《After Marrying Him, the Ending Has Changed》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Girl Courting Death Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Girl Courting Death Just past seven in the evening, the hardworking laborers of Stone Bridge Village were still passionately toiling in the fields, seemingly impervious to the scorching summer heat that could grill a person like barbeque. Jiang Mianmian, resting her feet in the river, was unbearably hot and deeply wished to strip off her clothes and spend the entire summer submerged in the water. At times like these, she especially missed the air conditioning of modern society. But in this era, let alone air conditioning, even indulging in a popsicle was considered a luxury. Suddenly, a person leapt out from behind the bushes with a hoarse voice, demanding, ¡°Let¡¯s see which girl from which family is slacking off again?!¡± But Jiang Mianmian wasn¡¯t scared at all; her previously listless face instantly lit up with radiance, ¡°Dad, have you finished work?¡± Of course, it was also possible that her dad found an excuse to slip away early. Sure enough, Jiang Changhai waved nonchalantly, ¡°Not yet. I came back to use the outhouse, but it¡¯ll be over soon.¡± After resting at home for about ten minutes and noticing that his daughter still hadn¡¯t returned, he went out to find her so they wouldn¡¯t miss the mealtime. After all, in those times, there were only three meals a day with nothing extra; missing one meant enduring hunger all night long. ¡°Time to go home for dinner!¡± Jiang Mianmian immediately jumped up, grabbed her shoes, and ran toward home, her little dusty silhouette exuding liveliness and agility. Just two meters into her dash, she heard her dad behind her say helplessly, ¡°Girl, have you forgotten your basket?¡± Right, she had gone out to cut pigweed. Jiang Mianmian skidded to a stop, and in that moment of pause, her dad¡¯s long legs passed her, ¡°Your mom hid some tomatoes today; whoever gets home first gets the bigger one!¡± ¡°Dad, that¡¯s not fair!¡± She hurriedly took off running after him. The father and daughter raced each other home and encountered other family members returning from work at the entrance. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma.¡± Jiang Mianmian, slightly out of breath, greeted them warmly, her fair and tender cheeks blushing adorably. The old lady Zhang Guihua, however, did not show a hint of pleasure, thinking it was a complete waste to raise such a well-kept girl barely contributing anything! Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t care, having loving parents in this life was enough for her. A lean woman with a shrewd appearance was equally discontented, and so she intentionally asked loudly, pointing at the basket, ¡°San Ya, is this the pigweed you cut all afternoon?¡± Following her gaze, old lady Zhang Guihua¡¯s face darkened instantly, ¡°Why have you cut only so little pigweed again?!¡± With such a small basket, the pigweed inside barely covered the bottom! Hearing her shrill questioning voice, Er Ya, who was standing by looking pale and emaciated, shivered instinctively and accidentally dropped the sickle from her hand. ¡°Good-for-nothing girl, what use is keeping you if you can¡¯t even hold a sickle!¡± Zhang Guihua raised her hand and aimed a blow at her head, her face twisted with viciousness and spite. Er Ya, pained but not daring to make a sound, merely bent over silently to pick up the sickle. Everyone knew that the old lady was actually venting her frustration on someone else, with no one daring to easily rebuke the Old Jiang Family¡¯s precious daughter. Therefore, Jiang Changhai consoled her half-heartedly, ¡°Mom, Mianmian¡¯s finger that was cut a few days ago hasn¡¯t healed properly yet; she¡¯ll be able to cut more when it¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded in agreement, looking very obedient and docile. Zhang Guihua¡¯s face turned even darker, ¡°Such a tiny cut and still needs to recover, what nonsense! Our Old Jiang Family doesn¡¯t raise such delicate folks!¡± Just like her lazy father, completely cut from the same cloth, only ever thinking about slacking off, you could make multiple trips to the outhouse after half a day¡¯s work in the field. Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Brazen-faced One Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Brazen-faced One ¡°Mom¡¯s right, we rural folks aren¡¯t that delicate. I remember I once cut my thumb to the bone, and I only rested for three days before going back to work in the fields,¡± the shrewd, lean woman added fuel to the fire immediately. Of all her nieces, the one she disliked the most was the lazy one right in front of her, who not only slacked off but also competed with her two precious sons for food every day! A less thick-skinned person might have felt embarrassed by now, but Jiang Changhai was shameless and still said cheerfully,¡±Since you, Laosan¡¯s Wife, are so capable, why not help your niece with her chores? When Mianmian grows up, she¡¯ll definitely be grateful to you.¡± Jiang Mianmian also sweetly said, ¡°Laosan Auntie, when I grow up, I¡¯ll buy you candy and meat to eat every day.¡± Once the country allowed private trading in a few years, doing any kind of small business would be profitable. Then, eating candy and meat every day would be a piece of cake. However, Laosan¡¯s Wife, Sun Lixia, wasn¡¯t fooled at all and couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes in disdain. This girl was just as lazy and greedy as her parents. She¡¯d likely starve herself in the future, let alone buy candy and meat for her? The mere thought was laughable enough to shake one¡¯s head! The rest of the Jiang Family felt the same way. It would be a blessing if the eldest branch didn¡¯t hold them back. After an eerie two seconds of silence, the head of the family, Jiang Dashan, spoke up: ¡°Let¡¯s all wash up and eat.¡± Zhang Guihua didn¡¯t scold any further. After all, her eldest son was just a good-for-nothing, and no matter how much she ranted, it was useless and would only strain her voice! But seeing the father and daughter dash into the courtyard at the mention of ¡°mealtime,¡± she still felt a lump in her throat. And Su Wanyu, who had been hiding in the kitchen, also came out¡ªa beauty with a fair complexion, a slender waist, and graceful looks. Seeing her, Zhang Guihua¡¯s anger rose even further; this daughter-in-law was good for nothing and couldn¡¯t withstand a bit of extra work without falling ill. She was like an ancestor they had brought home to worship! She quickly looked away and patted her chest, fearing that she¡¯d be angered to death by this family of three if she kept watching. Su Wanyu walked up to her husband and daughter and softly said, ¡°Dad, my girl, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Her gentle, watery apricot eyes were filled with tender love as she looked at her husband and daughter; it made one want to cherish and protect them. But Jiang Mianmian held her head high, a look of grievance on her face, and said, ¡°Mom, Grandma was really shouting at me just now.¡± Ignoring it was impossible! Su Wanyu¡¯s expression tensed, then she whispered, ¡°Today I¡¯ll let you eat the biggest tomato.¡± ¡°Mom, I love you to death!¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s aggrieved face instantly bloomed into a smile, and she joyfully hugged her biological mother¡¯s thigh. Su Wanyu tapped her nose with a finger and scolded with a smile, ¡°You little slicker!¡± At the same time, she deftly slipped a small piece of fried pork rind she had been hiding into her daughter¡¯s mouth. Jiang Mianmian had smelled the aroma of the pork rind the moment her mother raised her hand and, with lightning-quick reaction, opened her mouth. The mother-daughter pair coordinated perfectly. Sigh, once upon a time, she was a little landlord with two buildings and a commercial street, collecting rent. And now she had sunk to sneaking bites of fried pork rind. Upon hearing her sigh, the Scholar Tyrant System in her mind said: ¡°Host, golden houses exist in books, as long as you study hard and become a top student, you¡¯ll soon be able to enjoy meals with plenty of meat and fish again.¡± The system knew its host was a salted fish, always trying to coax and persuade her to study whenever it found an opportunity. ¡°Not going!¡± Jiang Mianmian rejected the idea without a second thought. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Girl Who Ate Leftovers Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Girl Who Ate Leftovers She was a poor student in her previous life, and poor students dislike reading the most. As for the good days with plenty of fish and meat, a few years later when she could do business, it would all be within easy reach. On the other side, Zhao Xiaojuan, the second son¡¯s wife, was speaking with her second daughter, ¡°Er Ya, where is your eldest sister?¡± The meal was about to be served, and she was worried that her eldest daughter wouldn¡¯t make it in time. Er Ya said, ¡°Grandma asked elder sister to call Eldest Brother and Zhiwu for the meal.¡± Hearing this, the second son¡¯s wife¡¯s expression grew more worried, fearing the two nephews had run too far off to play. If the grandsons missed the mealtime, the grandmother would definitely give them something to eat, but the granddaughters would have to go hungry for the night. Without bringing back the two nephews, the grandmother wouldn¡¯t let the eldest daughter eat either. Fortunately, right as the meal started, Da Ya brought back her brothers who had been playing outside all day, and the family gathered around the table to start eating, but the several girls did not eat together. In the Jiang family, the girls could only sit at the table after the elders had finished their meal, and they would eat whatever was left over. So, for now, they could only sniff the aroma of the oil residue and salivate while watching the others eat, knowing that the leftovers would be dishes without any oil and water content. Of course, this did not include Jiang Mianmian. In her father¡¯s words, they in the main house would only have her as a daughter, and in the future, she must attract a son-in-law as part of the family, she must receive the same treatment as the boys! Otherwise, it would be a great loss! Jiang Mianmian did not let her father down; she fought for food more fiercely than the two boys and ended up with a mouth full of grease. Seeing that she specifically picked the oil residue to eat and ate very quickly, Zhang Guihua immediately scolded angrily, ¡°Eat, eat, eat, like a starving ghost reincarnate!¡± The only dish that could be considered meat on the table was the plate of fried cabbage with oil residue; the other dishes barely had any oil or water. She did not name names, so Jiang Mianmian just pretended she hadn¡¯t heard that this was meant as a rebuke toward herself and her mother. Indeed, her mother, Su Wanyu, though a delicate woman who could not even carry a bucket of water, could match her speed when it came to picking dishes. And her father, Jiang Changhai, was a top pleader; in the whole Stone Bridge Village, no one could surpass him in speed, whether it was with hands or feet! Looking at her family of three, who didn¡¯t even give her a glance, Zhang Guihua¡¯s face turned black with anger: this main house family was good for nothing but ranked first in eating! Yet no one spoke a word to comfort her, not even Laosan¡¯s Wife, who usually loved to tease the main house, as she too was busy grabbing food. The old lady was only upset for a few seconds before she continued eating, as if they waited any longer, the three locusts from the main house wouldn¡¯t leave a single leaf drenched in oil! ¡°Burp, I am full.¡± After devouring two big bowls of wild vegetable porridge, Jiang Mianmian let out a satisfied belch. Luckily she hadn¡¯t traveled back a few years earlier, or she might not even have been able to fill herself up with wild vegetable porridge. As she was feeling fortunate, she heard her grandmother say, ¡°From tomorrow onwards, San Ya and Zhaodi will join Da Ya and Er Ya in the fields to harvest rice.¡± Wiping her mouth, Jiang Mianmian calmly said, ¡°Grandma, I am only eight years old, I cannot do heavy work.¡± She knew her grandmother was just not fond of her laziness and always looked for chores for her to do. Zhang Guihua scowled fiercely, ¡°Your elder and second sisters started working in the fields at the age of eight, and Zhaodi is even a year younger than you.¡± It was all the fault of the Eldest, who spoiled her; a girl without any responsibilities really thought she was a precious egg! Jiang Zhaodi naturally didn¡¯t dare to go against her grandmother and nodded obediently. But the second son¡¯s wife, feeling pity for her daughter, plucked up the courage to say, ¡°But if Zhaodi is working in the fields, who will gather firewood and dig wild vegetables?¡± Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Mianmian Goes to School Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Mianmian Goes to School ¡°We don¡¯t use much firewood on such hot days; Laidi can gather enough by herself,¡± Zhang Guihua arranged it as soon as she opened her mouth. Zhao Xiaojuan¡¯s heart ached even more. Her little girl was only five years old and looked as thin and frail as a three or four-year-old due to poor nutrition. How could she carry so much dry firewood! As she opened her mouth to plead again, Zhang Guihua swept over her with a glare, ¡°Giving birth to so many worthless children, yet not a single one with a handle to carry on our Old Jiang Family!