Ruanlin Family was frying a plate of green vegetables, while the smaller pot contained a pot of sweet potatoes interspersed with a few grains of rice, which was the meal for the family that day. On top there was a foreign porcelain bowl filled with fine white rice cooked in a minced meat broth, specially prepared for Ruan Jiaojiao. The Ruan Family had not yet risen to wealth, so apart from the fine food that Ruan Jiaojiao ate, the other members of the Ruan Family could only eat enough to feel full. Still, even in such a state, they were considered wealthy in the entire village. Ruan Jiaojiao, in her previous life, was a stray cat who had opened her "intelligence", so often she did not pick garbage to eat, leading to a life of full meals followed by hunger. Now, seeing the bowl of meat and rice soup, her big eyes became shiny and unblinkingly fixed on it, and she unconsciously swallowed her saliva. The Ruanlin Family ladled out the green vegetables and, seeing Ruan Jiaojiao''s greedy appearance, laughed, "Are you hungry, Jiaojiao?" After admonishing him several times, the Ruanlin Family finally patted Ruan Jiaojiao''s little head and walked back to the kitchen, looking back every three steps, obviously reluctant to leave. As soon as Little Fatty saw Granny was no longer there, he relaxed, first offering Ruan Jiaojiao a pleasing smile, then picking up a spoon to scoop up a spoonful of the meat soup with rice, which contained minced meat mixed with the rice, aromatic to the point of bliss. He wanted to blow on it to cool it for his sister, but the enticing smell made him nearly scoop it all into his own mouth. Fortunately, he retained his last bit of sense and brought the spoon to Ruan Jiaojiao''s mouth instead. "Sister, eat. Brother blew on it. It''s not hot anymore." Ruan Jiaojiao looked at Little Fatty, then at the spoon, suspecting it might be tainted with his saliva, but ultimately the craving in her belly won over, and she sucked on it, a few slurps and it was gone. Little Fatty kept up the pace, and before Ruan Jiaojiao finished her last bite, the next spoon was already on its way. Ruan Jiaojiao had not had such a comfortable meal in a long time, eating to her heart''s content. Soon only half the bowl was left, and she was already full, her little belly rounded. As she watched Little Fatty, who was so envious that he couldn''t stop swallowing his saliva, she was just about to generously offer him the rest when a commotion erupted outside. Before she could react, two figures, one big and one small, burst into the room like a whirlwind, accompanied by a shrill voice of a woman cursing, "You damned little brat, still trying to hide? I think you want to die! Get out here to your mother!" Chapter 5 - 5 Rebirth (5)_1 Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Rebirth (5)_1 Then something dark and gourd-like was hurled in her direction. Ruan Jiaojiao wanted to dodge, but there was a wall behind and Little Fatty in front, leaving her nowhere to hide; she could only watch helplessly as the gourd came flying towards her head. "Sister!" Little Fatty cried out in alarm, bravely stepping forward to shield Ruan Jiaojiao behind him. "Smack!" The gourd hit his forehead, and the meat soup he had not yet finished drinking also fell to the ground. Little Fatty''s forehead turned red instantly, but he cared not for his own injury. He immediately turned back to check on Ruan Jiaojiao behind him. Only after seeing she was unhurt, did he relax. Then he looked at the spoiled supper on the ground, craned his neck, and started wailing, "Nanny, nanny! Auntie Liu hit sister, sister''s almost killed!" If it had been someone else, Liu''s apology might have been enough to soothe the sting of the lost soup, but unfortunately, the Ruanlin Family matriarch had never been an easy person to talk to. The husband of the Ruanlin Family matriarch, Ruan Manchuang, had died early. Although she was known as the widow of a martyr, bringing up four sons alone was very difficult, especially since she came from a landlord''s family. Without her fierce nature, she could not have managed. She immediately glared at Liu, scolding, "Xiu Family, you heartless creature, isn''t it enough that you beat and scold your own Daxi all the time? Now you''ve come to attack my family as well? I think you no longer wish to live!" "Auntie Ruan, what are you talking about? I said it was not..." Liu Mei''s face turned a mess as she tried to argue, but before she could finish her sentence, she was cut off by Ruanlin again. "Not deliberate, you say? Do you think a casual ''it wasn''t deliberate'' can erase everything? If my sweet girl gets frightened into a fever, I will tear you apart, you venomous woman!" Ruanlin wouldn''t have been so enraged under normal circumstances, but Ruan Jiaojiao had just returned from the hospital a few days ago. Worried about her incomplete recovery, she hadn''t dared to nourish her with anything substantial, allowing only a bit of white rice porridge and a single egg each day. Today, having finally brought some meat from town to properly nourish her, she couldn''t believe it had been ruined by this spiteful woman. Chapter 6 - 6 Rebirth (6)_1 Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Rebirth (6)_1 If you screw it up, that''s one thing, but if Ruan Jiaojiao gets a high fever again because of this scare, I''ll tear you to pieces! A scare? So, you get scared just like that? Do you really think you''re a porcelain doll? Liu Mei was on the verge of rolling her eyes. She turned her head to look at Ruan Jiaojiao, who was as round as a ball, and couldn''t help but say snidely, "It''s funny that Auntie Ruan says that, when it''s just a money-losing maid, not so precious. In my opinion... With a "smack", she hadn''t even finished her sentence when the Ruanlin Family matriarch picked up the melon ladle from the ground and threw it at her. It accurately hit her forehead. In just a few seconds, it turned red, swollen to a size much like Little Fatty''s. She tilted her little head, peeking from between her brothers to lock eyes with those in the corner - green and sallow due to long-term malnutrition. She never expected that the villain who would destroy this world, as a boy, looked like this - not tall, even shorter than her, painfully thin and out of shape, not even half her own size. He wore tattered clothes with holes and his calves were ragged strips of fabric. But even so, he was undeniably delicate in features. He was also watching her, but his gaze was far from friendly, full of malice and a hint of longing. It was as if he saw her as a... succulent pig? Although she didn''t enjoy the self-description, this is how the villainous male supporting character made her feel. But now, seeing how pitifully this little villain lived, she understood why the grown villain would become so infatuated with the female lead over a mere hemp cake. Yes, the young villain''s profound love for the female lead was all because she gave him a hemp cake during his time of downfall... While the Ruan Family was clashing with Liu Mei, Ruan Jiaojiao and the young villain just looked at each other until Liu Mei was utterly defeated by the Ruan Family. She spat viciously at the young villain and vowed to return and settle the score with him before Ruan Jiaojiao turned her gaze away. "This child..." Having driven Liu Mei away, the matriarch of the Ruan Family felt a sense of relief. Chapter 7 - 7 Rebirth (7)_1 Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Rebirth (7)_1 As she turned her head and saw the little antagonist in the corner, her brows furrowed again, saying, "It''s another pitiable sight, he must be eight years old already, I remember he''s born the same year as the eighth boy, how come he''s still not as tall as my Jiaojiao, look how thin he is." Shaking her head, her face expressed deep sorrow. Life is tough these days, but it''s far from being so poor that we can''t afford to eat; as long as one is slightly diligent, it''s possible to scrape by with enough for basic needs. But looking at this child, he looks half the size of her Jiaojiao because of hunger, truly a sin. She remembered when his birth mother was alive, he was also a beautiful child. Which is why Liu Mei, as a stepmother, really lacks morality. "Mom, isn''t the rice cooked? Serve him a bowl," Ruan Jianguo also felt pity for the child and said to the Ruanlin Family as he approached Ruan Jiaojiao. The Ruanlin Family nodded. Although she usually disdained Liu Mei, she still felt sympathy for the child. But with such a troublesome Liu Mei, even with her sympathy, she had never thought of doing anything. Since Little Fatty''s parents had not yet returned, he also joined them in the main room for the meal today; the four of them circled the small round table, with Jiaojiao sitting on the side, watching everyone eat, and listening to their conversation. Through their talk, she came to understand a bit more about the little antagonist. The little antagonist''s real name was Xiu Xi; his mother was a ''sent-down youth'', who died of childbirth complications six years ago when having a second child, and half a year later, his father married the current Mrs. Liu, who gave birth to a boy that same year. They say with a stepmother comes a stepfather, and this saying couldn''t be more true for Little Antagonist. After Mrs. Liu entered the Xiu Family''s home, she started abusing her stepson. After having her own child, the beatings happened more frequently, as if she wished for nothing more than to beat him to death. For Little Antagonist to have survived up to the age of eight in such an environment was fairly remarkable. However, from their conversation, Ruan Jiaojiao could tell that this little antagonist was a very timid person, probably because he''d been beaten so much that he''d become numb to it and never tried to run away. Today was actually the first time he had run off to their home. Ruan Jiaojiao thought about the little antagonist she had seen before, with his green eyes, and couldn''t believe he had a timid personality; he seemed more like the wolf she had occasionally seen in her previous life, with ruthless eyes, uncharacteristic for a child of his age. Chapter 8 - 8 Rebirth (8)_1 Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Rebirth (8)_1 Ruan Jiaojiao''s body was young and frail. As she listened to the conversation among the others, she gradually began to feel sleepy and unknowingly leaned against Ruan Jianguo, closing her eyes. Feeling the soft touch at his side, Ruan Jianguo turned his head and immediately softened his gaze. He put down his chopsticks and brought her into his embrace. He lowered his voice and said to the Ruanlin Family matriarch, "Mother, I''m thinking of heading north in the latter half of the year." Upon hearing this, the matriarch paused in her movements and glanced at Ruan Jiaojiao in his arms. She huffed but did not reply whether it was all right or not. Ruan Jie looked at the Ruanlin Family matriarch and then at Ruan Jianguo. His lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing. He knew why his father wanted to travel north, but he wasn''t looking forward to it at all. In fact, he felt some resentment. Although the main reason for his sister''s illness a few days earlier was his second aunt, in his eyes, his mother was also the fundamental cause of his sister''s near fatal illness.@@@@ After Ruan Jianguo said this, the atmosphere in the kitchen turned somewhat tense. Ruan Wei and Ruan Chi were startled, both shrinking their necks. Liao Zhaoji was also scared pale, then realizing what she had said, she muttered, attempting to explain, only to be sternly interrupted by Ruan Jiandang, "If you keep spouting nonsense, believe it or not, I''ll beat you to death!" All four Ruan brothers were strong and burly men, revered in the entire brigade. Even though she had never been beaten, Liao Zhaoji was still terrified by the shout, covering her face with her hands and nodding, not daring to say another word. Having lost his appetite, Ruan Jiandang turned and left the kitchen. Liao Zhaoji watched his retreating figure, her eyes turning red, not with fear but with hatred. She couldn''t understand how the entire Ruan Family could be such a group of oddities. She had borne three sons and considered herself a significant contributor to the Ruan Family. Yet, the Ruan Family cherished a girl who was nothing but a financial loss. "That Ruan Jiaojiao is just a liability. She will be someone else''s gain in the future. Why does the Ruan Family dote on her so much?" "Mom, my sister is not a worthless girl. She is our Ruan Family''s little princess," Ruan Wei, who also didn''t like his mother speaking about his sister this way, said with an unhappy expression. Chapter 9 - 9 The Female Protagonist Appears (1)_1 Chapter 9: Chapter 9 The Female Protagonist Appears (1)_1 And with that, he completely infuriated Liao Zhaoji who grabbed his ear and yanked him to his feet, scolding, "You''ve grown up, and your wings are all strong now, huh? Daring to talk back to your mom over such a worthless girl? Have you even thought about who I''m doing this all for, huh?" With his ear being pinched, Ruan Wei rose from his chair, crying out in pain. He twisted himself out of her grasp and ran off, shouting as he ran, "She''s not a worthless girl, she''s the little princess, the little princess!" "You little brat!" Liao Zhaoji was livid. She turned to complain to Ruan Chi, but before she could say a word, Ruan Chi stood up from his chair, said he was going to his room to do homework, and walked off, leaving her alone, heaving with anger, almost on the verge of exploding. At this point, Ruan Chi, who was now a teenager, never argued with his mother because he knew it was utterly pointless. The Ruan family men had been plentiful for generations, and in the last hundred years, not a single girl had been born until Ruan Jiaojiao came along. Liao Zhaoji''s parents had five daughters before finally having a son. Although scarcity makes something precious, her mother''s mindset had been so warped from childhood that she would never understand Ruan Jiaojiao''s importance in their family. Besides, compared to his smelly and rigid brothers, he naturally preferred his soft, chubby little sister. Seeing her, his heart would always turn into a soft mush. Luckily, her features were delicate, and she was tidy, making her a pretty little girl. The girl peeked inside hesitantly, not daring to come in at first, until she spotted Ruan Jiaojiao sitting in the yard, her eyes lighting up. "Jiaojiao!" she called out, her voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty, "Are you feeling better now?" As she spoke, she carried a worn little bamboo basket, slowly walking into the yard. Ruan Jiaojiao stopped gnawing on the plum, tilted her head back slightly to look at the girl who seemed to glow in the sunlight, and paused. She quickly recognized her as the heroine of the book¡ªWa Yiting. Wa Yiting stopped in front of Ruan Jiaojiao, looking at her lips glistening from the juicy plums. She caught the sour and sweet scent of the fruit and couldn''t resist swallowing longingly. She glanced unintentionally at the fruit in Jiaojiao''s hand and asked softly, "Are your family''s plums ripe yet? They look really tasty." After speaking, she licked her lips again. Throughout the brigade, only the Ruan family had a plum tree and a peach tree, which the Ruanlin Family had deliberately had transported whole from the neighboring brigade and planted at great expense after Ruan Jiaojiao''s birth, just so she could enjoy them when she grew up.@@@@ Chapter 10: The Female Lead Appears (2)_1 Chapter 10: Chapter 10: The Female Lead Appears (2)_1 As Ruan Jiaojiao''s good friend, Wa Yiting always managed to get a taste of a few ripe fruits, although she hated this kind of "charity" from Ruan Jiaojiao. Yet, for someone who could hardly get enough to eat, it had to be considered a delicacy. So now, as she watched Ruan Jiaojiao holding another untouched plum in her hand, she couldn''t help but swallow her saliva repeatedly, her eyes filled with longing.@@@@ If it had been the original owner of the body, given her relationship with Wa Yiting, the plum would naturally have ended up in her mouth. Unfortunately, she was now dealing with Ruan Jiaojiao. As a plump cat, Ruan Jiaojiao was fiercely protective of her food, so the idea of getting any snack from her mouth was unthinkable. Ruan Jiaojiao, as if she hadn''t seen Wa Yiting''s desirous gaze, continued to smack her lips contentedly and hummed in response, "All right." "All right then, do you want to come with us to pick mushrooms on the back hill? I heard there are lots of them popping up. Even if not, there''s plenty of bamboo shoots. Do you want to join us? The boys have formed a group too, and even a few of your brothers are going," she offered, then pursed her lips, unable to restrain herself due to her young age, and asked, "Is that plum tasty? Can you give me one to try?" To stop the little antagonist from destroying the world, she had to stop him from falling in love with the female protagonist, and that meant preventing their interactions as a priority. The reason the little antagonist fell for the female protagonist was that she gave him a wormwood rice cake. It seemed that for him, who had an unhappy childhood, this was a rare warmth, one that others had not offered him before. But just a few days ago, the Ruanlin Family had just provided the little antagonist with a bowl of rice. Did this mean that the little antagonist''s original trajectory was already changed? After all, the reason he fell in love with the female protagonist was that wormwood rice cake she gave him. Of course, the little antagonist wouldn''t fall for the Ruanlin Family because of this. Ruan Jiaojiao thought, it seemed she would have to work harder in the future to keep the little antagonist and the female protagonist apart¡ªshe definitely didn''t want to finally become a person, only to be destroyed by his plans. Wa Yiting waited for Ruan Jiaojiao''s response for a good while but got nothing, which made her even more angry. Young and unable to mask her feelings, her eyes started to redden too. She glared at Ruan Jiaojiao, somewhat annoyed, and said aggressively, "Are you going or not?" Ruan Jiaojiao glanced at her, still looking unruffled, and slowly shook her head, "No, I''m not going." Chapter 11 - 11 The Heroine Appears (3)_1 Chapter 11: Chapter 11 The Heroine Appears (3)_1 Wa Yiting didn''t even know what she was angry about but, upon hearing those words, she stomped her foot and turned to run away. As she reached the doorway, she almost bumped into the Ruanlin Family matriarch who was just coming in. The moment Wa Yiting saw her, all her fiery momentum vanished, and she shrank away like a quail, her head drooping as she scampered off. The Ruanlin Family matriarch watched her retreating back with a puzzled look, then stepped inside and asked Ruan Jiaojiao, "Jiaojiao, what''s wrong with Tingting?" She knew that Wa Yiting always got along well with her little darling, and this was the first time she had seen them not getting along. Ruan Jiaojiao was certainly going to keep her distance from Wa Yiting from now on. Upon hearing the question, she huffed indignantly and said, "Jiaojiao didn''t give her any fruit to eat, so she got angry." She held up her dark red fruit with an air of pride, "This was picked by Granny, Jiaojiao is too fond of it to give it away." Her statement was quite impressive, not only did it successfully reverse the image of her being petty, but it also gave her a chance to curry favor with the Ruanlin matriarch. As expected, the Ruanlin matriarch''s eyes crinkled into a smile, her gaze soft and melting.@@@@ She wouldn''t think that there was anything wrong with Ruan Jiaojiao keeping the fruit to herself. In the entire Ruan Family, she had the privilege to do so. Even the nine boys in the family had no say in the matter, let alone a girl from another family. The other six brothers were all elementary students at a school just a few miles away at the village entrance, and they got out of school after two afternoon classes. Now, at only half-past two in the afternoon, the six youngsters came rushing back home in a pack, offering quite the visual spectacle. Although, aside from Ruan Jie, the others were cousins, that didn''t lessen their affection for their little sister. One after another, the boys entered the courtyard, chattering around Ruan Jiaojiao. Some were sharing amusing school stories, others were showing concern for her health. The Ruanlin matriarch came out with the boiled eggs, and they all eagerly offered to peel them for her, but Ruan Jiaojiao rejected their help¡ªshe wasn''t that helpless. Unable to help their little sister with the egg, the boys were somewhat disappointed. They hung around and chatted with Ruan Jiaojiao for a while longer before reluctantly dispersing to go inside and put away their schoolbags, showing not the slightest hint of jealousy or envy. Little Fatty, however, did not go in with the others because Ruan Jiaojiao had pulled him aside. With so many brothers, it wasn''t easy for Ruan Jiaojiao to openly give him the fruit, so she had to sneak it to him like this. Chapter 12: The Heroine Appears (4)_1 Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Heroine Appears (4)_1 Suddenly, a dark red fruit was stuffed into his hand. Little Fatty was startled and looked up to see his most adorable little sister saying, "I saved it specially for you." "Really?" Little Fatty''s eyes widened, his little round face remarkably cheerful. Ruan Jiaojiao nodded obligingly. Little Fatty was overjoyed. He bit into it, and it was so sour that his eyes squinted into slits, yet he still happily exclaimed, "Delicious, especially sweet!" "..." Ruan Jiaojiao. This Little Fatty must be silly. Little Fatty genuinely liked this plum. In the countryside, there weren''t many snacks available, so this fruit was a rare delicacy for them, but usually, the first batch of red plums was never their boys'' business. The Ruanlin family also said that this fruit tree was planted for Ruan Jiaojiao, and none of them could covet it. Of course, it wasn''t just the fruit. Everything else in the house was for their sister to pick first before it came to them. It had been like this since they were small, and they never felt anything was amiss with this arrangement.@@@@ The Ruan family wasn''t wealthy, but in the Ruan household, Ruan Jiaojiao was indeed pampered. She had been raised plump and fair without suffering any hardships, and the Ruanlin family protected her like the apple of their eye, never allowing her to go places like the back mountain. They feared her delicate skin would suffer an allergic reaction to poisonous insects or the like. Her brothers were also sensible and never took her running around recklessly. Sparrows? Bird eggs? Ruan Jiaojiao smacked her lips at the thought, remembering how delicious those sparrow eggs tasted when she was still a kitten. She nodded eagerly, "Yes, let''s go!" "Okay, then follow me out later. If Grandma asks, tell her that you''re going to Tingting''s house to play. Got it?" Ruan Jiaojiao nodded obediently. Watching such a docile and cute sister, Little Fatty felt extremely content. He playfully tugged at her chubby little cheek like an adult before turning to enter his own house. The six boys each finished their homework and agreed to meet in the courtyard. Little Fatty had already informed them in advance that Ruan Jiaojiao would be joining them. Ruan Jie even wore an extra jacket just in case. Before they left the house, Ruanlin''s family asked about their whereabouts, and Little Fatty answered on their behalf. Chapter 13 - 13 The Female Protagonist Appears (5)_1 Chapter 13: Chapter 13 The Female Protagonist Appears (5)_1 The Ruanlin Family had just thought of Wa Yiting''s recent visit, which seemed to have ended on a sour note with Ruan Jiaojiao. Believing that Jiaojiao was going out to make amends, they didn''t suspect otherwise and let her go, but not without repeatedly entrusting Little Fatty to protect his sister on their way back. Once out of the yard, Ruan Jiaojiao looked at the outside world with her own eyes for the first time. It was the busy farming season; the villagers bustled about the fields. When they saw Ruan Jiaojiao, they greeted her with smiles, inquiring if her health had improved. Ruan Jiaojiao returned the greeting with a smile to everyone, earning herself a series of praises like "What a well-behaved child," until she finally reached the edge of the back mountain.@@@@ The back mountain was vast and deep. There were tales that years ago, when people were so poor they couldn''t afford enough to eat, many ventured into the deep mountains to hunt. However, some entered and never returned. Later, the government blocked off the middle of the mountain, dividing it into the front and back sections. The front mountain was prohibited, but the back was open to access. By the time Ruan Jiaojiao and company arrived, there were already seven or eight children waiting, including Wa Yiting. Wa Yiting was talking with another girl her age. Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao arrive with a group of boys, she paused momentarily. Remembering their earlier unpleasantness, she didn''t come over but instead deliberately moved closer to the girl next to her. Several boys frowned, as if her joining really would cause extra trouble. "This is my sister. What''s wrong with bringing her? It''s none of your business," Ruan Jie bristled at the remark and glared at Zhao Hu. The other five boys joined in the glare, looking almost ready for a fight, which naturally deterred Zhao Hu from saying more. He pouted and pretended to look elsewhere. As a result, no one else dared to speak up. "There are lots of bugs on the mountain, let me carry you on my back," Little Fatty crouched down with his plump little body, offering to carry Ruan Jiaojiao, only for Ruan Feng to push him aside. "Sister doesn''t want you to carry her. I''ll do it. Jiaojiao, is it okay if Sixth Brother carries you?" Ruan Feng was the eldest son of Ruan Jiaojiao''s fourth uncle, eleven years old, in the fifth grade. Ruan Jiaojiao smiled sweetly at him and crisply turned down the offer. Chapter 14: The Female Lead Makes an Entrance (6)_1 Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The Female Lead Makes an Entrance (6)_1 This body she now inhabited was raised too delicately and had poor constitution, she had come out with them to exercise on purpose, and being carried would defeat the entire point. Seeing her unwillingness, Ruan Feng didn''t insist, although he felt somewhat disappointed at not getting to carry his soft little sister.@@@@ Ruan Jie, who had prepared a coat in advance, took it off and put it on her. He was a head taller than Ruan Jiaojiao, so when she wore his coat, it covered her down to her ankles. Ruan Jie carefully buttoned her up, explaining, "There are a lot of mosquitoes in the mountains, brother is afraid they''ll bite you, wearing the coat will prevent that." Ruan Jiaojiao blinked, not expecting her little brother, who was only twelve, to be so considerate. Having never experienced familial affection in her life, she couldn''t help but be moved. She reached out her plump little hand to circle around Ruan Jie''s bent neck and gave him a big smooch with her lips, saying sweetly, "Thank you, brother." Ruan Jie''s heart melted at her kiss, and amidst the envious gazes of his other brothers, he hugged Ruan Jiaojiao tightly and returned the affection with a big kiss before letting her go and taking her hand to walk deeper into the mountains. Little Fatty saw this and quickly scampered to the other side, taking Ruan Jiaojiao''s little hand as well. Even sometimes, she would think, if Ruan Jiaojiao died and let her become the Ruan family''s granddaughter, she would do so much better with her capability! However, she knew how to weigh the pros and cons, and since the former Ruan Jiaojiao was simple-minded, she could easily coax anything she wanted from her, so she suppressed her jealousy deep within her heart. But today. Ruan Jiaojiao had refused her! She did not give her any plums to eat. Even though there was such a big plum tree in her house, and she still had one in her hand, she was stingy with giving her one. This made her very angry, feeling that Ruan Jiaojiao was extremely hypocritical. All that talk about them being best friends was fake! She glanced in Ruan Jiaojiao''s direction and said in a bad temper, "What''s so good about that, being so fat! Look at my aunt, she keeps getting sick because she is too fat!" "Being too fat can make you sick?" The little girl didn''t understand and, upon hearing that, took a look at Ruan Jiaojiao. Considering Ruan Jiaojiao''s recent illness, she quickly felt that Wa Yiting''s words were logical. Her envy for Ruan Jiaojiao diminished a great deal very soon. Chapter 15 - 15 The Heroine Appears (7)_1 Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The Heroine Appears (7)_1 Ruan Jiaojiao had no idea what plots the female protagonist was weaving against her right now. She was dazzled by the spring scenery before her eyes and couldn''t help but think back to her previous life. In her previous life, she was born lonely, like a solitary cat, and had no idea how old she was. She always lived in the mountains and forests, feeling a strong sense of belonging to them. Now, as she looked at the flowers and plants that covered the hills, she felt an immense sense of familiarity. She also remembered the wolf that often had its things stolen by her. In her memory, that wolf had been around since as far back as she could remember. Every time she stole its food, it would become furious and chase after her, but it never managed to catch her. She had managed to sneakily steal and eat quite a lot of its good stuff. She just didn''t know what had become of that wolf now. Did it know that this little thief was dead? From now on, there would be no more stealing of its meat by her. It must be very pleased. "Sister, are you tired? Do you want to take a break?" After walking for about ten minutes and reaching the center of the back mountain, Ruan Jie looked down and asked Ruan Jiaojiao. Ruan Jiaojiao''s current body was indeed frail. She was already sweating profusely from the short walk, and her breath was uneven. She glanced at Ruan Jie and nodded. Wa Yiting picked almost a basketful, then used her small hoe to dig up a shoot, making sure she wouldn''t be scolded by her uncles and aunts at home, before she turned her attention to Ruan Jiaojiao. Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao sitting on her brother''s jacket, taking an egg out of her pocket and starting to peel it, she couldn''t help but swallow her saliva. In those times, food was the most valued, especially something like eggs. Families would hardly ever eat their own eggs; usually, they would sell them to earn some money. Wa Yiting''s parents had died early, and she had been living with her uncle''s family ever since she could remember. The uncle had three sons, and even if there was any delicacy, it would not be her turn. She was already satisfied if she could eat her meals to fullness. However, because she got along well with Ruan Jiaojiao, she still managed to secretly eat a lot of good things, such as these eggs. She knew when Ruan Jiaojiao would typically eat eggs and often made a point to visit her during those times. Ruan Jiaojiao, both silly and foolish, would share half of her egg with her as long as Wa Yiting casually mentioned it. Even though they had a falling out at her house before, she had secretly vowed in her heart not to bother with Ruan Jiaojiao anymore, deciding that if they were ever to reconcile, Jiaojiao would have to come to her to apologize and make amends. Chapter 16 - 16 The Female Protagonist Appears (8)_1 Chapter 16: Chapter 16 The Female Protagonist Appears (8)_1 But now, seeing her sitting there peeling the egg, the egg white and plump, looking delicious, she couldn''t help licking her lips. She had only eaten a leftover sweet potato for lunch, and a very small one at that, and now this motion made her stomach intolerably hungry. She looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to her before slowly getting up and moving towards Ruan Jiaojiao. Ruan Jiaojiao was lowering her head, earnestly peeling the egg. Having walked that distance, she was hungry too. She peeled quickly, and just as she was about to finish, she suddenly felt a shadow cast over her. Looking up, she saw Wa Yiting''s deliberately ingratiating smile.@@@@ "Jiaojiao, you''re eating an egg," she said, striking up a conversation with particular effort as if the previous displeasure had vanished in an instant. "..." Ruan Jiaojiao blinked and looked at her, her silent gaze questioning: what else? Ruan Jiaojiao nibbled on her egg and followed his line of sight, replying nonchalantly, "I don''t know." Wa Yiting, with embarrassment filling her flushed face, could no longer hold it in. Furious, she yelled at Ruan Jiaojiao, "Ruan Jiaojiao, you''re mean, I will never play with you again!" After shouting, she ran off with red eyes, tears in her eyes, looking as if Ruan Jiaojiao had bullied her terribly. "Hey, Wa Yiting, what do you mean by that? My sister is so good, where did she go wrong?" Ruan Qun might be young, but he knew to stand up for his sister. Upon hearing this, he became upset, dropped the spring shoot he hadn''t pulled out, and confronted her. That made Wa Yiting actually start crying. "Why are you crying? I didn''t bully you," Ruan Qun frowned at her. He was only a few months younger than Wa Yiting, but he was much taller. Seeing her suddenly start crying, he was really at a loss for words. It was she who had yelled at his sister, and he hadn''t even said anything; why was she crying first? Surely, as Grandma said, in this world, only sisters are cute! All other girls are just troublesome. Chapter 17: Golden Finger? (1)_1 Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Golden Finger? (1)_1 Wa Yiting was just driven to cry harder by his words, and she glared fiercely at him before turning to run away. However, she didn''t get far before another piercing scream rang out. Ruan Qun and Ruan Jiaojiao rushed toward the sound, only to see Wa Yiting fallen on the ground, with the contents of her basket scattered all around. Not far off, on a small hillock, stood a small figure¡ªthe little villain who hadn''t been seen for two days. The little villain, hearing the noise behind him, looked over impatiently, and in his hand, he was holding several pitch-black rats, several of which were still squirming and squeaking... It was indeed quite frightening. Wa Yiting probably fell because she got scared by the rats. When Ruan Qun saw the rats, his first reaction was to protect Ruan Jiaojiao; he moved in front of her to block her view, worried that she might also be scared of the rats, and he comforted her, "Sister, don''t be afraid, your brother will protect you."@@@@ But how could Ruan Jiaojiao be afraid? In her past life, she was a cat¡ªonly rats were scared of her. However, since she had gained intelligence, she didn''t eat these creatures, deeming them too full of bacteria. She generally preferred to steal food from that wolf. If she could straighten out his nature from a young age, then he probably wouldn''t end up doing something as twisted as destroying the world in the future. In a moment, Ruan Jiaojiao felt that she had suddenly found the most important thing for her to do in this world! As for why it was the most important, naturally, it was because only if the world didn''t end could she do other things, like protecting the entire Ruan Family and so forth. "Granny said that?" Upon hearing that it was Ruanlin who had said it, Ruan Qun became somewhat hesitant. After thinking for a moment, he nodded his head and said, "Then next time we go out, let''s invite him too. Alright, let''s go back now. The others have probably already caught sparrows and found bird eggs." As for Wa Yiting at the side, both of them chose to ignore her. Wa Yiting, seething, grabbed handfuls of wild grass from the ground. Thinking of the rats that Xiu Xi had caught, and fearing that there might be many more around, she didn''t dare to linger. She quickly got up, leaving the scattered items on the ground as they were. She picked up her basket and hurried to catch up with Ruan Jiaojiao and the others. When Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Qun returned to the spot, Ruan Feng and the others had indeed come back. Little Fatty was even holding a bird''s nest. Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao, he excitedly came over to present his treasure: "Sister, look, Fourth Brother found this, I''ll roast it for you to eat!" Chapter 18 - 18 Golden Finger? (2)_1 Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Golden Finger? (2)_1 Ruan Jiaojiao leaned in with her little head to look and sure enough, she saw seven or eight speckled quail eggs quietly nestled in the bird''s nest. "These are not enough to eat, Xiaoba, put them by Jiaojiao''s side first, then let''s look for more," Ruan Feng said. With a group as large as more than a dozen people, so few eggs were not nearly enough to go around. Little Fatty nodded and, taking the matter very seriously, placed the bird''s nest in Ruan Jiaojiao''s hands, then followed his older brothers to hunt for more nests. By the time everyone returned, half an hour had passed, and they had much more to show for it. They had caught four or five sparrows and more than twenty eggs, but after a winter, the sparrows were pitifully thin and barely had any meat on them. Ruan Chi went to deal with the sparrows first while Zhao Hu, familiar with the process, cleared a spot on the ground, swept away the dead leaves, gathered some dry branches to make a fire. The group of more than a dozen people huddled around in two or three circles, even Wa Yiting joined in, though she stood far from Ruan Jiaojiao. Ruan Jiaojiao watched everyone sitting on the ground with crossed legs and followed suit, but was quickly pulled up by Ruan Jie. Ruan Jie led her around in a circle, patted the dust off her little backside, and said, "Don''t dirty your pants by sitting on the ground, sit on your brother''s lap." To her surprise, despite the burned appearance of the sparrows and the absence of any seasoning, they actually tasted quite good? They were crunchy in a way that even the bones could be chewed and eaten. Especially Wa Yiting, with her share of a bird''s neck, she even seemed to swallow the bones along with the meat? Tsk tsk, Ruan Jiaojiao couldn''t help but lament how scarce resources were in this era. It was tough on these kids. Unlike in her time, when almost every meal included meat, and always the best cuts at that¡ªof course... that was also from the wolf she had stolen from! Ruan Jiaojiao smacked her lips, her appetite whetted by the tiny bird''s leg. She looked around, wondering if there might be pheasants in the area. Even if there weren''t any pheasants, quails would do, since they were much meatier than sparrows. Yet, no sooner had she finished the thought than she heard a flapping sound behind her. Then, Little Fatty, sitting next to her, was hit by something, grabbed his head, and hollered in pain as he jumped to his feet. Everyone turned to look and was instantly dumbstruck! Chapter 19 - 19 Golden Finger? (3)_1 Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Golden Finger? (3)_1 This¡ªthis is quail? And there are so many? I quickly counted at least twenty, each one very plump! All of them lay on the ground, flapping their wings as if drunk, unable to fly up, only circling on the ground. After their surprise, everyone''s actions outpaced their thoughts, and they stood up as one, pouncing toward the quails on the ground, tumbling into one messy bundle.@@@@ In the end, not a single quail escaped; they caught them all. Everyone''s faces bloomed with smiles. When they were catching the quails, Ruan Jie held Ruan Jiaojiao in his arms, protecting her from being knocked down. Of course, she didn''t catch any quail, but all five of her brothers, including Little Fatty, caught at least one, and Ruan Wei even caught two. Ruan Jiaojiao watched them, holding the quails and laughing heartily, showing off to one another, her mind completely befuddled, still in a state of shock. She had just wanted to eat quail, and then quail fell from the sky? Could it be such a coincidence? She looked up, glancing all around, and this time she dared not think of anything else. What if she thought of an ox, and it fell straight onto her, flattening her into a meat pancake? Ruan Jie, now preoccupied with nothing else, only remembered that his sister had been injured in his care, and was heartbroken. He carried her and ran towards home, while his other brothers followed; halfway there, Ruan Chi seemed to remember something, turned around, and walked back. He approached Wa Yiting, who was holding a pheasant in her hand, with another one still on the ground. "Give it to me." He reached out his hand to Wa Yiting. Wa Yiting tucked her hand behind her back, not wanting to give it up, her voice low in defense, "I found it first!" "Bullshit! This was hit by my sister! She used her knee, and now it''s bruised purple, didn''t you see?!" Ruan Chi retorted angrily, turning his head to the others and asked, "Didn''t you all see too? These two pheasants hit my sister''s knee, right? Her leg got hurt like this, and you still have the nerve to fight over her chickens?" The others never intended to claim the pheasants for themselves, so upon hearing this, they all shook their heads. Some even urged Wa Yiting to give the pheasant back to Ruan Chi. Wa Yiting still didn''t want to give it up; she hadn''t had meat for so long, and if she brought the pheasant back home, her aunt would definitely let her have a bit. Even if she wasn''t allowed to eat any, she could still steal a piece while cooking it. Ruan Chi didn''t care for all that. Seeing she still wouldn''t give in, he grabbed her wrist and snatched it away. "This pheasant was brought down by my sister getting injured, so we won''t share it with you. Take those quails and divide them up." Chapter 20: Golden Finger? (4)_1 Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Golden Finger? (4)_1 Just because Ruan Jiaojiao was injured, the Ruan brothers could no longer care about the quails; they all dropped them on the ground¡ªthere were as many as seven or eight. Now that they were all distributed among them, each of them could have one more, and there were no objections whatsoever. Ruan Chi wasn''t afraid of any objections, as the chicken originally collided with his sister''s leg, so he took it with a clear conscience. He grabbed a chicken in one hand and chased after his brothers ahead. Wa Yiting was again reduced to tears by anger, yet no one spoke up for her. They all thought she was at fault, that it was not her belonging to begin with. Angered, Wa Yiting grabbed her basket and ran off, of course not forgetting her own quails. On the other side, Ruan Jie was running home carrying Ruan Jiaojiao, with a momentum as if a major incident had occurred, while several other brothers followed. Seeing this, Ruan Jianguo, who was plowing the field, was so scared that he dropped his hoe and ran over. "What happened? What''s wrong?" He snatched Ruan Jiaojiao from his son''s arms, his eyes red with urgency. "Dad, quickly take sister to see a doctor; her leg might be broken!" Ruan Jie was overwhelmed with guilt, and the half-grown young man''s tears streamed down his face. Upon hearing this, Ruan Jianguo nearly ran out of breath, his wrist, which was placed under Jiaojiao''s knee, trembled.@@@@ The pheasants themselves only weighed about ten pounds each, which wouldn''t have been a problem on her leg, but the issue was that they clearly had gained momentum before striking her leg, so the force exerted was many times greater. Even so, it still wasn''t enough to have broken her leg. Still somewhat disbelieving, Ruan Jianguo truly cherished his daughter, placing her at the very top of his heart¡ªespecially since his wife, Shu Jie, had gone north to take entrance exams and look for relatives, he had become even more protective of her, fearing any mishap. The last time she fell seriously ill, he nearly lost his mind. He still harbored resentment for the incident at his younger brother''s wife''s family. "Daddy, Jiaojiao is really okay, just apply some antiseptic solution when we get back and I''ll be fine." Ruan Jianguo looked at her for a while and eventually followed her suggestion, but he thought to himself that he should first check at home, and if something looked wrong, he would take the money and head straight to town. When they left, everything was fine, but now she was being carried back, each person''s face heavy with solemnity. The Ruanlin Family matriarch was chatting with neighbors, still pondering over what good things they had at home to nourish her granddaughter, when she was suddenly startled by the scene before her, nearly fainting. "What happened?" The Ruanlin matriarch approached, and the Zhao Family''s daughter-in-law, who had been chatting with her, quickly steadied her upon seeing her wobbly steps. Chapter 21: Golden Finger? (5)_1 Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Golden Finger? (5)_1 "Mom, hurry back home to find the red medicine, Jiaojiao hurt her leg." "How did she hurt her leg?" The Ruanlin Family lady looked at Ruan Jiaojiao with a heartache, her eyes catching sight of Little Fatty and immediately she bellowed in question, "Weren''t you accompanying Jiaojiao to Tingting''s house? How did she get hurt?" Little Fatty was young and couldn''t hold in his emotions. The day''s events had already caused his feelings to fluctuate drastically, and now being yelled at by the Ruanlin Family lady, he just broke down and cried, "It''s my fault, I didn''t take good care of my sister, wuu wuu wuu..."@@@@ He cried loudly, his sobs thunderous. "..." The Ruanlin Family lady. "What are you bawling for, mourning the dead!" Despite her harsh words, seeing her grandson cry like that, she found it hard to say anything further, only turning around and dashing back to the Ruan Family''s house to look for the red medicine. Once the red medicine was found, Ruan Jiaojiao was seated on a stool, surrounded by the Ruan Family both inside and outside, everyone staring at her leg with furrowed brows, which made Ruan Jiaojiao, who was in pain and wanted to whimper, too embarrassed to make a sound and just bit her lip as she endured Ruan Jianguo''s kneading. Ruan Chi sidestepped her and walked over to the Ruanlin Family lady, saying softly, "Grandma, these are the pheasants that injured sister." In the short time that they had applied the medicine, the brothers had roughly explained the situation once over, but the Ruanlin Family lady and Ruan Jianguo found the story too far-fetched and didn''t quite believe it, thinking it was a lie the brothers concocted to be forgiven. Now seeing Ruan Chi actually return with the pheasants, they were instantly shocked. If the Ruanlin Family lady and Ruan Jianguo didn''t believe it, there was even less chance for Liao Zhaoji. Seeing her son actually side-step her and give the pheasants to the Ruanlin Family lady, she was so furious that her eye twitched, and she rushed over to slap Ruan Chi on the back of his head, scolding, "You ingrate, what did I raise you for!" Ruan Chi was sent staggering from the slap, leaning forward and nearly hitting the corner of the table in front of him, lucky to be caught by the Ruanlin Family lady. With a fierce expression, the Ruanlin Family lady coldly watched Liao Zhaoji and sarcastically snarled, "Are you talking about Chizi or me?" Liao Zhaoji, having not intended to hit so hard and feeling regretful immediately after, now stung by the Ruanlin Family lady''s jab, struck an ingratiating smile, "Mom, you misunderstand, how could I..." But before she could finish, her words were cut off by the Ruanlin Family lady''s scolding, "You shallow, black-hearted wretch, trying to snatch away Jiaojiao''s things. The Ruan Family has a jinx like you, truly bad luck for eight lifetimes!" Chapter 22 - 22 22 Golden Finger (6)_1 ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Golden Finger? (6)_1 Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Golden Finger? (6)_1 The Ruanlin Family¡¯s matriarch spoke like a machine gun, and Liao Zhaoji was somewhat unable to cope for the moment. Still, she was unwilling to give in and said in a low voice, ¡°Mom... this was brought back by Ruan Chi, how did it become Jiaojiao¡¯s? I know you love her, but you can¡¯t be so blind to right and wrong. She¡¯s so young, what could she possibly hunt? It must have been Chizi who shot it. I¡¯m not asking for much, just one should be good enough.¡± As she finished, her tone still carried the air of someone wronged yet seeking peace. ¡°Ptui! Have you no shame? Open your dog eyes and look! This is what my Jiaojiao got in exchange for her leg. You still want a piece, how could you be such an aunt? It truly is a family misfortune, how did Second Brother ever marry a thing like you!¡± the matriarch of the Ruanlin Family ranted and raved. When it came to arguing, the matriarch of the Ruanlin Family had never lost. She could argue black into white, and in this case, her position was already in the right. The pheasant was indeed hunted by her Jiaojiao¡¯s legs, and she would fight anyone who dared to claim it! Liao Zhaoji indeed was no match for the matriarch of the Ruanlin Family, and now she was left with her head buzzing from the scolding. Without giving her a chance to catch her breath, the matriarch of the Ruanlin Family grabbed her wrist, dragged her to the courtyard, and pointed at a group of young men, sneering, ¡°You ask them who shot this pheasant. If anyone says it was Chizi, I¡¯ll give it all to you right now!¡± The moment Liao Zhaoji heard this, her eyes lit up. She didn¡¯t dare hope for others, but she didn¡¯t believe her own son would side with others. ¡°It was Sister who shot it.¡± Little Fatty. ¡°Sister¡¯s.¡± Ruan Jie. ¡°Sister got it with her leg.¡± Ruan Qun. ¡°Mm, it¡¯s Sister¡¯s.¡± Ruan Feng. ¡°Sister¡¯s, Sister¡¯s, it definitely is Sister¡¯s!¡± Liao Zhaoji¡¯s youngest son, Ruan Wei, repeated it several times, each time louder than the last, as if he was afraid his mother wouldn¡¯t hear him. Liao Zhaoji¡¯s face turned red, then white, then pale, displaying a truly spectacular range of colors. Seeing her defeated and retreating, the matriarch of the Ruanlin Family spat at her once more. She hadn¡¯t settled last time¡¯s account with her, yet she had the audacity to think she mattered. Having defeated Liao Zhaoji, the matriarch of the Ruanlin Family returned to Jiaojiao¡¯s side. As she passed by Ruan Chi, she gestured towards the backyard. Ruan Chi knew to kneel on his own. On this issue, none of the brothers had any objections; they all felt guilty. They had taken their sister out and even got her injured. Returning to Jiaojiao¡¯s side, the Ruanlin matriarch¡¯s demeanor changed instantly, becoming extremely gentle. She picked her up from the chair, cooing over her darling treasure before instructing Ruan Jianguo, ¡°Go handle this pheasant, air-dry one, and stew the other for tonight to nourish Jiaojiao¡¯s body. Our Jiaojiao has really suffered, it¡¯s just heartbreaking.¡± ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao, she didn¡¯t feel pitiable, truly not pitiable, just a bit embarrassed. Yet, this incident made her realize once again just how much she was adored by the family occupying the original owner¡¯s body, placed right at the heart of their affections. Now that she had taken over the original owner¡¯s body and received so much love, she resolved to repay them even more in the future, ensuring their safety. Ruan Jiaojiao silently encouraged herself and turned to see all her brothers kneeling in the courtyard. Just as she was about to plead on their behalf, she saw Ruan Jie shake his head at her, signaling her not to speak. If they didn¡¯t kneel today, the guilt wouldn¡¯t fade from their hearts. It was they who had taken their sister out, even to a place like the back mountain. They were more than willing to accept their punishment. Chapter 23 - 23 23 Golden Finger (7)_1 ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Golden Finger? (7)_1 Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Golden Finger? (7)_1 At dusk. The entire sixth brigade gradually fell into silence, with villagers returning home one after another after a day¡¯s work in the fields. As they passed by the Ruan Family¡¯s home, they would stop in surprise; it wasn¡¯t a holiday or a special occasion, yet the Ruan Family¡¯s meal was unexpectedly lavish. Within the Ruanlin Family, cooking was a forte, and the pheasant they had weighed over a dozen pounds. Apart from the offal, she could turn every part into something precious. She set aside the chicken blood and liver, planning to prepare them for Ruan Jiaojiao to eat alone the next day. The meat was boiled in one pot with some freshly dried mushrooms, creating a large, sumptuously fragrant potful. When Ruanlin saw that the meat was nearly ready, she first scooped out a large chicken leg and placed it in a fine porcelain bowl for Ruan Jiaojiao to nibble on, then turned around to leave the kitchen and said to the six boys still kneeling in the courtyard, ¡°Get up now, call your parents over for dinner.¡± However, only Jiandang of the second branch and his wife were at home. Jianjun and Du Qing of the third branch, as well as Jianmin and Wu Le of the fourth branch, were all working in the town and only came home when they had a day off. Ruanlin¡¯s words were actually directed at the second branch; unlike Liao Zhaoji, who got petty over little things, she wouldn¡¯t squabble over some meat. Upon hearing her, the six boys cheered, baring their teeth as they stood up. Ruan Wei dashed into his own house to call Ruan Jiandang and Liao Zhaoji. Hearing the call, Jiandang put down the basket he was mending to wash his hands in the kitchen, while Zhaoji leaned against the doorframe, deliberately squinting and snorting with pretended indifference, ¡°I¡¯m not going, there will surely be unpleasant talk again.¡± She was speaking to Jiandang, hoping he would coax her so she could make an appearance with grace, but Jiandang didn¡¯t even glance at her from the corner of his eye, stepping around her to go towards Ruanlin. Feeling vexed, Zhaoji clenched her teeth as the meat¡¯s aroma wafted her way. After a mere two seconds of inner struggle, she shamelessly followed suit. ¡°Mom... didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t going?¡± Ruan Wei, completely clueless, touched the back of his head in confusion. ¡°Mind your own business!¡± Zhaoji slapped him and thought to herself that her son truly lacked wits; if she hadn¡¯t witnessed his birth herself, she would suspect that Ruanlin had switched out her real son with another. Ruan Wei, having been slapped for no apparent reason, felt wronged and mumbled under his breath that his grandma was right after all ¨C his mother was someone who made a fuss over nothing. Zhaoji heard him and, infuriated, reeled back to hit him again but this time, Ruan Wei nimbly dodged her hand. With too many people, the kitchen couldn¡¯t accommodate everyone, so Ruanlin had everyone bring their bowls to the serving table. She dished out a spoonful for each. When it was Zhaoji¡¯s turn, she snickered, ¡°According to Ruan Wei, weren¡¯t you not coming?¡± With her eyes glued to the bowl, Zhaoji turned to Ruanlin with an awkward smile, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t listen to Wei¡¯s nonsense. How could I not come when the food you make is so delicious?¡± Scoff. Ruanlin couldn¡¯t be bothered to entertain her. The last time they had meat was during the New Year; it had been a while since the members of the Ruan Family had smelled the fragrance of meat. Although the recent uproar had been a bit scary, the meal was satisfying as everyone enjoyed juicy mouthfuls. Little Fatty, clutching his round belly, smacked his lips and sighed wistfully, ¡°If only we could have such good fortune more often.¡± ¡°Tch, let the fortune hit your legs instead, not my sister who you can¡¯t afford to hurt,¡± Ruan Feng said, glaring at him. Little Fatty wasn¡¯t offended and nodded with a smile, ¡°Yeah, let it hit my legs, I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Chapter 24 - 24 24 Golden Finger (8)_1 ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Golden Finger? (8)_1 Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Golden Finger? (8)_1 ¡°You really are...¡± Ruan Jianguo looked at him with amusement, shook his head helplessly, and everyone else started to laugh as well. Ruan Jiaojiao also felt very satisfied with this meal, but while eating, she was pondering. This incident had been abrupt, and perhaps those who saw it would find it strange, but it wasn¡¯t enough to attract significant attention. However, if it happened a few more times, it might catch their notice. Yet, she wanted to verify it again and thought about making another quiet trip to the back mountain next time. After the meal was finished, everyone went back to their homes. Ruan Jiaojiao had lost the ability to move, and Ruan Jianguo, fearing that her leg was seriously injured, carried her from start to finish. His build was large, and holding Ruan Jiaojiao was like holding a toy; after protesting a few times to no avail, she let him be. As night fell, the Ruanlin Family finished up kitchen work and prepared Ruan Jiaojiao for bed. After washing her tiny feet and rolling up her trousers to apply medicine, a burst of clamor suddenly came from outside, as if someone was yelling at the doorway. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on, who¡¯s out there swearing?¡± Ruan Jianguo, barefoot, emerged from the next room, still holding a foot towel, and asked Ruanlin Family¡¯s matriarch with confusion. The Ruanlin Family matriarch shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know, go out and take a look. I¡¯ll finish applying the medicine on Jiaojiao first.¡± Ruan Jianguo nodded, and Ruan Jie followed him out. Ruan Feng and the others from the neighboring quarters also came out, and they all went to the doorway to find that it was already surrounded by a crowd of villagers. Ruan Jianguo frowned and cleared his throat as he stepped out. The crowd of villagers turned to look and ceased their chatter, parting to reveal the person at the center of the ring. ¡°Wa Family, what are you doing in front of my house?¡± Ruan Jianguo frowned at the middle-aged woman standing in the middle. She was clad in coarse clothes that wrapped around her plump body, seeming like an easy person to deal with, but her eyes held too much scheming. Wa Yiting, head lowered, stood beside the middle-aged woman. ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s go back,¡± Wa Yiting begged, about to cry with embarrassment as the Ruan Family members came out. Her face turned bright red with shame, regretting her earlier decision. It turned out that after everyone returned home from the back mountain, Wa Yiting brought two quails back to her home, making her aunt immediately delighted. The aunt took them without letting Wa Yiting even touch them, quickly prepared the birds, and stir-fried them. The family of five enjoyed the feast, leaving Wa Yiting out of it. Wa Yiting knew she wouldn¡¯t get to taste any of the quail meat and had planned to sneak a taste while it was being cooked. But she didn¡¯t anticipate her aunt guarding against her so closely, not even allowing her to participate in the cooking. She felt rather indignant. Pondering why she couldn¡¯t even sip the broth while Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s family got two chickens for free, she knew her aunt¡¯s character well enough to know that she would never miss an opportunity for free chicken. Thus, she exaggeratedly recounted the events at the back mountain to her aunt. As expected, upon hearing it, her aunt instantly wiped her mouth and shamelessly dragged Wa Yiting toward the Ruan Family¡¯s house, demanding justice. She had thought they would quietly enter the Ruan Family¡¯s door to ask for their share, but she hadn¡¯t expected her aunt to behave so shamelessly, causing a scene right at the main entrance. As for how the chicken really came into possession¡ªother than the Ruan Family, many other villagers had seen the event. If she could tell her family, those villagers would surely share the story as well, and then everyone would know the truth. If they had come to ask the Ruan Family quietly and were refused, there would be no loss, but now that they caused a commotion, wasn¡¯t this just a public embarrassment? Chapter 25 - 25 25 Causing Trouble (1)_1 ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Causing Trouble (1)_1 Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Causing Trouble (1)_1 She didn¡¯t even dare raise her head, fearing to see contempt and revulsion in the eyes of those in the know. She was so ashamed she wished she could crawl into a hole and disappear. Auntie Wu didn¡¯t care about all that; just the thought of the Ruan Family getting two wild chickens, weighing over a dozen pounds each, while her family only had two tiny quails made her feel like her family had suffered a great loss. She could stomach anything but a loss. She didn¡¯t care how ashamed Wa Yiting felt at the moment, she pushed her towards Ruan Jianguo, and, as if afraid others wouldn¡¯t hear her, shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Ruan Jianguo, your family is really something, aren¡¯t they? How is it that after all these years among fellow villagers, no one realized how greedy you are? The children all went to the same hill; why does your family get two large wild chickens, and mine gets two skinny birds?¡± ¡°You better explain this to me, or don¡¯t even think about getting away with it! I want to see if the Ruan Family still has any shame left!¡± ¡°Speak up, in front of all the villagers, let¡¯s have a good talk about this!!¡± ¡°These wild chickens were hunted by my sister, naturally they belong to our family,¡± Ruan Jianguo hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to speak when Little Fatty urgently cried out, his neck turning red. ¡°Tsk.¡± Auntie Wu snorted with a disdainful laugh, bending over as if she had heard a huge joke, and said to the onlookers while pointing at Little Fatty, ¡°Folks, did you hear that? He actually says these chickens were hunted by his sister. What a preposterous lie, isn¡¯t it hilarious?¡± ¡°Xiaoba is not lying; the chickens were indeed hunted by my sister,¡± Ruan Jie frowned, appearing calmer than Little Fatty but was also very angry. ¡°Exactly, many of us saw it back then,¡± Ruan Qun chimed in. ¡°Hahaha...¡± Auntie Wu broke into another round of loud laughter, ridiculing them, ¡°You¡¯re all family, of course, you¡¯d speak in each other¡¯s favor. How big is your sister, huh? Capable of hunting wild chickens now, is she? Why not say she can fly to the sky?!¡± She continued with a burst of laughter, ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone know that she was nearly dying from illness not long ago? And now in such a short time, she can hunt wild chickens?¡± ¡°You say she was nearly dying from illness?¡± Ruan Jianguo¡¯s eyes widened, his voice going cold, and his expression turned menacing. Normally, because Auntie Wu was a woman, Ruan Jianguo wouldn¡¯t stoop to argue with her, but that didn¡¯t mean he could tolerate her speaking about his daughter like that. At this point, he didn¡¯t care that she was a woman anymore. Auntie Wu dared to babble on so incessantly precisely because she knew that Ruan Jianguo wouldn¡¯t stoop to argue with her. But she hadn¡¯t anticipated his sudden change of demeanor and was startled. Once she recovered, she began to bluster, ¡°Ruan Jianguo, are you trying to bully a woman? Are you still a man or not?!¡± ¡°Whether he¡¯s a man or not doesn¡¯t need verification from a wretched hag like you. You just need to be sure whether your own man is a man; of course, if you¡¯re unsure, you can just go back to your bed and find out right now,¡± Ruanlin¡¯s wife came out holding Ruan Jiaojiao, scoffing with sarcasm. ¡°Pfft...¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± ¡°Pupu...¡± The crowd of onlookers burst into laughter immediately, with some more outspoken ones even egging Auntie Wu on to hurry back and try it out, making sure to report back to them afterward. Even with her thick skin, Auntie Wu was now blushing all over. With her face flushed red, she cursed Ruanlin¡¯s wife inwardly as an indecent old hag, yet outwardly she maintained a serious demeanor as if she were demanding justice, ¡°Auntie Ruan, I give you the respect due to an auntie, but that doesn¡¯t mean today¡¯s issue can just be forgotten.¡± Chapter 26 - 26 26 Trouble (2)_1 ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Trouble (2)_1 Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Trouble (2)_1 ¡°We all went to the back hill together, so why does your family get two pheasants, while my Tingzi only gets two birds? What, are you bullying my orphan Tingzi just because the Ruan Family is bigger and more powerful?¡± ¡°Poor Tingzi, growing up without parents, raised by us two incompetent fools, even when bullied, she can¡¯t get justice. How am I supposed to face my sister-in-law when I¡¯m six feet under?¡± As she spoke, she began to wipe her tears as if truly heartbroken, and at an angle hidden from others, she pinched Wa Yiting hard. Wa Yiting couldn¡¯t bear the pain and immediately burst into tears. Auntie Wu put on quite a show of wailing, clutching her to her bosom as if performing a tragedy right there on the spot. The two cried so convincingly that even the people who had been laughing couldn¡¯t bring themselves to smile anymore. Just then, some villagers whose children had also gone to the back hill knew about today¡¯s incident; they just hadn¡¯t made such a fuss, nor would they make such a scene over a mouthful of food. Now, seeing someone causing a commotion, a few others joined in with feigned sincerity, harmonizing, ¡°That¡¯s right, Auntie Ruan, my kid went along today too, and he even brought back two quails. I was praising him for being useful. Now it seems your kid is even more capable, grabbing two chickens for your own house.¡± ¡°Exactly, Auntie Ruan, we are all villagers here, none of us wants it to come to this, right? But Tingzi is still young, I can¡¯t let others bully her, can I? Otherwise, how will I explain myself when I¡¯m six feet under?¡± Auntie Wu, seeing someone joining in, immediately seized the opportunity to press her point. What kind of situation hadn¡¯t the Ruanlin Family seen before? When she first became a widow, raising four children by herself, so many eyed her family¡¯s possessions. If she hadn¡¯t been capable, could she have kept watch over such a large household? Seeing that people were turning against her family now, she just snorted coldly and, staring at Auntie Wu and the one chiming in, said, ¡°This whole incident could have been left alone, as I considered us all to be villagers here and didn¡¯t come to you, but since you¡¯ve come knocking, let¡¯s talk it out, shall we?¡± ¡°Today my several boys and Jiaojiao went up the back hill. Six boys and a girl from my family, two of them seriously injured. One can no longer walk, the other suffered a headache all afternoon and nearly fainted, but all we got was two pheasants. Your family didn¡¯t contribute anything, yet everyone got two quails for themselves. Tell me, folks, is there such a good deal in this world?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make a fuss initially, considering we¡¯re all villagers, but since you¡¯ve started this, let¡¯s straighten it out. Look at my granddaughter¡¯s leg, how much are you willing to pay? And my grandson¡¯s head, that¡¯s a precious head, he might go to college one day. If it¡¯s damaged, how will you compensate?¡± ¡°Auntie Ruan, that¡¯s not right. Your family is all fine, how come there are serious injuries? Do you think everyone else is blind?¡± Auntie Wu questioned. Ruanlin Family didn¡¯t waste words and simply rolled up Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s trouser leg, revealing the injured knee. After a few hours, the knee had swollen even more, turning a deeper shade of red with hints of purple, and topped with the startling color of red medicine, it was clear to see that it was seriously injured. ¡°See that? This is the pheasant that my Jiaojiao got by using her knee as a shield. That pheasant hit right on her knee; her bones almost broke. So what now, should we share this pheasant with you too?¡± Chapter 27 - 27 27 Disturbance (3)_1 ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Disturbance (3)_1 Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Disturbance (3)_1 After showing the bruise on her leg to everyone, the Ruanlin Family carefully placed Ruan Jiaojiao into Ruan Jianguo¡¯s arms. The few who had sought to take advantage of the chaos didn¡¯t expect this development and instantly fell silent. ¡°But... but even if your Jiaojiao has been injured, what about her head trauma? Isn¡¯t this just a way for Auntie Ruanlin to exaggerate the facts and frame us?¡± Auntie Wa unwillingly asked. Little Fatty, mingling at the back, heard this and cleverly howled in pain, collapsing against Ruan Jie next to him. Ruan Jie, supporting him, explained, ¡°The quail fell on my brother¡¯s head, almost knocking him out. Everyone saw it happen.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, the quail fell on Ruan Lei¡¯s head...¡± The children present didn¡¯t have as many twists and turns in their minds, so as soon as they heard this, they nodded in agreement. Some were pinched by their parents and then reluctantly fell silent, confused. With these words, everyone understood the entire sequence of events. They began to condemn Auntie Wa, calling her petty, shameless... There were all sorts of accusations. Indeed, even though the price of meat was high, it wasn¡¯t something worth causing such a fuss over. Auntie Wa had never imagined the situation would unfold like this and, with her face turning purple with embarrassment, she fiercely pushed away Wa Yiting, holding her. She gave her a hard slap and scolded, ¡°You little slut, why didn¡¯t you clarify things with your auntie? For your shallow eyelids, for your gluttony, for your shamelessness!¡± She kept slapping her repeatedly. ¡°Auntie Wa, how can you hit the child like that? Be careful not to hurt her seriously.¡± ¡°Indeed, what a poor job you¡¯re doing as an auntie.¡± ¡°...¡± The crowd reacted and quickly stepped forward to separate them. Wa Yiting, protected by someone, was in a daze with her head buzzing. She felt completely stunned. She felt as though everyone was looking at her with contempt, feeling cold from head to toe. When she caught a glimpse of Ruan Jiaojiao, held in Ruan Jianguo¡¯s arms like a porcelain doll, she felt an overwhelming wave of hatred, nearly vomiting blood in anger! ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that damn girl¡¯s blabbering at home, would I have made such a scene?¡± Auntie Wa, acting as if she¡¯d been deceived, was furious again and tried to hit Wa Yiting, but the crowd stopped her. Auntie Wa made a couple of symbolic gestures before finally desisting. Turning to the Ruanlin Family, she still looked indignant, ¡°Auntie Ruanlin, this whole mess is this damn girl¡¯s fault. If she hadn¡¯t spouted nonsense, I wouldn¡¯t have come... Ah, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure her father beats her severely when we get home! Now that everything is a misunderstanding, I should head back, alright? My husband is still waiting at home.¡± After speaking, she turned to rush off, then halfway remembered Wa Yiting, and twisted her ear, dragging her away. Wa Yiting cried throughout the entire ordeal. She was small and skinny, and the fellow villagers sighed silently, feeling sorry for the girl who ended up with such a ruthless aunt. The Ruanlin Family frowned but said nothing in the end. They had enough troubles at home and had no energy to deal with someone else¡¯s affairs. Previously, because Wa Yiting got along well with Ruan Jiaojiao and occasionally Ruan Jiaojiao shared food with her, she didn¡¯t say much. After all, it was Jiaojiao¡¯s own wish and she also hoped Jiaojiao could have more friends. But now it seemed that this girl was not easy to get along with. Chapter 28 - 28 28 Disturbance (4)_1 ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Disturbance (4)_1 Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Disturbance (4)_1 She looked at the crowd still babbling at her doorstep and said irritably, ¡°What, you want to spend the night at my door? Do you want me to fetch you blankets?¡± The people hurriedly waved their hands in embarrassment and headed back to their homes. The commotion at the doorstep brought everyone from the Ruan Family out, including Ruan Jiandang, except for Liao Zhaoji who stood at her door with a smirk, coldly laughing to herself, not even hiding what she was mocking. As Ruanlin Family turned around, she caught Liao Zhaoji¡¯s smirk before it could fade, prompting Liao Zhaoji to hastily shut her door in embarrassment. ¡°Tsk!¡± Ruanlin Family spit toward her door in disgust and turned to Ruan Jiandang, ¡°Second brother, your wife is really getting too big for her britches.¡± Ruan Jiandang¡¯s face darkened, having seen Liao Zhaoji¡¯s expression moments earlier. Usually, he didn¡¯t intervene in the squabbles between his mother and wife, thinking that a little friction in a family was normal. But now that Liao Zhaoji was outwardly unsupportive of the Ruan Family, hoping for their misfortune, it was a different matter entirely. In fact, he didn¡¯t understand how his wife had changed so suddenly. He remembered when they met, her circumstances in her maiden home were not good, used by her family like cattle, yet she was diligent and ambitious, perceptive and reasonable. How had she changed so drastically? His mood darkened even further as he thought of his niece¡¯s recent illness, and he returned to his room with a grim expression. When Ruanlin Family was about to close the main house door to go to sleep, she heard noise coming from the neighboring room. She didn¡¯t pay it any mind, deeming it was about time someone put her second son¡¯s wife in her place, lest she become completely lawless. When Ruanlin Family returned to the inner room, Ruan Jiaojiao was already dozing off. Ever since her mother went north to look for relatives and take the college entrance exam, Ruan Jiaojiao had been sleeping with Ruanlin Family. Ruanlin Family tucked her in and looked at her soft, tender appearance, which inevitably reminded her of Wa Yiting, igniting a fire in her heart. ¡°Jiaojiao, as long as I¡¯m here, I won¡¯t let anyone bully you!