¡± With a single sentence, Zhao Xiaojuan¡¯s face instantly turned pale with shame and unease, as if she had been stripped naked in public; the courage born of motherly love vanished abruptly. Having borne four daughters and not a single son was her fault, a failure to Changhai and the Old Jiang Family. A look of frustration showed on her husband Jiang Changhe¡¯s honest face, feeling quite aggrieved inside, He, too, wanted a son to carry on the family line! In a remote rural place like Stone Bridge Village, any man without a son was subject to gossip, and having no sons spelled the end of his lineage! What use were daughters? They would eventually marry into other families anyway. And Jiang Mianmian was once again grateful that her parents did not hold such feudal thoughts of favoring boys over girls; otherwise, she really would want to die all over again. Obviously, the inability to conceive a son was the man¡¯s issue, yet women were blamed¡ªwhat a screwed-up society! Fortunately, Zhang Guihua didn¡¯t intend to continue the inquisition and turned around, slapping the table, ¡°In any case, it¡¯s settled like this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Jiang Mianmian wouldn¡¯t agree. She secretly gestured to her dad, seeking rescue with a wink. But Jiang Changhai had a vacant look, as if his mind had wandered far away. As for her mother, knowing that her in-laws didn¡¯t like her as a daughter-in-law, she always pushed her husband forward to attract the flak. Seeing that her eldest son didn¡¯t defend his child for once, Zhang Guihua immediately spoke in a hard, assertive tone, ¡°You have to go, whether you like it or not. No work means no food to eat; our Old Jiang Family doesn¡¯t support idlers!¡± Laosan¡¯s Wife maliciously reveled in her heart yet feigned concern outwardly, ¡°San Ya, listen to your auntie¡¯s advice. Boys like hardworking and capable wives; the more competent you are, the better son-in-law you¡¯ll attract to our house!¡± Of course, her words were false; in this day and age, which man would want to be a live-in son-in-law apart from the lazy and useless riffraff! Such a loss of face! Jiang Mianmian wouldn¡¯t believe her even if a ghost told her. Seeing that her own father was unreliable, she quickly came up with a plan and said, ¡°Then Big Brother and Second Brother should go as well. Big Brother is already eleven.¡± Her grandmother adored her two grandsons the most and certainly wouldn¡¯t want them to endure hardship. Indeed, Zhang Guihua instantly glared and said, ¡°No! Zhiwen and Zhiwu need to go to school, but you don¡¯t attend school.¡± Even though both grandsons weren¡¯t cut out for academia, it was always good for boys to have a bit more ink in their bellies. ¡°Then Mianmian will go to school too,¡± Jiang Changhai suddenly came back to earth and smoothly added. His daughter was also of the age to attend school. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Zhang Guihua couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Everyone else¡¯s gaze turned to him in unison, their expressions shocked as if he had announced some earth-shattering news. Even Jiang Mianmian was surprised; her dad had never mentioned letting her go to school before. Jiang Changhai simply repeated, ¡°I said, let Mianmian go to school too.¡± His tone was so nonchalant, as if going to school was as ordinary as eating and drinking. ¡°Have you lost your mind?! Spending money to send a girl to school!!¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s voice instantly escalated, piercingly loud. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Not Cut Out for Studying Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Not Cut Out for Studying Jiang Dashan, who had been silent and sparing with words, also furrowed his brows, but still did not speak. Jiang Changhai dug at his ears, with an air of taking it for granted, ¡°If Zhiwen and Zhiwu can go to school, then Mianmian can too.¡± His daughter was far smarter than his two nephews who only knew how to cause mischief! Upon hearing this, Laosan¡¯s Wife immediately jumped in, ¡°Older brother, Zhiwen and Zhiwu are the ones to carry on the Old Jiang Family¡¯s lineage!¡± A loss-maker, how could she compare to her son¡¯s preciousness! Jiang Changhai declared confidently, ¡°Our Mianmian is also to carry on the Old Jiang Family¡¯s lineage.¡±. ¡°I think you¡¯re full and have nothing better to do but come up with foolish ideas! What book should a girl study? We don¡¯t have that kind of spare money in our family,¡± Zhang Guihua sprayed him with words. The annual tuition and miscellaneous fees for the commune primary school amounted to two yuan, and now a work point was only worth three fen, so a year¡¯s tuition was the income of an ordinary laborer for half a month. Although life now was much better than a few years ago, every household still had no surplus grain. Apart from a few families, no one was willing to spend money on sending their daughters to school. With that money, it was better to buy something tasty for the grandson! Moreover, having painstakingly raised a daughter for over a decade, as parents, if they didn¡¯t put her to good use before she married off, later all the benefits would go to her in-laws. Jiang Changhai wiped the spittle from his face, and with his legs crossed in an unruly manner, he retorted, ¡°If we don¡¯t have spare money, then Zhiwen and Zhiwu shouldn¡¯t go to school either. Just work in the fields at home.¡± Luckily he was handsome, even making such expressions and gestures didn¡¯t seem low-class. Otherwise, he¡¯d probably have been kicked out by his parents long ago. ¡°No way, Zhiwen and Zhiwu are going to the city to become workers in the future!¡± Laosan¡¯s Wife became anxious upon hearing that. After all, the eldest was a rascal and troublemaker; he might actually stop his nephews from going to school. The two brothers mumbled in agreement, ¡°Right! We won¡¯t be country bumpkins; we¡¯re going to the city for rationed commodity grains!¡± And besides, reading was so fun, they could skip classes every day to climb trees and steal bird eggs outside. Jiang Changtao, Laosan, couldn¡¯t sit still any longer and quickly spoke up to mediate, ¡°Mom, Sanya is still young, let her work in the fields in a few years. Big brother, the commune primary school is so far from our village, and with Sanya being little and slow, it will take almost two hours to get there.¡± Jiang Mianmian silently nodded in agreement in her heart, thinking about how good it was for everyone to be happy. Hearing her thoughts, the Scholar Tyrant System: Already regretting having chosen the difficult mode of transforming an academic failure into a top student. Being a slacker was one thing, but being too lazy to improve was another. Jiang Changhai, however, waved his hand nonchalantly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that; I will take Mianmian to school and back every day.¡± Wild boars from the mountains occasionally came down to look for food, and he didn¡¯t want his precious daughter to be harmed by them. The rest of the Old Jiang family, however, thought he had gone mad! Even if the eldest could cover the distance quickly, it would still take at least an hour each way, amounting to almost three hours for a round trip in a day. Just to send his daughter to school? People might not believe it if they told them! Hearing this, Jiang Dashan finally spoke up, ¡°Eldest brother, Sanya is just not meant for studying; even if we sent her to school, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up.¡± Laosan¡¯s Wife immediately said excitedly, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. When the village was doing literacy classes, Sanya took two months to learn addition and subtraction within twenty. The educated youth in the village said they had never seen such a slow child!¡± She was so agitated that she spoke without thinking. Jiang Mianmian: ¡­ Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6: An Extremely Bachelor-like Attitude Chapter 6: Chapter 6: An Extremely Bachelor-like Attitude She was hiding her talent, playing the part of the simple fool to avoid overwhelming the enthusiasm of other village kids for learning! Yet Jiang Changhai¡¯s attitude was stubborn, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m laying it down here today, either all three kids go to school together, or none of them will!¡± As he spoke, he glared fiercely at his two nephews, scaring them into crying out, ¡°Granny, we don¡¯t want to work the fields! We want to go to school with Mianmian!¡± They had been severely disciplined by Uncle twice in their childhood for bullying their younger cousin, and the pain of their spanked bottoms was still a fresh memory. Seeing him intimidate her two precious grandsons, Zhang Guihua was so angry she rolled her eyes and marched over, picking up a broom to hit someone, ¡°I¡¯ll beat you to death today, you rotten troublemaker!¡± ¡°Even if you beat me to death, I¡¯m going to make sure Mianmian goes to school,¡± Jiang Changhai said as he swiftly jumped up and ran towards the yard. The Jiang family members were all too familiar with this scene and no one intervened; they knew it would subside once the old lady got too tired to chase. Jiang Dashan rolled a tobacco leaf and started smoking, his eyes downcast as if deep in thought. Sun Lixia didn¡¯t dare interrupt at such a time, sitting anxiously instead. It was her husband who turned his head to Su Wanyu, ¡°Sister-in-law, please talk some sense into your husband. Even if we¡¯re sending Sanya to school, it¡¯d be better to wait a couple more years until she¡¯s older.¡± Su Wanyu, however, put on a facade of a compliant and obedient wife, ¡°I, I always listen to your brother.¡± Jiang Changtao¡¯s mouth twitched, wanting to say, stop pretending, Sister-in-law, I¡¯ve seen you more than once scolding my brother while twisting his ear in private. While Jiang Mianmian, watching her father being chased and beaten by Grandma, was deeply moved; her dad really did love her. But Dad, she really didn¡¯t want to get up at six in the morning every day! Especially in the winter, getting up early was pure torture! Of course, she didn¡¯t want to work the fields either; maintaining the status quo was best. The girls from the second household were filled with envy, Uncle was so good to Mianmian! Not only did he protect her from Granny¡¯s scolding, but he was also sending her to school just like the boys. Such treatment was something they didn¡¯t even dare to dream of. Looking at her daughters¡¯ yearning and envy, Zhao Xiaojuan felt a pang of heartache. If she had a son, she would have fought for her daughters¡¯ education, even if it meant enduring scolding. Even if they couldn¡¯t go to the city to work, a girl who had a few years of schooling would be regarded more highly by her husband¡¯s family after getting married. But, alas, her womb was unfortunately uncooperative, unable to bear a son! Thinking about how, because she didn¡¯t have a son, not only was she looked down upon by her in-laws, but her daughters also suffered, she couldn¡¯t help but secretly tear up. The second son also didn¡¯t feel good; although he wanted a son, he was fond of his diligent and sensible daughters. But he couldn¡¯t act shamelessly like his older brother to make a fuss. Moreover, he didn¡¯t just have one daughter ¨C he definitely couldn¡¯t send all of them to school, choosing any one would be favoritism. After a while, Zhang Guihua dropped the broom, sitting on the ground and gasping for breath, without having touched even a corner of her eldest son¡¯s clothes. Jiang Dashan flicked away the ash from his cigarette and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Everyone should wash up and get some sleep. We can discuss this tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Alright! You and mom have worked hard all day, you should rest early too. Nothing¡¯s more important than your health,¡± Jiang Changhai wasn¡¯t insisting on a resolution tonight and took the opportunity to step down, while also sweet-talking his parents. Hearing this, Zhang Guihua¡¯s expression eased considerably. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Daughter is Smart Like Me Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Daughter is Smart Like Me Although the eldest son was a bit out of tune, he still kept their old couple in mind. Seeing this, Sun Lixia secretly cursed ¡°suck-up¡± in her heart, yet she hoped her own man could cheer up his parents just like the eldest son did. Well, it wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t tried to butter them up. But the same words that came from the eldest brother¡¯s mouth sounded natural and sincere, whereas from her man¡¯s mouth they sounded deliberately bland. Why was that?! The honest and simple-minded second brother wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning; he couldn¡¯t produce a pleasant word to save his life. Meanwhile, Jiang Changhai had already gone with his wife and daughter to fetch water for their baths, as the house only had a full tank of water and it would turn cold if they were late. His wife and daughter couldn¡¯t bathe in cold water; it wasn¡¯t good for their health. After bathing and entering the house, Su Wanyu went to fetch the hidden tomatoes from the cupboard, while Jiang Changhai closed and locked the door, doing everything in quick succession. ¡°Daughter, Mommy has saved the reddest, sweetest tomato for you,¡± Su Wanyu first brought out some bright red tomatoes, her tone incredibly tender and loving. But Jiang Mianmian showed no signs of mother-daughter affection: ¡°Mom, you need to keep your word. You promised me today that I could have the biggest one.¡± Her mom always pulled this trick; thankfully, she wasn¡¯t really an eight-year-old child, otherwise she¡¯d have been lured into missing out on so much food from childhood till now. Seeing the deception failed, Su Wanyu instantly switched to a disdainful expression: ¡°You little cotton-padded jacket, you¡¯re not considerate at all!¡± While she spoke disdainfully, she handed over the biggest tomato. Jiang Mianmian gleefully accepted it: ¡°Thanks, Mom, you¡¯re the best mom in the world. When I marry Zhang Da, I¡¯ll definitely take good care of you.¡± As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t wait to take a big bite; the juice was plentiful, and it tasted sweet and sour, instantly lifting her gloomy mood. Indeed, bad moods should be cured with sweets. ¡°Don¡¯t talk while eating.¡± Su Wanyu poked her daughter¡¯s chubby cheeks and turned to Jiang Changhai to complain: ¡°Look at your daughter; she¡¯s a real flatterer when given milk!¡± ¡°My daughter is smart and sweet-talks just right, just like me!¡± Jiang Changhai said with a face full of pride and self-satisfaction. Among the three sons, his parents indulged him even when he was lazy or cunning, not only because he was their biological child, but also because from childhood, he was better than his two brothers at keeping the old couple happy. Su Wanyu nodded: ¡°It is really soothing to hear.¡± Who doesn¡¯t like hearing nice things! Then she handed over a tomato: ¡°Honey, do we really send our daughter to school?¡± Honestly, she too was surprised today; before this, her man had never shown any intention of sending their daughter to school. Jiang Changhai took a bite of the tomato and asked: ¡°Mianmian, do you want to go to school or to work the fields?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to school or work the fields. Things are pretty good as they are.¡± Jiang Mianmian stretched lazily on the bed, easily satisfied like a salted fish. Although their family was quite poor, they at least had enough food to fill their stomachs, and occasionally they even caught some game to supplement their diet, making their life more enriched than many others. However, her dad shook his head, a serious expression on his face: ¡°No, you must choose one.¡± ¡°You¡¯re growing up and eating more, and your per capita grain ration is not enough for you. Even if you don¡¯t do strenuous tasks like harvesting rice, your grandparents will definitely make you do some easier work. Otherwise, they truly won¡¯t let you have enough food.¡± Alas, without a bit of a threat, his daughter wouldn¡¯t go to school. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Dont Get Confused Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Don¡¯t Get Confused Jiang Mianmian tilted her head, her fair little face showing an innocent expression, ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat yours and mom¡¯s.¡± Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu immediately replied without hesitation, ¡°No way, the work points your dad and I earn are hardly enough for us to eat!¡± She only did light tasks, and her husband had always been slacking off; together, they earned just two points more than her father-in-law did alone in a day. Although she was telling the truth, Jiang Mianmian still felt as if she had been shot in the chest and blinked her eyes pitifully, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m your dear daughter, how can you bear to see me go hungry?¡± ¡°I can bear it!¡± Su Wanyu answered resolutely. ¡°We had agreed from the start, everything within the family must be fair and just. We don¡¯t take advantage of you by giving you less food because you¡¯re little, and you shouldn¡¯t take advantage of your young age to leech off us.¡± Jiang Mianmian felt another arrow pierce her chest and really wanted to cough up blood for her mom to see, especially since she had caught her parents sneaking snacks several times. Indeed, the prettier a woman is, the colder and more merciless she tends to be! So, she turned to Jiang Changhai and called out in a soft and sweet voice, ¡°Daddy~¡± Her dad was a sucker for this act, whether it came from his own daughter or his daughter-in-law. However, Jiang Changhai just raised his hand to touch her little head and said helplessly, ¡°Darling, it¡¯s not that dad doesn¡¯t cherish you, it¡¯s just that I really can¡¯t help you this time. Boys in our family, who didn¡¯t go to school, also started working in the fields from the age of eight.¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t include himself. Seeing that acting cute and impish was ineffective, Jiang Mianmian finally experienced an unprecedented sense of crisis and followed up persistently, ¡°Is there really no other choice?¡± Jiang Changhai thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°There is, you can do what your dad did, if grandma refuses to feed you, throw a tantrum on the ground.¡± ¡°Then forget it.¡± Jiang Mianmian immediately deflated like a burst balloon, and even the tomato in her hand lost its appeal. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to throw a tantrum, but she knew it was useless. After all, no matter how irresponsible and annoying her dad was, he was still the son his mom had cherished for so many years, whereas she was just one of the many granddaughters a generation apart. Her grandmother, who favored boys over girls, couldn¡¯t care less about granddaughters! Looking at her disheartened little face, Jiang Changhai said with a look of inability to help, ¡°Now you only have two choices laid out in front of you, either work or study.¡± The system also took the opportunity to persuade, ¡°Host, farming is both hard and tiring, only education can truly be your way out.¡± ¡°Ahhh! This is so hard!¡± Jiang Mianmian wailed in agony as she rolled around on the bed. Meanwhile, the elder couple of the Jiang Family was also troubled by this matter. ¡°Fussing over nothing every day! There isn¡¯t a single girl in Stone Bridge Village who doesn¡¯t work but goes to school instead. Just feeding them is good enough!¡± Zhang Guihua started complaining the moment she walked into the house. After silently smoking a few drags of his dry pipe, Jiang Dashan finally said, ¡°Go count how much money we still have at home.¡± Zhang Guihua exclaimed in shock, ¡°Old man, don¡¯t be foolish, sending a loss-making investment to school is just a waste of money!¡± Jiang Dashan looked at her sternly, ¡°If you don¡¯t let him, can you control Eldest when he goes mad?¡± When their eldest son threw a fit, he truly went crazy, a grown man in his thirties still capable of shamelessly lying on the ground throwing a tantrum, always making the whole village laugh. He cared about his reputation and couldn¡¯t afford to lose face! Zhang Guihua choked immediately, clearly aware of what kind of person her son was. But the thought of spending an extra two yuan on school fees each year pained her heart. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Spoiled a Bit Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Spoiled a Bit Jiang Dashan continued while smoking his dry tobacco, ¡°Moreover, the Eldest will probably only have this one daughter, let her study for a few years, and later on, she could find a better son-in-law.¡± Except for the lazy good-for-nothings, as long as they were not truly destitute, there was no family willing to let their male child become a son-in-law who moves into his wife¡¯s family¡¯s home. Not to mention being pointed at and criticized, it also meant failing their ancestors. Zhang Guihua was infuriated whenever this topic was brought up, ¡°The Eldest should never have gone behind our backs to get that vasectomy! If he had a healthy baby boy, I would definitely, without a second thought, send my grandson to study with Zhiwen and Zhiwu. Even if the son-in-law is good, he can¡¯t compare to one¡¯s own flesh and blood!¡± When her eldest son told her he could no longer have children, her head just about exploded, and she nearly dropped dead on the spot! Jiang Dashan was very calm, ¡°Don¡¯t you know your son¡¯s temper? He has always been resolute. Once he digs his heels in, not even ten bulls could pull him back! He¡¯s determined to have only San Ya as his daughter and is resolved not to have another child.¡± Zhang Guihua certainly knew this, which is why she gritted her teeth and agreed to let Su Wanyu, who was good for nothing, enter the Jiang Family. The reason being her eldest son did not like the diligent and capable types; he preferred those who were beautiful. He didn¡¯t take a liking to any girls from the nearby villages while both his younger brothers were already married, and he remained single. They, as parents, had advised and scolded him, but to no avail! He would rather remain single than marry a wife just to cope with life. Thus, he dragged it out until he was twenty-four years old, by which time he had nieces and nephews, until he met Su Wanyu, who was sent to the countryside for re-education. It was love at first sight, and he insisted on marrying her, or else he would remain a bachelor for life! His parents had no choice but to relent and accept the marriage, hence they ended up supporting another useless person. Reflecting on this, the old lady couldn¡¯t help but slap her thigh and cry out in grief, ¡°What sins did I commit in my past life to give birth to such a debt collector?¡± After crying, she expressed a hopeful face, ¡°Maybe in a few years, the Eldest will change his mind and want a son?¡± ¡°Go get the money,¡± said Jiang Dashan calmly, holding no such illusion. Even if that were the case, it would have been years ago. ¡°This damn nuisance has been spoiled by his grandparents since he was little!¡± Zhang Guihua also had to wipe her face and go to the chest to get the money. She completely forgot that a part of her elder son¡¯s current character was also spoiled by herself. Not only was Jiang Changhai her first child, but he was also the eldest grandchild of the Jiang Family! Among the daughters-in-law, she was the first to give the Jiang Family a grandson, which made her in-laws look up to her more. Although more grandchildren came later, the most favored by the in-laws was always the eldest son. She wasn¡¯t bragging, but her eldest son had always been handsome, not lacking compared to the town¡¯s children! He had a sweet mouth, always keeping his grandparents happy, which also made them treat her better than the other daughters-in-law, often giving her extra help secretly. Therefore, she also spoiled her eldest son a lot, inevitably indulging him somewhat. So while the other siblings started working in the fields at eight years old, only he was still playing outside, catching bird eggs and crickets at the age of ten, and his grandparents allowed it. He finally agreed to work in the fields at fourteen, but he couldn¡¯t handle any tough or exhausting work; after working for a while he would feel tired and need to rest, earning less in a day than she did. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Theres a Snake in the Woodpile Chapter 10: Chapter 10: There¡¯s a Snake in the Woodpile Now I¡¯m even burdened with one big and one small lazybones, if we split the family, I¡¯m afraid the whole family will have to drink the northwest wind! ¡°Spending so much money to raise a girl, who knows when she¡¯ll run off with a man!¡± Zhang Guihua, face sour as she counted the money, felt as if her heart was bleeding. Knowing she was once again thinking of her little daughter, Jiang Dashan just closed his eyes and didn¡¯t join the conversation. * ¡°I¡¯m going to the outhouse.¡± Jiang Mianmian, who had had enough, licked the tomato sauce off the corner of her mouth, got out of bed, and put on her shoes. When she walked out and saw Da Ya, Er Ya, and a few other girls sitting in the courtyard, she casually asked, ¡°What are you all crowding around for?¡± San Ya, holding a kerosene lamp, replied, ¡°We¡¯re picking blisters for Second Sister.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Mianmian saw that Er Ya¡¯s palms had several blisters, two of which had already burst. Bloody and raw, just looking at it made her feel the pain, and this was only the second day of harvesting! The other girls didn¡¯t think much of it, as they occasionally got a blister or two when working normally. Da Ya even looked relieved as she said, ¡°Er Ya is relatively lucky. Wang Xiaohua, who was harvesting rice with her, got a leech inside her leg sucking blood. They had to scrape off the skin with a sickle to get it off.¡± Leeches were common in the fields and rural people were used to them. If a leech clung to their leg, they just had to pat around it gently with their hands a few times to knock the creature off. But Wang Xiaohua was young and inexperienced. When she saw a leech sucking blood, she tried to pull it off directly, causing it to suck even tighter, so tight that the adults couldn¡¯t smack it off. Since the salt was too far to get, they had no choice but to scrape it off, skin and all. The thought of that terrifying scene made Jiang Mianmian shiver. The things she feared most were those squishy animals¡ªsnakes, leeches, caterpillars¡ªjust one glance was enough to make her hair stand on end and her scalp tingle. So, in that moment, she decided¡ªshe was going to school! She absolutely, positively did not want to have any chance of intimate contact with those creatures!! The system immediately showered the screen with flowers, ¡°Host, it¡¯s wonderful that you¡¯ve come to this realization!¡± It was a cause for celebration, as it was finally going to shut down the preschool education mode and start the noble journey of a struggling student turning into a brilliant one. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this because I¡¯m forced!¡± Jiang Mianmian dejectedly exclaimed in her heart, her little head drooping as she walked into the outhouse. After finishing in the bathroom, she heard rustling in the stack of firewood and her heart suddenly tightened. She swallowed nervously and said, ¡°System, activate thermal imaging scan.¡± No sooner had she spoken than her vision turned blue. She could see within the blue stack of firewood a large golden mass writhing¡ª It¡¯s a snake!!! Jiang Mianmian instantly covered her mouth in horror, afraid to make a sound, and then bolted into the house. She ran in wild-eyed but couldn¡¯t hide her excited thrill as she said, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s a big snake in the outhouse woodpile.¡± At this, Jiang Changhai, who was lying on the bed, rolled over and leapt up, ¡°Meat¡¯s here! Let¡¯s go catch the snake to eat.¡± He didn¡¯t even put on shoes, just ran out barefoot, clutching his daughter and heading outside. In fear that a moment¡¯s delay would cause the ready meat to fly away. ¡°It¡¯s in that spot.¡± Jiang Mianmian stood a good distance away, poking at the pile of wood with a stick. Upon hearing this, her dad positioned the shovel and banged it against the targeted spot. The snake inside, frightened, immediately started writhing and scrambling to escape. Jiang Mianmian kept her eyes fixed on the golden length, providing side-line guidance, ¡°Dad, over here, it¡¯s about to come out.¡± Thus, the unlucky snake had just poked its head out when Jiang Changhai grabbed it securely by the neck with precision and strength. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Not Under My Care Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Not Under My Care ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping at this hour? What¡¯s all the fuss about?¡± Zhang Guihua came over with a stern face, but the next second she was smiling like a blooming chrysanthemum, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a fat snake.¡± Jiang Changhai, holding a meter-long snake, declared proudly, ¡°Mom, go start the fire. I¡¯ll skin the snake, and we can roast the snake meat.