¡± she whispered, kissing her soft, round face. ¡°Grandma...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao looked at her through drowsy eyes, feeling an indescribable closeness to Ruanlin Family. This grandmother was the first person she saw upon opening her eyes, perhaps that¡¯s why she felt such a fledgling bond. Ruanlin Family was just over fifty years old, but years of labor had aged her appearance to at least sixty. Unlike other country grandmothers of her age, she was not sloppy; she was very clean, always carrying a faint scent of soap. Soap from that era wasn¡¯t fragrant with various scents, it was the simplest smell of lye, but Ruan Jiaojiao found it soothing. As long as she was in her grandmother¡¯s arms, she could always sleep well. Now, cradled and comforted by Ruanlin Family, she quickly closed her eyes and fell asleep. Two days later, it was Friday. The wound on Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s leg was gradually fading, and Ruanlin Family finally allowed her to get back on her feet. Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s three brothers, who studied in town, also returned home in the evening, accompanied by the couples from the third and fourth branches of the family. The third branch often lived in town; their eldest son, Ruan Bo, was in the eighth grade, while their youngest son, Ruan Lei, was Little Fatty, always eating with the main branch and providing just a bit of grain as a gesture every year. They brought back two pieces of cloth on their return from town this time, as it was almost Little Fatty¡¯s birthday. One piece was green, the other red. The green was for making clothes for Ruan Bo and Ruan Lei, and the red was for Ruan Jiaojiao, as Ruanlin Family had specifically requested last time. Chapter 29 - 29 29 Is the Original Hosts Consciousness Still ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Is the Original Host¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (1)_1 Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Is the Original Host¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (1)_1 Actually, even if the Ruanlin Family didn¡¯t mention it, Du Qing would have looked after Ruan Jiaojiao anyway. First, she genuinely liked her niece, and second, she had a very good relationship with Jiaojiao¡¯s mother. When the commune system was abolished, both she and Ruan Jianjun were out of work and living a difficult life. It was Shu Jiao, Jiaojiao¡¯s mother, who had been supporting them, even finding them jobs in town through her connections. She would remember this kindness for a lifetime. Now that Shu Jiao was not at home, she naturally wanted to take extra care of her endearing little niece. After being affectionately held by her elder brother Ruan Hao for a while, Jiaojiao was taken back to the second room of the house by Du Qing. Du Qing placed her on a stool to stand, and as she took her measurements, she asked with a smile, ¡°I heard Jiaojiao has become quite skilled, able to hunt pheasants now.¡± Basically, as soon as someone returned to the Ruan Family home, they would jokingly bring up this topic. At first, Jiaojiao felt a bit embarrassed, but over time, she stopped minding it, especially after her elder brother had just laughed with her about it. With a piece of mint candy that Ruan Hao had brought back in her mouth, her cheeks puffed out, she replied, ¡°Hmm, Jiaojiao is really awesome now. Auntie, whatever you want to eat, just tell Jiaojiao, and Jiaojiao will hunt it for you next time.¡± She always answered the Ruan Family like this, half-truthfully, half-jokingly, as a sort of preemptive defense. But clearly, Du Qing did not overthink it; instead, she was amused by her assertive yet childish talk and leaned in to kiss the puffed-up cheek, saying, ¡°Good, Auntie loves spicy rabbit. I hope to see the rabbit Jiaojiao hunts next week.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jiaojiao didn¡¯t mind being teased at all and nodded earnestly, which set Du Qing off laughing again. After taking the measurements, the Ruanlin Family called everyone to dinner. The meal for the evening was the pheasant Jiaojiao had hunted a few days ago, now turned into smoked chicken, but the flavor was still just as delicious. Because there were so many people, the Ruanlin Family added even more ingredients and cooked a large pot. Of course, the chicken leg was still Jiaojiao¡¯s. After dinner, the Ruanlin Family went to the back room to chase chickens, and Jiaojiao was left in Du Qing¡¯s care. While Du Qing went to the kitchen to heat water, Wu Le was cleaning up the dishes. Perhaps unaware that Jiaojiao and Du Qing were at the doorway, Wu Le asked Liao Zhaoji in a lowered voice, ¡°Sister-in-law, do you think the eldest sister-in-law will come back? I¡¯ve heard her family is quite something over there!¡± He gave a thumbs-up, paused, then added, ¡°If not for the turmoil back then, the Golden Phoenix might not have fallen into our family¡¯s lap. This time she says she¡¯s going for her exams and incidentally looking for relatives. I think it might be the other way around!¡± ¡°Who knows, our mother still treats that loss-making merchandise as a treasured pearl, not afraid she¡¯ll spoil another ingrate... Ah!¡± Liao Zhaoji hadn¡¯t finished speaking when suddenly the sound of an iron basin crashing to the ground startled her. She jumped a foot in the air, and the bowl in her hands also crashed down, thankfully onto the dirt floor, so it didn¡¯t break, just got a bit dusty. ¡°Liao Zhaoji, if you can¡¯t keep your foul mouth shut, I won¡¯t mind tearing it for you!¡± Du Qing coldly glared at her, her eyes glinting with icy fragments. Liao Zhaoji knew that Du Qing had always been on good terms with Shu Jiao and had been caught red-handed speaking ill of others. She also remembered a prior incident comparing them, so she just touched her nose, not daring to say more, and dejectedly bent down to focus on her work. Chapter 30 - 30 30 Is the Original Owners Consciousness ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Is the Original Owner¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (2)_1 Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Is the Original Owner¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (2)_1 Wu Le had not expected to be bumped into and gave a sheepish smile, muttered that she would go check if Ruan Qun had fallen asleep and then headed out. Reaching the entrance, she saw Ruan Jiaojiao; her expression froze, and her eyes held a complex look as she smiled at her, then walked away even faster. Wu Le¡¯s feelings towards Ruan Jiaojiao had always been complex. She herself had two sons and did not prioritize boys over girls. She had also wanted a daughter, but the strict family planning policy in recent years meant it was impossible for her to have more children. She had married the youngest son of the Ruanlin Family. In most families, the youngest son would be the most pampered one, with the parents¡¯ utmost support, and considering she had given birth to the Ruan Family¡¯s youngest grandson, Ruan Qun, the Ruanlin Family should have treated her better. But the Ruanlin Family was the opposite of that; she favored her eldest son and doted on Ruan Jiaojiao. Compared to Ruan Jiaojiao, her son Ruan Qun seemed like a worthless weed. At first, with other nephews to compare with, it did not matter much. But over the years, it would be false to say she harbored no thoughts about it. However, she was much smarter than Liao Zhaoji. Even if she felt unhappy inside, she never let it show. And since Ruan Jiaojiao, her little niece, was indeed soft, cute, and lovable, she often couldn¡¯t bring herself to be unkind and actually liked her quite a bit. Still, that¡¯s how people are sometimes, even without malicious intent, they occasionally have to run their mouths. And just then, having just returned, she had run her mouth and had been caught red-handed by Du Qing. Feeling both embarrassed and ashamed, she quickly retreated to her own room with her head buried. Ruan Jiaojiao, however, felt nothing much; this was the original host¡¯s family. She would embrace the good and respond with equal kindness, and the bad did not affect her much. What she found odd was that since her arrival here, she had very few memories of the original host¡¯s mother, so few that it was as if the mother did not exist in her memory. It seemed like someone had deliberately extracted the memories related to her mother. Nobody in the Ruan Family talked about it; it appeared to be a taboo for Ruan Jiaojiao. She could only occasionally infer from their offhand comments that the original host¡¯s severe illness was related to her second aunt, who must have used the original host¡¯s mother to provoke her, leading to a series of events that even caused the original host¡¯s death, ultimately allowing her to take over this body. When Du Qing came out with the water, she saw Ruan Jiaojiao standing at the doorstep, head bowed, her expression indiscernible under the dim oil lamp, but looking somewhat forlorn and pitiable. Her heart jumped, and she quickly set down the basin, rushed forward, and scooped her up, comforting her with distress, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense. Mommy will come back. She said so, she said she would bring back lots of pretty clothes and lots of delicious things for Jiaojiao.¡± As she spoke, she gently stroked her small back. Ruan Jiaojiao felt an unusual sourness in her heart. Her eyes became red. This reaction was so sudden, tears fell before she herself could understand what was happening. ¡°Jiaojiao...¡± Du Qing felt heartbroken and picked her up, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry, your third aunt is here, always here.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao blinked back tears, still streaming, and reached out to hug Du Qing¡¯s neck, burying her head in her shoulder, her heart tumultuous. She did not know why she was crying. Could it be that some consciousness of the original host still resided within her body? Was that why the mention of Shu Jiao involuntarily brought her to tears? Chapter 31 - 31 31 Is the Original Hosts Consciousness Still ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Is the Original Host¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (3)_1 Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Is the Original Host¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (3)_1 When the Ruanlin Family returned, Ruan Jiaojiao had already been coaxed to sleep by Du Qing, even without having the chance to wash up. Du Qing, holding her, was waiting in the Ruanlin Family¡¯s room. Upon entering, Ruanlin Family looked surprised and asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you washed her face and feet?¡± She drew closer, saw the tears on Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s face, and her own face immediately darkened, ¡°What happened? She was just fine a moment ago.¡± Du Qing disliked Liao Zhaoji and didn¡¯t hide it, recounting the recent events in the kitchen once more. The Ruanlin Family, her teeth itching with anger, turned around to settle accounts with Liao Zhaoji but was held back by Du Qing. Du Qing urged, ¡°Mom, Jiaojiao has just fallen asleep. If you go and argue with Liao Zhaoji now and she wakes up and hears it, what do we do then?¡± The fury in the Ruanlin Family dissipated completely upon hearing these words. Yet she was so choked with anger that even her chest began to ache, and she cursed bitterly, ¡°That miserable wretch, the Ruan Family really fell on hard times by marrying her. Were it not for the children¡¯s sake, I¡¯d have her and Jianguo divorce in a heartbeat.¡± Du Qing couldn¡¯t respond to this. She wasn¡¯t the Ruanlin Family¡¯s biological daughter, so such matters were not hers to discuss. After the Ruanlin Family vented some more, Du Qing then said, ¡°Mom, when you have time, talk to my second brother and ask Liao Zhaoji not to spout nonsense in front of Jiaojiao. Jiaojiao isn¡¯t strong, physically. The last time the second sister-in-law went crazy and upset Jiaojiao by saying her mom didn¡¯t want her, it wasn¡¯t like Jiaojiao would have just run away that same evening, falling into a ditch, with all that fever she got. If not for divine mercy, our Jiaojiao might have...¡± Recalling the recent close call with Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s life, Du Qing felt another jolt in her heart. Ruan Jiaojiao had always been attached to Shu Jiao. When Shu Jiao secretly went to take the college entrance exam and look for relatives up north, she left without telling Ruan Jiaojiao, and that was almost a year ago without a single word in the meantime. The spiteful Liao Zhaoji told Ruan Jiaojiao that her mother didn¡¯t want her anymore, that she had gone to a faraway place, would have new children, and would never love and cherish her again. Ruan Jiaojiao, young and naive, didn¡¯t understand that she was being provoked by Liao Zhaoji. She got angry and ran away from home that very day, wanting to find her mom, only to fall into a small ditch at the entrance to the village. Fortunately, the water there wasn¡¯t deep enough to be fatal, but in early March, it was so cold. Ruan Jiaojiao stubbornly stayed in that ditch for more than four or five hours before being discovered. By the time she was brought to the health clinic, she was nearly gone. They had to send her to the big hospital in town overnight. After staying in the hospital for most of a month, going through repeated crises and nearly losing her life several times, she only recently recovered completely. If it were to happen again now, who knows what might result. The Ruanlin Family had evidently also recalled that incident from a month ago and her face turned utterly grim. The next morning, after finishing breakfast, Ruan Jiaojiao was taken out early by her eldest brother, Ruan Hao, who said he would take her outside to walk around and breathe in some fresh air. Ruan Jiaojiao, thinking of Ruanlin Family¡¯s stern face that morning, guessed what might be happening. Without much fuss, they took each other¡¯s hands and left the house together. The morning air in the countryside is the freshest. Ruan Jiaojiao, noticing the new buds on the branches, took a few deep breaths, imitating what she thought proper, which made Ruan Hao laugh heartily. If Ruan Jie greatly resembles Ruan Jianguo and is his spitting image, then Ruan Hao should be the one who particularly resembles Shu Jiao, with outstanding looks and an elegant demeanor, like a fairy tale prince come to life. Chapter 32 - 32 32 Is the Original Hosts Consciousness Still ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Is the Original Host¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (4)_1 Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Is the Original Host¡¯s Consciousness Still There? (4)_1 Ruan Jiaojiao didn¡¯t remember what Shu Jiao looked like, but she inexplicably felt that this older brother must resemble Shu Jiao a lot. She tilted her head up, watching his laughing face, and without knowing why, she blurted out, ¡°Big brother, what does Mom look like?¡± It was as if someone pressed the pause button, the smile on Ruan Hao¡¯s face instantly froze. In a corner that Ruan Jiaojiao couldn¡¯t see, he quietly clenched his fist, then softened his expression and bent down to pick her up. ¡°Is Jiaojiao missing Mom?¡± His voice was even gentler than the spring breeze in April. Ruan Jiaojiao nodded, feeling as if she was nodding on behalf of the consciousness that might still exist in her body. ¡°Then, does Jiaojiao remember what Mom said to her the night before she left?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao shook her head. She had no memories of Shu Jiao. Even though she was not the original owner of this body, she had no qualms about the original owner¡¯s mother. But having been reborn into this body, she received no memories about her whatsoever. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t remember. Let me tell you, Mom went to find her own mother. You see, Jiaojiao feels sad without Mom, right? So, Mom would feel sad without her mom too, wouldn¡¯t she? Once Mom finds her, she¡¯ll come back.¡± ¡°Mom is looking for Grandma?¡± ¡°Yes, Mom went to look for Grandma. Once she finds her, she¡¯ll come back. So don¡¯t be sad, Jiaojiao. Mom will come back one day.¡± Ruan Hao gently rubbed her little head. ¡°As for what others say, Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t need to listen, just believe what Big Brother says, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao obediently nodded, blinked her eyes, and after blinking away the last bit of discomfort in her heart, she took Ruan Hao¡¯s hand and started wandering around. Ruan Hao got along well with everyone in their group, and everyone greeted him when they saw him. The siblings walked and chatted along the way and unknowingly reached the ridge of the fields behind the hills. Ruan Jiaojiao looked at the entrance to the back hill, a flicker in her eyes. Turning her head with a sweet smile, she said, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go back. It¡¯s been so long, Grandma must be done with her work.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruan Hao calculated the time and also felt that the Ruanlin family, along with the second aunt, should be done talking. So, he picked up Ruan Jiaojiao, ready to head home. Ruan Jiaojiao comfortably lay on his shoulder, tilting her little head to look at the hill behind them. As she watched, she saw a figure emerge, just like the last time, holding... several rats in hand! This little villain! He¡¯s become addicted to eating rats? Ruan Jiaojiao covered her face, her small mouth wickedly grinning at an angle no one else could see, mentally chanting quails quails quails... falling on the little villain! ¡°Thump thump thump...¡± Five consecutive sounds of heavy objects falling to the ground and hitting someone followed. Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s little face was still buried in Ruan Hao¡¯s neck, stealthily she opened her eyes to look backward, wanting to see if it was the quails that fell. But as she looked back, she locked eyes with a pair that seemed to glow green. The other person seemed to have been watching her the whole time, not interested in the quails at all. When she looked over, they didn¡¯t shift their gaze away, and the stare even intensified. Instead, Ruan Jiaojiao inexplicably felt a bit guilty and turned her little head away. But at this moment, Ruan Hao also heard the noises and turned to look, making eye contact with the little villain. ¡°Huh... Xiaoxi, did you catch these quails?¡± Ruan Hao turned around and saw several quails scattered around Xiu Xi, assuming he had caught them. Chapter 33 - 33 33 The Minor Villain (1)_1 ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33 The Minor Villain (1)_1 Chapter 33: Chapter 33 The Minor Villain (1)_1 Xiu Xi looked again at the white plump baby, sticking out her little chest, appearing righteous yet hesitant, which seemed very poignant. He fell silent for a few seconds, and then nodded, even giving a soft hum. Ruan Hao was truly surprised at this. Ever since the year Xiu Xi¡¯s mother died giving birth to a second child, Xiu Xi stopped talking after getting a stepmother, and his temperament became odd, like a little ghost. Normally, not just children but also adults would avoid him. He never expected that a casual question of his would actually receive a response. Thinking of Xiu Xi¡¯s current stepmother and seeing the mice he was carrying, he felt moved. He walked over, glanced at the quails at his feet, and said softly, ¡°You probably won¡¯t be able to eat all of these if you take them home. If you trust us, why not take them to my house? We won¡¯t eat them; we can just cook them for you.¡± Had it been any other time, Ruan Hao wouldn¡¯t have been so kind-hearted, but he had just finished talking to Ruan Jiaojiao about Shu Jiao, and he felt some sympathy for Xiu Xi, so he couldn¡¯t help but feel compassion. Xiu Xi had not yet replied when Ruan Jiaojiao, surprised, looked at Ruan Hao. Thinking of the warmth Wa Yiting had given Xiu Xi, she immediately nodded in agreement, ¡°Yeah, come to our house, Jiaojiao will have our nanny cook for you!¡± She remembered from the original book that Ruan Hao eventually became a professor, renowned across the nation. If he could give Xiu Xi a push, she believed that he would stray further and further away from the path of the antagonist. This time Xiu Xi didn¡¯t make a sound, but he didn¡¯t object either. Ruan Hao set Ruan Jiaojiao down, let her walk in front, and then bent down to pick up the quails from the ground. Seeing the mice in Xiu Xi¡¯s hand, the corners of his mouth twitched and he said resignedly, ¡°Let¡¯s not bother with these.¡± Xiu Xi lifted his hand and the mice ran off, squeaking. When they returned to the Ruan Family, the Ruanlin matriarch was reveling in complete victory over her dispute with Liao Zhaoji, in high spirits. She was pondering what to cook for the children¡¯s lunch when she saw the two siblings coming back with the quails. Ruan Hao, fearing she might misunderstand, hurriedly explained, ¡°These are Xiaoxi¡¯s. Nanny, could you please cook them?¡± Ruanlin¡¯s wife glanced at Xiu Xi, watching his slender figure, she quickly grasped Ruan Hao¡¯s intention. With an acknowledgment, she took the quails and headed to the kitchen to process them. Ruan Hao, seeing that Xiu Xi was still standing in the courtyard, not coming in, called out, ¡°Xiaoxi, come in for some water.¡± Xiu Xi still stood in the yard, unmoving, yet his gaze continuously fell on Ruan Jiaojiao, though it was unclear what he was looking at. Ruan Jiaojiao tried to make herself look natural, as if she hadn¡¯t noticed those gazes, and chatted with Ruan Hao offhandedly. Ruan Hao, seeing that Xiu Xi was unwilling to come in, didn¡¯t force him. He cajoled Ruan Jiaojiao for a while and then went back inside to read. He was to enter high school that summer, and he had resolved to go to university, preferably to a specific place, so he had started looking at high school books early in order to prepare for the entrance exams. At this time, Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s other brothers were playing outside. The adults who had work were working, leaving only Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi in the courtyard. Xiu Xi didn¡¯t speak, and Ruan Jiaojiao didn¡¯t speak either. The atmosphere between them became eerily quiet all at once. Ruan Jiaojiao felt a bit awkward, picked up the big mug with flowers printed on it from the table to take a drink of water, and put it down. Then, out of courtesy, she asked Xiu Xi in the yard, ¡°Do you want a drink?¡± She thought Xiu Xi would refuse. Unexpectedly, he nodded! Chapter 34 - 34 34 The Little Antagonist (2)_1 ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34 The Little Antagonist (2)_1 Chapter 34: Chapter 34 The Little Antagonist (2)_1 Ruan Jiaojiao felt even more awkward now, because there was no water left in the cup. Holding the cup that was bigger than her own face, she didn¡¯t know what to do for a few seconds before she struggled down from the chair and walked to the well at the edge of the courtyard to scoop some water from the bucket. But looking into the bucket, there was no water inside either. ¡°Haha,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao laughed awkwardly, ¡°There¡¯s no water left. If you want to drink, you can draw it yourself, can¡¯t you?¡± She paused before adding, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll ask Nanny to draw it for you.¡± The little antagonist was even smaller than herself¡ªthat kid might fall headfirst into the well if he tried to draw water. Having said this, she held the cup and was about to go to the kitchen to call for Mrs. Ruanlin, but as she stepped up the stairs, she heard Xiu Xi¡¯s lowered voice behind her: ¡°Last time, I saw it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao turned back. ¡°Last time, bird, chicken,¡± Xiu Xi was sparing with words, but the few simple ones were enough to make Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s heart pound with fear, while on the other hand, she comforted herself thinking she might be overthinking, that he didn¡¯t imply anything else. She turned around, laughing and playing it off, ¡°Haha, really? We must be very lucky, right?¡± ¡°This time, the same,¡± Xiu Xi said again, his tone sharp and clearly not in the mood to joke with Ruan Jiaojiao. This time, Ruan Jiaojiao thoroughly understood. Xiu Xi, true to being a little deviant, a villain capable of wreaking havoc¡ªhe guessed some unthinkable things just from these three instances! However, Ruan Jiaojiao would never admit to it, no matter what. If she did, she feared she might be burned to death as a monster. Nevertheless, it appeared Xiu Xi had no intention of continuing the conversation. After speaking, he fell silent, his gaze occasionally lingering on her, but it seemed it wasn¡¯t her he was looking at, rather it was as if he was looking through her at someone else? Ruan Jiaojiao couldn¡¯t quite figure out that feeling. All she felt was her heart pounding in Xiu Xi¡¯s presence, as if someone had peeled away her outer skin and seen her inner soul. She started to feel uneasy. Twisting her little head, she mentioned going to see her brother and left for the inner room, where she went to find Ruan Hao. It wasn¡¯t until lunchtime that she came out with Ruan Hao, and the little antagonist was no longer in the courtyard. Mrs. Ruanlin said he had eaten some quail meat and then left. ¡°That child is also good, just a pity he has such a stepmother,¡± Mrs. Ruanlin lamented as she placed the half-eaten quail meat on the table that Xiu Xi had insistently left behind. Ruan Jiaojiao glanced at the quail meat and thought of Xiu Xi¡¯s words, choosing not to engage in conversation. Ruan Hao and Ruan Jianguo talked for a bit, and the family began to eat. After the meal, Ruan Hao remembered how Ruan Jiaojiao had been staring blankly at his books in his room earlier, and said to Ruan Jianguo, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s send little sister to school in September.¡± The children of the Ruan Family usually started schooling early, especially in Ruan Jianguo¡¯s household, because Shu Jiao was a teacher. When she was still at home, Ruan Jiaojiao started schooling at the age of three. Perhaps she had forgotten some of it by now, but he planned to give her additional lessons during the summer vacation. He believed she could start first grade in September, and if not, attending a preparatory class for a year would be fine, too. Ruan Jianguo was planning to go up north to find Shu Jiao later in the year, and it would be ideal if Ruan Jiaojiao went to school; it would also save him from worrying about her at home. He nodded and agreed to the idea. Mrs. Ruanlin, hearing this, smiled and said, ¡°Our Jiaojiao is going to school; that¡¯s really impressive.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao felt a bit embarrassed, thinking that Mrs. Ruanlin could really praise her for anything, even going to school. Chapter 35 - 35 35 Little Villain (3)_1 ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Little Villain (3)_1 Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Little Villain (3)_1 ¡°Xiaoxi from next door must be almost eight, too, right? At this age, other kids are in second grade while he hasn¡¯t even started his education,¡± Ruan Jianguo said. ¡°Exactly. Not just him, Xiu Jianhong¡¯s eldest son is also eight or nine, and he hasn¡¯t gone to school either. These people, I tell you, are just rotten to the core, not afraid at all that they¡¯ll be struck by lightning for this,¡± the Ruanlin Family matriarch said. Ruan Jiaojiao perked up her ears when she heard this because she knew that this Xiu Jianhong was the adoptive father of the male lead Xiu Xun in the original novel, and he was blood brothers with Xiu Xi¡¯s father Xiu Jianlin. Xiu Xi and Xiu Xun are cousins. However, as she recalled, in the original story, the original character, Xiu Xun, Xiu Xi, and Wa Yiting were supposed to start school in the same year, meaning they would also be enrolling when she started school this September, so they were meant to grow up together from childhood. Xiu Xi wasn¡¯t a very noticeable character, often lurking in the background. Only after the female lead gave him a buckwheat cake did he quietly start paying attention to her. Xiu Xun made a name for himself by ranking first in the whole city when progressing from elementary to junior high, catching the eye of a leader who had some distant family ties to the Xiu Family, which led to him being reclaimed by his biological family. During those six years, the relationship between Xiu Xun and Wa Yiting wasn¡¯t particularly outstanding, at least not from the original character¡¯s perspective. As for what happened behind the scenes and whether their relationship was special, that remained unknown. Speaking of which, one can¡¯t help but mention another male character in the book, Xiu Cheng. He is Xiu Xi¡¯s half-brother from the same father. This brother has always loved competing with Xiu Xi. Somehow he came to know that Xiu Xi might have feelings for the female lead Wa Yiting. Later, with the intent to take her for himself, he approached Wa Yiting, not expecting to be attracted by the strong and optimistic female lead. He ended up falling for her too, perfectly illustrating the saying ¡®three brothers vying for one woman¡¯ and causing plenty of dramatic conflicts. It was the epitome of a Mary Sue novel. Thinking about this, Ruan Jiaojiao shuddered and felt her hair stand on end. The female lead was way too powerful. She wouldn¡¯t join the fray to become a supporting female character. She would happily be her own rich and beautiful self and enjoy eating and drinking well in the future. The two days of rest went by quickly. The three boys attending junior high left for school with great reluctance. Ruan Jiaojiao had been idle at home for two days, and the wound on her leg had completely healed. That afternoon, she took on the task of fetching Ruan Jianguo from the fields for lunch. Little did she expect, she¡¯d run into Wa Yiting on the way there; a narrow path might be fated for enemies. Wa Yiting hadn¡¯t sought out Ruan Jiaojiao these days and had the attitude of never interacting with her again in her lifetime. Ruan Jiaojiao felt that this saved her a lot of trouble and was happy to see things develop this way. However, she didn¡¯t expect to run into her on this narrow farmland path. Wa Yiting was out collecting pigweed. She was nearly eight years old, and even her uncle¡¯s six-year-old son was planning to go to school this year, while she was still wandering in the countryside, with endless chores every day. Taking advantage of a moment when her uncle and aunt were discussing sending her cousin to school, she mustered the courage to ask if she could go to school too. But she didn¡¯t get approval and even suffered a beating from her aunt, which left her eyes swollen. With her head down, she furiously picked the pigweed, full of resentment. She wished she could fling the sickle at her aunt. She never expected to run into Ruan Jiaojiao at that moment. Ruan Jiaojiao was dressed in a new outfit Du Qing had rushed to make for her in the past two days. Although the red was very bright, it didn¡¯t look vulgar on her at all. Instead, it made her whole appearance seem fair and delicate, stunningly beautiful. Chapter 36 - 36 36 Little Villain (4)_1 ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Little Villain (4)_1 Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Little Villain (4)_1 Compared to her, she seemed like a fairy from the heavens. And she was truly like the maid ground down by the landlord! She had heard this from her aunt, who said she was just a lowly maid, destined to serve their entire family for life. How dare she even think about seeking an education ¨C that wasn¡¯t a thought she was entitled to have. When Auntie Wu had said it at that time, she didn¡¯t feel much, but now, seeing Ruan Jiaojiao, she suddenly felt like she was indeed like a maid serving others, full of unstoppable envy. Brandishing the sickle, she glared venomously at Ruan Jiaojiao,¡±Ruan Jiaojiao, you¡¯re the person I hate most in my life. I¡¯m telling you, even if you beg me, I¡¯ll never make up with you again!¡± ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao. What? When had she ever begged her to make up? Ruan Jiaojiao blinked, feeling that the protagonist was a bit nonsensical. Adopting an attitude of ¡®better mind my own business,¡¯ she turned to leave, planning to take another path instead. After all, there were stalks all over the field; it didn¡¯t matter which path she chose. But as soon as she turned around, she felt a sudden chill on her neck as something wet slapped onto the back of her collar. She furrowed her Xiaomei brows and reached back to touch it. It was mud ¨C freshly turned mud from the field, sticky and gooey. Ruan Jiaojiao got a bit angry. This was a new dress, made overnight by her third aunt, and she loved it so much. It had gotten muddy the first time she wore it. Was this protagonist sick in the head? Huffing with anger, she turned around and glared at Wa Yiting, gauging her chances of tackling her with her petite frame. Then she thought better of it, realizing that if she really got into a fight with her in the field, her new dress would likely get even dirtier. Her large eyes rolled around playfully, and she gave Wa Yiting a mischievously sweet smile before turning and walking away. Wa Yiting regretted throwing the mud right after she did it, afraid Ruan Jiaojiao would come looking for trouble. Now, seeing her walk away, she felt relieved but at the same time perplexed. Then it occurred to her that Ruan Jiaojiao might be going to tattle. Thinking of her nine brothers, she went pale with fright and bolted in the other direction. However, she didn¡¯t get very far before tragedy struck. In her haste, the narrow, mucky paths of the field got the better of her, and, not paying attention, she stumbled and fell face-first into the field next to her. Then something terrible happened. All the frogs croaking in the field, the toads, the eels, started jumping all over her, swarming toward her in a wriggling mass that would scare anyone to death. Even the adults, accustomed to these creatures from their work in the fields, jumped back, rubbing their arms and unable to approach, feeling their skin crawl! Wa Yiting was petrified, screaming non-stop, almost at the brink of madness. Ruan Jiaojiao, who was not too far away, looked upwards, caught sight of the scene, and snorted coldly as she flicked her little hand and took another path, going to call Ruan Jianguo for dinner. Her cat was always like this: if someone didn¡¯t bother her, she¡¯d let it go, but if they did, they shouldn¡¯t blame her for her vengeance. Ruan Jianguo¡¯s fields were some distance away from the Ruan Family¡¯s, closer to the back mountain. Before Ruan Jiaojiao left, the Ruanlin Family was actually very worried, repeatedly telling her not to run off and to come straight home after calling Jianguo. Ruan Jiaojiao verbally agreed, but her eyes lingered on the back mountain, feeling somewhat itchy inside. After days of experimentation, she had almost confirmed that she possessed a golden finger ¨C the ability to conjure whatever food she thought of, despite seeming weak. But who could blame her, being such a foodie? Chapter 37 - 37 37 The Minor Villain (5)_1 ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 The Minor Villain (5)_1 Chapter 37: Chapter 37 The Minor Villain (5)_1 She was feeling a bit itchy to go into the mountains to get some food, but she was worried about how to explain it to the Ruan Family. Caught in her dilemma, she saw the little antagonist walking out with... a mouse! Damn! Ruan Jiaojiao couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at Xiaobai. How much did this little antagonist like to eat mice? Why did she see him eating mice every time? After reflecting, she realized that the little antagonist was so young and powerless, and his family didn¡¯t provide him with food, so he could only resort to catching mice to eat. Otherwise, he might truly starve to death. Ruan Jiaojiao actually wanted to give him some quail to eat like the last time, but remembering what he had said before, she had to drop the idea. Otherwise, it would raise suspicion in the little antagonist, which would not be good. The little antagonist saw Ruan Jiaojiao as well. His gaze was as intense as ever, as if every time he saw her, he was so focused that it seemed like he wanted to penetrate her soul! As an outsider soul occupying another body, Ruan Jiaojiao felt really guilty. She licked her lips and greeted the little antagonist awkwardly but politely, then scurried away before getting a response, waving her little paws hurriedly. As she ran, she pricked up her little ears to listen for any movement behind her. Feeling that he didn¡¯t chase after her, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the little antagonist was really scary. Ruan Jianguo was turning over the soil. He planned to travel north in the latter half of the year to look for Shu Jiao. With no income at home and having left his factory job in the town, where he earned over thirty yuan a month, especially after Ruan Jiaojiao fell ill, he quit his job to stay by her side, fearing the slightest mishap. Many people in the team called him foolish. Shu Jiao clearly didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary person, even when she was a sent-down youth, she had lived better than most, indicating a quite wealthy family background. Now that she could return for the college entrance exam, it was evident she didn¡¯t plan to come back. Ruan Jianguo was just a countryman, a farmer who spent his life tilling the land. How could Shu Jiao spend her life in such a small village for his sake? It was clear she wanted to escape this place. Yet he was foolishly unaware, not only had he lost his wife, but he also lost a good job. Where could he find a job now that paid over thirty yuan a month? Many people couldn¡¯t get such work even with connections, and he actually let it go! Wasn¡¯t that sheer folly? Ruan Jianguo was aware of how others saw him, but he didn¡¯t care. Having been with Shu Jiao for over a decade, with even their oldest son, Ruan Hao, being fifteen years old, he believed he understood her true nature. She would never abandon her husband and children. If she had been gone this long without any news, something must have happened, and he had to find her and bring her back. All he wanted now was to farm diligently, so he could grow enough food for the second half of the year. Then he could set out with peace of mind. As he worked energetically, he spotted his tender, bouncy little daughter running over. His expression immediately softened. Dropping his hoe, and fearful of getting mud on her, he rubbed his hands on some grass and then, with a smile, stepped forward, swept her up in his arms, tossed her up into the air, and caught her securely. ¡°Daddy!