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go chop some chili powder to sprinkle on it.¡± The old lady cheerfully headed to the kitchen. It had been over a month since the family had eaten meat, and her two grandsons were growing, so snake meat was perfect to replenish their nutrients. When Jiang Zhiwen and Jiang Zhiwu heard they would have snake meat, they joyfully bounced around the courtyard, ¡°Oh, we¡¯re having meat, we¡¯re having meat!¡± The girls could only smell the delicious aroma from afar and salivate, since they generally didn¡¯t get to eat the meat at home; they simply went back to their rooms. Jiang Changhai was quite skilled at roasting meat and wasn¡¯t stingy with the seasonings, making the snake meat irresistibly fragrant. Even Jiang Mianmian, who had recently enjoyed roasted rabbit, couldn¡¯t help but drool, since after all, who wasn¡¯t tempted by meat these days? Sun Lixia was all flattery, applauding him, ¡°Big brother is impressive, always adding meat to our meals.¡± Yet inside, she was annoyed at herself for not finding the snake in the firewood, because if she had, the meat could have been theirs from the Third Branch. But the eldest was also foolish; if it had been her, she would have waited for the family to fall asleep before catching the snake and then eaten it behind closed doors. The old lady, however, was quite pleased with him and boasted, ¡°The eldest has always brought home snakes, birds, anything¡ªhe never eats selfishly.¡± While the eldest son often infuriated her, he was the most filial among her sons, always mindful of his elderly parents whenever there was delicacy. ¡°You and dad worked hard raising us brothers, so it¡¯s only right to honor you,¡± Jiang Changhai said with an open and honest expression, which delighted the old lady immensely. Jiang Mianmian couldn¡¯t help but admire her dad¡¯s thick skin, as she and her parents often ate secretly on their own, just never caught. After a while, Jiang Changhai sprinkled chili powder over the golden-brown snake meat, ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°Time to eat!¡± Zhiwen and Zhiwu hurried over, waiting for their uncle to distribute the meat. But Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t even glance at his nephews. He tore off a big piece and handed it to the old lady, ¡°Mom, this is to honor you and dad.¡± Then, taking the remaining meat, he turned and said, ¡°Sweetheart, let¡¯s go back to our room to eat.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Jiang Mianmian quickly trotted after him, Sun Lixia, who had been waiting hopelessly, was dumbfounded, ¡°Uncle, you haven¡¯t given Zhiwen and Zhiwu their share yet!¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t my kids, not my responsibility to feed,¡± Jiang Changhai said without looking back, his tone bold and assertive. These words left Sun Lixia without a comeback, since their parents were still around; indeed, there was no reason for an uncle to provide for his nephews. The old lady, however, was unhappy and scolded, ¡°You ingrate, they¡¯re still your biological brothers¡¯ children.¡± Upon hearing that, Sun Lixia immediately turned to her mother-in-law, looking aggrieved, ¡°Mom, look at the eldest brother. Zhiwen and Zhiwu are his own nephews. He¡¯s supposed to manage their inheritance later, but he¡¯s not even willing to share a piece of meat with them.¡± According to the age-old family tradition, male children inherit the family properties, and the role of hosting the funeral ceremony also falls to them. But her mother-in-law¡¯s face darkened instantly, berating her, ¡°Tsk, tsk! Shut your cursed mouth. The eldest is just in his early thirties; he could live another seventy years or so!¡± Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Uncle Only Likes Mianmian Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Uncle Only Likes Mianmian ¡°` Saliva sprayed her face, emitting a faint fishy stench. Sun Lixia endured the nausea and wiped her face, then sheepishly explained, ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve misunderstood, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what you meant, if you dare curse my son again, I¡¯ll skin you!¡± Zhang Guihua glared and threatened viciously. Even if Eldest was the worst, he was still born from her womb, and she would fight to the death with anyone who wanted to harm him! Sun Lixia¡¯s scalp tightened at once, and she nodded hastily, ¡°I will never speak out of turn again.¡± She had simply been too angry earlier, forgetting that the last thing parents can accept is outliving their children. The old lady snorted coldly, then turned to her two grandsons with a pleasant face, ¡°Come, Granny gives you meat to eat.¡± * On the other side, just as Jiang Mianmian and her father reached the door, Su Wanyu opened it eagerly, ¡°You¡¯re finally back, I¡¯ve been starving.¡± She had applied cold cream on her face and didn¡¯t dare to go out, fearing that her mother-in-law would smell it, so she had been waiting at the door. Zhaodi, who had been peeking out the window, also got down from the chair and whispered, ¡°Eldest sister, second sister, Uncle didn¡¯t give any meat to the eldest brother and second brother.¡± Er Ya¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°That¡¯s because Uncle likes Mianmian the most.¡± Despite not getting to eat the roasted snake meat, for some reason, the girls felt a pang of happiness in their hearts. Only years later would they understand that it was because at that moment, they were treated equally, regardless of gender. Laosan¡¯s wife sighed quietly to herself, even if Eldest didn¡¯t give them any meat, the old lady would have. The neighboring Laosan hadn¡¯t gone outside either, not because he was as shy as the second family and too embarrassed, but because he knew that Eldest was possessive about food and it would have been in vain to go. As long as his two sons had enough to eat, that was fine. After Jiang Mianmian¡¯s family of three had finished eating the roasted snake meat, they lay on the bed with satisfied smiles on their faces. As she was drifting into a sleepy haze, a voice from the system inside her head reminded her, ¡°Host, you haven¡¯t completed your task for today.¡± Jiang Mianmian could only gather her energy reluctantly and began to recite poetry listlessly, ¡°Liangzhou Verse, by Wang Han, grapes and wine under a lamp¡¯s glow¡­¡± If she fell asleep without completing her daily learning tasks, the system would keep playing a soprano version of Three Hundred Tang Poems in her head, making it impossible to get any sleep. Luckily, it was only early education, and the daily tasks were straightforward, just memorize one poem and answer three simple knowledge questions. Having recited the poem, Jiang Mianmian yawned and said, ¡°Give me the questions.¡± System: ¡°First question, why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°Because light travels through air faster than sound.¡± System: ¡°Correct. Second question, what does the moon orbit around, and how long does one orbit last?¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°The Earth, 24 hours.¡± System: ¡°Correct. Third question, what are the three components of sunlight?¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°Visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light.¡± System: ¡°Correct. Three minutes of thermal imaging usage time have been credited, accumulating a total of 37 minutes of usage.¡± ¡°Once I start making money, you¡¯ll be completely useless,¡± Jiang Mianmian huffed. This scheming system, knowing she needed the thermal imaging to find food, was stingily controlling the usage time. The system solemnly retorted, ¡°Host, you are mistaken. Once you truly appreciate the wonders of learning, you¡¯ll realize that this system is a priceless treasure.¡± ¡°` Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Cant Get Over Her Son Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Can¡¯t Get Over Her Son However, Jiang Mianmian had already fallen into a deep sleep. ¡°Good night, Host.¡± * The next day, it was Laosan¡¯s Wife¡¯s turn to make breakfast, which meant getting up just after 4 a.m. During summer, the temperature is high, and the middle hours of the day are not suitable for working. They could only take advantage of the cooler temperatures in the morning and evening to harvest the rice. Otherwise, the risk of heatstroke and dehydration was not worth it. Half an hour later, except for Jiang Mianmian and the two boys, other members of the Old Jiang Family had also gradually woken up. Before eating, Jiang Dashan said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with your mom. From now on, the boys in our family can all go to school, however far they get. As for the girls, it¡¯s enough to raise them and marry them off.¡± Upon hearing this, Sun Lixia was instantly pleased. Does this mean Grandpa is not letting San Ya go to school anymore? She knew it, no matter how much Eldest favored lifting his daughter¡¯s status, he couldn¡¯t surpass her two sons! However, the faces of a few girls showed some sadness: if even San Ya couldn¡¯t go to school, then there was even less chance for them. ¡°I disagree!¡± Jiang Changhai¡¯s face changed suddenly, as if he was about to explode in anger the next second. So, the old lady quickly added, ¡°However, considering that the Eldest¡¯s family has only one daughter, who will continue the Jiang Family name just like a son would, starting from the new school term, San Ya will also go to school along with Zhiwen and Zhiwu.¡± ¡°Still, Dad and Mom have thought it through,¡± Jiang Changhai said with a smile as he patted some flattery and quickly sat back down. Now it was the old lady¡¯s turn to frown, ¡°But they must still do the usual chores when not studying; our Old Jiang Family does not support freeloaders!¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Jiang Changhai had no objections, his nephews helped with the farm work when they were on holiday, and his daughter, being young, could still afford to be lazy and not go to the fields. In a few years, when she was older, he planned to bring in a son-in-law to work for them. The old lady then glanced at Jiang Laoer and Laosan, asking, ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± Of course! Although Sun Lixia screamed inwardly, she dared not voice it. Meanwhile, Jiang Laoer and Laosan both shook their heads. ¡°No objections.¡± And so, the matter was settled. After the meal, the family grabbed their sickles and shoulder poles, and hurried to the fields to harvest rice, leaving Su Wanyu and the two little nieces to clean up the dishes. After washing the dishes, Su Wanyu returned to her room and saw her daughter still sleeping soundly, her face immediately showing a look of jealous envy. If she hadn¡¯t given birth to her, she would¡¯ve been tempted to wake her up with a bang of gongs and drums. ¡°Smack!¡± Yet she couldn¡¯t resist and gently spanked her daughter¡¯s chubby bottom, ¡°You little stinkbug, sleeping just like a piglet.¡± As she stepped outside and saw her little niece sweeping the floor, she especially instructed, ¡°Your Third Sister is still sleeping, so there¡¯s no need to sweep our room.¡± ¡°Got it, Aunty,¡± Laidi, five years old, nodded obediently, very fond of her gentle and sweet-smelling aunt. Unlike her third aunt, who never had a kind face and liked to order her around to do chores. She also liked her Third Sister, who often shared an egg custard with her, and her tall and big Uncle. Of course, she loved her three sisters and parents the most. * Two hours later, Zhang Guihua asked Laosan¡¯s Wife, Zhao Xiaojuan, to go home and fetch some water for drinking, and also to wake up the three children for lunch. Because this daughter-in-law was the most honest and decent one, not being her own blood from either side meant she wouldn¡¯t show partiality when sharing egg custard. ¡°I need to go home and take a dump,¡± said a sweaty Jiang Changhai as he straightened up, feeling so tired that his back was almost breaking. Before the scorekeeper could say a word, Zhang Guihua glared at him and snapped, ¡°Hold it!¡± Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 The Famous Lazybones Chapter 14: Chapter 14 The Famous Lazybones The scorekeeper also said sternly, ¡°Comrade Jiang Changhai, you just went home to use the toilet an hour ago.¡± ¡°Last time it was just a pee, this time I really need to poop,¡± Jiang Changhai asserted, definitely planning to take a little break. The scorekeeper, familiar with his antics, flatly said, ¡°If you go this time, I¡¯ll deduct your morning work points.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not going!¡± ¡°Then I have to go!¡± Mother and son spoke at the same time, then turned to glare at each other. Zhang Guihua was quick to grab her son¡¯s clothes, ¡°Stop shirking work and get back to it!¡± ¡°I really need to go poop, if I don¡¯t go now, I¡¯ll have to do it right in the field,¡± Jiang Changhai said with an anxious expression as if he was truly in discomfort. Zhang Guihua was unyielding, ¡°Then just poop in the field.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe she couldn¡¯t cure his laziness! ¡°You said it,¡± Jiang Changhai replied, starting to unbuckle his belt without a care that there were young ladies and newlywed women around. He had no shame, but the old lady did, and immediately let go, her face turning dark: ¡°You shameless good-for-nothing, get lost, get lost, get lost!¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Jiang Changhai cheerfully rolled away. Watching his joyous and cheerful departure, Zhang Guihua¡¯s face turned even darker. The old lady next to her consoled, ¡°Guihua, I think Changhai was genuinely in a rush and not just trying to avoid work.¡± Of course, that was against her better judgment since Jiang Changhai was known far and wide as a lazybones; everyone shook their heads at the mention of his name. Zhang Guihua said grumpily, ¡°The day he stops shirking work will be the day it rains red from the sky.¡± Just as she said this, she saw her eldest son, who had already stepped onto the field ridge, come back down: ¡°I suddenly don¡¯t feel like pooping anymore.¡± Hearing this, Zhang Guihua was first dumbfounded, then looked up at the sky, ¡°Is it really going to rain red?¡± How could her eldest possibly volunteer to come back to work?! She couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d suddenly become diligent. The next second, the village chief solved her mystery: ¡°The water delivery is here, everyone have some tea and take a break before you continue working.¡± Collective breaks wouldn¡¯t deduct work points, so they intended to rest together before going home to rest. Once Zhang Guihua realized this, she was almost beside herself with rage and raised her hand to slap him. ¡°Ah, Mom, why did you hit me?¡± Jiang Changhai looked completely baffled. ¡°You deserve it!¡± Jiang Mianmian saw from a distance her dad being beaten by her grandma again, and felt not the slightest ripple inside; she was used to it. Honestly, if she had such a nonsensical son, she¡¯d beat him too. But a child does not speak of their father¡¯s faults, and Jiang Mianmian very cleverly and tenderly handed her own designated cup to her dad, ¡°Dad, drink some water.¡± This so-called exclusive cup was just a glass jar used for canning, as she didn¡¯t like sharing a cup with the whole family. After Jiang Changhai took a sip, his face immediately relaxed with pleasure. It was sweet, honey water, similar in color to tea, so nobody else could tell. His daughter was really thoughtful! But instead of continuing to drink, he asked, ¡°Has your mom had some yet?¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded, ¡°Yes, I and Aunt Su went to the Sun-drying Field first.¡± Su Wanyu was doing the light task of flipping rice at the Sun-drying Field, where she could also rest in the shade of a tree, but that only earned five work points a day. After hearing this, Jiang Changhai quickly gulped down the honey water until the jar was empty. Everyone was sitting on the field ridge catching their breath, drinking tea, and chatting. Suddenly an old man with a stern face asked, ¡°Changhai, I heard your daughter is starting at the commune primary school this school year?¡± The others also looked on with curious and gossipy expressions; this was a rare occurrence, knowing their village had only the village chief¡¯s family sending a daughter for schooling. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Getting Too Full of Oneself Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Getting Too Full of Oneself ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Changhai casually replied, pouring the tea into a cup and swirling it around before continuing to drink. The old man frowned and said, ¡°Nonsense! How can you spend money to send a girl to school when you could save it for a boy in the family to get married instead?¡± The old man was a highly respected elder in the Jiang Family, whom even Zhang Guihua and Jiang Dashan had to treat with courtesy. But Jiang Changhai was a tough nut to crack and retorted, ¡°Second Grandpa, my daughter going to school doesn¡¯t cost you a dime, so keep your nose out of it.¡± The old man was so angry that he blew his beard and stared, ¡°Your Mianmian is dull-headed! Few years back, she was at the literacy class, and after two months she still couldn¡¯t do addition or subtraction within twenty. Sending her to school would just be wasting money!¡± Jiang Changhai proudly boasted, ¡°That¡¯s because Mianmian didn¡¯t want to learn. If she wanted to, I guarantee she¡¯d do better than any kid in the village!¡± When his daughter divided sunflower seeds and peanuts, he knew just how slick she was at counting; his wife never managed to trick her once. Jiang Mianmian: ¡­ I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m not, Dad, don¡¯t brag! ¡°Pfft~¡± everyone else laughed. Who in the village didn¡¯t know everyone else¡¯s business? Someone who didn¡¯t like Jiang Changhai snickered, ¡°Hahaha, Changhai, your daughter looks clever enough, but let¡¯s be honest, don¡¯t boast and exaggerate.¡± After that, the laughter grew even louder, making Jiang Changhe and his wife, who were thin-skinned, feel their faces burning¡ªafter all, they were a family, sharing in each other¡¯s honor and embarrassment. Zhang Guihua also had a somber face, feeling uncomfortable inside. She didn¡¯t want San Ya to go to school, but she didn¡¯t appreciate her son being ridiculed and teased either. Yet, she couldn¡¯t refute it because they were telling the truth. However, Jiang Changhai touched his daughter¡¯s small head, saying firmly, ¡°In my heart, our Mianmian is the most clever and quick-witted.¡± His big hand and his gaze were so gentle that Jiang Mianmian felt a warm sensation in her chest. She couldn¡¯t stand seeing her dad being mocked like this! So she puffed out her little chest and recited loudly, ¡°At noon, hoeing in the fields, sweat drips down to the soil below. Who knows that each meal on the plate, every grain was hard-earned.¡± It¡¯s time for you all to know I am a champion! Indeed, the laughter died away in an instant. Jiang Mianmian continued, ¡°In spring, one sleeps, unaware of dawn; the birds chirp everywhere. Come night, with the sound of wind and rain, how many flowers have fallen?¡± ¡­After she had recited ten poems in a row, everyone present was staring at her with dumbfounded expressions, even Jiang Changhai, who usually bragged about his daughter without a care, was shocked. Even more exaggerated was her Aunt, who dropped the bowl from her hand. Jiang Mianmian suddenly felt a satisfying and arrogant thrill of astonishing everyone and being awesomely enviable. She felt incredibly great about herself. The System emerged to pour cold water on her, ¡°Host, just a reminder, you have been to university. You¡¯re not really an eight-year-old child.¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°No matter, let me bask in the glow of a child prodigy for a while.¡± ¡°My girl, you¡¯re fantastic!¡± After Jiang Changhai came to his senses, he scooped up his daughter in a hug, grinning from ear to ear. Jiang Mianmian jutted out her little chin proudly, ¡°I also know the multiplication table by heart.¡± But it was too long, and she was too lazy to recite it. ¡°Impossible!¡± Sun Lixia immediately objected, knowing that even Zhiwen, who was in fifth grade, hadn¡¯t memorized it completely. And someone eager for a show said, ¡°If you know it, then recite it for us to hear.¡± Before Jiang Mianmian could refuse, her father protectively said, ¡°Nice try, why should my daughter have to recite it for your amusement?¡± Then, with a face full of affection, he said to Jiang Mianmian, ¡°Here, have a drink. Your throat must be parched after reciting so many poems.¡± This time his daughter truly made him proud! At that moment, Jiang Dashan asked, ¡°San Ya, who did you learn all these poems from?¡± Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Host Dad Well Done Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Host Dad Well Done The few granddaughters at home had only attended the literacy class for two months, where they taught pinyin, simple characters, and basic arithmetic. Jiang Mianmian: ¡°¡­damn it, in my panic I forgot that in this life I haven¡¯t gone to school yet.¡± But she was quick-witted and instantly found a shield: ¡°I heard Sister Aibao reading aloud at home, and after listening to it several times, I remembered.¡± Lin Aibao was the village chief¡¯s daughter and was currently attending junior high in town. She studied diligently and even at home, she would study on her own, which everyone knew about. Hearing this, the village chief asked seriously, ¡°You remembered the ancient poems and multiplication tables just by listening a few times?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Mianmian blinked her eyes innocently. After all, no one knew she was a time traveler, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of being exposed. ¡°What is 8 x 9?¡± the village chief asked out of the blue. Jiang Mianmian reacted reflexively, ¡°72.¡± ¡°And 4 x 7?¡± ¡°28.¡± ¡­After five consecutive questions, the village chief suddenly became pensive. Their Q&A was so rapid that the villagers hadn¡¯t had time to react when they anxiously blurted out, ¡°Village chief, did Changhai¡¯s daughter get the answers right?¡± The elders in Stone Bridge Village had almost no education, with some not even able to write their own names. ¡°All correct.¡± The village chief nodded and said earnestly to the Jiang family members, ¡°Your decision to send San Ya to study is the right one, she has a talent for learning.¡± He had completed junior high school and understood the importance of education better than the others in the village, which was why he had insisted on sending his children to school despite the cost. Someone asked, ¡°Village chief, are you saying that Changhai¡¯s daughter is exceptionally intelligent and bright?¡± The village chief nodded, ¡°Yes, and not just ordinarily smart. She might even go on to high school.¡± San Ya, at least in terms of memory, was far better than most, which would make learning much easier for her. As these words were spoken, everyone was once again shocked. High school, huh! ¡°That means Changhai¡¯s daughter could go to the city to work, to eat ration grain!¡± Thus, the way everyone looked at the Jiang family members changed, now filled with burning envy. Jiang Changhai held his head high and chest out with utmost confidence, ¡°My daughter will definitely go to high school!¡± Although Zhang Guihua didn¡¯t speak, she also straightened her back in silent agreement. Jiang Mianmian: ¡°¡­ahhh, she didn¡¯t plan on attending high school at all!¡± She just intended to muddle through school for a few years; as soon as she could do business, she planned to earn money and enjoy life. As a student who disliked studying, she loathed the torturous high school years the most!! System: Host dad, way to go! Fortunately, her grandmother was still sensible, ¡°Eldest, don¡¯t be too quick to make such certain claims.¡± It would save them from embarrassment later on. ¡°Indeed, Elder Brother, even the village chief said it was uncertain whether she could attend, not that she definitely would be admitted.¡± Sun Lixia¡¯s tone was sour. If the Old Jiang Family was truly going to have someone succeed, it had to be her son! Jiang Changhai looked at his daughter full of expectation, ¡°Daughter, you will be able to get into high school, right?¡± Jiang Mianmian: No! But with her father boasting before so many people, she as his daughter couldn¡¯t fail to back him up. She could only nod reluctantly, ¡°Right.¡± Jiang Mianmian regretted it, wishing she hadn¡¯t shown off like that since her father wouldn¡¯t feel embarrassed even if people laughed at him for his thick skin. But the system was fervently encouraging, ¡°Host, don¡¯t worry, with this system here, I guarantee you will maintain the aura of a top student and outshine the others.¡± Jiang Mianmian wanted to cry, ¡°But I only wanted to be a lazy salted fish!¡± Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Performance Begins Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Performance Begins And Jiang Changhai, who couldn¡¯t hear his daughter¡¯s true feelings, was still showing off proudly, ¡°Did you hear? My Mianmian said she can get into high school.¡± Sun Lixia curled her lips and said without a word, ¡°Whether she can get in or not isn¡¯t up to her; it¡¯s about the exam results.¡± Knowing a few poems isn¡¯t anything special; she might not even pass the middle school entrance exams. ¡°We can talk about it later. Everyone, if you¡¯ve had enough rest, let¡¯s get back to work,¡± the village chief put down his bowl and stood up to call out. Jiang Mianmian quickly said, ¡°Dad, you go work, I should go cut pig grass.¡± If she stayed longer, she truly feared her father would boast even more. ¡°Remember to take your straw hat when you go back,¡± Jiang Changhai laughed heartily as he got her up from the ground, clearly in a very good mood. He wanted to enjoy being admired a bit longer, so for the time being, he wasn¡¯t going to go home and laze around. Zhang Guihua spoke up, ¡°San Ya, go dig up some wild vegetables by the river before you head back.¡± She had originally wanted the lazy girl to go to the fields and help Zhaodi pick up rice ears, but now that her granddaughter had brought some prestige to the Old Jiang Family, it could be overlooked. ¡°Mmhmm,¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded fervently, as long as she could keep her distance from her dad. Zhang Guihua continued, ¡°Zhiwen, Zhiwu, you two go take cover from the sun by the river first, and then come back later to carry the grain.¡± She doted on her two grandsons but still made them help with the work during their holidays, afraid of raising another lazy person. So the three children headed to the river, followed by other children from the village, mostly boys of course. Zhao Xiaojuan looked at the group of kids playing by the river, then at her three daughters, sweaty from head to toe, her heart clenched tight with pain. But aside from a few families, it was the lot of all the girls, at least the mother-in-law hadn¡¯t been cruel enough to make seven-year-old Zhaodi cut the rice. Jiang Changhai was still chatting away to his biological mother, ¡°Mom, you see? Mianmian was not being lazy before; she was going to listen to Aibao read and study.¡± ¡°I see, I see. Now get back to work.¡± After a while, someone suddenly yelled out, ¡°Not good, Changhai¡¯s daughter has fallen into the water!¡± Jiang Changhai, who had been joking around while fishing, heard this and immediately dropped his sickle and ran toward the river, ¡°My Mianmian!!¡± With his tall stature and long legs, he ran so fast that he actually jumped into the river before the others working there, coming face to face with his daughter who had just surfaced. Jiang Mianmian was first stunned, then said cheerfully, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s something in the river¡ª¡± ¡°Quick, close your eyes and pretend to faint,¡± Jiang Changhai whispered in a low voice, swiftly interrupting his daughter. Without saying another word, Jiang Mianmian closed her eyes and ¡°fainted.¡± Then she felt her father lift her to the shore and lay her on the soft grass before he began his performance. ¡°My daughter, you must be alright!¡± Jiang Changhai¡¯s face showed panic and grief as he wailed at the top of his lungs. The sound made everyone around feel for him, and an experienced person quickly reminded, ¡°She must have choked on water, press down on her chest to get it out!¡± We can¡¯t let that smart mind get ruined by water. Jiang Changhai pretended to gently press on his daughter¡¯s chest, ¡°Mianmian, my daughter, quickly open your eyes and look at Daddy!