¡± Ruan Jiaojiao hadn¡¯t expected that from him. Startled, her fur stood on end, but once back in his arms, she felt excited and giggled, clutching his neck and cooing. ¡°Hey, my good treasure, what are you doing here? It¡¯s so hot outside, what if you get overheated?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao had many nicknames in the Ruan Family¡ª good treasure, baby, Jiaojiao, Nannan... Chapter 38 - 38 38 The Minor Villain (6)_1 ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Minor Villain (6)_1 Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Minor Villain (6)_1 At first, Ruan Jiaojiao felt shy, embarrassed that someone her age still went by such a cutesy name, but as time passed, she no longer minded. In fact, every time she was called that, it made her feel sweet inside. She couldn¡¯t believe that one day she would grow to love this identity, to love the Ruan Family as if she had naturally belonged to it, her blood flowing with theirs. ¡°Milk, go call Daddy for dinner. Daddy, let¡¯s go back and eat,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao said with a smile that she couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°Okay, Daddy just has a little bit of land left to turn. Jiaojiao, would you wait here for Daddy?¡± Ruan Jianguo looked at the row of land he had yet to turn. He had to water the field and fertilize it in the afternoon, running back and forth which was quite time-consuming. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao nodded obediently. Ruan Jianguo set her down to the side, fearing that standing would tire her. He spread his jacket on the ground for her to sit on and play. He quickly wove a small rabbit out of grass roots for her, and only then did he go back to work feeling reassured. Ruan Jiaojiao sat on his jacket with her legs curled up, looking up at him working. The April sun wasn¡¯t hot; on the contrary, it was so warm on her back that it made her feel sleepy. But she didn¡¯t want to sleep, pinching the grass rabbit in one hand and propping her chin with the other, watching Ruan Jianguo work. To be fair, Ruan Jianguo was really handsome. Though robust, he was not brutishly so; instead, his strength inspired a sense of overwhelming safety. His features were deep and flawless, and even in coarse clothes, he exuded a dignified air. In her memory, there was no Shu Jiao. It seemed as if the whole Ruan Family, fearing that she would be saddened, had hidden away Shu Jiao¡¯s photos. But she could imagine that this couple must have been a match of talent and beauty; otherwise, they couldn¡¯t have had such a beautiful and wealthy original host, nor her two brothers who were also very handsome. ¡°Sigh,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao sighed silently, a sour ache in her chest, and murmured with downcast eyes, ¡°Are you still there, original host?¡± That was why every time she thought about these things, it hurt so much. Of course, Ruan Jiaojiao didn¡¯t expect to receive any reply, nor did she entertain the hope of one. She propped her chin again and waited a while longer, spotting the grass rabbit in her hands. Her eyes brightened, she turned her little head to look around, making sure no one was nearby. Then she buried her head, pretending to doze off, but in her mind she kept chanting: ¡°Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit!¡± Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... Three gray rabbits suddenly sprang out of a hole in the ground and dashed in Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s direction. Just as Ruan Jianguo, who¡¯d finished his work and was carrying his hoe, approached, he got a fright and swiftly threw his hoe to the side of her. And it landed right on top of two of the rabbits! The third one knocked itself out against a slightly raised clump of earth. Although Ruan Jiaojiao had her head buried, she was secretly watching the whole time. Seeing all three rabbits knocked out, she then lifted her head, pretending to rub her sleepy eyes. ¡°Oh! Rabbits!¡± she exclaimed, then looked at Ruan Jianguo, ¡°Did Daddy catch them?¡± ¡°...¡± Ruan Jianguo. After three seconds of silence, he then nodded. He took long strides forward, not even glancing at the three unconscious rabbits, but instead picked up Ruan Jiaojiao from the ground. He touched her sun-kissed, pink cheeks and asked softly, ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?¡± Chapter 39 - 39 39 The Minor Villain (7)_1 ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 The Minor Villain (7)_1 Chapter 39: Chapter 39 The Minor Villain (7)_1 ¡°No, I just want to sleep more.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao said in a soft and weak voice, her little head leaning on his neck, pointing at the rabbits on the ground, ¡°Daddy, pick them up quickly, let¡¯s go home and ask Grandma to make us spicy rabbit.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ruan Jianguo nodded, holding her with one arm while using the other to grab the rabbits¡¯ ears. He tied them together with grass roots, binding them to the hoe before heading home. Ruan Jiaojiao thought that at this hour, everyone should be home for lunch. She was delightfully imagining how to deal with the rabbits, thinking of eating one today and saving the others for the weekend when her brothers and sisters-in-law would be back... While deep in thought, she was suddenly startled by a pair of eyes glowing green. The antagonist was thin and frail, hiding between the paddy field and the high ground, practically invisible unless one looked carefully. Now that Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Jianguo had descended from the high ground, they spotted him. Seeing those green eyes, Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s heart started to beat wildly without reason, as if it was about to jump out of her throat. The joy on her face was replaced by panic. She couldn¡¯t comprehend how she could encounter this antagonist everywhere. Hadn¡¯t he failed to follow them? How long had he been here? What had he seen? Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s mind was in turmoil, burying her head in Ruan Jianguo¡¯s neck like an ostrich, yet she couldn¡¯t resist the urge to peek at the antagonist¡¯s reaction. Each time she stealthily poked her head out a bit, their gazes met, and he clearly had no intention of avoiding her stare. Perhaps he was signaling to her that he had indeed seen everything! ¡°Hey, Xiaoxi, what are you doing here?¡± Ruan Jianguo was also surprised to see the young boy and asked. Xiu Xi did not answer, instead retracting his gaze. Ruan Jianguo did not mind and carried Ruan Jiaojiao past the boy to their home. Ruan Jiaojiao covertly began to raise her head to peek over Ruan Jianguo¡¯s shoulder, then discovered the antagonist was following them silently, not staring as intently as before but still occasionally casting sharp, scary glances at her. Ruan Jiaojiao started playing dead. She simply buried her head and didn¡¯t move. Jianguo thought she was tired or sleepy, so he coaxed, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t sleep just yet. We¡¯ll be home soon, eat lunch and then you can sleep, okay?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao murmured a vague response, stole another glance behind him, and sure enough, the antagonist was still following. She retracted her head and stopped looking. When they finally arrived at the Ruan family home, Ruan Jiaojiao stretched her head out to look back. Heaven help her, the antagonist was still there! What on earth was he up to?! ¡°You damned little bastard, where have you been running off to in the middle of the day? Just like your deadbeat mom, can¡¯t this family hold you anymore!¡± A string of vile curses suddenly came from behind. Ruan Jiaojiao couldn¡¯t care less about the antagonist and turned around, only to recognize the all-too-familiar yelling. Turning back, she saw not far away Liu Mei, with her hands on her hips, pointing in their direction and cursing with phrases like ¡°damned dog,¡± horrendous to hear. Ruan Jianguo frowned, not wanting Ruan Jiaojiao to hear such filthy words, and hurried to take her inside. However, Liu Mei caught sight of the three rabbits in his hand and her eyes lit up immediately; she rushed over quickly. ¡°Yo, Brother Ruan, where did you hunt those rabbits? They look so plump, enough for quite a few meals,¡± she said with an animated smile, her eyes nearly glued to the rabbits. Chapter 40 - 40 40 The Minor Villain (8)_1 ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40 The Minor Villain (8)_1 Chapter 40: Chapter 40 The Minor Villain (8)_1 ¡°There¡¯s no way this weather will hold, Brother Ruan might as well send one to my house for a taste. Rest assured, if we have something delicious in the future, I¡¯ll definitely let you have a taste too.¡± When Liu Mei said this, she purposefully cooed at Ruan Jianguo, flaunting her coquettishness. Truth be told, Liu Mei had always harbored unspeakable thoughts towards Ruan Jianguo. But back when Ruan Jianguo was choosing a partner, he didn¡¯t fancy her and went on to marry Shu Jiao. After she gave up hope, always setting her sights high, she remained unmarried even as she grew older, finally resorting to schemes to marry Xiu Jianlin. Over the years, seeing Ruan Jianguo and Shu Jiao so loving had caused her no end of vexation. In truth, she didn¡¯t plan to do anything, she simply couldn¡¯t bear to see them happy. Now, with Shu Jiao having gone north to look for relatives, the happiest person in the brigade was her. She was also likely the one who spread most of the rumors that Shu Jiao wouldn¡¯t return. Now that Shu Jiao had been gone for almost a year, those petty thoughts of hers began to resurface. A man parched from a long drought knows well how sweet the rain is, and she understood this better than anyone. That¡¯s why she started to make passes at Ruan Jianguo, even if she couldn¡¯t achieve anything, if she could disgust the Ruanlin Family and Shu Jiao, she was willing to do so, not to mention that if she really did manage to get on good terms, she might have a lot of good things to eat. With this in mind, Liu Mei¡¯s seductive eyes roamed even more unchecked. As if Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi behind her were blind. ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao, being held in Ruan Jianguo¡¯s arms, almost threw up. Liu Mei truly was average-looking, not exactly ugly, but with a high forehead, wide nose bridge, and large lips, combined with her skinny figure, she came off as having a petty appearance. When she pouted and threw flirtatious glances, it was simply eye-watering. Worried about damaging her own eyes, Ruan Jiaojiao turned her little head away and, hugging Ruan Jianguo, urged, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡± Ruan Jianguo was not a man attuned to flirtations. Throughout his life, he had only had eyes for Shu Jiao. Liu Mei¡¯s flirtatious glances were completely lost on him. He even seriously suggested, ¡°You from the Xiu Family, there seems to be something wrong with your eyes. You should have them checked at the health clinic, if you wait too long, it might turn into a serious issue.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Ruan Jiaojiao couldn¡¯t help it, she really didn¡¯t want to, but she couldn¡¯t hold back. Her dad was truly a man of ironclad straightforwardness. Liu Mei hadn¡¯t expected that she was throwing flirtatious glances at a blind man, and she flushed a sickly green with embarrassment. But thinking about that plump rabbit, she couldn¡¯t let it go and stepped forward, intending to be cutesy once more. That¡¯s when a woman from the Ruanlin family came out with a basin of slop water and doused it directly over Liu Mei. ¡°Ah...¡± Liu Mei hopped and skipped, trying to dodge backward, but the front of her clothes still got soaked in a large patch. The sour and stinky slop water was so revolting it made her want to vomit. She screamed at the woman from the Ruanlin Family like a madwoman, ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®What am I doing¡¯?¡± retorted the woman from the Ruanlin Family with a sneer, her gaze upon Liu Mei as if she were looking at a filthy dog, ¡°If you want to be flirty, do it at home. If you¡¯re too lazy to walk even those few steps, I can call Xiu Jianlin out for you!¡± Liu Mei¡¯s face turned from green to white with anger. Utterly humiliated. With her chest heaving, she held back the urge to curse. But she couldn¡¯t out-tongue the Ruanlin woman, nor could she fight her, leaving herself so angry her head felt like it was buzzing. Her gaze swept to Xiu Xi behind her, directing all her fury onto him, ¡°You dog¡¯s bastard, who allowed you to stand here? Come back with me now!¡± As she spoke, she reached out like she used to, aiming to grab his ear and drag him away, but as her hand almost touched his ear and her eyes met his gaze, for some reason, her hand trembled. Chapter 41 - 41 41 The Minor Villain (9)_1 ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41 The Minor Villain (9)_1 Chapter 41: Chapter 41 The Minor Villain (9)_1 Unconsciously, she thought of the incident she had seen that night. Her whole body shivered, and her hand abruptly retracted as she turned and ran as if chased by evil spirits. ¡°Is this a mad dog¡¯s fit?¡± Ruanlin Family muttered in confusion, but when she saw Ruan Jianguo, the extinguished fire in her flared up again, and she scolded, ¡°From now on, keep away from that woman when you see her. Only you wouldn¡¯t find her filthy, chatting with her at the gate!¡± ¡°Mom! What are you talking about?¡± Ruan Jianguo indicated with his eyes to the Ruanlin Family, still holding Ruan Jiaojiao in his arms. Even though Ruanlin Family still wanted to scold more, she didn¡¯t want to sully her granddaughter¡¯s ears and reluctantly closed her mouth. Just as she was about to turn around to go back inside the house, she saw Xiaoxi behind her. Recalling Liu Mei¡¯s attitude just now, she suggested to him, ¡°Your stepmother is in a bad mood right now. If you go back, you¡¯ll definitely get a beating. Why not stay at our place for a while?¡± Xiu Xi looked at Ruan Jiaojiao, who was held in Ruan Jianguo¡¯s arms, and after a few seconds, nodded. Once inside, Ruanlin Family let Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Jianguo go eat first. She wanted to take care of the three rabbits, but Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Jianguo insisted on waiting for her, so she had no choice but to put the rabbits aside and eat first. Ruanlin Family made three dishes: a salted vegetable dumpling, a seasonal side dish, and scrambled eggs with chili, which was particularly fragrant and the meat dish designated for Ruan Jiaojiao. Ruanlin Family placed the scrambled eggs underneath Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s white rice, while she and Ruan Jianguo each had a bowl of sweet potato rice and ate with the salted vegetables and side dish. However, Ruan Jiaojiao refused any special treatment and insisted on dividing the scrambled eggs in her bowl among them. She gave one-third to both Ruanlin Family and Ruan Jianguo, then she let the matter rest. Ruanlin Family couldn¡¯t argue with her and had to eat, feeling warm inside. She thought her granddaughter was truly considerate, indeed her closest little padded jacket. Ruanlin Family also invited Xiu Xi to join them for the meal, but he declined. Ruanlin Family urged him a few times, and seeing that he still refused, she didn¡¯t insist. During the meal, Ruanlin Family asked Xiu Xi, ¡°Xiaoxi, you are eight years old this year, aren¡¯t you? Have you ever thought about going to school?¡± Xiu Xi was staring at Ruan Jiaojiao when he heard this, and his gaze shifted, looking puzzled. Ruanlin Family thought he hadn¡¯t considered it and said earnestly, ¡°Even though your stepmother isn¡¯t that great, your father is still your father. You should ask him whenever you have the chance. More education won¡¯t hurt these days; otherwise, you¡¯ll have to dig for food in the fields your whole life.¡± Turning to Ruan Jiaojiao, her eyes softened, ¡°Little Jiaojiao will go to school in September. If you go too, you can be classmates with her. Walking to and from school together would be nice companionship.¡± Although Ruan Jiaojiao had nine older brothers, aside from Ruan Chi and Ruan Jie who would go to middle school later that year, there were four boys in elementary school. Nevertheless, they weren¡¯t in the same class. Ruanlin Family truly cherished Ruan Jiaojiao, being afraid that someone in her class might bully her, and thus wanted to find her a companion, which was why she encouraged Xiu Xi to attend school. Ruan Jiaojiao was scooping her own rice, listening to Ruanlin Family talk, yet her gaze stealthily fell on Xiu Xi. However, as soon as Xiu Xi¡¯s gaze turned toward her, she immediately buried her little head, pretending as if nothing had happened. She didn¡¯t see the unusual sparkle that flashed through Xiu Xi¡¯s gaze when he looked at her. Even after Ruan Jiaojiao finished her meal, Xiu Xi still didn¡¯t respond to Ruanlin Family. Chapter 42 - 42 42 The Minor Villain (10)_1 ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42 The Minor Villain (10)_1 Chapter 42: Chapter 42 The Minor Villain (10)_1 After the meal, the Ruanlin Family needed to clean up the rabbits, and Ruan Jianguo still had to irrigate the fields in the afternoon, so he lay in the rocking chair in the main hall, squinting for a short nap. The Ruanlin Family found skinning rabbits to be too bloody and sent Ruan Jiaojiao off, saying, ¡°Sweetheart, a few more plums have ripened in the backyard. They¡¯re just under the tree. Go and pick them with Xiaoxi, but remember to be careful and don¡¯t climb up to pick them, alright?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao didn¡¯t want to be alone with the little antagonist at all. She pouted, wanting to refuse, because she wasn¡¯t that eager for plums; she would rather sleep. But the little antagonist clearly didn¡¯t intend to give her a chance to talk. As soon as the Ruanlin Family said go, he took the lead and headed to the backyard. ¡°Go on, go on,¡± the Ruanlin Family urged with a cheerful laugh, intentionally wanting her to get along well with Xiu Xi. Ruan Jiaojiao had no choice but to head to the backyard, looking back every three steps. The Ruanlin Family had enclosed the backyard where there was a small pond. A few large white ducks were raised in the pond and on the bank were the family¡¯s chickens. Along the side of the back building, there was a simple wooden shed with two laying hens inside, as they avoided walking on that side per the Ruanlin Family¡¯s prior instruction, in order not to disturb the nesting hens. Passing the hen¡¯s nest, there were plum and peach trees. The peaches were already fruiting, but they were no bigger than a fingernail and certainly inedible. The plum had fruited abundantly, blanketing the branches, several plums on the upper branches had reddened as had a few that faced the sun at the bottom. Ruan Jiaojiao trotted over with her little short legs, huffing and puffing as she started picking. But she clearly wasn¡¯t tall enough; even though the plum hung low, it was still out of her reach. Ruan Jiaojiao tried jumping a few times but still couldn¡¯t reach them, which left her feeling a bit frustrated. She turned her head to look at the little antagonist, who was watching her. She pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± The little antagonist looked at her for a few more seconds, and just when Ruan Jiaojiao was about to lose her patience, he suddenly walked away, heading to the back door. Ruan Jiaojiao furrowed her little brows and watched him, not understanding why he was leaving. Xiu Xi wasn¡¯t leaving but went to the side of the back door, where there was a stick that seemed to be intentionally placed there by the Ruanlin Family. Right, if she couldn¡¯t reach, she could use a stick to knock them down! Ruan Jiaojiao smacked her little head and felt her IQ had dropped since she became human. Xiu Xi brought the stick over and effortlessly knocked down the plums. Ruan Jiaojiao claimed not to crave them, but her actions were particularly honest as she smiled and ran over to pick them up. There were a total of eight plums. Ruan Jiaojiao looked up at the larger and more luscious plums above, thinking there would be enough to share with her brothers when they came back, so she generously divided the eight plums in her hand, giving four to the little antagonist. ¡°Here you go, thanks,¡± she said, handing them to him with her chubby little hands. The little antagonist didn¡¯t refuse, took them, and together they came out of the backyard. The Ruanlin Family brought them water, letting them wash and eat by themselves. Ruan Jiaojiao bit into one and shivered at the sourness, but found it irresistible. The little antagonist seemed to have never eaten these before. Seeing her eat, he wanted to try too, but seeing her sour face wrinkled into a bundle, his hand paused before his mouth. ¡°Eat, eat, it¡¯s really good,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao enthused. She hadn¡¯t even offered any to the female protagonist, look how generous she was, giving him four right away. Of course, Ruan Jiaojiao would never admit that she was specifically trying to ingratiate herself with the little antagonist. Chapter 43 - 43 43 The Minor Villain (11)_1 ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43 The Minor Villain (11)_1 Chapter 43: Chapter 43 The Minor Villain (11)_1 Jiaojiao¡¯s enthusiasm must have had an effect, as the little villain finally tried eating. The moment he bit into the plum, despite his best efforts to endure, his little face still contorted. ¡°Hahaha...¡± Jiaojiao didn¡¯t hesitate to laugh, unable to contain her amusement. The little villain stopped eating and handed the fruit back to her. Jiaojiao shook her head, ¡°Won¡¯t it do if I stop laughing at you?¡± The little villain looked at her, seemingly struck by a thought, and withdrew his hand. There they sat under the eaves, nibbling on the sour and sweet plums, the rustling sound of leaves in their ears, the spring breeze gentle and warm. Jiaojiao, looking up at the azure sky, felt a peace she had never known before. In her past life, she had been a cat, but a cat with no past, no history. She didn¡¯t know where she came from, whether she had any other relatives; all she remembered was that from her earliest memories, she was just there. There was nothing there, just a wolf that had been her companion for over a decade... Now reborn as a human, she had felt the warmth of a family bond; it was as if she had suddenly taken root in the Ruan Family, calming her entire being. If there was anything she was concerned about, it was that wolf. In those past dozen years, that wolf was the only creature she had encountered. She couldn¡¯t hunt, and when starvation peaked, she survived on dew and tree roots, withering away to skin and bones, thinking she would just starve to death. But then, somehow, that wolf appeared. It was fierce, capable of taking down a lot of prey, but strangely, it didn¡¯t eat the prey immediately. Instead, it left the best parts aside as if saving them for the next meal. But that wolf was too foolish; despite its large size, it had chased her for over a decade and never caught her once... ¡°I really miss it.¡± She wondered if it knew she was gone. Jiaojiao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Turning to look at the little villain squatting alongside her, she saw his gaze burning on her again. Irritated, she asked, ¡°Why do you keep staring at me, huh? Your eyes are so green, it¡¯s terrifying.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re still looking? Keep looking and I¡¯ll have my brother gouge your eyes out!¡± Jiaojiao threatened, although she was starting to feel uneasy again. ¡°...¡± the little villain. Just as Jiaojiao thought the little villain would remain silent, like a mute, he actually spoke. And he said, ¡°You¡¯re pretty, I want to look.¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough...¡± Jiaojiao coughed violently, nearly choking to death on the plum pit. Seeing her coughing with a red face and flailing about, the little villain grew anxious, circling around her but not knowing what to do. Fortunately, Ruanlin soon came over at the sound and gave Jiaojiao¡¯s back a couple of pats, helping her spit out the pit. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you more careful.¡± Ruanlin frowned, holding her in her arms, also somewhat scared. She tugged at Jiaojiao¡¯s lower lip, ¡°Open your mouth, let me see.¡± Jiaojiao obediently opened her mouth. Ruanlin checked her throat and didn¡¯t see the pit anymore, which put her at ease. She then took away the remaining plums in Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and those of the little villain too, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll cut them open for you, and remove the pits.¡± ¡°...¡± Jiaojiao. She felt like a waste! Her face was still red, from coughing, but also from embarrassment. It was one thing not to be able to hunt in the past, but now she couldn¡¯t even eat a plum properly. Chapter 44 - 44 44 Liao Zhaojis Calculations (1)_1 ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (1)_1 Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (1)_1 ¡°Be careful, and don¡¯t eat too much,¡± said the Ruanlin Family, taking back the pitted plums. ¡°Tonight, your grandmother will make you spicy rabbit meat. Xiaoxi has been keeping Jiaojiao company and has been a big help, so he¡¯ll stay for dinner with us tonight.¡± The little antagonist looked at Ruan Jiaojiao, who turned her gaze away, refusing to make eye contact. He appeared somewhat dejected as he turned to look at the Ruanlin Family, shook his head, and walked away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡± murmured the Ruanlin Family, puzzled. Ruan Jiaojiao pursed her lips tightly; she too wanted to know what was wrong. The suddenness of the antagonist¡¯s words truly frightened her like a startled cat! Ruan Jiaojiao lost her appetite and snuggled into the Ruanlin Family¡¯s embrace, acting coquettishly: ¡°Granny, I¡¯m sleepy.¡± ¡°Alright, your grandmother will take you to bed,¡± said the Ruanlin Family, who was fully embraced by Ruan Jiaojiao, forgetting about everyone else as they picked her up and carried the porcelain bowl into the inner room. Ruan Jiaojiao was genuinely tired and fell asleep soon after the Ruanlin Family laid her on the bed. In her dream, There was a cat, and there was a wolf. The cat stole the wolf¡¯s meat, and the wolf chased after it, but the wolf could never catch the cat... Ruan Jiaojiao smiled in her sleep. ¡°This child,¡± the Ruanlin Family said helplessly, shaking their head, kissing her chubby little cheeks, tucking her in properly before rising and leaving the room. Ruan Jianguo was asleep on the rocking chair in the main room. He opened his eyes upon hearing the noise and saw the Ruanlin Family walking out. He followed her to the well, helping to take care of the unfinished rabbit. ¡°For tonight, let¡¯s just deal with one of them; we¡¯ll dry the other two so that they¡¯re ready when they come back,¡± the Ruanlin Family instructed. Ruan Jianguo nodded, skilfully beginning to gut the animal. ¡°The fur is quite good; take care of it, and I¡¯ll make a couple of pairs of gloves for Jiaojiao,¡± she said. ¡°Mhm,¡± Ruan Jianguo replied, noticing no one was around. He seemed hesitant to speak and looked at the Ruanlin Family, almost speaking, then stopping: ¡°Mother...¡± The Ruanlin Family turned to him, waiting for him to speak, but seeing that he called her and fell silent, she, not one to be patient, scolded, ¡°What¡¯s with the mumbling? You¡¯re a grown man. If you¡¯ve got something to say, just say it.¡± ¡°Mother, actually, I didn¡¯t catch the rabbits,¡± said Ruan Jianguo with a complex expression. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the Ruanlin Family stopped what they were doing. Ruan Jianguo leaned closer and recounted what had happened in the field that afternoon, then asked her, ¡°Mother, do you think Jiaojiao might be...,¡± he trailed off, but his implication was clear. Last time it was pheasants, this time rabbits, all of them had gone straight for her! The Ruanlin Family was silent for a couple of seconds, then raised her hand and gave Ruan Jianguo a hard smack on the head. The man, almost forty, was briefly stunned by the blow to his head from the Ruanlin Family. Then the Ruanlin Family started scolding: ¡°Ruan Jianguo, what nonsense are you spouting? This is a new society. If you keep on with this nonsense, I¡¯ll see how I deal with you. Besides, our Jiaojiao is such a good girl. Even if Heaven is favoring her and sending her some pheasants and rabbits, what¡¯s it to you that you¡¯re making such a fuss? Maybe in the future, she¡¯ll even bring home a wild boar. What then? Are you going to treat her like a monster? Burn her at the stake?¡± The Ruanlin Family didn¡¯t realize that her words, so casually spoken now, would one day come true! ¡°Mother,¡± Ruan Jianguo was also anxious, quickly explaining, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. She¡¯s my daughter; how could I think that? I¡¯m just worried something might happen to her...¡± Chapter 45 - 45 45 Liao Zhaojis Calculations (2)_1 ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (2)_1 Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (2)_1 ¡°It¡¯d better be that way, if you have even a sliver of bad intentions, see if I don¡¯t beat you to death!¡± ¡°...¡± Ruan Jianguo, that¡¯s his own daughter! And he is her father! The way she spoke, it was as if he was an outsider. However, her words served as a reminder for the Ruanlin Family. She wasn¡¯t greedy for that bit of food, she just wanted her obedient granddaughter to be well, and with that thought, she said, ¡°Tonight, instruct those kids not to take the obedient girl to the back mountain anymore. If they do, I¡¯ll break their legs!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruan Jianguo nodded, for now, that was all he could do. He wasn¡¯t afraid of ghosts, nor did he pray to any gods, as long as his daughter was doing well, and looking forward to the day he would bring Shu Jiao back, the family could live peacefully. ¡ª- Liao Zhaoji, exhausted from her trip back from her mother¡¯s house in the neighboring village, was passing by Liu Mei¡¯s house when Liu Mei stopped her. ¡°Zhaoji, your family¡¯s meals are getting better and better, just a few days ago you were eating chicken, and today you have rabbit to eat. You¡¯re really living a good life. Look at my family, the vegetables in the field aren¡¯t even up yet, so we¡¯re just eating salty pickles, my mouth is so sour I could spit water.¡± ¡°Rabbit?¡± Liao Zhaoji looked puzzled at Liu Mei. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you know? Your eldest uncle caught three rabbits in the field today, really fat ones. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be stingy and will definitely give one to you, his sister-in-law. Look at you, then look at me, we just can¡¯t compare.¡± Liu Mei couldn¡¯t stand seeing the old lady Ruanlin Family doing well; living next door, she naturally overheard things from around the corner and knew that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law didn¡¯t get along well. Today, she just added fuel to the fire. Even if nothing happened in the end, she wouldn¡¯t lose anything. Of course, if the two started arguing, that would be for the best. The old lady might not be able to keep a single rabbit! Liu Mei thought spitefully, then hurried Liao Zhaoji, saying, ¡°I won¡¯t keep you any longer, you better hurry back and see for yourself.¡± Upon hearing this, Liao Zhaoji¡¯s fatigue vanished in an instant, as if injected with adrenaline, she hurried back home. Last time, with two pheasants, she didn¡¯t get a single one. Although she got to eat her fill, she still felt it wasn¡¯t the same as cooking in her own little kitchen. This time there were three rabbits, one more than last time, so they had to give her one, right? When Liao Zhaoji arrived at her doorstep, Little Fatty and the others had finished school and were circling the rabbit fur near the well. Liao Zhaoji approached with a beaming smile and greeted Ruan Jianguo, ¡°Eldest brother is home.¡± As she spoke, her gaze drifted towards the kitchen. She had no interest in the bits of fur; they couldn¡¯t make a piece of clothing and were useless to her. Ruan Jianguo had nothing much to say to his sister-in-law and simply nodded. Liao Zhaoji felt somewhat intimidated by the Ruanlin Family matriarch and didn¡¯t dare enter right away, so she chatted idly with Ruan Jianguo, ¡°Eldest brother, I heard you caught three fat rabbits today, where are they? Let me have a look.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know, but my spicy rabbit recipe is truly second to none. Give me one, and I¡¯ll cook it for you.¡± ¡°Mom, Granny can make spicy rabbit too, and hers is even tastier.¡± Ruan Wei, who had been fascinated by the rabbit fur and was washing his hands, spoke up in rebuttal. ¡°You little brat...¡± Liao Zhaoji raised her hand, wanting to smack the impudent kid, but remembering Ruan Jianguo was nearby, she begrudgingly pulled back her hand. Nonetheless, she shot a fierce glare at Ruan Wei before turning back to Ruan Jianguo. ¡°Eldest brother, give me a word, my cooking really is good.¡± Chapter 46 - 46 46 Liao Zhaojis Calculations (3)_1 ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (3)_1 Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (3)_1 ¡°Mom has taken it all to the kitchen. Go ask Mom for it,¡± Ruan Jianguo, aware of his sister-in-law¡¯s superficial nature, did not fuss over it and simply said in an indifferent tone. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, you¡¯ve promised,¡± Liao Zhaoji cheered up upon hearing this and immediately turned around and headed to the back kitchen, her voice so loud that the entire yard could hear, ¡°Mom, Big Brother said he will give me a rabbit...¡± ¡°...¡± Ruan Jianguo. ¡°Uncle... my mom, she...¡± Ruan Chi looked at Ruan Jianguo with an apologetic gaze, feeling ashamed to have such a mother. ¡°Stop overthinking, hurry up and get ready. We¡¯ll have rabbit meat for dinner!