¡± ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Jiang Mianmian, figuring the time was about right, gradually came to, weakly calling out, ¡°Dad~¡± Her father, with a face of excited joy, held her tight in his embrace, ¡°My daughter, you almost scared your dad to death!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re okay, it¡¯s good you¡¯re okay.¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Words that Hit Home Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Words that Hit Home The villagers also breathed a sigh of relief, and the village chief considerately said, ¡°Changhai, hurry and take your daughter back home to change into dry clothes. Don¡¯t let her catch a cold and get a fever.¡± There was no medical facility in the village, so a child catching a cold and getting a fever was no small matter. In the neighboring village, there had even been a child who ended up mentally impaired because of a high fever. Understanding her own son¡¯s character, Zhang Guihua quickly added, ¡°Once you¡¯ve changed her clothes, hurry back to work!¡± ¡°Right, and drink some ginger sugar water too,¡± Jiang Changhai nodded, picking up his daughter and running quickly towards their home. Zhang Guihua heard this and immediately became anxious, ¡°Drink what ginger sugar water? Some ginger soup¡¯s enough!¡± There was only a little brown sugar at home, which couldn¡¯t withstand the eldest¡¯s liberal use. Jiang Changhai pretended not to hear and ran even faster. Watching his eager, rushing figure, someone remarked, ¡°Although Changhai usually seems careless and unfocused, he really does care about his daughter.¡± ¡°Nonsense, she¡¯s his only daughter. Who else would he care about if not her?¡± ¡°True, but, in my opinion, even if he dotes on his daughter, he still needs a son to carry on the family line.¡± Although the villagers all knew that Jiang Changhai would likely seek a son-in-law in the future, the ideas ingrained in them from childhood made them unable to agree and even led to scorn and mockery. When Zhang Guihua heard this stinging remark, her face immediately darkened, but the next second she retorted loudly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with having a daughter! Is any of your sons as smart as our San Ya? Can they recite so many poems and multiplication tables?¡± The others immediately fell silent, almost forgetting that Changhai¡¯s daughter now possessed a bright mind. Seeing this, Zhang Guihua felt incredibly refreshed and didn¡¯t mind the extra couple of yuan in school fees anymore. As Jiang Changhai ran further, he pretended to let his daughter down, ¡°Daughter, you¡¯ve gotten heavy again. Come down and walk on your own.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Jiang Mianmian clung to his neck and refused to let go, ¡°I¡¯m not heavy!¡± These days, without much fatty food, she couldn¡¯t gain weight even if she wanted to. Then seeing her dad turn around, she asked, ¡°Dad, aren¡¯t we going home?¡± ¡°We¡¯re picking up your mom,¡± Jiang Changhai hadn¡¯t forgotten his wife. Jiang Mianmian nodded in understanding. If her mom knew her husband and daughter had sneaked home to avoid work without calling her, she would definitely twist the ears of both father and daughter as punishment. From a distance, seeing his wife relaxing in the shade of a tree, Jiang Changhai shouted, ¡°Wife, our daughter fell into the water. Hurry home and boil some water.¡± Su Wanyu, upon hearing this, immediately dropped her rake and ran over, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just that Mianmian fell into the water, and the villagers thought she choked and got scared,¡± Jiang Changhai explained in a low voice, not wanting her to worry. Jiang Mianmian also said softly, eyes sparkling, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go home and drink some brown sugar water.¡± Seeing her daughter looking spirited and fine, Su Wanyu was relieved and urged, ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s hurry!¡± So, the family of three headed home and went straight to the kitchen, took the jar of brown sugar from the cupboard, and made three bowls of sweet water. Each holding a bowl, they drank enthusiastically. After finishing her bowl, Su Wanyu then remembered to ask, ¡°Daughter, do you want some ginger?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jiang Mianmian shook her head. The ginger at home was too spicy. Knowing her daughter was fine and not scared by the water, Su Wanyu didn¡¯t insist. And since it was a hot day and the river water wasn¡¯t cold, their clothes had almost dried by the time they got home. But Jiang Mianmian still changed into a clean set of clothes and then lay on the bed, letting out a satisfied sigh, ¡°It¡¯s really more comfortable lying down!¡± Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Entering the City to Enjoy Spicy and Fragrant Food Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Entering the City to Enjoy Spicy and Fragrant Food Her parents also removed their shoes and nonchalantly lay down beside her. ¡°Wife, let me tell you, our daughter just now¡­¡± Jiang Changhai excitedly began recounting what had happened in the fields. Su Wanyu initially listened without much emotional fluctuation, as she was well aware of her daughter¡¯s cleverness. It was only when she heard the village chief say her daughter could definitely get into high school that she sat up excitedly, ¡°Then we can follow Mianmian into the city to enjoy the good life! Daughter, giving birth to you in such pain and struggle was really worth it!¡± Jiang Mianmian quickly corrected her, ¡°Mom, the village chief said it¡¯s a possibility, not a certainty.¡± Her dad was really too good at twisting words. ¡°It¡¯s all the same,¡± Jiang Changhai dismissed with a wave of his hand. Jiang Mianmian, ¡°¡­, what if I don¡¯t get in?¡± Her dad couldn¡¯t really believe she would get into high school, could he? The system immediately came online, ¡°With this system here, there won¡¯t be any ¡®what if¡¯!¡± Jiang Changhai however, said nonchalantly, ¡°If you don¡¯t get in, then you don¡¯t get in.¡± Jiang Mianmian was startled, ¡°What about the mockery from others then?¡± After all, they had bragged in front of so many people. ¡°Let them laugh. It won¡¯t cost us meals,¡± Jiang Changhai confidently stated with his usual thick skin, ¡°Anyway, as long as we are happy now, that¡¯s enough.¡± Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu said, ¡°Then when I return to Sun-drying Field later, I must show off and enjoy the envious looks from others for a while.¡± As she spoke, she lay back down, her face showing no signs of disappointment or dissatisfaction. ¡°Don¡¯t you guys want me to get into high school?¡± Jiang Mianmian was a bit confused. ¡°Of course!¡± Su Wanyu¡¯s beautiful face showed longing and anticipation, ¡°If you could become a high school student, you could work in a factory and get food rations, and your dad and I wouldn¡¯t have to work at all, living a comfortable life.¡± ¡°Your mom¡¯s right.¡± Jiang Changhai nodded in agreement, ¡°Besides, what parent doesn¡¯t want their child to be successful?¡± Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian became even more bewildered, ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you encouraging me to study hard and give it a try?¡± ¡°Oh, silly girl.¡± Her dad chuckled lightly, gently stroking her head, ¡°Your mom and I wish for your success, but more than that, we want you to be happy every day. Sending you to school is also so you learn more, to prevent being deceived by others in the future.¡± And to possibly find a handsome and capable city son-in-law. None of the young men from the nearby villages and teams could match up to his daughter! Jiang Mianmian¡¯s eyes suddenly became moist and her nose tingled. In her previous life, her parents had divorced when she was in junior high, leaving her with two houses and a street, then went on to start new families, hardly seeing her more than a few times a year. The parents in this life, though poor, truly loved and embraced her, providing for her materially and spiritually as much as they could. So, she also wanted to fulfill their expectations! At that, Jiang Mianmian sat up, clenched her small fists, and solemnly said, ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely get into high school and make you proud!¡± It was just about getting a high school diploma, not about university entrance. In her previous life, even with poor grades, she had managed to earn a diploma from a junior college. The system couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Host, you really are ambitious.¡± ¡°Good! That¡¯s my daughter, full of spirit!¡± Jiang Changhai was genuinely delighted and proud, his grin stretching almost to his ears. Hehe, the daughter said she wanted to make her parents proud! Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Reality and Cunning Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Reality and Cunning Su Wanyu also held her little hand, her face filled with emotion and tenderness, ¡°My good daughter, your parents will be relying on you to support us in the future!¡± Suddenly burdened with the responsibility of providing for the family, Jiang Mianmian replied, ¡°¡­Mom, I¡¯m only eight years old. It¡¯s going to be many years before I finish high school.¡± Five years of elementary school, two years of middle school, and two years of high school make a total of nine years. By that time, her parents would definitely have started their own business and earned a lot of money, persuaded by her, and she would be able to live like a lazy rich second-generation! When Su Wanyu thought about how long it would take before she could rely on her daughter, the smile on her beautiful face suddenly drooped, ¡°Ah, if only you could grow up overnight.¡± Then she released her daughter¡¯s hand and turned to coax her husband, ¡°Hubby, I don¡¯t want to go back and turn over the grain.¡± Although working at the Sun-drying Field was easy and allowed for slacking, it was still tiring. ¡°Then let¡¯s not go back, let¡¯s sleep.¡± Jiang Changhai waved his hand assertively, ¡°Mianmian did fall into the water, and everyone in the village saw it. We, as parents, should stay at home and accompany our shocked daughter.¡± Even though there were still two hours left until the end of the workday, everyone had gone home, so naturally, there was no reason to go back and work! ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re so smart,¡± praised Su Wanyu, looking up at him with adoring, loving eyes. Jiang Mianmian thought,¡­ her mom is really practical and scheming. Sure enough, Jiang Changhai felt very pleased with himself and proudly said, ¡°Of course, when it comes to being lazy and shirking work, no one in Stone Bridge Village can beat me.¡± Jiang Mianmian saw her father¡¯s shameless self-pride and couldn¡¯t help but admire him. This skin was absolutely thicker than a city wall! In this era when labor is most glorious, her dad was the pest everyone wanted to get rid of! And her mom didn¡¯t feel it was wrong at all, and still gently coaxed her dad to work, ¡°Brother Hai, when you wake up later, could you wash the clothes our daughter changed out of?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Jiang Changhai, mesmerized by her beauty, naturally agreed immediately. Jiang Mianmian thought, Ah, men! Her dad was just simply lazy, not wanting to work, but her mom was both lazy and greedy, and also very good at acting. Of course, Jiang Mianmian herself was no better than her parents. In her past life, she was a lazy slack-off, and in this life, she remained true to her original self, learning to avoid work from her dad and fight over food with her mom. Indeed, the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree! Seeing her daughter¡¯s mature expression, Su Wanyu poked her little belly and said, ¡°In the future, you¡¯re not allowed to play in the water with your clothes on.¡± It was tiring enough on usual days; she did not want to wash extra clothes. Jiang Mianmian immediately claimed she was wronged, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who wanted to go into the water; it was Big Brother and Second Brother who pushed me in.¡± ¡°What?! Zhiwen and Zhiwu pushed you into the water?!¡± Jiang Changhai immediately sat up, asking seriously, ¡°Why did they push you into the water?¡± Although he knew his daughter was a good swimmer, having taught her himself, falling into the water on one¡¯s own and being pushed were two different matters! And normally when his daughter played in the river, he was always watching over her. Jiang Mianmian blinked and said truthfully, ¡°Big Brother, Second Brother, and I found a wild yam by the river. We all wanted it, neither one willing to give in, so we started to fight, and during the scuffle, I don¡¯t know who accidentally pushed me into the river.¡± She didn¡¯t embellish the complaint because, although her dad usually seemed laid-back, he could be quite frightening when truly angered. Besides, considering she was almost thirty, combining her two lives, she wasn¡¯t about to squabble with two little kids. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21: What Nonsense Are You Thinking About? Chapter 21: Chapter 21: What Nonsense Are You Thinking About? Jiang Changhai frowned and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it wasn¡¯t on purpose, it¡¯s still unacceptable!¡± Just as Jiang Mianmian was trying to placate him, she saw her father speaking with moral righteousness, ¡°Since it was Zhiwen and Zhiwu who pushed you into the water, then we must have your grandma stew an old hen for you to calm your nerves.¡± Chicken soup!! Jiang Mianmian¡¯s eyes lit up and she instantly changed her tune, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re right. I received a huge fright falling into the water today, cough cough¡ª¡± She covered her chest and began to cough weakly. Watching her immediately change her expression, Jiang Changhai and Su Wanyu were quite proud inside: That¡¯s their daughter! So, the three of them huddled together, whispering plans, then fell asleep with smiles on their faces. * ¡°Today I am definitely going to give Eldest and his wife a good talking to; they¡¯re always shirking work and being lazy as if food just falls from the sky!