¡± Ruan Jianguo interrupted him, ruffled his hair with a hand, and after speaking, he turned and took the prepared rabbit fur into the main room to find the tools left by the old master. Ruan Chi pursed his lips, and upon seeing Ruan Jiaojiao rubbing her eyes as she came out of the inner room, he immediately put aside all those messy thoughts, stepped forward, hugged her, and kissed her fiercely. The other brothers watching did the same, one kiss each, and Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s little face was almost kissed flat. She touched her face nonchalantly, returned a kiss to each brother, and then escaped from the hands of this group of sister-obsessed maniacs to wash her face by the water in the courtyard. The brothers naturally came forward to help. If it weren¡¯t for Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s strong protest, she wouldn¡¯t even have been able to reach the edge of the towel. As she was slowly rubbing her face under the watchful, sister-obsessed gaze of her brothers, she finished washing up just in time to see Liao Zhaoji being chased out with a pot spatula by Mrs. Ruanlin! Liao Zhaoji held up her hands pleadingly while backing away until she was outside the main room. Mrs. Ruanlin, not minding the many children around, spat vehemently at her, ¡°Pah! Liao Zhaoji, you truly are shameless beyond compare!¡± ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know? If you really cared about Chizi and Xiaowei and wanted to nourish them, would you have gone to Aunt Niu¡¯s to get a pound of meat to take to your parents¡¯ home? Is that your love? Love that goes to a dog¡¯s stomach?¡± Upon mentioning this, Mrs. Ruanlin was filled with ire. Before her marriage, Liao Zhaoji seemed good: diligent and honest. Mrs. Ruanlin thought that since her second son was also hardworking and honest, it would be better to have someone with a compatible nature rather than someone too strong who might not get along. Of course, she had made inquiries before agreeing to their marriage. Liao Zhaoji¡¯s parents had five daughters before finally having a son, whom they treated like a precious pearl, a man in his twenties who still lived at home like a layabout waiting to be fed. Naturally, Mrs. Ruanlin didn¡¯t comment on other people¡¯s lifestyle choices. Even if she looked down on their entire family, she thought Liao Zhaoji was good and felt pity for her living in such a family. When her second son suggested the marriage, she agreed without saying anything. But once this woman actually entered the family, Mrs. Ruanlin realized what she had really gotten into. She was indeed diligent, willing to do any work. But she was too attached to her family of origin, too superficial. Before the family was divided, if there was anything good at home, she could sneak and scrape it back to her parents¡¯. After being rebuked several times, she scaled back a bit but would relapse after a while. Mrs. Ruanlin grew tired of dealing with it and, realizing this behavior wouldn¡¯t change, decided to divide the family early. Mrs. Ruanlin had hoped that after the division, this woman would consider her own small family before sending resources to her parents¡¯. However, it seemed she had thought too much. Compared to her blood-sucking relatives at home, what were her own sons? Chapter 47 - 47 47 Liao Zhaojis Calculations (4)_1 ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (4)_1 Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (4)_1 Shamelessly asking her for meat, yet not caring to weigh some for her own children to eat. Of course, if she were truly poor, that would be one thing, but to clearly have the money and not spend it on her son, preferring instead to give it to the bloodsuckers back in her parents¡¯ home, and then to come asking her for meat¡ªit¡¯s no wonder she doesn¡¯t give her face anymore! In the past, the Ruanlin Family matriarch never mentioned this in front of the boys, but this time she just wanted Ruan Chi and the others to see what kind of character their mother was. Ruan Jiandang had no proper job and mostly scrabbled about in the fields, occasionally taking odd jobs in the town to earn at most twenty yuan a month, and that was only when there were no farm errands and he had ample time. That meat cost one yuan and twenty cents per half kilo! Most families really couldn¡¯t afford to eat it until New Year¡¯s, yet there she went, casually weighing a whole kilo and taking it back to her parents¡¯ house! She spoke of nourishing Ruan Chi and the others, but had they even seen a spot of meat froth or scrap? ¡°Mom, did you go to Grandma¡¯s house again today?¡± Ruan Chi asked, his expression not too good. He had not one good impression of his maternal grandmother¡¯s entire family; when he was young he didn¡¯t understand why, every time they went to Grandma¡¯s house with gifts, they would fuss over him with warmth, but if they arrived empty-handed, the coldness was frightening. Once he understood, there was no way he would go unless it was absolutely necessary. He couldn¡¯t believe his mother had actually weighed out a kilo of meat to take there¡ªeven though she¡¯d just weighed out a kilo last month¡¯s end. It had barely been half a month; how could she weigh another kilo again? ¡°What do you know? Go do your homework.¡± The last time Liao Zhaoji weighed the meat, she did it behind her family¡¯s back, but unexpectedly, on her way she ran into Ruan Chi, who found out. Fearful that he might blurt it out, she hastily tried to preempt him by scolding him. Turning her head, she then explained to the Ruanlin Family matriarch, ¡°Mom, my mother¡¯s been sick, not feeling well lately. The clinic doctor says she suffered a deficit in her health from a fall last time and needs to be well nourished. That¡¯s why I weighed out a kilo of meat for her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who fell or who suffered a deficit in health. If you have money to buy meat, then stop begging here. I¡¯m utterly ashamed for you!¡± The Ruanlin Family matriarch didn¡¯t bother listening to those long-winded and foul-smelling excuses. She snorted coldly, turned around to head for the kitchen, then suddenly remembered something, and turned her gaze back to her. ¡°Speaking of nourishing someone, let me ask you this¡ªJiaojiao had a narrow escape from death when she fell ill. As her auntie, why didn¡¯t you think to buy her something nice to eat, to help her recover?¡± Upon hearing this, Liao Zhaoji smoothed her temples, her eyes casting about aimlessly, ¡°Ahem... well, there¡¯s still you, isn¡¯t there?¡± The Ruanlin Family matriarch snorted softly, ¡°I am me, and you as her auntie are you. How can you conflate the two? Not to mention, her third auntie made her a piece of clothing, and her fourth auntie weighed out half a kilo of sugar for her. What about you?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know what to buy, you can give me money and I¡¯ll go buy it, or you could even take half a dozen eggs from home.¡± As she spoke, the Ruanlin Family matriarch extended her hand to her. Blocked every step of the way by the confrontational Ruanlin Family matriarch and with her son and many nephews behind her, Liao Zhaoji was cornered, unable to say anything right. Her mind raced for an excuse, and she was about to say all the eggs had been sold for money when Ruan Wei quickly interjected, ¡°Grandma, our house has a lot of eggs now. They can all go to my sister. I¡¯ll go get them right now!¡± And with that, he started to run off to fetch the eggs. Liao Zhaoji, utterly exasperated by her foolish son to the point of almost having a heart attack, was also afraid he might actually take out all the eggs in his silliness. She quickly said she would do it and hurried after him. Chapter 48 - 48 48 Liao Zhaojis Calculations (5)_1 ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (5)_1 Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (5)_1 Liao Zhaoji finally brought over ten eggs, watching the Ruanlin Family take them with a look of deep pain. She herself couldn¡¯t bear to eat them, nor had she given any to Ruan Chi and the others; instead, she thought to save more and send them back to her parent¡¯s home someday. Now, giving away almost half of them to that ¡®good-for-nothing¡¯ really made her heart ache. Even so, she had to put on a forced smile and said, ¡°Mom, Ruan Wei is talking nonsense. There aren¡¯t many eggs left, and here, I¡¯ve brought all of them.¡± ¡°There were clearly a lot yesterday!¡± Ruan Wei shouted. ¡°I used them to get money yesterday!¡± Liao Zhaoji turned and glared fiercely at him, wishing she could just swallow him whole, this stupid son. Ruan Wei continued to mutter, completely oblivious to the murderous look in his mother¡¯s eyes. The matriarch of the Ruanlin Family certainly knew that Liao Zhaoji was lying, but she didn¡¯t mind; after all, if it weren¡¯t for the kids, she would have feared that after a divorce, they¡¯d end up with an even worse stepmother. She really would have made the decision to throw her back to the Liao Family long ago. In the end, not only did Liao Zhaoji not get a rabbit, but she also lost ten eggs, her face gloomy all afternoon. Ruan Jiaojiao, who had witnessed everything, was truly stunned, feeling that her grandmother¡¯s fighting power was truly awesome! Evening. The kitchen of the Ruan Family¡¯s main house was once again filled with the aroma of meat, a scent so enticing it made one¡¯s mouth water. A rabbit, weighing around ten pounds, was entirely stir-fried by the matriarch of the Ruanlin Family. Upon smelling the scent, all the boys gathered around the stove, unable to move an inch. During the last time they had chicken, the matriarch had called over the couple from the second room, but this time she really didn¡¯t want to invite them¡ªthe sight of Liao Zhaoji just annoyed her. But her own grandchildren were still her own, and she called them all to help themselves to a spoonful each, eating until their faces were greased, their expressions utterly content. Ruan Jianguo hesitated, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we call Jiandang over?¡± ¡°Call for what? Doesn¡¯t he have hands or feet? Can¡¯t he cook for himself? Now that we¡¯ve divided the household, he¡¯s still coming over for meals every day, is that reasonable? Besides, do you think it¡¯s not enough that we¡¯re raising these kids¡ªyou want to take his family in too?¡± The matriarch of the Ruanlin Family served Ruan Jiaojiao some boneless rabbit meat, giving Ruan Jianguo a disgruntled glance. Ruan Jianguo didn¡¯t really wish to provide for their entire family; he just felt it seemed a bit off not to invite his brother when they were having meat. ¡°Eat your own, or these boys will finish it all,¡± they say half-grown boys can eat a family into ruin, but here were six, and the Ruan Family hadn¡¯t collapsed yet, which really was a miracle. Smiling at the sight of the six boys lined up, Ruan Jianguo let go of his concerns and dug into his meal. After all, although the rabbit meat was a bit sour, the matriarch had fixed it up, eliminating the sour taste and it was now incredibly delicious¡ªso much so that you would want to swallow your tongue with it. Next door. Liao Zhaoji, smelling the meat, sat on a small stool in the kitchen, fire unlit, eyes anxiously fixed on the door, just waiting for Ruan Wei or Ruan Chi to come call her over for dinner. But her eyes nearly fell out waiting, and still, no sight of the two boys. Just as she thought about getting up to look around in the yard, Ruan Jiandang, who had just finished bathing, came over wiping his hair. Seeing the cold, unlit kitchen, he frowned and asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you started dinner yet and it¡¯s so late?¡± ¡°They¡¯re having meat at my mother¡¯s, rabbit meat, over ten pounds for one!¡± she said. ¡°So what? What does that have to do with you?¡± Ruan Jiandang tossed the towel he was holding and walked over, opened the pot lid, and seeing that it indeed hadn¡¯t been lit, his face turned unsightly, ¡°What do you do all day at home, not even cooking meals?¡± Chapter 49 - 49 49 Liao Zhaojis Calculations (6)_1 ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (6)_1 Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Liao Zhaoji¡¯s Calculations (6)_1 ¡°Ruan Jiandang, are you deaf or what? Her family is eating meat, but she didn¡¯t invite us! What do you think that means?¡± Liao Zhaoji grew more and more indignant as she spoke, gesturing incessantly to illustrate just how big the rabbit was, and how generous the main house could be, yet they didn¡¯t invite them over for the meal and instead closed the door to eat by themselves. ¡°That¡¯s big brother¡¯s rabbit he caught himself. He can eat it however he likes. What¡¯s it to you?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re his brother. He¡¯s eating meat and doesn¡¯t even think of you!¡± ¡°And what about you, do you think of their family when you eat meat?¡± Ruan Jiandang countered. Liao Zhaoji pursed her lips, at a loss for a comeback. After pondering for a while, she finally said, ¡°That¡¯s different. He¡¯s the elder brother, and you¡¯re the younger brother. He should be looking out for you. Besides, under the same roof, there¡¯s no such thing as eating meat sneakily. If word gets out, it¡¯ll be...¡± ¡°Enough, shut your mouth!¡± Ruan Jiandang saw that he couldn¡¯t reason with her. Seeing her speech grow increasingly unreasonable, he barked angrily, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to cook, then get out!¡± With that, he bent down to stuff matches into the stove, and Liao Zhaoji could only step forward to help. By the time their meal was ready, the main house had already finished eating. Ruan Chi and Ruan Wei returned, smacking their lips with satisfaction. Surprised to see them still cooking, they asked, ¡°Dad, Mom, how come you haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± ¡°Now you remember we¡¯re your parents. Just now while eating meat...¡± Liao Zhaoji glared at the two brothers. On the other side, Ruan Chi pulled Ruan Wei by the sleeve into the inner room, cutting off the rest of her complaints. Liao Zhaoji glared at their retreating backs. If these weren¡¯t her own sons, she really felt like hitting them over the head with a spatula! While Liao Zhaoji was filled with sourness and rage, the Xiu Family next door was not having a peaceful time, either. The Xiu Family¡¯s kitchen was in the same direction as Ruan Jianguo¡¯s, and when meaty aromas wafted their way, they could smell it too. Xiu Cheng, who was six this year, salivated at the smell of the meat, feeling even his bowl of egg didn¡¯t taste good anymore. He looked up at Liu Mei across from him and cooed, ¡°Mom, I want to eat meat, too.¡± ¡°Eat, eat, eat! You think you were born with their luck?¡± Liu Mei was also tantalized by the smell of the meat. Hearing her son, she snapped and gave Xiu Cheng a flick with her chopsticks. He had always been spoiled and wasn¡¯t used to being hit, so he immediately burst into tears. He didn¡¯t want to eat anymore; dropping his chopsticks, he jumped off his chair and ran out of the kitchen. Xiu Jianlin watched his son run off with a heavy heart and asked her, ¡°Why did you hit him for no reason?¡± ¡°Think I wanted to? If it weren¡¯t for your lack of ability, would our mother and son be eating this chaff and swallowing vegetables? Look at them; they eat meat every day. They¡¯re probably sick of it!¡± Liu Mei snorted, angry at the memories of the day and further agitated by the sight of Xiu Jianlin, who couldn¡¯t do anything right. This man was not as tall and imposing as Ruan Jianguo, and his appearance was also average. His ability to earn money was even less comparable; he couldn¡¯t even catch a pheasant or a rabbit. She couldn¡¯t even catch a mouse! She really didn¡¯t know what she saw in him in the first place. And his late wife, the boy¡¯s birth mother¡ªshe was said to be just like Shu Jiao, from a good family and good-looking. How could she have been blind enough to fancy such a man? ¡°What do you mean ¡®chaff¡¯?¡± Xiu Jianlin frowned, poking at the greens and sweet potatoes stewed with rice in his bowl, considering this quite a decent meal. He was a simple man who never compared himself to others; as long as he could provide for his wife and son, he was satisfied. ¡°There¡¯s no talking sense into you!¡± Liu Mei, tired of the conversation, quickly scarfed down her bowl of rice. Placing her bowl down, she said to Xiu Jianlin, ¡°Later, you clean up the kitchen and be quick about it, the price of oil has gone up again!¡± Chapter 50 - 50 50 The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (1)_1 ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (1)_1 Chapter 50: Chapter 50: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (1)_1 The team had not yet brought electricity to the village, and every household used kerosene. Although it wasn¡¯t expensive, it still cost several mao every month. After speaking, Liu Mei picked up the unfinished meal of Xiu Cheng and chased after him. She still loved her own son dearly and couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him actually going hungry. By the time she finished coaxing and feeding Xiu Cheng, Xiu Xi had also come back from outside. She truly despised this stepson of hers, wishing he would die outside and never come back home to bother her sight or take up the family¡¯s space. Now that she saw him return, she immediately cursed, ¡°Oh, look who knows to come back to our house, the little bastard. You¡¯ve been loafing around all day, did you manage to make something of yourself?¡± ¡°Oh, I almost forgot, you like the Ruan family so much, don¡¯t you? Why not change your surname to Ruan and move next door? I can see that for our home, there¡¯s no place for... you... why are you staring at me like that?!¡± Toward the end, Liu Mei¡¯s voice faltered, the way Xiu Xi stared at her like prey made her skin crawl. She remembered the year she entered this family; Xiu Xi was just a little brat. She could hit, scold, pinch him, and he wouldn¡¯t tattle or cry. He didn¡¯t even know how to hide, like a fool; he was simply at her mercy. She tormented him for more than five years and didn¡¯t understand what had suddenly changed recently. He looked the same as before, but his eyes had suddenly become terrifying. Sometimes, when she was under his gaze, she felt like she was going to be devoured alive, it was eerily strange. Could it be that he developed a problem after she hit him with that iron ladle last time? Thinking about that incident made Liu Mei¡¯s heart tremble. She hated the bastard and wished him dead, but preferably outside, not by her hand. During her last outburst, she had smashed an iron ladle on his head. He had been bleeding profusely and lay on the ground for half a day without moving. She thought she had killed him and was frightened out of her wits, unsure what to do. Then, suddenly, he stood up with a forehead covered in blood. It was from that moment that his gaze started to become frightening. Every time he moved around in this house, he was like a lonely ghost, silent and invisible. It was very sinister. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he could still eat and sleep, she would have suspected he was a ghost! Now being stared at by him, she felt the terror returning. Fortunately, the kid did not stare at her for too long. He turned and went back to his room, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to check if he had eaten. Grumbling about why he didn¡¯t die outside, she went back to the kitchen. After the Ruan family finished their dinner, Mrs. Ruanlin began to fetch water for Ruan Jiaojiao to wash her face and feet. Ruan Jiaojiao was still too small to even carry the heavy basin, and couldn¡¯t wring out the washcloth, so she had to wait for Mrs. Ruanlin to wash and groom her. Once cleaned up, Mrs. Ruanlin told her to go to bed and called Ruan Jie to stay with her, while she went to the backyard to work. She counted the chickens and ducks every day before letting them into the coop and also wanted to make sure no eggs were missed. Just as she was collecting the eggs, she noticed a hen had gone to look for food, and some of the eggshells were cracked. She was pleased thinking there would be more chickens this year to lay eggs for Ruan Jiaojiao to eat, when suddenly, noises came from the front courtyard. At this hour, everyone should have been busy going to bed. Who could be visiting their home? Mrs. Ruanlin quickly counted the eggs again to make sure none were missing, then turned and walked back. As she entered the backyard gate, she saw Auntie Wu standing in the courtyard. Chapter 51 - 51 51 The Female Lead Seeks Medicine (2)_1 ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51 The Female Lead Seeks Medicine (2)_1 Chapter 51: Chapter 51 The Female Lead Seeks Medicine (2)_1 Auntie Wu saw the Ruanlin Family and immediately pushed Ruan Jianguo away. She looked at the Ruanlin Family as if she had seen a relative, rattling on, ¡°Auntie Ruan, I remember a few days ago your Jiaojiao had a fever and got some medicine from the clinic, right? Hurry, give me some. That worthless girl of mine suddenly got a high fever, and it¡¯s not coming down. Give me some medicine quick.¡± The way she spoke, it was as if the Ruanlin Family were supposed to give her the medicine. ¡°What are you saying, each person has their own illness, how can you just take medicine recklessly? If you want medicine go to the clinic and get it, it won¡¯t cost you more than a few cents,¡± the Ruanlin Family refused, they had just had an argument a few days ago, and she was not generous enough to just give her medicine. ¡°But this is urgent, isn¡¯t it? Give me some now, and next time, I can pay you back, can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Pah! Who wants your medicine! Are you cursing someone in my family?¡± the Ruanlin Family cursed in anger. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I misspoke. Auntie Ruan, you¡¯ve watched Tingzi grow up, your family has medicine, give me some,¡± Auntie Wu smacked her own mouth. ¡°No!¡± It wasn¡¯t that the Ruanlin Family was stingy, but rather that the medicine should not be taken without care¡ªwho knew what problems it might cause if taken improperly? The clinic was located at the end of the village, a ten-minute walk away at most, or five minutes if you ran, and yet she insisted on asking for medicine from their house, how stingy! ¡°Ah, Auntie Ruan, don¡¯t be so stingy, just a little bit, just enough to reduce the fever.¡± ¡°With the time you¡¯re wasting arguing with me, you could have gone to the end of the village to buy medicine. Go now, the clinic isn¡¯t closed yet,¡± the Ruanlin Family still flatly refused, and as she spoke, she pushed Auntie Wu out the door and slammed it shut. Auntie Wu got pushed outside and immediately flared up, forgetting she had come to ask for medicine. She started cursing loudly at the door, ¡°We¡¯ve been neighbors for so many years, and who would have thought, Auntie Ruan, that your family is heartless enough to watch someone die without helping, all these years of being neighbors for nothing!¡± The Ruanlin Family was furious; she opened the door, grabbed a pole, and swung it at Auntie Wu while cursing, ¡°I haven¡¯t even settled the score with you, and you have the nerve to be shameless, scram! Even if I had medicine, I¡¯d give it to a dog before I gave it to you!¡± Auntie Wu was startled by the pole the Ruanlin Family swung at her, hopping back several steps and barely dodging. She even fell on her butt. Seeing that the Ruanlin Family seemed ready to hit her again, she quickly turned and ran, but she kept cursing as she ran away. ¡°What rubbish!¡± the Ruanlin Family snorted coldly and closed the front door. ¡°Grandma? Is Wa Yiting sick?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao asked from the entrance of the main hall. ¡°Oh dear, Jiaojiao, why did you get up? Not wearing enough, it¡¯s cold at the drafty spots, come inside quickly,¡± seeing Ruan Jiaojiao come out in slippers and without a coat, only in thin indoor clothes, the Ruanlin Family hurriedly wrapped her arms around her and walked her inside. ¡°Grandma, is Wa Yiting sick?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao asked again. ¡°Yes,¡± the Ruanlin Family scolded Ruan Jie on the side for not watching Ruan Jiaojiao. She checked Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s small hands and feet to make sure they weren¡¯t cold before replying, ¡°Her aunt came to our house asking for medicine, who knows what she was thinking.¡± ¡°What was she thinking, she just didn¡¯t want to spend the money,¡± Ruan Jie said from the side with a sarcastic tone. ¡°What¡¯s it to you, child, don¡¯t go talking about everything under the sun, go on, go back to sleep,¡± the Ruanlin Family said impatiently, waving her hand. ¡°Well, you really are a sterling example of burning bridges,¡± Ruan Jie clicked his tongue in disapproval. Chapter 52 - 52 52 The Female Lead Begs for Medicine (3)_1 ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The Female Lead Begs for Medicine (3)_1 Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The Female Lead Begs for Medicine (3)_1 ¡°You little rascal, don¡¯t think that just because Granny hasn¡¯t been to school, I don¡¯t know you¡¯re cursing at me,¡± the Ruanlin Family scolded with a gentle slap, watching him go back into the room before chuckling and shaking her head. ¡°Granny, what if her aunt doesn¡¯t buy her the medicine? Could it cause her harm?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao asked somewhat worriedly. It wasn¡¯t that she was overflowing with sympathy, but she was afraid if the female protagonist died, the world would collapse. After all, in a world, the male and female protagonists are the main characters. If they died, she wasn¡¯t sure whether the world would continue to exist. At those words, the Ruanlin Family also sighed. Who could say it wasn¡¯t so? Last time her Jiaojiao had a fever so severe it almost turned into pneumonia; she ended up staying in the hospital for over half a month, and even the clinic¡¯s medicine was of no use. She asked Ruan Jiaojiao with some unease, ¡°So Jiaojiao, do you think Granny should give them the medicine?¡± She knew what kind of person Auntie Wa was¡ªstingy, miserly. Wa Yiting was just her niece, treated like a slave beast of burden. She really wasn¡¯t sure if she would purchase medicine for her; after all, it was a human life at stake. After thinking for a bit, Ruan Jiaojiao said, ¡°We will see how it looks tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do as my good girl says, quick, go to sleep,¡± the Ruanlin Family nodded in agreement. She also felt this was the best approach. After all, Auntie Wa was the kind of person who would take a mile if given an inch. If they eagerly sent over the medicine this time, who knows what she might come asking for in the future. Auntie Wa was indeed capable of such. When she couldn¡¯t get the medicine from the Ruan Family, she went back home, cursing and berating¡ªfirst at Wa Yiting, then at the Ruan Family. Wa Yiting, delirious with fever, couldn¡¯t but feel a deeper resentment towards the Ruan Family, fueled by Auntie Wa¡¯s harsh words. Wa Yiting went through the whole night with a fever, and Auntie Wa didn¡¯t even bother to help her change a cold compress, just let her burn through the night. Ruan Jiaojiao had a restless sleep that night. She had so many dreams. One moment she dreamt Wa Yiting died, and the world collapsed. Then she saw herself grown up, and even though she did nothing wrong, the male protagonist still executed her. The Ruanlin Family too suffered because of her, with the Ruanlin Family being harmed by Wa Yiting... Also, that minor villain actually wanted to kill her too. She was truly exhausted from all that sleep. As soon as dawn broke, she hadn¡¯t even eaten breakfast before insisting on taking the Ruanlin Family to see Wa Yiting¡¯s house. The Ruanlin Family told a few boys to eat their breakfast and hurry to school, then she took the medicine to see how things were at Wa Yiting¡¯s place. On the way, they met the local villain. When he saw them, he stuck to them like glue, following silently the entire way. The Ruanlin Family just thought he was getting along better with Ruan Jiaojiao and didn¡¯t mind it. Ruan Jiaojiao didn¡¯t mind either¡ªher entire focus was on Wa Yiting. In this era, getting a fever could be really serious if not treated properly¡ªit could actually lead to complications. When the Ruanlin Family arrived at the Wa house with Ruan Jiaojiao, they were surprised to find no one there. With a puzzled murmur, the Ruanlin Family called out twice but received no answer. Standing in front of the main hall, she pushed the wooden door, and it creaked open. ¡°This door is such a mess; they should have fixed it,¡± the Ruanlin Family frowned at the door so rickety that even thieves would ignore it and pursed her lips disapprovingly. In April, it was the damp season, and these days not many people were willing to use red bricks¡ªmost houses were made of mud bricks, which, while warm in winter and cool in summer, had one downside: during the damp season, there would be a musty smell inside. Chapter 53 - 53 53 The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (4)_1 ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (4)_1 Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (4)_1 However, the Ruanlin Family was diligent, always airing out the home inside and out, so there was never such an odor. When Ruan Jiaojiao was led into the room by the Ruanlin Family, she almost choked, unable to believe that a corner could grow black mushrooms and a room lined with crawling milipedes was fit for human habitation. Watching those crawling creatures, like centipedes, Ruan Jiaojiao shuddered and collapsed into the Ruanlin Family¡¯s arms. ¡°Granny!¡± she really feared those multi-legged insects, thinking that if she had to touch one, she might die! The Ruanlin Family knew Jiaojiao feared these insects and comforted her quickly, holding her up and gently stroking her back. Everywhere Jiaojiao looked, there seemed to be insects, so she simply buried her head in the Ruanlin Family¡¯s neck to keep them out of sight and out of mind. The Ruanlin Family entered through the main house and found the way to Wa Yiting¡¯s room. Well... perhaps it¡¯s not quite right to call it a room, it was more of a storeroom. There was all sorts of things in the storeroom; Wa Yiting¡¯s bed was placed in the center¡ªoh, that bed was made from a door panel, with only a thin, blackened straw mat laid on top. Wa Yiting was no longer as uncomfortably feverish as the night before, but she was still feverish, her lips pale and face flushed as she lay in bed. Hearing footsteps, she weakly opened her eyes, and it was unclear if she could see who it was, but she plaintively cried out, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯m thirsty...¡± ¡°This is truly pitiable,¡± the Ruanlin Family said with a furrowed brow as she looked at Wa Yiting¡¯s condition. Setting Jiaojiao down on the floor, the Ruanlin Family stepped forward to feel Wa Yiting¡¯s forehead and found her fever had not subsided. Seeing that no one from the Wa Family was around, she cursed under her breath and instructed Jiaojiao not to wander off while she went to the kitchen to look for hot water. Without a thermos, the Wa Family naturally had no hot water, so the Ruanlin Family had to boil some. Ruan Jiaojiao stood by the bed and watched Wa Yiting with a complex expression. To be fair, at the start of this novel, she neither liked the original Ruan Jiaojiao nor the heroine Wa Yiting; it was only after spending a longer time with the Ruan Family that her feelings began to change. Even though the original Ruan Jiaojiao was spoiled and did some bad things, the Ruan Family was kind, so when all the male leads and supporting characters associated with the Ruan Family died, it was only natural for her to develop negative feelings towards the heroine, Wa Yiting. She thought Yiting was too crafty for her age. However, she had never considered the environment Wa Yiting was living in. Orphaned with no caring relatives, Yiting couldn¡¯t even solve her basic needs for food and warmth. Perhaps having a bit of cunning to ensure she was fed and well wasn¡¯t so unforgivable. Just like in her previous life, when she was starving, didn¡¯t she also steal meat from a wolf to eat? Thinking like this, Ruan Jiaojiao felt her previous actions were somewhat excessive. After pondering for a moment, she dug out the chicken egg the Ruanlin Family had cooked for her as breakfast and stuffed it into Wa Yiting¡¯s hand. ¡°Here, eat this.¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, you can¡¯t eat chicken eggs when you have a fever,¡± the Ruanlin Family said with resignation, holding a cup of hot water and seeing Jiaojiao handing the egg to Wa Yiting. The Ruanlin Family took the egg back and patted Jiaojiao¡¯s little head, saying, ¡°You eat it.¡± She paused for a moment and added, ¡°Granny will cook some sweet potato porridge for her later, she won¡¯t go hungry.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jiaojiao nodded, watching the Ruanlin Family give Wa Yiting water and medicine. Chapter 54 - 54 54 The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (5)_1 ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (5)_1 Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (5)_1 After giving water and medicine, the Ruanlin Family had placed a damp, torn towel on Wa Yiting¡¯s forehead; seeing her close her eyes in a daze, they then led Ruan Jiaojiao out of the Wa Family¡¯s house. Of course, they were followed by the little villain trailing behind them like a tail. ¡°Xiu Xi, what were you doing outside so early, have you had breakfast?¡± the Ruanlin Family asked Xiu Xi while peeling an egg for Ruan Jiaojiao. Xiu Xi nodded and deliberately walked to Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s side to keep pace with her. The Ruanlin Family saw this and laughed. On the way back, as they passed next to the Wa Family¡¯s house, the Ruanlin Family stopped to ask and found out that the Wa Family had gone to town early in the morning before dawn, apparently to catch a market day! ¡°What a troublesome bunch!¡± the Ruanlin Family frowned. ¡°Exactly, yesterday Tingzi started running a fever, and they didn¡¯t even think to go to the health clinic to get some medicine. She¡¯s just an aunt, not a real mother,¡± the neighbor said, shaking her head in clear disdain for Auntie Wa¡¯s behavior. However, the conversation quickly turned as the neighbor added, ¡°You¡¯re too kind-hearted, Auntie Ruan, the Wa Family¡¯s child should not be spoiled!¡± She had felt sorry for Xiaoya and given her food a few times, only for the Wa Family to find out and then send the girl over for meals every day. They were all poor families; providing an occasional meal was one thing, but no one had enough to feed another mouth that wasn¡¯t their own kin. ¡°What you say is true, but that child... you can¡¯t just watch her die of sickness, can you? Consider it accumulating blessings for my sweet treasure!¡± Auntie Ruan caressed Ruan Jiaojiao, who was squaring off eye-to-eye with her villainous companion, and sighed. ¡°That¡¯s true, your child is such a beauty, like a blessed child sent by the Goddess of Mercy herself, so fair and tender.¡± The country women weren¡¯t good at flattering, and their compliments were often repetitive, but Auntie Ruan loved hearing them. Seeing the woman¡¯s hand reaching out to pinch her cheek, Ruan Jiaojiao quickly hid behind the Ruanlin Family and shook her clothes, signaling her impatience. The Ruanlin Family took the cue, exchanged a few more words with the woman, and then brought Ruan Jiaojiao home. Once home, the Ruanlin Family went to cook porridge, leaving Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi to play. But Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi had nothing to play with, so they just sat in the main room continuing to stare at each other. At times, Ruan Jiaojiao would truly be amazed by this little villain; how could he keep staring at her without even blinking?! When the Ruanlin Family finally finished cooking the porridge, Ruan Jiaojiao was nearly asleep on the small stool. Seeing the Ruanlin Family come out with a basket filled with porridge, she immediately went up to them, ¡°Nanny, let me deliver it for you.¡± ¡°You?¡± the Ruanlin Family looked at her tiny frame skeptically, ¡°I doubt you can carry it.¡± ¡°I can carry it! I can carry it!¡± Ruan Jiaojiao danced and hopped to reach the basket. Worried she might hurt herself, the Ruanlin Family told her to stop jumping and handed the basket to her, burdening her with a long list of cautions before allowing her to leave. Yet seeing Xiu Xi follow her like a little tail, for some reason, she felt much more at ease. Ruan Jiaojiao, who could only be considered six years old in nominal age, found the basket bearable at first, but after walking a distance, it indeed felt strenuous. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she thought to put the basket down to rest when Xiaoya, who¡¯d been following her, stepped forward and lifted it up. His movements and posture made it seem as light as a feather. Ruan Jiaojiao watched him in surprise; she hadn¡¯t expected the little villain, as short and thin as he was, to be quite strong. Chapter 55 - 55 55 The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (6)_1 ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (6)_1 Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Female Lead Asks for Medicine (6)_1 Xiu Xi carried a basket all the way to the Wa Family, not stopping once on the journey. But without Ruanlin Family cradling her this time, she dared not enter through the main room¡¯s path, fearing bugs on the walls might fall on her. Standing hesitantly at the door for a while, she ultimately had no other choice but to grit her teeth, close her eyes, and, holding the corner of the little antagonist¡¯s clothing, she followed him inside. As for why she didn¡¯t let the little antagonist deliver it alone, it was naturally because she feared he would have too much contact with the female protagonist! Wa Yiting had drunk water and taken medicine before, and now more than an hour had passed, the medicine had largely taken effect, and she was much clearer-headed, lying on the bed staring blankly at the moldy ceiling. Upon hearing footsteps, she immediately turned to look, her eyes shining brightly, but when she saw the arrivals were Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi, the light in her eyes instantly dimmed. ¡°What are you doing here? I don¡¯t want to see you!¡± Wa Yiting turned her head away. ¡°My grandma made porridge for you to eat.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao placed the basket on the ground, picked up the small bowl inside, and set it on the bedside table, which was also dirty enough, a black mess. Ruan Jiaojiao wiped it with her hand, and her palm immediately turned black. Frowning slightly, she placed the bowl on the table, withdrew her hand, and looked at Wa Yiting. She wondered if it was her imagination, but she always felt that Wa Yiting¡¯s eyes brightened a bit when she heard her speak those words, yet she couldn¡¯t understand what about her words would make her happy. Wa Yiting looked at the porridge, saying nothing, but her eyes were bright. Ruan Jiaojiao waited a while, but seeing she still didn¡¯t seem to want to speak, Ruan Jiaojiao could only say, ¡°Then you drink first, and when you¡¯re better, return the bowl.¡± This time, Wa Yiting nodded. Ruan Jiaojiao took another look at her, still feeling that this Wa Yiting was somewhat strange. After leaving the Wa Family, Ruan Jiaojiao exhaled, relieved that the female protagonist didn¡¯t seem likely to die, which meant this world wouldn¡¯t collapse. That was truly good! Turning her head to look at the little antagonist, she even found him pleasing to the eye, and with a grin, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao was quite close, and when a gentle breeze came, Xiu Xi seemed to catch her scent, fragrant and soft, like the smell of flowers mixed with the smell of milk, deeply familiar, an aroma that had seeped into his soul. He, too, couldn¡¯t help but smile, a touch bashful. ¡°Wow! You look really nice when you smile!¡± Ruan Jiaojiao exclaimed, looking at him with astonishment. It was her first time seeing the little antagonist smile, and he really did look good. He looked different too, not as thin as when she first saw him, having gained a little weight, his face even more refined. Xiu Xi looked into Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes, which reflected his own image, his smile broadening, a feeling of indescribable contentment washing over him. He gazed at Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s dangling hand by her side, soft and tender, as if boneless. Every time he saw the Ruan brothers and Ruanlin Family holding her hand, he felt an urge to hold it too, but the opportunity never came. Now, watching, he felt a strong impulse to take her hand, but Ruan Jiaojiao moved quicker, stuffing the basket into his hands. ¡°Here, you take it back. Come on, let¡¯s go home,¡± she said, and then she bounced ahead. Xiu Xi could only follow, his expression slightly forlorn. When they passed a small bridge made from house beams, Ruan Jiaojiao stopped, looking at her blackened palm, considering going forward to wash it, but Xiu Xi held her back. Chapter 56 - 56 56 Broken Head (1)_1 ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Broken Head (1)_1 Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Broken Head (1)_1 He looked at her, ¡°Go back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to wash my hands, look how dirty they are.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao showed her little palm and explained. ¡°Go back!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t pull me.¡± Being dragged forward by the little antagonist, Ruan Jiaojiao nearly tripped over her feet, barely stabilizing herself and still struggling to keep up with the little antagonist¡¯s pace. She had no idea why he could move so fast! Ruan Jiaojiao was tugged along by her sleeve, stumbling forward and hence did not notice that right after she left the bridge where she had been standing, a little boy stood up from beneath it. It seemed he had heard their voices and stretched his neck curiously to look in their direction... As soon as Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi left, Wa Yiting from the Wa family began to devour her bowl of porridge hungrily. She had drunk sweet potato porridge before, but she felt this bowl was the sweetest and best she had ever tasted. Thinking back to the gentle hands that had cared for her while she was in a daze, her eyes became moist. Clinging tightly to her chopsticks, she lowered her eyes and thought, if only... if only she were Ruan Jiaojiao... How wonderful that would be... She would definitely be more sensible, more lovable than Ruan Jiaojiao... Ruan Jiaojiao had no clue that because of a kind act from her and the Ruanlin family, the heroine had begun to harbor thoughts of replacing her. At the moment, she was lying beside her family¡¯s washbasin, watching the little antagonist earnestly scrubbing her small hand as he held it. She wanted to say that it was her hand, and she knew how to wash it; she didn¡¯t need this little antagonist meddling. But seeing him with his long eyelashes lowered, looking as serious as if he were engaged in an important life task, she gave up the thought and let him continue to wash and wash her hand. Soft, tender, chubby... Xiu Xi¡¯s hands enveloped her small one, squeezing it repeatedly, his eyes displaying satisfaction, as if he had caressed such little paws in a past life. By the time her hands had finally been scrubbed clean, they had turned red from the washing. When she withdrew her hand, she noticed that the little antagonist seemed a bit disappointed. Ruan Jiaojiao shuddered involuntarily, thinking that this boy was truly a little antagonist, weird enough to have a thing for hands at such a young age? When it was time for lunch, Xiu Xi left. The Ruanlin family invited him to join, but he was unwilling. After leaving the Ruan family¡¯s house, he didn¡¯t return to the neighboring house but headed towards the hills behind. Ruan Jiaojiao blinked, wondering if he had gone back to the hills to catch mice to eat. ¡ª- Ruan Chi¡¯s elementary school was not far from home. Normally, they would return home one after another after two in the afternoon. But today at four o¡¯clock, there was still no sign of them. The Ruanlin family initially thought the children might be playing around somewhere. After cursing a few times, they didn¡¯t worry too much. But as evening approached and it began to get dark with no sign of their return, the Ruanlin family started to get anxious. Just as they were about to go out and search, Little Fatty came running home crying, his face covered in tears. ¡°Nanny, nanny, Fourth Brother got his head broken open, and he¡¯s unconscious now, you have to come with me! Hurry!¡± Little Fatty was crying hard, his body trembling, blood on him, and his eyes red. Once home, he couldn¡¯t even bother to drop his backpack and started dragging the Ruanlin family out the door. The Ruanlin family was startled, and before fully comprehending the situation, they had already followed out of the Ruan family¡¯s main gate. Ruan Jiaojiao, taking short steps, tried hard to keep up behind them, also running out of breath. Chapter 57 - 57 57 Broken Head (2)_1 ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Broken Head (2)_1 Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Broken Head (2)_1 On the way to the health clinic, Ruan Jiaojiao learned the full story from Little Fatty¡¯s trembling sobs. After school today, Ruan Jie and others had planned to play on the back hills, but he got into a physical fight with Lu Xian, a classmate, right at the school¡¯s gate. Ruan Jie didn¡¯t know what was said to him but he rolled up his sleeves and started brawling with the other boy. Ruan Jie and Ruan Chi were in the same class and usually went to school together. When the two brothers teamed up against one, they wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage. However, it turned out that the other kid was tough too. After being knocked to the ground, he seized a stone while Ruan Jie turned around and smashed it onto Ruan Jie¡¯s head. Ruan Jie fell to the ground bleeding profusely. The sight of blood frightened the other student, who then turned and ran away. Ruan Chi, panicked and at a loss, was fortunate that not all the teachers had left the school yet; they helped get Ruan Jie to the health clinic. But as the clinic wasn¡¯t equipped to stitch wounds, Ruan Jie was then rushed to the hospital in town. Little Fatty and the others hadn¡¯t left school at the time, so they followed all the way to the clinic, then to the hospital in town. After he had been stitched up, Little Fatty finally remembered to return and report back, running all the way from the town. The hospital in town was quite a distance, at least an hour¡¯s walk. Ruanlin Family went to the only villager with a tricycle, borrowing it, and then, running into Ruan Jiandang on the way, they went together to the hospital in town. When they arrived at the hospital, Ruan Jie had woken up. His head was wrapped in gauze stained with blood, causing Ruanlin Family¡¯s heart to throb with pain. Yet she scolded him, saying, ¡°What did you do to get yourself into this mess with a fight!¡± Ruan Jie saw Ruanlin Family, his eyes reddening, but the little boy was strong and didn¡¯t cry. Instead, he stubbornly turned his head away. Ruan Jiaojiao walked over, leaned beside the bed, and carefully took the hand he had by the bedside. She looked up at him and gently asked, ¡°Brother, does it hurt?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± Ruan Jie shook his head, but tears fell nonetheless. Ruanlin Family¡¯s heart ached even more, and she remained silent for a long while. From the side, Ruan Feng couldn¡¯t hold back and angrily shouted, ¡°Granny, it¡¯s not Fourth Brother¡¯s fault. It¡¯s Lu Xian who¡¯s bad, he said...¡± ¡°Fengzi!¡± Ruan Chi cut off what he was about to say next. The twelve-year-old¡¯s eyes were filled with a dark and fierce light that didn¡¯t match his age. Ruan Feng, seeing his soft and docile sister Jiaojiao by Ruan Jie¡¯s side, swallowed back the words he was about to say. Yet he was still angry and shook off Ruan Wei next to him before turning and running out of the ward. Ruan Jiandang had just finished speaking with the teachers outside and had paid the medical fees, so he likely knew the full extent of what had happened. He soothed the upset Ruan Feng before entering the ward, looked at Ruan Jie, asked a few caring questions, and then called Ruanlin Family outside. Ruan Jiaojiao saw the two of them behaving secretively and intuitively felt that this incident was somehow related to her. She wanted to go outside, but Ruan Jie was holding onto her hand by the bed, his eyes closed, his lips pale, and his face colorless. He looked pitiful, and she couldn¡¯t bear to leave. Ruanlin Family was a formidable figure in the village, but that didn¡¯t mean she was uneducated; she understood basic principles. After listening to the teacher¡¯s account and hearing the full story, her expression turned ugly. She stared at the teacher and said, ¡°Teacher Yang, I¡¯m not unreasonable. In this incident, my child has been greatly wronged. I won¡¯t make things difficult for you. Just bring out that student and have his parents come forward to explain things to us.¡± Chapter 58 - 58 58 Broken Head (3)_1 ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Broken Head (3)_1 Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Broken Head (3)_1 Teacher Yang, upon hearing these words, only felt the onset of a headache. She was not unfamiliar with the members of the Ruan Family, partly because the husband of the Ruanlin Family was a martyr, who had been commended in the county. As his family member, she naturally received preferential treatment from the team and the county. Thus, many people from the villages around knew her. Another reason was because of Shu Jiao. Shu Jiao had gone to the countryside in her early years and was a rare intellectual. She volunteered to teach in their county school for a while, and later, when the college entrance examinations were resumed, she directly took charge of the graduating classes for four or five years. Now she had several college students graduated under her guidance. Everyone looked up to her. But if the Ruan Family could not be bullied, the Lu Family was no easy opponent either. They were a well-known connected household in the town, and ordinary people really dared not provoke them. This conflict with the Ruan Family was indeed a troublesome matter. Teacher Yang could only offer platitudes, ¡°Auntie Ruan, rest assured, our school will definitely handle this matter properly. Please don¡¯t worry for now.¡± After saying a bunch of official words, she hurriedly left the hospital. The expression on the Ruanlin Family lady¡¯s face, as she watched her departing figure, was extremely unpleasant. Back in the ward, Ruan Jie had already fallen asleep leaning on Ruan Jiaojiao. His face was devoid of any color. Ruan Jiaojiao propped herself up with her small arms, not daring to relax in the slightest. As night fell, Ruan Jianguo also received the news and rushed back, drenched in sweat. He entered, glanced at Ruan Jie, and was called out by Ruan Jiandang. After the two brothers talked for a while, Ruan Jianguo¡¯s face was terribly grim. Ruan Jianguo was a man of integrity and simplicity, usually not one to argue or fight. But that only applied when no one touched his sore spot, and now, the other party had managed to hit two of his sore spots at once! When he returned to the ward, his expression had returned to normal. He patted Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s little head, picked up Ruan Jie, who was still asleep, and the family left the hospital. They boarded a tricycle to go home. There were too many of them, so the children had to sit on top of each other. Ruan Jie actually woke up when he was picked up, but he didn¡¯t open his eyes. Being cradled in Ruan Jianguo¡¯s arms, the young man buried his head and quietly shed tears. Ruan Jianguo felt the wetness on his chest, and in the darkness of night, his eyes grew even colder. Upon returning home, Liao Zhaoji was standing at the doorstep, her expression not looking too good. As she was about to blow up at them for where they had been, her mouth closed as soon as she saw Ruan Jianguo carrying Ruan Jie down from the tricycle, his head still bandaged. The Ruanlin lady didn¡¯t expect her to do anything useful at home. After settling Ruan Jie, she immediately went to the kitchen to get to work. That night was the only evening Ruan Jiaojiao didn¡¯t get her special meal. Nobody had much of an appetite. They ate their meal hastily, and Ruan Jiandang returned to his own room. He told Ruan Jianguo to shout for him in the courtyard if anything came up, and he would come right over. After everyone from the second room left, the Ruanlin lady also urged the other children to go to bed. Ruan Jiaojiao lay in bed with Ruan Jie for sleep. Ruan Jie was truly exhausted, his head ached, and he didn¡¯t sleep soundly. He awoke, struggling from a nightmare, only to find that Ruan Jiaojiao was no longer by his side. Thinking that she had gone to sleep with Ruanlin, he was about to continue sleeping with half-closed eyes when he turned his head and saw a small figure perched by the window next to him. Ruan Jie frowned and could faintly hear the voices of the Ruanlin Family lady and Ruan Jianguo talking outside. He tiptoed over just in time to hear the Ruanlin lady outside say, ¡°I have never been able to stop you from making your decisions. Now that you have decided, go ahead. But just one thing, no matter the outcome, you must come back before the new year!¡± Chapter 59 - 59 59 Broken Head (4)_1 ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Broken Head (4)_1 Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Broken Head (4)_1 ¡°Mom, thank you,¡± Ruan Jianguo didn¡¯t know what else to say. He understood what his departure signified, but he truly couldn¡¯t let go. In their several teams, over a dozen youths had come from the cities. Many had married and had children on the team, but once the college entrance examination was restored, most of the youths, regardless of gender, abandoned this place and left, even if they had sons and daughters who were almost adults. All had the option to leave. But Ruan Jianguo believed in Shu Jiao; she was definitely not that kind of person. He couldn¡¯t rest for the rest of his life without finding her to get to the bottom of things. If... if things didn¡¯t turn out as hoped in the end, then he would accept his fate... ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? You¡¯re tired from the day; go to sleep. Let Jiaojiao sleep beside her brother tonight,¡± the matriarch of the Ruanlin family waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Alright,¡± Ruan Jianguo nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on them again.¡± The instant Ruan Jie and Ruan Jiaojiao inside the room heard him, they both startled and turned around. Ruan Jie didn¡¯t react much, but Ruan Jiaojiao, upon seeing Ruan Jie¡¯s handsome face, almost cried out. Ruan Jie covered her mouth, and they quietly got back into bed together. When Ruan Jianguo entered, they pretended to sleep with their eyes closed and only opened their eyes after Ruan Jianguo gently closed the door. Neither sibling felt sleepy for a while. Lying in bed, they stared at the pitch-black ceiling, lost in thought. After a long time, Ruan Jiaojiao broke the silence, ¡°Brother, are you asleep?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ruan Jie muttered a response. Ruan Jiaojiao laughed softly, her small hand fumbling to grab his through the rustling of the quilt, and finally, her chaotic little hand was gripped by Ruan Jie. Ruan Jiaojiao asked, ¡°Brother, is Dad going to look for Mom?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ruan Jie responded again. ¡°Why did you fight today?¡± The adults all kept it from her, but she had a feeling it was related to her. Ruan Jie didn¡¯t answer, and just when Ruan Jiaojiao thought he wouldn¡¯t respond, he said, ¡°Jiaojiao, do you hate Mom?¡± Ruan Jie did hate her, hated her very much. He had never hated her as he did today. Initially, when Shu Jiao wanted to leave to find relatives and take the college exam, he was unwilling. He had heard too many stories of people like his mother who left and never returned, and so he didn¡¯t want her to go. But she left eventually, sneaking away from the three siblings. She was gone for over half a year, and people said that if she really left to find relatives or take the college exam, she should have returned long ago. Even if she couldn¡¯t return, there should have been a letter, but there was nothing from their mother¡ªno letters, no calls, nothing at all. Later on... His sister ran away from home, believing the instigations of their second aunt and fell into a small gully at the edge of the village, soaked for a full four or five hours. He remembered when they pulled her out, she had almost no breath left, her whole body was ice-cold, turning pale. At that moment, everyone said she wouldn¡¯t survive. Their grandmother didn¡¯t believe it and took her to the health clinic, which refused to admit her, so she was then taken to the town hospital. After wandering near death at the Ghost Gate for over half a month, they barely managed to save her. From that moment on, he hated Shu Jiao to the bone! Yet, as much as he hated her, he couldn¡¯t tolerate others speaking ill of her... Today, it was because Lu Xian said that his mother must not want them anymore, that she had gone back home, probably found another man, called his dad a cuckold, and called his mom a used shoe... that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t help but step forward and fight. Even now, with a bleeding head and agonizing pain, he had no regrets, and if it happened again, he would still fight! Chapter 60 - 60 60 Male Lead Xiu Xun (1)_1 ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Male Lead Xiu Xun (1)_1 Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Male Lead Xiu Xun (1)_1 ¡°I don¡¯t hate her,¡± she said. Because she wasn¡¯t the original owner of the body, she had no feelings for Shu Jiao, even though every time that name was mentioned, she would feel very uncomfortable. But she thought that wasn¡¯t her own emotion, it should be the lingering consciousness of the original owner. Ruan Jie didn¡¯t say anything more, just reached out to pat Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s little hand, and the siblings fell asleep huddled together. Perhaps it was because of her preoccupied thoughts during the day, that night Ruan Jiaojiao dreamt of Shu Jiao. However, Shu Jiao was in a haze, her appearance indistinct. Ruan Jiaojiao struggled to see her clearly, running after her, but she fell into an icy cave. It was extremely cold in that cave, and she shivered uncontrollably... Ruan Jiaojiao could never have anticipated that she would fall ill the next day. Indeed, she caught a fever. It came on fiercely. Ruan Jianguo came early in the morning to check on them, worried that Ruan Jie¡¯s wound might have become inflamed and caused a fever. To his surprise, Ruan Jie was fine, but Ruan Jiaojiao had come down with a fever. Luckily, there was medicine at home. The Ruanlin family fed her the medicine, all the while fretting if she had caught it from the Wa family the day before, and felt a pang of regret. Knowing she was frail, they still took her to the Wa family. Fortunately, as fierce as the fever was, it receded just as quickly. By nighttime, the fever was gone, but Ruan Jiaojiao was listless. With two patients at home, the Ruanlin family slaughtered an old hen and made a soup for the siblings. Liao Zhaoji from next door smelled the soup and came over with a cheeky face, only to be sent away by a grim-faced member of the Ruanlin family. Liao Zhaoji was somewhat unwilling to give up. She stood at the doorstep of the kitchen and said, ¡°Mother, you know that our family doesn¡¯t have much income. Jiandang earns at most ten yuan a month, barely enough for our family¡¯s living expenses. Yesterday in the hospital he paid for the young one¡¯s medical expenses, can you talk to eldest brother to reimburse us? After all, we¡¯re not that well off either.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, the money is right here. Yesterday was hectic, and today the two siblings fell sick, so I didn¡¯t have time to give it to you.¡± Ruan Jianguo suddenly appeared from somewhere, handing her five yuan. Liao Zhaoji¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight, and she quickly took the money. ¡°Elder brother!¡± Ruan Jiandang came out of the house and saw what was happening. He approached with a cold face, snatched the money from Liao Zhaoji¡¯s hand, and returned it to Ruan Jianguo. The money that had been in her grasp flew away, and Liao Zhaoji¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, but Ruan Jiandang just wouldn¡¯t give her another glance. Ruan Jianguo had no intention of taking advantage of his brother. He stuffed the money back into Liao Zhaoji¡¯s hand and walked away. This time Liao Zhaoji acted quickly, holding the money and hurried back into the house. Ruan Jiandang, with a sullen face, followed her inside. Watching her stash the money away, he said angrily, ¡°Last time, the money for seeds was given by elder brother too, several yuan of which you spent. How could you still take his money!¡± ¡°He¡¯s your brother, he should help you. Besides, he¡¯s not short of money. Shu Jiao was so rich; she must have given him money before she left. Look at our family now, this year each of the two boys in the third brother¡¯s family got a new suit of clothes, Ruan Jiaojiao did too. Look at your son, he¡¯s never even seen a new piece of clothing.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have money for clothes anymore? Didn¡¯t I just give you thirty yuan last month?¡± Though Ruan Jiandang didn¡¯t have a fixed salary and wasn¡¯t as capable as Ruan Jianguo, he was hardworking and earnest, and could still make twenty or so yuan each month. Last month, he had sold some crops and made a total of thirty yuan, which he gave all to Liao Zhaoji. He knew he couldn¡¯t provide her with wealth, but he was aware of his earnings. He had made at least two hundred yuan that year. How could they be so poor that they couldn¡¯t even afford to buy a single piece of clothing? Chapter 61 - 61 61 Male Lead Xiu Xun (2)_1 ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Male Lead Xiu Xun (2)_1 Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Male Lead Xiu Xun (2)_1 They never had anything good to eat at home, as the vegetables in the field hadn¡¯t started growing yet, so every day they had sweet potato mush with pickled vegetables and lumps. ¡°That...that¡¯s not true, it¡¯s just that we need to be thrifty,¡± Liao Zhaoji¡¯s eyes darted around, betraying her unease as Ruan Jiandang questioned her about the money. She turned her head away, then seemed to reassure herself, and her voice regained strength: ¡°Besides, the boys will need to go to college in the future. We need to save some money for that, so we can¡¯t spend it recklessly.¡± Ruan Jiandang watched her and, upon hearing this, didn¡¯t suspect anything further. However, he still frowned deeply, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to squeeze any money out of her, so he decided to work some odd jobs for a few days to earn the money to pay back Ruan Jianguo. Seeing that Ruan Jiandang did not pursue the issue further, Liao Zhaoji secretly breathed a sigh of relief and took the money to store it away. ¡ª- Ruan Jie had suffered a head injury and naturally couldn¡¯t go to school, so he rested at home every day. The day after the incident, Ruan Jianguo paid a visit to the Lu Family, and on the third day, Lu Xian was brought by his parents to apologize. It was apparent that his parents were reasonable people, as they had punished Lu Xian with a beating, leaving him with injuries all over his body. Seeing this, the anger in the Ruanlin family¡¯s heart finally dissipated. That issue seemed to have been put to rest. However, it¡¯s worth mentioning that after this incident, Ruan Jie¡¯s relationship with Lu Xian actually improved... Of course, that came later. Now, Ruan Jiaojiao, watching Ruan Jie¡¯s obviously pallid face, spent every day pondering how to hunt some pheasants or other animals on the back hill to replenish her brother¡¯s health. But the Ruanlin family kept a close eye on her, leaving her with no opportunity, until one afternoon, she used visiting Wa Yiting as an excuse to sneak off to the back hill alone. However, halfway there, she encountered an unexpected follower¡ªthe little antagonist. Ruan Jiaojiao had pretty much confirmed that this little antagonist knew about her ¡°golden finger.¡± After a few tests and seeing he had no intention of revealing it, she let her guard down. When she saw he was following her, she didn¡¯t mind. The two of them entered the mountain, one behind the other. Whether it was good luck or bad, they ran into another group of people in the mountains. Apart from Ruan Jie, who was still recuperating at home, Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s other five brothers were there, along with Wa Yiting and the little girl from last time, as well as someone who made Ruan Jiaojiao freeze up the moment she saw him. It was the male protagonist of the novel¡ªXiu Xun! This was the first time Ruan Jiaojiao had seen Xiu Xun, the male protagonist of the novel. Unlike the female lead and the male second lead, Xiu Xun had a good life before his adoptive parents had their own children, so he was well-developed, much taller than his peers, and not at all skinny. Instead, he looked healthy and handsome, with fine features that hinted at his future attractiveness. ¡°Jiaojiao, why are you here!¡± Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao, Ruan Chi, who was originally taking bird eggs from a tree, hurried down and walked over to Ruan Jiaojiao, pushing her to leave: ¡°Quick, your brother will take you back. This place isn¡¯t for you.¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao dodged his hand and ran to hide behind Ruan Feng, pulling on the hem of Ruan Feng¡¯s shirt and acting coquettishly: ¡°I promise to be good and not move around today. I won¡¯t get hurt. I want to eat the roasted bird eggs that my brothers make. I haven¡¯t had them in so long, and I really miss them.¡± Upon hearing this, Ruan Chi didn¡¯t have the heart to send her back anymore. Little Fatty was dizzied by her flattering charm and immediately beat his chubby chest, guaranteeing: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister. Your brothers will protect you. This time we¡¯re here to collect bird eggs for Fourth Brother.¡± Chapter 62 - 62 62 Male Lead Xiu Xun (3)_1 ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Male Lead Xiu Xun (3)_1 Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Male Lead Xiu Xun (3)_1 The boys had grown up together since they were little, and they all had deep feelings for one another, although they would sometimes get into physical scuffles. But when it really mattered, they always thought of each other first. Just like now, as soon as they had some free time, they ran off to collect bird eggs, wanting to give Ruan Jie a good nutritional boost. ¡°That¡¯s right, big brother is the best, all the big brothers are awesome!¡± Ruan Jiaojiao continued to flatter, leaving the brothers with no choice but to let her stay. However, this time there were always two brothers standing guard beside her, afraid that some animal might suddenly bump into her. After Ruan Jiaojiao managed to convince her brothers, she temporarily shifted her attention to the male lead, Xiu Xun. Sizing him up covertly, she noticed that he didn¡¯t seem to have much interaction with the female lead, not looking like they were particularly close. It seemed that they truly started to become close only after growing up, but that made sense. They were still young, at the age of seven or eight, who would understand those things? With this thought, Ruan Jiaojiao no longer kept her eyes on Xiu Xun. As soon as she shifted her gaze away, she met a pair of eyes gleaming with a green light, their owner staring unblinkingly at her just like a predator eyeing its prey, which gave her a fright. Since she was currently on good terms with the little antagonist and wasn¡¯t afraid of him, she slapped his hand away, ¡°Why are you staring at me? You¡¯re not allowed to look!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The little antagonist glared at her and let out a cold snort, then actually turned his gaze away. Huh? Hearing that cold snort, Ruan Jiaojiao at first doubted whether she had heard a hallucination. Did the little antagonist just snort at her?!! ¡°Why did you cold snort?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The response from the little antagonist was another snort! Ruan Jiaojiao frowned slightly, finding the little antagonist inexplicable. After giving him a glance, she turned away. The little antagonist twisted his head to look at her, and seeing her walk away, his eyes seemed somewhat forlorn as he followed her. The Ruan Family knew that he had become quite clingy to Ruan Jiaojiao lately and didn¡¯t make much of it. Ruan Jiaojiao felt that a few bird eggs wouldn¡¯t really make much of a supplement for Ruan Jie. Moreover, with several brothers accompanying her the whole time, she never got the chance to act alone. Plus, with so many other kids around, whatever game she caught wouldn¡¯t be enough to go around, unless she got a wild boar? No, Ruan Jiaojiao thought that would be too outrageous; it was better not to even consider it for now. Ruan Jiaojiao looked for an opportunity for a long time, but failing to find one, she eventually gave up. When everyone gathered around the fire to roast and eat bird eggs, Wa Yiting walked over tentatively, hoping to sit next to her. However, on one side of her was Ruan Chi, and on the other, the little antagonist¡ªthere was simply no room for her to squeeze in. She attempted to sit behind Jiaojiao, but Little Fatty dove into the spot first, plopping his big butt down and refusing to move. Wa Yiting eventually had to settle for sitting not right next to Jiaojiao but next to the next person over, gazing at her with a look that seemed eager to speak but hesitant to disturb. Ruan Jiaojiao occasionally noticed her look but didn¡¯t pay much attention, nor did she give her an extra glance. Jiaojiao¡¯s mind was on hunting, to the point that she was distracted even while eating bird eggs, which Ruan Chi had to feed to her. Ruan Chi saved ten small bird eggs for Ruan Jie. When they returned, nobody brought up the fact that Ruan Jiaojiao had gone to the back mountain, so the Ruanlin Family had no reason to suspect anything. The next day was Saturday. The three brothers who studied in town came back, accompanied by couples from the third and fourth branches of the family. They were all aware of Ruan Jie¡¯s situation, and Du Qing had bought a jin of brown sugar on his return. In these times of extreme scarcity, brown sugar boiled with eggs was generally a delicacy for pregnant women or postpartum mothers¡ªhalf-grown boys didn¡¯t get to enjoy such luxuries. Chapter 63 - 63 63 Male Lead Xiu Xun (4)_1 ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Male Lead Xiu Xun (4)_1 Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Male Lead Xiu Xun (4)_1 The Ruanlin Family¡¯s favorite was Ruan Jiaojiao, but they also felt pained that their grandson had suffered hardships. That very night, they cooked a brown sugar and egg soup for Ruan Jie, and Ruan Jiaojiao also got a bowl to drink. As for the other kids, they weren¡¯t so lucky. They didn¡¯t crave it much, but Liao Zhaoji did utter a few sour words. However, no one paid any attention to her. Last time Ruan Jiaojiao went up the back mountain, she hadn¡¯t caught any game, which she couldn¡¯t help but feel regretful about; she had been looking for an opportunity to go up there again ever since. Every time Ruan Hao came home for the holidays, he¡¯d take her walking around the village, and now they¡¯d arrived at the back mountain. Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s big eyes scanned the surroundings, and finding no one in sight, her heart began to grow restless once more. She turned her head to look at Ruan Hao and asked, ¡°Brother, do you know what kind of animals there are on the front mountain?¡± ¡°Animals? There are plenty, rabbits, pheasants, badgers, deer, and I¡¯ve even heard about wild boars weighing a hundred or two hundred pounds. Why do you ask, Jiaojiao?¡± Ruan Hao squatted down, looking at her curiously. Thinking about the time she got injured on the mountain, he coaxed her in a gentle voice, ¡°Jiaojiao, you are a little princess, you know? You can¡¯t follow them to the back mountain anymore, alright?¡± ¡°Mm... I know.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao nodded, looking extraordinarily obedient, but out of Ruan Hao¡¯s sight, her eyes were rolling around, clearly cooking up some mischief. On their way back, they stopped at the wooden bridge. ¡°Big brother, I want to go play with Xiaoting; you go back first,¡± said Ruan Jiaojiao, pointing in the direction of the Wa Family. Ruan Hao looked in the direction she was pointing, made sure it wasn¡¯t too far, thought for a couple of seconds, then nodded in agreement but still reminded her, ¡°You should come back early and don¡¯t play outside for too long.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao continued to pretend to be obedient. ¡°Then off you go.¡± Ruan Hao let go of her hand, signaling her to proceed. Ruan Jiaojiao nodded and slowly walked towards the Wa Family¡¯s direction. After walking about ten meters, she looked back to see Ruan Hao was still watching her. She knew he wouldn¡¯t leave before she reached the Wa Family, so she could only wave her little hand and proceed. When she was about to reach the flat area in front of the Wa Family and looked behind again, she saw Ruan Hao finally turning back to leave. She let out a sigh of relief and, turning around, slipped out through the gap between the Wa Family and the neighboring house. The Wa Family was poor and lazy. Their backyard wasn¡¯t enclosed, and unlike the Ruan Family, they didn¡¯t raise many chickens and ducks but instead had a neglected piece of land growing a few taro plants. She made her way through the wasteland, taking a narrow path towards the back mountain. The houses in the village were generally built facing a single direction, with a small ditch in front of them. Beyond the small ditch lay the fields, and there were no more fields behind the houses, only vegetable gardens. Beyond the gardens was the back mountain. However, people usually went into the back mountain from the entrance of the village, where a path had already been made, unlike this side¡ªmore than a meter higher and covered in weeds and vines, practically impenetrable. Fearing she might bump into someone she knew if she entered from the village entrance, Ruan Jiaojiao followed this narrow path in search of an entrance to the back mountain. She was almost back at the Ruan Family¡¯s backyard without finding a way in, her little brows knitted in frustration. However, in Xiu Family¡¯s backyard, she caught sight of that little villain once more. The little villain seemed to be digging something up. Hearing footsteps, he turned around. His initially sharp gaze softened instantly upon seeing her, and brushing the mud off his paws, he walked over. Chapter 64 - 64 64 The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (1)_1 ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (1)_1 Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (1)_1 Although she didn¡¯t speak, her eyes made it clear that she wanted to tag along again. ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao. She glanced at him and continued walking. When she arrived at her own family¡¯s backyard, she unfortunately ran into the Ruanlin Family matriarch, who was looking at the newly hatched chicks. Surprised to see her and Xiu Xi in the backyard, she asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, what are you doing here? Didn¡¯t you say you were going to play with Xiaoting?¡± ¡°Ah... she wasn¡¯t home, so I came back,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao sighed inwardly, knowing that her plans were doomed for today as well. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t walk around the back, there are lots of mosquitoes here; getting bitten would be awful,¡± the Ruanlin Family matriarch caressed her delicate skin, unable to bear the thought of her getting bitten even once¡ªit would hurt her more than being bitten ten times herself. ¡°Mhm, I won¡¯t walk here next time. It was Xiaoxi who wanted to take the back way,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao pushed the blame onto the little villain without any guilt. ¡°I see, then don¡¯t do it next time,¡± the Ruanlin Family matriarch didn¡¯t blame Xiu Xi. After glancing at him, she turned toward the Plum Tree that was already ripe with a good half of its fruit and said, ¡°Call your brothers over. A lot of plums have ripened; let¡¯s pick them all.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao obediently replied and went to the front yard to call her several brothers. Nine boys, plus one little villain, stood under the Plum Tree. The taller ones picked directly, the shorter ones used sticks to knock them down. They all worked with great enthusiasm. The only one arranged to sit on a small chair a few meters away was Ruan Jiaojiao. She nibbled on a freshly washed plum while spectating their bustling activity, thoroughly enjoying herself. In the end, they picked all the ripe ones, gathering more than ten kilos. The Ruanlin Family matriarch divided these plums into several small portions, using bowls to pack them and sent the boys to deliver them to a few neighboring houses with whom they had good relations. She didn¡¯t pack any for Xiaoxi, fearing they wouldn¡¯t last if he took them home. Instead, she directly said to him, ¡°Xiaoxi, if you want to eat them, come over and find Jiaojiao to play. If you take these home, you probably won¡¯t get to eat them.¡± Despite her words, the Ruanlin Family matriarch still had Little Fatty take some plums over to the neighboring Xiu Family. Liu Mei was overjoyed upon receiving them; her loud voice could be heard across the yard. The Ruanlin Family matriarch let out a scoff upon hearing it. At night, as she went to bed, Ruan Jiaojiao was still thinking about hunting. She didn¡¯t sleep very soundly, and whether it was because she fixated on it too much, she actually dreamed about it. In her dream, she saw a big wild boar¡ªat least a hundred kilograms, fat and strong. She pointed at the boar and yelped twice. Then¡ª With a ¡°bang!¡±, something seemed to have crashed into the wall of her house. The Ruanlin Family matriarch woke up instantly, leaping out of bed to see what it was, and immediately inhaled a sharp breath of air! The Ruan Family¡¯s house was also made with mud bricks, having stood for over twenty years. Withstanding wind and sun, it was fairly sturdy, but now a huge hole had appeared! Next to the hole was a pig, lying there in shock! ¡°My goodness,¡± even having lived so many years, the Ruanlin Family matriarch had never seen such a thing. She got out of bed, threw on an overcoat, and not caring about the wild boar, she hastily picked up Ruan Jiaojiao, who was still drowsy, and ran out, fearing the wild boar wasn¡¯t dead and might get up and go berserk. Next door, Ruan Jianguo also heard the noise. He¡¯d already sat up and then heard the Ruanlin Family matriarch¡¯s shouting. Without even bothering to put on an overcoat, he rushed out to meet her. ¡°Mom, what happened?¡± Seeing the Ruanlin Family matriarch running over with Ruan Jiaojiao in her arms, he thought a thief had entered the house. He picked up a wooden staff from the main room and was about to charge outside. Chapter 65 - 65 65 The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (2)_1 ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (2)_1 Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (2)_1 ¡°No, don¡¯t go out yet, a wild boar just crashed into our house; we don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s dead yet!¡± the Ruanlin Family¡¯s matriarch said as she placed Ruan Jiaojiao on the bed and blocked her path. ¡°What?¡± Ruan Jianguo thought he must have heard things. ¡°What wild...¡± Ruan Jie and Ruan Hao, who had been sleeping in another room, also rushed over. As they passed by the matriarch¡¯s room, they stopped in shock. That huge gash, it was really made by a wild boar? If that thing had hit a person... Oh my god, it was too terrifying to even think about. ¡°Grandma, are you all okay?¡± Ruan Hao asked with a frown, full of concern. ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± the matriarch shook her head and, clutching Ruan Jianguo¡¯s sleeve, carefully moved towards the other room. As they reached the doorway, she stopped and turned to Ruan Jie, ¡°Go next door and call your second uncle, third uncle, and fourth uncle, and remember, tell them to bring hoes and hammers!¡± Fortunately, today was Sunday, so Ruan Jianjun and Ruan Jianmin were both at home. ¡°Okay!¡± Ruan Jie seemed very excited and upon hearing the instructions, he immediately turned and went to knock on the doors of the other three rooms. In a matter of minutes, everyone in the Ruan Family woke up. Liao Zhaoji, hearing about the wild boar, rushed to the forefront, ¡°Where is the wild boar? Where is it, and how big is it?¡± Her tone was one of sheer delight. Du Qing, hearing her raucous voice, frowned and glanced at her before checking on the matriarch and Ruan Jiaojiao. Seeing that the matriarch was alright, he then went to pick up Ruan Jiaojiao, who had also awoken, and held her in his arms. Knowing that she had a fragile constitution and fearing that she had been frightened, he touched her little head, relieved not to find any sweat, and finally felt at ease. ¡°Were you scared?¡± Wu Le also asked from the sidelines. ¡°No,¡± Ruan Jiaojiao shook her head. Held in Du Qing¡¯s arms and trying to look outside, she saw several men smashing the wild boar¡¯s head with hoes, confirming it was dead before they approached to assess the situation. ¡°What a lucky day it is for the heavens to send us a pig, we¡¯ve really hit the jackpot!¡± Liao Zhaoji said, her eyes crinkling into slits, unable to hide her happiness. ¡°Mom, can you not talk so much,¡± Ruan Chi, seeing the matriarch¡¯s pale face, whispered softly in admonishment. ¡°What are you saying? How should you speak to your mother!¡± Liao Zhaoji glared. ¡°I really wonder how you should talk, too. According to what you said, does the house being damaged mean we¡¯ve actually stumbled upon good luck? What, do you want to include me, this old bag of bones, in the accident too?¡± the matriarch shot back, clearly irritated. The matriarch had truly been frightened that night and hadn¡¯t recovered yet, so naturally, she got angry when Liao Zhaoji commented about their stroke of luck. ¡°Mom... I didn¡¯t mean that...¡± Liao Zhaoji finally realized the matriarch was in a foul mood, and recently, she had been cowed by her scoldings. Muttering something under her breath, she didn¡¯t make any more loud remarks. Ruan Jiaojiao, with her arms around Du Qing¡¯s neck, looked on at the chaos unfolding in the Ruan household, still feeling perplexed. Hadn¡¯t she just dreamt of a wild boar? How did the wild boar end up crashing into her house? If she were to dream of other animals like tigers or leopards, would they also come charging into her home? Imagining that scenario, Ruan Jiaojiao shuddered involuntarily; she couldn¡¯t bear to think any further. ¡°Are you cold, or did it scare you?¡± Du Qing immediately noticed the shiver in the small body he held and said to the matriarch, ¡°Mom, you guys handle things here, and I¡¯ll take Jiaojiao to my room to sleep first.¡± ¡°Alright, go ahead,¡± the matriarch nodded. She always felt assured when Du Qing took care of Ruan Jiaojiao. Chapter 66 - 66 66 The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (3)_1 ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (3)_1 Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (3)_1 On the fifteenth day of April, before the sky had even brightened, the entire Sixth Production Brigade knew that a wall of the Ruan Family had been knocked down by a huge wild boar. Many people came to gawk, and there were plenty who made snide remarks¡ªconsidering current meat prices, a big wild boar represented two or three ¡°big unity¡± bills! That¡¯s what some people earn in a year, yet their family just picked up such a big pig for nothing. They¡¯re so lucky. Of course, there were also those who said it was an ill omen. Otherwise, why did it not run into someone else¡¯s home, but instead the Ruan¡¯s? Regardless of what the others said, the Ruan Family started to get busy as soon as it was light, and many villagers spontaneously helped with slaughtering the pig. Ruan Jiaojiao sat on a long bench, holding an egg and eating it. The adults in the Ruan Family were busy, her brothers were as well, leaving her free to have breakfast here. ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± the little villain, who had appeared beside her at some point, furrowed his brows and said firmly. Ruan Jiaojiao continued to watch the people coming and going outside, eating her egg in small bites, paying him no mind. The little villain walked in front of her, blocking her view, and repeated, ¡°This isn¡¯t good!¡± The last two words were emphasized more heavily this time. ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao. ¡°Not good!¡± the little villain said again, with even more emphasis. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Ruan Jiaojiao exploded, pushing him away irritably. Did she not know that this wasn¡¯t good? But she was also desperate! What could she do? She had only dreamt of a wild boar and then it had charged to its death against the wall of her house. Who could be more terrified than she was? She feared a bigger Ferocious Beast would appear in the future¡ªwouldn¡¯t her small frame be crushed to death then?! And if it were to harm the Ruan Family, her guilt would be even greater! Xiu Xi staggered from Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s push, nearly falling over. He took a few steps back, looking at the angry Ruan Jiaojiao with a somewhat panicked gaze. Seeing him like this, Ruan Jiaojiao felt even more irritated. It was the first time she felt that this special ability of hers, her ¡°golden finger,¡± was not at all a good thing, especially since she couldn¡¯t control it yet. She glared at him and turned to walk to the back yard. The back yard was deserted at the time. Ruan Jiaojiao sat down next to the back door¡¯s threshold, looking at the large pit that had been rammed into the wall, her expression troubled. Xiu Xi followed her and sat down on the other side of the threshold. He reached out to hold her hand that was resting by its side, gazing at her quietly, as if to comfort her. For some reason, although Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s heart had been full of turmoil just moments before, it suddenly calmed down when he took her hand. Her gaze settled, and she remembered her past life again. In her past life, when she was still a cat, the winters in the forest were especially tough and cold. Sleeping on the ground, she feared encountering wild animals; sleeping in the trees, she feared the cold. So often, she couldn¡¯t sleep well. But then, on several occasions when she was in a deep sleep, she always felt as though someone was holding her tightly in their arms. It was incredibly warm and gave her a strong sense of security, just like now with the little villain holding her hand. She turned to look at him, her eyes tinged with sentiment: ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to snap at you just now. Can you not be mad at me, please?¡± Xiu Xi looked at her and nodded. Ruan Jiaojiao smiled, pulled out a particularly red and large plum from her pocket, and handed it to him: ¡°Here, my grandma gave this to me. It¡¯s the biggest and the reddest. I¡¯ve always been too reluctant to eat it, but now I¡¯m giving it to you.¡± Xiu Xi didn¡¯t actually like this sour and astringent fruit, but hearing that Ruan Jiaojiao had been reluctant to eat it, yet was giving it to him, he accepted it. Chapter 67 - 67 67 The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (4)_1 ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (4)_1 Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (4)_1 He took a bite in front of her and then smiled at her, although the smile was so slight, it was almost imperceptible. Ruan Jiaojiao smiled too. She found that this little antagonist was actually quite nice. As long as she made sure he didn¡¯t fall in love with the female protagonist in the future, she believed he would grow up to be a good young man with the right values! Especially since he was so delicate looking, she feared he would become even more handsome as he grew up. Although the male protagonist was also good-looking, she still thought the little antagonist was more attractive. She had seen his father, Xiu Jianlin, and felt he was quite average in appearance. Perhaps he took more after his mother? ¡°Do you look like your mother?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao asked him, unable to resist pinching his face. Unfortunately, he was too thin, with no flesh on his face, unlike her own, which would puff out when pinched! The little antagonist turned into a mute once again. Upon hearing her, he just looked at her blankly, not even moving his hand to remove hers, letting her pinch away. It was Ruan Jiaojiao who ended up letting go, feeling a little guilty as she saw his face turn red. The Ruan family had slaughtered that wild boar, which weighed a hefty two hundred and thirty pounds. The Ruanlin matron had the daughters-in-law cook the offcuts and sliced a few pounds of meat to generously treat the villagers to a meal. Many households hadn¡¯t seen meat for a long time, and even though they were only eating the scraps, they were quite satisfied. As they left, they showered the family with endless compliments, and several even enthusiastically offered to help if the Ruan family needed to repair their house. The Ruanlin matron thanked them with a smile and sent off the last of the villagers. When she returned to the kitchen, she saw Liao Zhaoji greeting her with a fawning expression. ¡°Mom, are we going to divide the pork now?¡± she asked, beaming with joy. The Ruanlin matron looked at her: ¡°Divide? Divide for whom?¡± Did that mean she didn¡¯t want to share? Liao Zhaoji¡¯s face changed instantly, her smile fading, and her face stretched long as she asked sarcastically, ¡°Does that mean all the meat belongs solely to the eldest brother?¡± ¡°Otherwise? Does it all belong to you?¡± the Ruanlin matron retorted. ¡°Mom, you always take care of and favor Jianguo, and I¡¯ve never mentioned that before, but the wild boar was clearly hunted by all four brothers, so why should it belong only to him? Aren¡¯t you afraid the other sons will feel neglected?¡± The Ruanlin matron was so annoyed she laughed. ¡°What, now it¡¯s your turn to teach me how to be a mother?¡± ¡°Liao Zhaoji, hold your tongue. The boar hit the eldest brother¡¯s house; it¡¯s his. What are you fussing about!¡± Hearing the commotion, the four brothers came over. Ruan Jiandang, upon hearing Liao Zhaoji causing trouble again, immediately scolded her sharply. ¡°It¡¯s clearly mom playing favorites. How am I making a fuss!¡± Liao Zhaoji lost control, too, and the thought of so much meat going only to the main house made her feel as though a piece of flesh had been cut from her own body, the pain unbearable. She turned to Ruan Jianguo: ¡°Eldest brother, I won¡¯t comment on how mom treats you or plays favorites, but this pig was clearly hunted by you four brothers together yesterday. Why should it all go to you? Tell me, what do you think...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s divide it equally,¡± Ruan Jianguo, who never intended to keep it all to himself, immediately interrupted her. Before Liao Zhaoji could rejoice, the Ruanlin matron objected: ¡°No.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Liao Zhaoji screamed hysterically. ¡°What are you shouting for, I¡¯m not deaf!¡± the Ruanlin matron glared at her, then looking past her at the four brothers: ¡°You all know that the boar died after hitting your eldest brother¡¯s house last night. The house now has a huge hole in it and can¡¯t be lived in for the time being, so your eldest brother will take the lion¡¯s share of the pig, and you three brothers will divide the rest equally. Do any of you have objections?¡± Chapter 68 - 68 68 The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (5)_1 ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (5)_1 Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (5)_1 ¡°No.¡± ¡°Mom, you decide. That¡¯s fine.¡± Wu Le and Du Qing answered at the same time. Liao Zhaoji was so angry she felt like exploding, but with Ruan Jiandang¡¯s cold gaze on her, she couldn¡¯t say anything. Ruan Jiandang, holding Liao Zhaoji¡¯s wrist, nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s listen to Mom.¡± ¡°Alright, now there are two hundred and twenty-five pounds of pork left. Your eldest brother gets one hundred pounds, and each of you gets forty pounds. The remaining five pounds are mine. Any objections?¡± The three brothers shook their heads again in unison. Ruan Jianguo actually wanted to object. He didn¡¯t want to take advantage of his brothers, but the stern look from the Ruanlin Family matriarch made him back down, and ultimately, he said nothing. The two hundred and twenty-five pounds of pork were divided just like that. As for whether to sell it or smoke it for their own consumption, that was for each to decide. Liao Zhaoji, taking her share of the forty pounds of pork, stormed off, even slamming bowls and pans in her rage. She acted as though everyone owed her something. Ruan Jiandang, looking somewhat apologetic, glanced at Ruan Jianguo and hurried after her. Shortly after, the sound of arguing could be heard from next door. The other couple also took their meat and left, leaving only the Ruanlin matriarch and Ruan Jianguo in the kitchen. Ruan Jianguo didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Mom, why divide it this way?¡± He didn¡¯t want to take such advantage, fearing discord among brothers. After all, the old saying goes, clear accounts make good friends. ¡°What do you think this wild boar came from?¡± the Ruanlin matriarch asked him with a sneer. ¡°Did you really think it went mad and ran into our wall? Over these years, have you seen anything like this happen to other families? Or have you seen any wild boars in these mountains?¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± The Ruanlin matriarch walked over to him and whispered into his ear the dream talk she had overheard the previous night. Last night, she heard Ruan Jiaojiao talking in her sleep. At first she thought Jiaojiao was thirsty and calling for water, but then she realized the calls were for a wild boar. After several shouts, she didn¡¯t pay much attention, thinking it was just dream talk. Who would have thought that, just after she had tucked in the blanket and closed her eyes for a short while, the wild boar hit their wall! Once or twice could be coincidence, but any more than that, she did not believe in such coincidences in this world. The wild boar had been summoned by Little Jiaojiao! It was originally something meant for Little Jiaojiao. Even giving forty pounds to Liao Zhaoji had been painful for her. ¡°Mom, this...¡± Ruan Jianguo¡¯s expression grew very grave, looking at the Ruanlin matriarch with worry. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Jiaojiao having such a power; no matter what, she was his precious little girl. But he did fear that this power might harm Jiaojiao. Especially since the last time, the pheasants had bruised her knees so badly. If it were a wild boar, or some other beast, he couldn¡¯t bear to think of the consequences! ¡°Don¡¯t discuss this matter with anyone. I¡¯ll find a way,¡± the Ruanlin matriarch said. She did not see the ability as anything positive. She didn¡¯t lack for meat. When she was the young miss of the landlord, she had saved many valuable things. Although some were confiscated later, what she had hidden underground was enough to provide for her Jiaojiao to live a good life. It¡¯s just that these are chaotic times; other families are poor, and she could not afford to live too well openly, always hiding what she had without using it. ¡°I won¡¯t tell. But in the future...¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that the house was damaged this time. I have been thinking about building another one for a while. Take this chance to start a new house on that plot of land at the head of the village. If you need more money, come to me.¡± She had seen enough of Liao Zhaoji and had long wanted to move out. Chapter 69 - 69 69 The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (6)_1 ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (6)_1 Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Wild Boar That Hits the Wall (6)_1 After all, the family had long been divided, and their moving out would save a lot of trouble. ¡°Mom, so you¡¯re going to live with us, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to live with Jiaojiao,¡± the Ruanlin Family matriarch glared at him: ¡°What, you¡¯re tired of this old lady now?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Ruan Jianguo laughed: ¡°I was worried you wouldn¡¯t want to live with us.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, stop buttering me up. Take care of that pork, hang it up in the kitchen¡¯s draft to cure it for a bit. Keep a few pounds for Jiaojiao to eat, and sell the rest. This meat sells better than the home-raised stuff.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ruan Jianguo complied, this time without any mental pressure from getting more than his fair share of the pork. At this moment, Ruan Jiaojiao was oblivious that her grandmother and father had seen through her ¡°golden finger.¡± Terrified, she dared not let her thoughts wander, fearing she might conjure up some Ferocious Beast. At bedtime, she and the Ruanlin Family matriarch slept on Ruan Jie and Ruan Hao¡¯s bed, with Ruan Jie having gone to sleep in the third room. Ruan Jiaojiao nestled inside the Ruanlin Family matriarch¡¯s embrace, not daring to close her eyes for fear of dreaming again, even more afraid she might inadvertently cry out in her sleep. ¡°Jiaojiao, are you not used to sleeping here tonight?¡± Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao tossing and turning under the covers, the Ruanlin Family matriarch touched her small hand and tucked in the blankets she had kicked aside. ¡°Grandma...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao, smelling the familiar scent of the Ruanlin Family matriarch, burrowed more pleadingly into her embrace: ¡°Jiaojiao is scared.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, grandma¡¯s here, nothing can hurt our Little Jiaojiao,¡± the Ruanlin Family matriarch comforted tenderly, and after a thought, opened up her own blanket and pulled her into it. ¡°There, there, go to sleep. Grandma¡¯s watching over you,¡± her hand slipped under Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s clothes, gently stroking her back. Ruan Jiaojiao looked up and murmured a sound of contentment, snuggling deeper into her embrace. Her restless heart gradually settled, and she soon fell asleep. The Ruanlin Family matriarch didn¡¯t stop the motion of stroking her back. Under the dim moonlight, she quietly watched the Ruan Jiaojiao in her arms, not knowing how long she had been looking, her gaze tender and affectionate... The next day when Ruan Jiaojiao woke up, her first instinct was to sit up and look around the room. Seeing the walls intact, she instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Outside the door, the Ruanlin Family matriarch was instructing Ruan Jianguo to head to town after selling the meat and to buy two cans of malted milk essence at the supply and marketing cooperative. She mentioned that Ruan Jiaojiao had probably been frightened the night before last, which was why she hadn¡¯t slept well last night. Drinking two cans of malted milk essence might help her sleep better. Nowadays, not only money was required to buy things, but also ration coupons, especially for the precious malted milk essence that ordinary people couldn¡¯t get their hands on. You needed a doctor¡¯s note to purchase it, and luckily they had gotten one the last time Ruan Jiaojiao was sick. After giving her orders to Ruan Jianguo, the Ruanlin Family matriarch saw him out. Then, turning back, she saw Ruan Jiaojiao standing in the doorway and immediately softened her expression: ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re up. Grandma made you meat and egg custard today, it¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡°Grandma...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao, looking at the Ruanlin Family matriarch coming towards her in the morning sunlight, felt incredibly warm inside, and stretched out her arms pleadingly: ¡°Hug.¡± ¡°Eh, a hug, a hug for our sweet little one,¡± the Ruanlin Family matriarch moved forward and scooped her up, heading towards the back kitchen. She single-handedly poured hot water for her to wash, then wiped her face while Ruan Jiaojiao, seated on her knee with her little head held high, looked at the white hair by her temple and suddenly couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Grandma, am I heavy?¡± ¡°Heavy? You¡¯re as light as a kitten, barely a few pounds. Do you think grandma can¡¯t carry you?¡± the Ruanlin Family matriarch said amusedly, pinched her little nose, placed her on a small stool, set up a little chair in front of her, and served the warm meat and egg custard she had been keeping hot for her to eat. Chapter 70 - 70 70 Where is the Money (1)_1 ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Where is the Money? (1)_1 Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Where is the Money? (1)_1 Ruan Jiaojiao was eating breakfast while watching the Ruanlin Family matriarch bustling about in the kitchen. The Ruanlin Family matriarch was truly capable, the go-to person for everything inside and outside the house, hardly needing anyone else¡¯s help. When she passed by Ruan Jiaojiao, the girl grabbed the hem of her pants. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± The Ruanlin Family matriarch was still holding meat, which she was preparing to cure into bacon. ¡°Granny, when Jiaojiao gets into college, I will buy you lots and lots of tasty things!¡± she said earnestly. In the past, Ruan Jiaojiao only wanted to protect the Ruan Family members from dying, but now she wanted them to live well, exceptionally well! ¡°Hahaha... Then I¡¯ll just wait for my Jiaojiao¡¯s tasty treats,¡± laughed the Ruanlin Family matriarch, amused and pleased. ¡°Mmm-hmm! Granny, you wait!¡± Ruan Jiaojiao was full of fighting spirit. ¡°Alright, Granny will wait. Once you finish eating, you can go out and play. It¡¯s smoky in here, and it will smoke you out.¡± She paused and then instructed, ¡°Just play nearby, don¡¯t go out of the village, and don¡¯t go to the back mountain, understand?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She wouldn¡¯t go even if invited before she had control over her abilities. This one time that Ruan Jiaojiao got scared, she didn¡¯t think about going hunting for the following week. That Saturday, the three older brothers who were studying in town returned home. Ruan Jun, Liao Zhaoji¡¯s eldest son, was fourteen years old and in the second year of junior high. He would be moving to the third year come summer, a critical year for high school advancement, which also concerned whether they could get into college later on. They came back this time to get money for materials, which cost over five yuan. This was not a small sum. Hearing this, Liao Zhaoji exploded immediately, ¡°Are you buying gold nuggets or just materials?¡± ¡°Mom, these materials are different, our teacher brought them from the province, so they¡¯re a bit more expensive,¡± he explained. ¡°Still, it shouldn¡¯t be that expensive. It¡¯s almost half a month¡¯s wages for your father,¡± Liao Zhaoji was still reluctant to give the money. ¡°If he needs it then give it to him, it¡¯s for a good cause. Why do you have so much to say?¡± Ruan Jiandang, who hadn¡¯t received an education or learned any skills and couldn¡¯t work in a factory, could only earn money by doing odd jobs. He knew the suffering of not being educated, so he fully supported his son¡¯s education and didn¡¯t think much of the five yuan material fee. It just meant eating five catties less of meat. ¡°Didn¡¯t we sell that forty catties of meat for forty to fifty yuan last time?¡± Ruan Jiandang thought she would keep some for the family, but she sold it all the next day. But sold was sold, and it made no difference once it was turned into money. When Ruan Jiandang mentioned the money from the forty catties of meat, Liao Zhaoji felt a sudden twinge of anxiety. She averted her eyes, feeling incredibly guilty but feigned impatience and walked away to her room to get the money. She deliberately pulled out a pile of change and stuffed it into Ruan Jun¡¯s hands, muttering angrily, ¡°Having you kids is like dealing with debt collectors, always eating or asking for money!¡± Ruan Jun was past the age of arguing with his mom and couldn¡¯t be bothered to engage with her, knowing that the more he did, the more agitated she would become. He turned and went next door to find Ruan Hao. Ruan Hao was doing well academically, and when he moved up to high school, all the books and materials would be his. Still, Ruan Jun wanted to let him know in advance, just in case he¡¯d already promised them to someone else. As Ruan Jiandang spoke about this, he recalled something else. As soon as Ruan Jun left, he said, ¡°The second boy is going to junior high this year. The tuition for both will be over two hundred. How much do you still have left? When you have time, count it up. I¡¯ll see how much we¡¯re short and think of a way to make it up.¡± Chapter 71 - 71 71 Where is the Money (2)_1 ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Where is the Money? (2)_1 Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Where is the Money? (2)_1 ¡°How... how much can there be left, with all the expenses needed around here inside and out!¡± Liao Zhaoji mumbled vaguely. ¡°Last year, I gave you two hundred yuan, and this year it¡¯s already been a hundred, right? Plus the money from selling meat last time, how could there be so little left?¡± Ruan Jiandang asked suspiciously as soon as he noticed her evasiveness. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Liao Zhaoji, already feeling guilty, immediately exploded upon hearing this, glaring at Ruan Jiandang, ¡°Ruan Jiandang, do you have no conscience! I bore and raised your children for you, and this is how you repay me, by suspecting me of stealing your money? Say it! What exactly do you mean by that!¡± ¡°Why are you so angry? I didn¡¯t say anything else, just asked you to count it out,¡± Ruan Jiandang said, looking at her incredulously. ¡°Then let me tell you, there¡¯s nothing good to count! Definitely not two hundred, not even sure about one hundred!¡± Liao Zhaoji snorted coldly. ¡°So where¡¯s the money?¡± Ruan Jiandang glared, perplexed that there was seemingly no money despite no major purchases or expenditures. ¡°It¡¯s been spent.¡± ¡°Spent where?¡± ¡°There are plenty of places it was used; how could I possibly keep track of every single one.¡± ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiandang. Silence. Liao Zhaoji, seeing Ruan Jiandang silent and unresponsive, suddenly felt uneasy. She stood up, intending to leave, but Ruan Jiandang grabbed her, his gaze sharp, ¡°Bring me the money, I¡¯ll count it myself.¡± ¡°Count, count what!¡± Liao Zhaoji panicked, tried to shake off his hand but couldn¡¯t. Seeing her like this, Ruan Jiandang didn¡¯t bother to argue. He turned and went straight to the inner room, knowing exactly where Liao Zhaoji usually kept the money. As he strode into the room and headed for the money jar, Liao Zhaoji fell into complete disarray, hurriedly ran after him, and frantically shouted, ¡°Father, father! Let me do the counting, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°No need!¡± If Ruan Jiandang hadn¡¯t realized that Liao Zhaoji was up to something by now, he would have been a fool. He shrugged her off, pulled a tin can from a crack in the wall, and Liao Zhaoji nearly lunged at him, grabbing his hand and looking at him with pleading eyes. Ruan Jiandang shrugged her off again. When he opened the money can, he poured all the money onto the table. There wasn¡¯t a single hundred-yuan note, not even any fifties. There were only two loose five-yuan notes and about a dozen one-yuan notes. He counted with a somber face, his expression dark as the bottom of a pot, ¡°Twenty-seven yuan and forty cents?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of the money?¡± ¡°This... I can explain, I can explain!¡± Liao Zhaoji looked at him anxiously, her eyes slightly red, ¡°Before the New Year, we actually had saved up two hundred, really. It¡¯s just that a while ago when I went back... my mother said they found a match for Laifu, and the other party didn¡¯t want any significant gifts, just a Flying Pigeon brand bicycle would do.¡± ¡°You know the situation at my family¡¯s home. My mother borrowed some money from me, but don¡¯t worry, as soon as my brother has money, he will definitely pay it back, he will for sure.¡± ¡°What about the money from the meat we just sold a few days ago? If I remember correctly, you kept none of it for yourself, all of it was sold, must have been at least forty yuan, right?¡± ¡°That... that...¡± Liao Zhaoji licked her lips, looking even more guilty, unable to meet Ruan Jiandang¡¯s gaze as she looked away and explained in a low voice, ¡°That... didn¡¯t sell... My mother suggested, since Laifu might be getting married soon, it would be better to smoke the meat into cured meat in advance instead of troubling ourselves to buy meat later on...¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve given all the money to your family, and the meat went there too, right?¡± Ruan Jiandang could hardly believe it. Chapter 72 - 72 72 Accident (1)_1 ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Accident (1)_1 Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Accident (1)_1 ¡°I... Dad, this isn¡¯t really taking; when Laifu makes it big, he will definitely pay us back double!