¡± Zhang Guihua grumbled as she walked in, storming furiously into the house. Sun Lixia followed behind with feigned concern, ¡°Mom, calm down. Brother and sister-in-law aren¡¯t lazy for the first time, you mustn¡¯t upset yourself to the point of illness.¡± Deep down, however, she was eager for her mother-in-law to really give the Eldest and his wife a severe scolding, and to make her sister-in-law go cut rice in the fields, too. Why should the sister-in-law get to do the easy jobs when they were both daughters-in-law of the Old Jiang Family? Feeling indignant, she then saw Jiang Changhai with a thunderous look as he pulled open the door, ¡°Mom, how are we going to settle this matter with Zhiwen and Zhiwu pushing Mianmian into the river?!¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s fury was immediately extinguished by the question. Sun Lixia was quick to react, ¡°It was clearly San Ya who fell into the water herself; it¡¯s got nothing to do with Zhiwen and Zhiwu!¡± Her two sons, however, immediately hung their heads guiltily and swallowed nervously. ¡°Speak! Why did you push Mianmian into the river?!¡± Jiang Changhai glared fiercely, interrogating his two nephews like a wrathful deity. The two boys shuddered in fear, with the older one stuttering in denial, ¡°No, no, it wasn¡¯t me who pushed her!¡± ¡°Nor was it me,¡± the younger one quickly shook his head in agreement. Sun Lixia was even more vehement as she opened her arms to protect her sons, shouting discontentedly, ¡°Eldest brother, how can you intimidate children like this as an adult?¡± ¡°If they weren¡¯t so stubborn, I would even spank them,¡± Jiang Changhai, far from backing down, brandished his fist and threatened more fiercely than before. The two boys instinctively covered their behinds, fearing Uncle would again beat them till their butts were blooming. ¡°You bastard, are you going to hit me and your father too?!¡± Seeing her son acting so brazenly, Zhang Guihua, enraged, attempted to smack him on the back. Jiang Changhai dodged agilely backwards, not forgetting to shout loudly, ¡°They almost drowned my girl by pushing her into the water; even if I killed them for it, it would be justified!¡± Working on the farm every day gave his mother strength not much less than a man¡¯s, and a slap from her would certainly leave a bruise. ¡°Bullshit! San Ya is right here, all safe and sound!¡± Zhang Guihua pointed angrily at her granddaughter on the bed, with rosy cheeks. ¡°Cough cough~¡± Jiang Mianmian immediately put on a frail face and coughed twice. If she couldn¡¯t swim, or if she really were a child of eight, being pushed into the water suddenly would have indeed caused some fright. Jiang Changhai snorted, ¡°That¡¯s only because my girl is blessed with a good fate that she wasn¡¯t drowned! Anyway, I don¡¯t care, Mianmian was frightened by Zhiwen and Zhiwu pushing her into the water; she must have a bowl of chicken soup to settle her nerves.¡± Hearing him actually taking aim at the family¡¯s old hen, Zhang Guihua¡¯s voice rose eight octaves, ¡°I think you¡¯re out of your mind!¡± Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Its Almost There Chapter 22: Chapter 22 It¡¯s Almost There The three egg-laying hens had been carefully tended to; she hadn¡¯t even had the heart to kill one for her grandson¡¯s birthday last month. Sun Lixia also shrieked, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t spout nonsense! Our Zhiwen and Zhiwu have always been honest. How could they possibly push San Ya into the water? San Ya must be lying!¡± Though she was blustering like this, inside she felt a bit uneasy. The eldest, though always shirking and unreasonable, had never wrongfully accused anyone without cause. But even if it really was her two sons who did it, she would deny it to the death. After all, no one saw it happen! ¡°Stuff your mother¡¯s stinking fart!¡± Jiang Changhai cursed forcefully, his spit flying, ¡°Our Mianmian is the most obedient and well-behaved, not like Zhiwen and Zhiwu who do wrong and then don¡¯t have the courage to admit it. A couple of useless cowards!¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡­ With all this talk of farts, she felt like she was starting to smell them. Zhang Guihua wiped the spit from her face, glaring unhappily, ¡°Eldest, how can you talk like this? Zhiwen and Zhiwu are your own nephews.¡± Sun Lixia and Jiang Changtao, the couple from the Third Branch, looked on with displeasure. The eldest brother¡¯s words were too disrespectful to their branch of the family. ¡°Nieces aren¡¯t as dear as daughters! My daughter is so smart. What if her brain were damaged from being submerged in water? Could you compensate for that?!¡± Jiang Changhai certainly didn¡¯t buy their excuses. ¡°Plus I¡¯m not wrong. What kind of man does something wrong and won¡¯t admit it? It¡¯s better to be castrated and become a girl!¡± As he spoke, he even cast a malicious glance toward his nephews¡¯ crotches, as if he¡¯d go to the kitchen to grab a knife and castrate them at any moment. The two boys shivered, feeling a chill in their groin. But Jiang Mianmian on the bed felt her ears grow hot; her dad¡¯s way of intimidating the kids was quite perverse. However, everything her father did was for her, so she wasn¡¯t going to undermine him! The next second, the younger nephew, Jiang Zhiwu, cried out from too much fear, ¡°Don¡¯t cut my wee-wee off, I didn¡¯t push Mianmian sister on purpose.¡± Sun Lixia quickly covered his mouth, angrily accusing first, ¡°Dad, Mom, look how fierce big brother is, Zhiwu is so scared he¡¯s talking nonsense!¡± Jiang Changhai couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her and reached out to grab his elder nephew¡¯s clothes, lifting him up like a chick, ¡°Your brother admitted it already, now it¡¯s your turn.¡± Seeing their uncle with a murderous look, Jiang Zhiwen couldn¡¯t help but start crying out loud as well. Sun Lixia screamed in horror, ¡°Ah!! What are you trying to do to Zhiwen?!¡± Jiang Changtao roared angrily, ¡°Eldest brother, you¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Zhang Guihua was both angry and anxious, ¡°Eldest, put Zhiwen down right now.¡± The room was a noisy tumult, causing Jiang Mianmian¡¯s head to ache. She quickly covered her ears. The girls from the Second Branch huddled in the corner, not even daring to breathe too loudly. Just then, with a ¡°bang,¡± the patriarch of the family, Jiang Dashan, who¡¯d been silently smoking his pipe, slammed his hand on the table and spoke up, ¡°Enough, all of you shut up!¡± In an instant, everyone in the room fell silent. Jiang Dashan, with half-closed lids, glanced at his eldest son, ¡°Eldest, put Zhiwen down.¡± Jiang Changhai compliantly set his nephew down, his face still taut, ¡°Dad, I only have one daughter, Mianmian. You¡¯ve got to back me up here, or else I¡¯m going to the village chief to settle this!¡± As he spoke, he stealthily flexed his wrist, thinking that his elder nephew was quite heavy; he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold him much longer. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Jiang Dashan took a drag from his pipe and waved his grandsons over, ¡°Zhiwen, Zhiwu, come here.¡± Sun Lixia didn¡¯t want her sons to go over but also did not dare to defy her father-in-law. She could only secretly hope that her sons would be strong and not confess! Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 What do you want? Chapter 23: Chapter 23 What do you want? Otherwise, Eldest¡¯s shameless hooligan behavior, who knew how much they might have to lose because of him. Unfortunately, fate didn¡¯t favor their wishes. Jiang Dashan, with a stony expression on his face, sternly asked his two grandsons, ¡°Stop crying, and answer me, was it you two who pushed San Ya into the water? Be honest.¡± He looked menacing, and just his silent presence was enough to scare the grandchildren, let alone now with his stern expression. Thus, the two boys, sniffing and sobbing, nodded, ¡°Yes, we truly didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Sun Lixia¡¯s face instantly turned ashen, considering Eldest would create trouble and haggle even without reason, let alone now that he had the upper hand. Zhang Guihua, feeling sorry for her grandsons, hurriedly attempted to smooth things over, ¡°Eldest, you see, your nephews didn¡¯t do it on purpose, let¡¯s just let bygones be bygones, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Uncle, you¡¯re the bigger person, don¡¯t be petty with the young ones,¡± Sun Lixia also chimed in, making an effort to please. However, Jiang Changhai wouldn¡¯t have any of it, ¡°Impossible!¡± Of course, he knew his nephews didn¡¯t do it intentionally, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have come to this. Jiang Dashan then asked in a deep voice, ¡°So what do you want?¡± Hearing this, Sun Lixia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, as if she could already see all their things being moved to Eldest¡¯s house. But Jiang Changhai solemnly said, ¡°You two go and apologize to Mianmian.¡± The brothers, straightforward as they were, turned around and walked to the bedside, ¡°Sorry, Mianmian sister, we didn¡¯t mean to push you into the river.¡± ¡°I forgive you,¡± said Jiang Mianmian magnanimously, waving her hand, as these two troublemakers had already been scared enough by their father. And Sun Lixia breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately praised, ¡°I always knew San Ya was the most sensible and understanding among the girls!¡± Zhang Guihua also showed a relieved smile, thinking Eldest had finally come around and didn¡¯t make unreasonable demands. Then they heard Jiang Changhai state confidently, ¡°Mianmian has had such a fright, she needs at least two months to recuperate.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Zhang Guihua agreed without much hesitation. After all, that lazy girl also always shirks work every day; as long as no one mentions drinking chicken soup, it¡¯s fine. Dad, you¡¯re the best! Jiang Mianmian silently applauded her father in her heart; she could lie around doing nothing for two months! Jiang Changhai continued, ¡°Mianmian is so weak, my wife will need to take care of her at home for the next few days.¡± Su Wanyu, who had been silently playing the role of the worried mother: Dad, you¡¯re the most manly man! ¡°No way!¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s face grew long, ¡°If she¡¯s home, who will take over her work in the fields?!¡± Eldest¡¯s wife already had the least strenuous tasks; if she didn¡¯t even earn that work-point, that would really be feeding a freeloader. Jiang Changhai replied without thinking, ¡°Let Laosan¡¯s wife do it.¡± ¡°Why should I?!¡± Sun Lixia¡¯s face was full of discontent. Jiang Changhai justified firmly, ¡°Because your kids, Zhiwen and Zhiwu, pushed my daughter into the river.¡± Sun Lixia: ¡­ Lost for words, Jiang Changtao spoke up and agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Dad?!¡± Sun Lixia looked incredulously at her husband; she was already tired enough from doing her own daily chores. Jiang Changhai, however, patted his brother¡¯s shoulder, looking pleased, ¡°Laosan, you really take responsibility, like a true man!¡± Jiang Laosan¡¯s mouth twitched unwillingly, not appreciating his shameless Eldest brother¡¯s compliment, feeling it quite disingenuous. Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t care what he was thinking, and turned his head to continue, ¡°Also¡ª¡± ¡°Also?!¡± Zhang Guihua and Sun Lixia cried out in unison, as if it were never going to end! Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Trapped Again Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Trapped Again ¡°Of course, there is!¡± Jiang Changhai looked at his daughter with eyes full of distress, ¡°Our Mianmian got a scare and weakened herself, we need to kill an old hen to nourish her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Zhang Guihua bared her teeth and glared fiercely, looking ferocious and terrifying. Jiang Changhai, with an unabashed look, said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go talk to the village chief, and if he can¡¯t decide, I¡¯ll go to the commune and find the brigade leader and secretary.¡± As soon as Zhang Guihua heard this, her nose skewed in anger: ¡°You little bastard, aren¡¯t you making the Old Jiang Family lose enough face?!¡± They say not to air one¡¯s dirty laundry in public, but this good-for-nothing made a fuss at the slightest disagreement, god knows how much of a laughing stock he had made them in front of the villagers! Jiang Dashan also frowned, ¡°Change to a different request, we need to keep the chickens for laying eggs.¡± It was then that Su Wanyu spoke up gently, ¡°Dad is right, Brother Hai, it¡¯s also good for Mianmian to eat more eggs.¡± ¡°Right, right, sister-in-law has got the point, eggs are indeed good stuff.¡± Sun Lixia also set aside her annoyance to add eagerly. You should know that back in those days, eggs were a rare delicacy. Other than those reserved for selling for money, the eggs from the family were usually for her two sons and San Ya to eat. Furthermore, each household was only allowed to raise three chickens. If one was missing, that would be one less egg each day, and the two boys might not even get to eat egg soup twice in a week. Upon hearing this, Jiang Changhai first showed a look of disgust and hesitation, then said with a face implying it was a great burden, ¡°Since the wife has said so, then let¡¯s have Mianmian eat eggs for two consecutive months.¡± ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± The people of the Jiang Family took in a breath of air in unison at his audacious demand. The Eldest really dare to say it. Two months meant sixty eggs. Even Laosan¡¯s Wife, the great contributor for giving birth to the first grandson, only got to eat eggs for a month straight. Zhang Guihua, after being stunned for a split second, screamed at the top of her voice, ¡°Dream on! Three days, take it or leave it.¡± Jiang Changhai shook his head, ¡°No good, fifty days, otherwise I¡¯m going to find the village chief right now.¡± Zhang Guihua glared, ¡°One week, not a day more.¡± Jiang Changhai frowned, ¡°Forty days.¡± Zhang Guihua gritted her teeth, ¡°Ten days.¡± ¡°Thirty days.¡± ¡°Twenty days.