¡± Liao Zhaoji had always firmly believed this. Ruan Jiandang didn¡¯t say anything. He just felt a deep sense of desolation. Working himself to death every day, scrimping on food and clothes, his three children suffering along with them, never having a good day, and after finally saving up a year¡¯s worth of money, all of it ended up being given away to someone else? ¡°Husband, are you craving some meat? You go and tell Mom; I saw she had several pounds of meat saved up, she even has five pounds for herself...¡± ¡°Liao Zhaoji!¡± Ruan Jiandang roared in anger, looking at her incredulously, ¡°That is Mom¡¯s and Big Brother¡¯s meat! You sold your own meat, asking them for more, do you have no shame?!¡± Liao Zhaoji was originally feeling guilty and out of breath, but upon hearing this, she became indignant. She scoffed coldly, ¡°Over two hundred pounds of meat, and Ruan Jianguo gets a hundred pounds just like that? Mom¡¯s being biased. Just like your two brothers who are as dumb as posts, they have nothing to say, but do you think Wu Le and the rest won¡¯t have anything to say? Who knows what they¡¯re grumbling about in their hearts? You really think I¡¯m the only one who can¡¯t stand this?¡± ¡°And about Mom, she went along with them and even got herself five pounds of meat, which will surely be eaten by Ruan Jiaojiao. Why should only she eat it, aren¡¯t Chizi and the rest also her grandsons?¡± ¡°Husband, I¡¯m not kidding, I¡¯ve never seen such a biased grandmother!¡± Liao Zhaoji¡¯s anger rose as she spoke more. ¡°If your mother isn¡¯t biased, have her give back the meat and the money!¡± Ruan Jiandang knew it was impossible to reason with her and retorted scornfully. The more Liao Zhaoji heard, the more spirited she became, ¡°That¡¯s different, my mom¡¯s biased toward Laifu because he is going to support her in her old age. When he succeeds, naturally he wouldn¡¯t forget about us, his elder sisters and brother-in-laws. But look at Ruan Jiaojiao, a drain on resources, she will be someone else¡¯s benefit in the future. Why pamper her so much? That¡¯s why I say the entire Ruan Family is a bunch of freaks.¡± Liao Zhaoji was becoming more and more animated, completely oblivious to the extreme displeasure on Ruan Jiandang¡¯s face. He pushed her away forcefully, pointing at her nose, ¡°Liao Zhaoji, I¡¯m not going to waste words with you. I¡¯m giving you three days to get the money back. We can consider this matter over then.¡± ¡°Why the hell should I!¡± Liao Zhaoji glared at him, ¡°Laifu is going to be somebody in the future, and he will be able to support you, his brother-in-law. Why are you being so petty with him?¡± Liao Zhaoji looked as if Ruan Jiandang had said something utterly unbelievable. ¡°Is that so? Then let him start by looking after his nephews, who can barely afford school soon. The second half of the year is only a few months away, where am I supposed to get so much money from!¡± Ruan Jiandang sneered coldly. ¡°I won¡¯t go! There¡¯s no such thing as giving money out and then asking for it back. How can I face going back to my parents¡¯ home after that!¡± Liao Zhaoji shook her head, unwilling. ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to come back to the Ruan Family either!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Liao Zhaoji¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at him, ¡°For such a small sum of money, are you intending to divorce me?¡± ¡°Ruan Jiandang, you¡¯re heartless! Have I ever had a single day of happiness with you all these years? I bore you sons, three of them at that! All the hard work I¡¯ve done inside and outside over the years, even if there¡¯s no merit, there¡¯s definitely toil, and yet you¡¯re making a fuss with me over such a small sum?¡± ¡°Besides, if you were any good, would you worry over this bit of money? Now that the boys have no tuition fees, you can¡¯t figure out what to do and instead pick a fight with me, are you still a man!¡± Chapter 73 - 73 73 Accident (2)_1 ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Accident (2)_1 Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Accident (2)_1 As she spoke, Liao Zhaoji just plopped down on the ground and began to wail bitterly, all the while voicing the hardships she had endured over the years. Ruan Jiandang was afraid that her crying would summon the Ruanlin Family, so he tried to pull her up. However, Liao Zhaoji let herself go completely, shook off his hand, and with every breath, she cried that she did not want to live anymore, gasping for air in her sobs. Ruan Jiandang had no other choice and could only say, ¡°Alright, alright, stop crying¡ªI¡¯ll figure something out! I¡¯ll find a way!¡± ¡°Really??¡± Liao Zhaoji¡¯s face, still wet with tears, turned to look at him. Ruan Jiandang nodded, his expression dark and heavy. Liao Zhaoji¡¯s face instantly blossomed into a smile. No longer needing Ruan Jiandang¡¯s help, she sprang up from the ground on her own. While patting the dust off her backside, she said, ¡°Then you better be quick. Otherwise, it¡¯s fine even if you go ask Mom for help. I think she definitely has...¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Ruan Jiandang glared at her, ¡°I will figure this out, and you are not to set your sights on Mom¡¯s things.¡± ¡°...¡± Frustrated, Liao Zhaoji wanted to say more, but seeing Ruan Jiandang¡¯s unapproachable demeanor, and his dismissal of the matter, she swallowed her retort. When Ruan Jiandang came out of the house with his hands behind his back, the three Ruan brothers were outside. ¡°What are you blocking the way for here?¡± Ruan Chi¡¯s expression was particularly angry, wanting to barge into the room, but Ruan Jun held him back. Ruan Jun looked at Ruan Jiandang with a rather solemn expression, ¡°Dad, you shouldn¡¯t have let Mom off so easily.¡± Ruan Jun knew his mom¡¯s character all too well. If there was a first, there would be a second. From a young age, she liked to take things from her parents¡¯ home, even if it meant making them suffer, just to maintain her image there. This time, she easily gave away a couple hundred yuan to them, sent all forty kilograms of meat over; the next time, she would dare to do the same or even worse! If she wasn¡¯t taught a lesson, she would never know the severity of her actions. ¡°All you need to do is study hard; you don¡¯t need to worry about these things.¡± Ruan Jiandang knew this as well, but after over ten years of marriage, it wasn¡¯t something to actually divorce over. Worst case scenario, he would earn money later on and not let her manage it. ¡°All right, as long as you¡¯re aware of what¡¯s happening, that¡¯s enough,¡± said Ruan Jun, not dwelling on the matter further, and took the clearly discontent Ruan Chi back to their room. Ruan Chi was angrily punching the wall inside the room. He had always known about his mom taking things to her parents¡¯ house, but he never imagined that one day she would even take out their tuition money! And as for the meat, she didn¡¯t leave a single piece for them. When he asked about it one day, she said she had sold all of it and told him to freeload at his uncle¡¯s house. He didn¡¯t say anything at the time, nor did he go freeload at his grandmother¡¯s. He just thought that if it was converted to money, it was fine, but he had no idea that it was all given away to his grandmother¡¯s house! ¡°Don¡¯t talk about this to outsiders; let it rot in your stomach, got it? Same goes for Xiaowei¡ªyou better not say anything in front of Grandma,¡± cautioned Ruan Jun, who was more thoughtful than his two younger brothers, immediately instructing them. Ruan Wei, admiring his brother who was five years his senior, nodded. Ruan Chi, under the stern gaze of Ruan Jun, could only reluctantly nod in agreement. Ruan Jun thought that the matter should just be left in the past, but he had no idea that because of this concealment, the incident the next day would occur! The following day. The Ruan brothers returned to school, Ruan Jiandang did not come back for dinner that night. Liao Zhaoji thought he was still out in the fields and didn¡¯t mind, as he often missed mealtimes, so she just left some food for him in the pot. But by eight o¡¯clock in the evening, when the sky had already been dark for a long time and Ruan Jiandang still hadn¡¯t returned, she began to worry. Chapter 74 - 74 74 Accident (3)_1 ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Accident (3)_1 Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Accident (3)_1 She went next door to find Jianguo, ¡°Brother, did you see Jiandang in the fields when you came back?¡± The first batch of rice would need to be planted in a few days, so these past days, the four brothers had all been busy in the fields. Jianguo was washing his feet with a basin when he heard this. He turned his head to look and replied, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen our second brother in the fields at all today. What¡¯s happened?¡± ¡°How is that possible? He left at noon! He said he was going to the fields! How could he not be there all day! He still hasn¡¯t come back!¡± Upon hearing this, Liao Zhaoji became anxious. Frowning, Jianguo saw the Ruanlin Family holding up a kerosene lamp and coming out. He stopped washing his feet, put on his shoes, and headed outside, ¡°I¡¯ll go look in the fields; you all don¡¯t panic just yet.¡± ¡°Be careful on the road,¡± the Ruanlin Family advised. Jianguo acknowledged and was already walking into the distance. Jiaojiao hadn¡¯t gone to bed at this hour either. Hearing noises, she sat up from bed. The Ruanlin Family came in holding a kerosene lamp and told her to lie down and go to sleep first. Jiaojiao shook her head, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m not sleepy. I¡¯ll wait too.¡± The Ruanlin Family patted her little head and said nothing more. The two of them waited inside the house, while Liao Zhaoji waited outside, pacing back and forth restlessly. When Jianguo hurried back, Jie and Chi had also gotten up, and they all gathered in the courtyard. Jianguo looked at Liao Zhaoji with a grave expression, ¡°Jiandang isn¡¯t in the fields, nor is he on the land. Think carefully, did he say he was going somewhere else today?¡± Liao Zhaoji stared blankly at him, ¡°I... He didn¡¯t say anything! He just said he was going to the fields!¡± Jianguo pondered for a few seconds before turning and walking out again. Liao Zhaoji followed him, and the younger boys exchanged glances and followed suit. Jiaojiao wanted to join, but the Ruanlin Family stopped her, and they stayed home and waited. Jianguo went around the team¡¯s houses, asking several families, and finally, one family had seen Jiandang. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Jiandang? I saw him near the front mountain this afternoon. I even warned him not to go in there. He said he was just wandering around and wouldn¡¯t go in. What happened?¡± The person looked confused and, seeing the grim expressions on the faces of the Ruan Family after he answered, he began to feel uneasy, ¡°Hasn¡¯t he come back yet? Did he go into the front mountain?¡± ¡°He just hasn¡¯t!¡± Liao Zhaoji was on the verge of tears. ¡°Well... Don¡¯t panic. Let me put on a coat, and we¡¯ll find a few more people to search the mountains. Don¡¯t worry,¡± the person said, being kind-hearted and from the same team, having a good relationship with the Ruan Family. He had even eaten wild boar at the Ruan home not long ago, and he promptly offered his help. In the end, five or six men from the team, including Jianguo, set out to search for Jiandang around the back and front mountains. The younger boys wanted to go too, but being too small, and with the added uncertainty of the night, Jianguo decided not to let them follow into the mountains. The search went on for most of the night, but they found no trace of him. Liao Zhaoji was crying desperately at home, the Ruanlin Family kept a stern face without speaking, and Jiaojiao hadn¡¯t slept, curled up in the Ruanlin Family¡¯s arms, her face full of worry. She was genuinely concerned. Ever since a wild boar had come out of the back mountain last time, the Ruanlin Family had forbidden Chi and the others from entering the back mountain; they were uncertain if there were any more wild animals. Now that Jiandang had disappeared, unclear whether he had gone into the front or back mountain, and had not come out after so long, the situation seemed quite dire. What she could think of, others could naturally imagine as well. Especially the Ruanlin Family, who¡¯s complexion had already turned somewhat pale. Chapter 75 - 75 75 Accident (4)_1 ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Accident (4)_1 Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Accident (4)_1 She watched Liao Zhaoji, who still knew how to cry on the ground, with cold eyes and asked her, ¡°What was he doing wandering around near Qianshan if there was nothing wrong?¡± ¡°Wuu wuu wuu... How would I know!¡± Liao Zhaoji sobbed and shook her head. Ruan Chi, standing beside her, looked at his mother with an expression that held a trace of resentment. He had held back all night, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t restrain himself and gave Ruanlin Family a play-by-play of the previous day¡¯s events; his voice was hoarse by the end as he said, ¡°Grandma, Dad must have gone hunting in the mountains. Our tuition for next semester is gone; he said he would find a way!¡± The most likely scenario was that Ruan Jiandang, knowing there was little game on the back mountain, had gone into Qianshan to see if he might chance upon a wild boar¡ªthat would instantly net him two hundred yuan. ¡°Is what he said true?¡± Ruanlin Family put down Ruan Jiaojiao from her arms and walked up to the weeping Liao Zhaoji. Having heard what Ruan Chi said, Liao Zhaoji had already turned deathly pale. Now confronted with Ruanlin Family¡¯s interrogation, she was utterly terrified, her gaze fixed on her in a daze. ¡°Liao Zhaoji, you black-hearted woman, have you been blinded by pig fat? Ah!¡± Liao Zhaoji remained silent, incensing Ruanlin Family to the point that she slapped her across the face. ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t think, Mom... what do we do, if something happens to Jiandang!¡± Liao Zhaoji, covering her face, cried pitifully. ¡°Shut your mouth! Liao Zhaoji, I¡¯m telling you, if even a hair on my son¡¯s head is harmed, I¡¯ll make sure your Liao Family pays dearly! You want money, right? I¡¯d like to see if you¡¯d still want money if you had no lives left to live!¡± Ruanlin Family was filled with regret. She regretted not having shown Liao Zhaoji her true colors earlier. As a result, Liao Zhaoji had caused such a catastrophe today. Her gaze fell upon Liao Zhaoji as if laced with poison, her voice chilling to the bone, ¡°Liao Zhaoji, you better pray my son is unharmed, or else...¡± The rest of the sentence went unsaid, but that tone and that look sent shivers down Liao Zhaoji¡¯s spine! ¡ª¡ª As the black night welcomed the first ray of sunlight, Ruan Family was enveloped in utter silence. They searched nearly all night, but Ruan Jiandang was nowhere to be found. Everyone understood what this meant. In recent years, the village had been relatively peaceful. Moreover, since the government had fenced off Qianshan, there hadn¡¯t been sightings of wild beasts coming down, but the wild boar incident a few days prior was proof that their back and front mountains were not devoid of wild animals. Having lived here for over thirty years and not being found on the back mountain, Ruan Jiandang¡¯s absence for one whole night could only imply one thing. It was feared that the odds were grim! Exhausted from searching all night, the people who had joined the search were tired. The members of Ruan Family were even more worn out. Ruanlin Family sat in a chair holding Ruan Jiaojiao. She hadn¡¯t slept all night, her expression somber. Ruan Jianguo was also very tired, but at this time, he could not stop. He sent off the people who had helped, then turned to Ruanlin Family and said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to the town to get Jianjun and Jianmin, and I¡¯ll report it to the police, to ask them to help look for him.¡± Ruanlin Family waved her hand, too exhausted even to speak. Liao Zhaoji sat on the steps at the entrance of the main room, her voice hoarse from crying. Now, she stared blankly into the distance, seemingly looking at nothing. Ruan Jianguo, now aware of the situation, truly had nothing to say about this younger sister-in-law... He patted Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s little head, asking her to be good, before he set off for the town. The youngsters didn¡¯t go to school today; they seemed to have grown up overnight. Ruan Chi and Ruan Jie prepared some food in the kitchen and brought it out for Ruanlin Family to eat. Chapter 76 - 76 76 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (1)_1 ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (1)_1 Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (1)_1 But Mrs. Ruanlin couldn¡¯t eat a bite. She shook her head and said, ¡°You go ahead and eat. Don¡¯t starve yourselves.¡± Then she looked at Ruan Jiaojiao in her arms, who also hadn¡¯t slept all night and didn¡¯t look good, ¡°Jiaojiao, are you hungry? Mom doesn¡¯t have the energy to steam eggs for you, would it be okay to just eat something?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Ruan Jiaojiao had long since regarded the Ruan family as her own home. Now that such an incident had occurred, she was also filled with anxiety and had no appetite whatsoever. She stretched out her little arms to hug Mrs. Ruanlin¡¯s arm, comforting her in a soft voice, ¡°Mom, Uncle Second won¡¯t be in trouble.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Mrs. Ruanlin patted her little head, then fell silent again. The others couldn¡¯t really eat either. Ruan Wei was huddled in the corner wiping away tears. Ruan Jie approached to pat his shoulder. Ruan Wei immediately looked up with red eyes and asked him, ¡°Fourth brother, Dad won¡¯t be in trouble, will he?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Ruan Jie nodded in affirmation. Ruan Wei looked at him and couldn¡¯t help bursting into tears again. Ruan Jianguo had hurried back from town by a little after eight in the morning, accompanied by the spouses from the third and fourth branches of the family. Although they had reported to the police, the officials had said it would take a full seventy-two hours before they could file a missing person report, so no police followed them back. Du Qing walked past Liao Zhaoji, who sat disheveled on the ground, and went straight to Mrs. Ruanlin. Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao squinting her eyes listlessly, she was overwhelmed with pity and took her into her embrace. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Uncle Second will be fine. We¡¯re going to search the mountains right now,¡± said Ruan Jianjun as he arrived, bringing along several of his coworkers. Liao Zhaoji, with tears in her eyes, looked towards them and nodded vigorously. Mrs. Ruanlin also nodded at them, attempting to get up. But having sat for too long and not eaten, she nearly fell as she rose. Fortunately, Ruan Jiaojiao and Du Qing were quick to assist her. ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t go on like this. You have to eat something. And the rest of you too. Even if you have to go up the mountain, you must eat first!¡± Wu Le said, and went off to prepare food in the kitchen. Soon, he had cooked a pot of sweet potato rice, accompanied by a few small dishes. Ruan Jianguo had also been up all night and was now woozy with hunger. He sat down and ate several large bowls of rice. Once everyone had finished eating, they immediately set off to the back mountain. Many villagers also joined, making the group at least twenty to thirty strong. Mrs. Ruanlin also forced herself to eat some food and, disregarding everyone¡¯s objections, followed them as well. Only a few kids, along with Ruan Jiaojiao, were left behind. But how could the little ones possibly stay put? No sooner had the adults left than the kids followed on their heels, with Ruan Jiaojiao naturally among them. The two groups did not run into each other on the back mountain because the adults, not finding Ruan Jiandang there, moved on to search the outer perimeter of the front mountain while Ruan Jiaojiao and the others continued to search the back mountain. They searched diligently, calling out for Ruan Jiandang all the while, completely unaware of the rustling noises among the trees. By the time they noticed, it was too late. Hundreds of monkeys swarmed above their heads in the trees. One monkey, clearly the leader, swiftly leaped down from a large tree and darted toward Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Lei. Ruan Lei, taken aback by a monkey suddenly jumping in front of him, instinctively stepped back two paces. By the time he reacted, he saw the monkey scoop up Ruan Jiaojiao and bound up the tree. ¡°Jiaojiao!¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Everyone was shocked, watching helplessly as the monkey fled with Ruan Jiaojiao into the treetops, disappearing from view in an instant, heading toward the front mountain. ¡°Sister...¡± Little Fatty just sat down on the ground, completely stunned. Chapter 77 - 77 77 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (2)_1 ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (2)_1 Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (2)_1 Ruan Jie instinctively tried to chase after her, but the iron fence separated the back mountain from the front, and he couldn¡¯t get across. He could only watch as his sister was carried away by a monkey, eventually losing sight of her completely. He snapped to his senses and immediately ran down the mountain. When he arrived at the Ruan Family¡¯s home, Ruan Jie was already pale as a ghost; he couldn¡¯t even see that Ruan Jiandang had already been brought back. He rushed through the crowd, bumping and pushing people aside, until he found Ruan Jianguo and the Ruanlin Family matriarch and flung himself at them, wailing. ¡°Granny, Dad, Jiaojiao¡¯s gone, Jiaojiao¡¯s gone...¡± The Ruanlin Family matriarch had barely relaxed after Ruan Jiandang was found; hearing this she almost passed out. ¡°What do you mean Jiaojiao¡¯s gone? Wasn¡¯t she with you at home?¡± Ruan Jianguo asked, his face ashen. If one looked closely, they could see his hands shaking at his sides, still terrified from Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s illness the month before. The twelve-year-old boy shook as he cried in front of Ruanlin Family and Ruan Jianguo, struggling to get his words out. It took a long while for those who had followed behind to piece together what had happened, but once they understood, the collective doubt was silenced. ¡°How can there be monkeys on the back mountain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, our ancestors have lived here for generations and we¡¯ve never heard of any monkeys around.¡± ¡°Exactly, Ruan Jie, you better not be lying. Did you do something...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not, Jiaojiao was really taken by a monkey, Dad, Dad, we have to chase after her! She was carried to the front mountain!¡± Ruan Jie was jumping anxiously, crying out, not understanding why they wouldn¡¯t believe him. At the mention of the front mountain, everyone¡¯s gaze involuntarily shifted to Ruan Jiandang, who had just been brought back. That front mountain... if Ruan Jiandang, an adult, could barely make it out in one piece, what could happen to a child... Hearing this, the Ruanlin Family matriarch, already on an emotional rollercoaster, fainted with her eyes rolling back. Ruan Jianguo¡¯s face turned deathly pale, on the verge of fainting as well. They had only just found Ruan Jiandang who had been attacked by a wild buffalo, his leg nearly pierced by a horn. They didn¡¯t even know if his leg could be saved. And his delicate little girl had gone into that place, could she even survive? He turned to run out, but was held back by several villagers. ¡°Jianguo, you can¡¯t be reckless now. First, take Jiandang to the hospital, and your mother has fainted too...¡± The villagers held him back, saying this, although they really didn¡¯t want him to rush into the front mountain and invite death. When they searched for Ruan Jiandang, they didn¡¯t enter the front mountain but scoured the perimeters instead. Fortunately, Ruan Jiandang hadn¡¯t gone deep and was found in a shallower area. They had dared to venture a bit further, emboldened by their numbers. But now with Ruan Jiaojiao taken by a monkey, no one knew where she was. She might very well be in the center, where the wild beasts roamed most densely. Running in there would be akin to sending oneself to death, likely not even to return in one piece. They were willing to accompany him to search around the perimeter, but no one had the courage to charge in. Ruan Jianmin and Ruan Jianjun also came to pull him back: ¡°Big brother, big brother, let¡¯s discuss this calmly, don¡¯t panic!¡± ¡°How can I not panic, that¡¯s my daughter, that¡¯s Jiaojiao!¡± Ruan Jianguo¡¯s mind was in chaos, every thought of Ruan Jiaojiao in the front mountain set his heart ablaze as if it were on fire. On the side, under the care of Du Qing and Wu Le, the Ruanlin Family matriarch, coming faintly around, struggled to get up and insisted on going to search for Ruan Jiaojiao on the front mountain. The Ruanlin Family matriarch was filled with regret. Such deep regret that it turned her insides green. Chapter 78 - 78 78 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (3)_1 ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (3)_1 Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (3)_1 She was so preoccupied with rushing her son to the hospital, how could she have failed to watch over her precious child? Just the thought of Ruan Jiaojiao¡¯s possible situation on Qianshan Mountain made her wish she could die. ¡°Mom, Mom...¡± The Ruanlin Family matriarch fainted again, and Du Qing and Wu Le struggled to hold on to her. ¡°Quick, Jianguo, take your mom to the hospital,¡± urged several of the villagers. Ruan Jianguo stood still, gripping his fists tightly before finally turning to pick up the Ruanlin Family matriarch. Meanwhile, a tricycle from the house of Second Uncle arrived, carrying the still unconscious Ruan Jiandang and the Ruanlin Family matriarch on board. And in the midst of the chaos, unnoticed by everyone, a small figure silently began to run towards the back mountain... In the hospital. The Ruanlin Family matriarch still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness. The doctor said that considering her age, combined with the severe fluctuations in her emotions, there was a very real possibility she could have a stroke. He advised the family to stay by her side and keep a close watch. Ruan Jiandang, on the other hand, was in the operating room. He was relatively fortunate as, although his leg had been pierced by the horn of an ox and the bone broken, surgery offered a possibility of recovery. However, the cost of the surgery was high, and the expenses for subsequent care were even higher. Liao Zhaoji sat outside the operating room, shaking. Ruan Jun had rushed over from school and now sat beside her, expressionless, and said, ¡°Mom, go and get the money back from grandma¡¯s house. Dad¡¯s surgery needs money.¡± Liao Zhaoji turned her head in shock, staring at him with disbelief: ¡°All that money has already been lent out, how could it possibly be taken back?¡± Ruan Jun didn¡¯t waste words with her and said coldly, ¡°Then you choose what¡¯s more important: your mother¡¯s family or us! If you choose us, go get the money now. If you choose grandma¡¯s family, you can roll back to them right now!¡± Roll? Her son actually told her to roll back? Liao Zhaoji was too shocked to express her emotions, just staring blankly at him, unable to react for a long time. Ruan Jun now felt regret too. He wished he hadn¡¯t kept the matter secret yesterday, which led to his father laying in the operating room and his sister... Thinking of Ruan Jiaojiao, Ruan Jun felt too irritated to even look at Liao Zhaoji and stood up to go to the Ruanlin Family matriarch¡¯s ward. The Ruanlin Family matriarch still hadn¡¯t awakened. Ruan Jianguo was waiting at the door, Du Qing and Wu Le accompanied him by the bed. Seeing Ruan Jianguo¡¯s numb expression, neither of them spoke. Ruan Jianmin and Ruan Jianjun had confirmed that the Ruanlin Family matriarch and Ruan Jiandang were stable and had gone back to look for Ruan Jiaojiao. Logic dictated that Ruan Jianguo should have gone back too, but afraid that he would lose his sanity, they adamantly stopped him and kept him at the hospital. But now, Du Qing and Wu Le were unsure if they were doing the right thing. If Ruan Jiaojiao returned safely, well and good. But if... if... Faced with that possibility, Du Qing¡¯s eyes began to redden, she turned her head away, wiping her tears with her hand, her heart aching intensely. If the aunt felt this much pain, it was unimaginable how tortured Ruan Jianguo, the father, was in his heart right now. Seeing Ruan Jun approaching, Du Qing wiped away her tears and stood up to meet him: ¡°Xiaojun, why have you come back? Have Ruan Hao and Ruan Bo also arrived?¡± Ruan Jun shook his head: ¡°They went back to join in the search for Jiaojiao.¡± Ruan Jun looked towards Ruan Jianguo, his eyes red, blinking rapidly, and then he knelt down in front of him: ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m sorry.¡± In the end, this entire matter had been stirred up by Liao Zhaoji. Chapter 79 - 79 79 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (4)_1 ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (4)_1 Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (4)_1 She didn¡¯t press Ruan Jiandang to go out and find ways to make money, he wouldn¡¯t have failed to return home all night, causing Ruan Jianguo to search for him all night, which led Ruan Jiaojiao to go looking in the back mountains. If they hadn¡¯t gone searching, Jiaojiao would not have been abducted by monkeys. Thinking of his soft and delicate little sister, Ruan Jun wished he could slap his yesterday self fiercely. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m sorry, so sorry...¡± Ruan Jianguo¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, tears nearly falling with every blink, but he helped Ruan Jun up, patted him on the shoulder, said nothing, and turned towards the direction of the washroom at the end of the hospital corridor. A few minutes later. Everyone heard the suppressed crying coming from the washroom, the sound of a man desperately holding back his sorrow, like the lament of a beast that had lost its young. Everyone understood that this time, it was highly likely that Ruan Jiaojiao was in grave danger, maybe even... without a body to be found. Du Qing couldn¡¯t hold back either and started crying with his face covered. Wu Le looked away, quietly shedding tears. The entire hospital ward was immersed in sorrow. Meanwhile, elsewhere. Ruan Jiaojiao wasn¡¯t as pitiful as they imagined, not at risk of losing her body, but instead, she was having a rather good time. She was startled when she was first grabbed by the monkey and carried away. The monkey was tall, holding her as if she weighed nothing, and leaped around the forest. In less than fifteen minutes, they had reached the central area of the front mountain, which was their home. Monkeys are sociable animals and possess a certain level of intelligence. They didn¡¯t mean her any harm; instead, they seemed to treat her like a young monkey? The monkey that was holding her seemed to be the leader, taking her back to its tree. After making her comfortable in its arms, a smaller monkey scampered over with a bright red apple, smiling with bared teeth, ¡°Chatter, chatter, chatter...¡± ¡°Is this for me to eat?¡± Ruan Jiaojiao tilted her little head and tentatively asked. The smaller monkey kept chattering and pushed the apple into her hands, then watched her intently, as if waiting for her to eat. Ruan Jiaojiao thought for a moment, not wanting to anger it, so she bit into it. The monkey immediately laughed heartily, moved forward, and kissed... the monkey holding her. ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao held the apple and thought silently, might this be a monkey couple? Both the large and the small monkey watched her with intense gaze, and Ruan Jiaojiao, unable to refuse their hospitality, continued to nibble on the apple. Only after she finished the apple did the leader monkey happily pat her head, then passed her to its mate¡¯s arms and leaped to the highest tree there, pointing at Ruan Jiaojiao and chattering excitedly. The other monkeys in the nearby trees looked at her and joined in the chattering, as if responding to something. ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao didn¡¯t understand, it was unclear to her what they were saying, nor did she know why they had brought her here. Looking at this towering tree, she knew she had no chance of escaping and simply settled down, nestling in the arms of the female monkey that held her. Feeling her calmness, the gaze of the female monkey softened. Like magic, it produced another fruit, a peach, not a furry one but a succulent, juicy peach that looked irresistibly delicious. Unfortunately for Ruan Jiaojiao, who always had a small appetite, she had barely finished an apple and had no room left for this. Chapter 80 - 80 80 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (5)_1 ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (5)_1 Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Jiaojiao is Kidnapped (5)_1 She looked at the monkey mother, larger than her by several sizes, shook her head while covering her belly. Confused, the monkey mother followed her gaze to her stomach, touched it, and then laughed. Without insisting that she eat the peach, she placed it on the branch behind her, hugged her, turned her around, and began to untie her neatly tied hair, searching thoroughly. ¡°...¡± Ruan Jiaojiao, thank you, I don¡¯t have that thing! Over here, Ruan Jiaojiao was relatively safe for the moment, but on the other side, the Ruan Family was turning upside down. After searching the whole day, with evening approaching, they still hadn¡¯t found Ruan Jiaojiao. No one dared to venture deeper into the woods, everyone said it was more likely to be bad news than good. The Ruan Family didn¡¯t want to stop the search, yet after a whole day, not only were the villagers tired, but they too were exhausted. The younger kids cried until they had no more tears, the older ones were silent, expressionless. Ruan Jie would have rushed to the front hill if Ruan Jianmin hadn¡¯t slapped him on the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious. He truly would have done so. Last time his sister followed him into the hills and got hurt, this time she went into the hills and he lost her entirely. This left too many shadows in the young boy¡¯s heart. He regretted so deeply that he wanted to die or be taken away in place of his sister. The Ruanlin Family matriarch had woken up in the afternoon, and when she learned Ruan Jiaojiao had not been found, she climbed out of bed, first scolding Ruan Jianguo, then rushed to Liao Zhaoji and gave her a beating. ¡°Ah, you woman, why don¡¯t you just die! Why don¡¯t you die and give me back my Little Jiaojiao! Oh heavens, why don¡¯t you take this woman away! What on earth did our Ruan Family do wrong to deserve a home-wrecker like you! Oh Lord, please open your eyes...¡± The Ruanlin matriarch took out all her anger on Liao Zhaoji, who, despite Wu Le and Du Qing¡¯s efforts to protect her, ended up with her face scratched and bloody. Liao Zhaoji, both shocked and scared, didn¡¯t dare to fight back and could only be beaten. In the end, her upper garments were torn open, revealing her undergarments, her face covered in cuts, her hair a tangled mess, she cowered in the corner like a mad woman, utterly disheveled. Ruan Jun stood outside the door watching and did nothing, just silently looked away. ¡°Mom, Mom...¡± Du Qing and Wu Le couldn¡¯t stop the Ruanlin matriarch at all, even getting accidentally hurt while trying to intervene. Ruan Jianguo clenched his lips tightly, watching the four women create chaos, until finally, doctors from outside ran in and scolded them, urging them to stop the uproar in the hospital before he stepped forward to pull the Ruanlin matriarch away. But the Ruanlin matriarch slapped him back in return. ¡°You useless man! What are you doing here, go find Jiaojiao for me! Give me back my Jiaojiao!¡± Ruanlin matriarch glared at him, slowly sliding down to sit on the floor within his embrace, beating the floor and wailing, ¡°My Jiaojiao, if anything happens to you, what can Mother do, how can I go on living...¡± Ruan Jianguo made no effort to avoid the slap from Ruanlin matriarch, letting her hit him and rant in his arms, as if by being hit, his heart could feel a bit better, less in pain. He and Shu Jiao had three children. Perhaps in the eyes of others, a son is the treasure, but in his eyes, it was truly his daughter who was the cherished one above all, yet now his cherished one¡¯s life was uncertain. As a father, he was utterly helpless and had long lost the will to live!