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Zhang Guihua: ¡°¡­¡± She got played by that little bastard again! Thinking about the next twenty eggs all going into that girl¡¯s stomach, her heart was bleeding. Yet, Jiang Changhai, thick-skinned, even had the audacity to further demand, ¡°Eating steamed eggs every day can get monotonous; it would be better to have sweetened egg pudding every other day to change the flavor.¡± ¡°Get lost, there¡¯s no such thing!¡± Zhang Guihua stormed off in a fury, slamming the door behind her, afraid that if she stayed any longer, her unfilial son would cause her to die of heart disease from sheer anger. Seeing that the fuss was over, everyone else followed and left, leaving only the family of three from the main room. The moment her father closed the door, Jiang Mianmian immediately threw off the covers and sat up: ¡°Oh my goodness, I¡¯m boiling!¡± In the sweltering heat, to make the performance more convincing, her mother ruthlessly wrapped her in blankets. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, girl, let dad fan you.¡± Jiang Changhai immediately took the fan and started fanning her, looking at her little face, all red from the suffocation. Su Wanyu also brought over some cool water with a smile, ¡°Here, girl, have some water.¡± As she began to gulp it down, she continued, ¡°With a total of twenty eggs, if the three of us each take an equal share of six, the remaining two¡ª¡± ¡°The remaining two eggs are mine!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Mianmian quickly swallowed the water she was drinking and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my falling into the water today, there wouldn¡¯t be these twenty eggs.¡± Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 The Greed for Two Eggs Chapter 25: Chapter 25 The Greed for Two Eggs Her mom immediately gave her a beautiful eye roll: ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah, you little glutton, as if your dad and I would really covet your two eggs.¡± ¡°You would!¡± Jiang Mianmian stated with resounding conviction that seemed to echo as it landed. It wasn¡¯t as if such things had never happened. Her mom covered her face, sobbing pretentiously: ¡°I just ate one of your rice cakes back then, why do you still hold a grudge until now?¡± Jiang Mianmian said quietly: ¡°Only one rice cake? Were those peanuts and jerkies eaten by rats, perhaps?¡± When she was two or three years old, she hadn¡¯t quite figured out her mom¡¯s proclivity for pilfering treats, and without being on guard, her mom would sneakily stash and snack on them. After discovering this, her mom even had the nerve to say it was for her own good, that she was small with tender teeth, and eating too much could lead to indigestion and diarrhea. Ah, the little girl was getting sharper and sharper. Su Wanyu promptly changed her expression and switched the subject: ¡°The nervous look on Second Sister-in-law¡¯s face just now, it¡¯s as if she was afraid we were going to take something from her room.¡± Jiang Changhai immediately showed disdain: ¡°I don¡¯t even care for the stuff in her room, it¡¯s not worth much.¡± Then, looking at his own daughter: ¡°Mianmian, let¡¯s go to the mountain in a couple of days to catch some wild rabbits, sell them in town, and buy popsicles.¡± His daughter was lucky, and every time she accompanied him they caught plenty of game. Jiang Mianmian nodded: ¡°Good, I also want to eat big meat buns.¡± As she spoke, she licked the corner of her mouth, considering how the state-run restaurant¡¯s big meat buns were not only large in size but also had plenty of filling. Su Wanyu also swallowed and said: ¡°Get some honey too, we¡¯re almost out of the last batch.¡± ¡°Done.¡± The family of three discussed cheerily, while at the other end the old lady was looking at the eggs in the jar with heartache, twitching repeatedly: ¡°The eggs saved up were to be exchanged for kerosene!¡± She had saved up over thirty eggs over the course of several months, and Eldest had claimed twenty in one go, it was like taking half her life! Seeing the mother-in-law frowning and in clear distress, Zhao Xiaojuan quietly picked vegetables, not daring to even let out a breath. Sun Lixia, however, was giving bad advice: ¡°Mom, Eldest only said to let San Ya eat eggs for twenty days, not that she has to eat one each day, you could give her half an egg a day.¡± A full twenty eggs, after all, couldn¡¯t just be given away cheaply to that wretched girl. Upon hearing this, the old lady first brightened up, then shook her head: ¡°That won¡¯t do, Eldest¡¯s temper would surely cause a scene!¡± No one knew better what kind of son she had than she did, as his mother. It was only upon hearing this that Zhao Xiaojuan cautiously spoke: ¡°Then what about the kerosene at home?¡± The family worked from dawn till dusk, and without a kerosene lamp, it wouldn¡¯t do, as at night she still needed to mend and sew clothes for her daughters. The old lady¡¯s brow furrowed even deeper; it hadn¡¯t been easy to save up so many eggs, since the three old hens didn¡¯t lay them every day. If they couldn¡¯t save up, they¡¯d have to make do with less. Sun Lixia also realized this and promptly said: ¡°Mom, Zhiwen and Zhiwu are growing boys, they can¡¯t go without their egg soup.¡± The old lady hesitated for a while but eventually conceded due to her fondness for her grandsons: ¡°We¡¯ll just exchange fewer for now, and wait to get more later.¡± Sun Lixia finally breathed a sigh of relief, but when it came time to eat, seeing Jiang Mianmian enjoying her boiled eggs while her own sons could only look on longingly, she still felt uncomfortable. These eggs should have been partly Zhiwen¡¯s and Zhiwu¡¯s! To think that a mere nuisance who had only choked on water and was neither truly foolish nor dead was entitled to so many eggs!? Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Days of Frustration Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Days of Frustration Pityingly, she couldn¡¯t vent her bitterness and frustrations openly, because when it came to thick-skinned arguing and throwing tantrums, she couldn¡¯t outdo Eldest. Life was unbearably stifling! The other girls merely swallowed their saliva, full of envy. It had been a long time since they had tasted egg custard, yet San Ya was able to devour a whole twenty eggs. If they fell into water, they too could eat that much, no, just two eggs would be enough. Jiang Mianmian felt their burning stares for a moment, a twinge of guilt in her heart, and then she chewed faster. Sorry, she was too insignificant to help others at the moment, and could only look after herself. ¡°Honey, slow down, don¡¯t choke,¡± Jiang Changhai saw this and hurriedly passed her a bowl of vegetable soup. He knew his nieces were staring hungrily, but that was none of his business! If their own parents didn¡¯t care about them, he, being just an uncle, definitely wouldn¡¯t bother, especially since he was hardly managing to provide for one daughter. The old lady also valued the eggs, and said sternly, ¡°Eldest, since San Ya is going to school, it will cost us an extra two dollars a year. You need to work harder and earn more work points.¡± As for Eldest¡¯s wife who had asthma, there were no expectations placed on her. Any illness she had would probably cost more money than it was worth! ¡°Sure,¡± Jiang Changhai surprisingly agreed this time. Which made the old lady somewhat uneasy, ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. If you do, San Ya won¡¯t be able to go to school next year.¡± Jiang Changhai immediately cried out in protest, ¡°Mom, do I seem like someone whose words don¡¯t count?¡± The old lady thought about it, and although her eldest son was a good-for-nothing scoundrel, he indeed had never lied or deceived her. Still, she felt uneasy. Then she heard Jiang Changhai say, ¡°Mianmian will start school in the autumn, so I¡¯m also going to wait until then to begin working more.¡± The old lady felt much more reassured. That sounded more like something Eldest would say. So she nodded, deciding to trust him for now, ¡°Alright, when the time comes, you¡¯ll join your father and the others.¡± But everyone else, including Jiang Mianmian, didn¡¯t quite believe it. After finishing the meal and returning to their room, she asked, ¡°Dad, when I start school, will you really work more?¡± She felt that making her dad work more was even less reliable than her getting into college. Seeing her wide-eyed and cute expression, Jiang Changhai teasingly responded, ¡°Yes.¡± After all, he had never specified how many days he would work more; even one day would count. Jiang Mianmian was stunned. Her dad was actually serious?! How could that be possible?! Seeing her incredulous expression, Su Wanyu spoke softly, ¡°Your dad is working so hard just for you. You must study hard, get into high school, and make a lot of money to repay us.¡± ¡°Yes, I definitely will!¡± Jiang Mianmian was moved instantly; she knew how lazy her dad was. If it weren¡¯t for her and her mom¡¯s greedy appetites, her dad would rather sleep on an empty stomach than work to eat his fill. Seizing the moment, the system chimed in, ¡°Host, since your father is willing to work more for you, you should also strive to study hard to repay your parents. So, how about we officially start the study prodigy mode tonight?¡± Jiang Mianmian sniffled, ¡°Thanks, no thanks.¡± Study prodigy mode sounded terrifying. Of course, she would delay it as long as possible; she still wanted to enjoy two more months of lazy life. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. That very evening, the village chief came to their door with his daughter and a first-grade textbook. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Bad Premonition Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Bad Premonition Jiang Mianmian: Suddenly had a bad feeling. As expected, I heard the village chief saying, ¡°I heard San Ya will be resting at home for the next two months, and just in time, Aibao is on break and can come back to provide some tutoring.¡± Jiang Mianmian was about to refuse, but her mom accepted immediately, ¡°Then we must thank the village chief immensely, our Mianmian will definitely study hard.¡± This was truly a case of falling asleep and being handed a pillow¡ªher daughter¡¯s chances of getting into high school had just increased! Jiang Mianmian quickly said, ¡°This might not be a good idea, wouldn¡¯t it interfere with Sister Aibao¡¯s own studies?¡± Upon hearing this, fifteen-year-old Lin Aibao shook her head, ¡°No, while you do your homework, I can study on my own.¡± When she spoke, her eyes were shining. She could finally teach someone else and hold a class! In school, she had always thought teachers were very commanding and had longed to be like them, educating and instructing. But her younger brothers at home didn¡¯t care for her lessons, and the kids in the village were either busy with chores or playing with mud and bird eggs, leaving her with no opportunity to show her skills. So, when her dad asked her today if she¡¯d like to tutor San Ya, she didn¡¯t even think before agreeing. Jiang Mianmian: ¡°¡­¡± Seeing her excitement and enthusiasm, Jiang Mianmian quietly tugged on her dad¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Dad, quickly help her refuse, she doesn¡¯t want to be tutored ahead of time.¡± However, Jiang Changhai thought that studying ahead was a good idea, allowing her to show off once she got to school, so he pretended not to notice. At this moment, the old lady spoke with a troubled face, ¡°Village chief, we know you mean well in letting Aibao teach San Ya, but our family really doesn¡¯t have much to offer.¡± It was common knowledge that if someone came to teach one¡¯s child, one should offer something in return as tuition. But the mere thought of paying two yuan in tuition fees was painful enough, let alone spending an extra cent! ¡°There¡¯s no need for any payment for teaching one child,¡± said the village chief, waving his hand. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re all from the same village; if San Ya becomes successful in the future, we all share in the glory.¡± Upon hearing this good deal, Sun Lixia quickly joined in, ¡°Village chief, can we have Aibao tutor Zhiwen and Zhiwu as well?¡± She had heard Aibao was a good student and was likely to get into high school next year. The two boys instantly reacted with a look of resistance, shouting, ¡°We don¡¯t want her tutoring!¡± Listening to teachers in school was already dreadful enough; if they had to study during the holidays at home, they were sure to go crazy. Several girls, however, looked on with envy and desire; they too wanted to read and write. Zhao Xiaojuan, seeing this, felt very bitter and decided to discuss with her husband later, to let their daughters study as well. Lin Aibao, looking at the two dirty boys then back to the fair and obedient Jiang Mianmian, suddenly became picky about her students, ¡°I will be teaching first-grade textbooks, which they have already studied.¡± ¡°Right, right, we¡¯re already in third/fifth grade,¡± the two boys nodded vigorously like pounding garlic, terrified of being dragged to tutoring classes. That¡¯s when you teach third-grade and fifth-grade material! Sun Lixia thought this to herself but dared not say it out loud; she only pleaded with a hopeful face, ¡°So, if they don¡¯t know how to do their homework, could you Aibao help teach them?¡± ¡°I could do that.¡± Lin Aibao nodded, then stuffed the textbooks into Jiang Mianmian¡¯s hands, earnestly instructing, ¡°You take these two books first; I¡¯ll come teach you tomorrow morning.¡± Jiang Mianmian wanted to cry but had no tears: No, I don¡¯t want it! Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: A Family of Drama Kings and Queens Chapter 28: Chapter 28: A Family of Drama Kings and Queens After sending off the village chief and his daughter, Jiang Mianmian returned to her own room and immediately complained to her father, crying, ¡°Dad, I finally get a two-month break, and I don¡¯t want to study!¡± Jiang Changhai soothed her, ¡°Honey, we¡¯re not really studying, just a bit of tutoring¡ª it won¡¯t be tiring. And think about it, if you learn everything in these two months, the teachers and students at school will definitely think you¡¯re super smart once you show your skills¡ªit¡¯ll be so impressive.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that kind of impressiveness at all.¡± Jiang Mianmian shook her head like a rattle drum, feeling no pride in showing off in front of a bunch of little brats. Su Wanyu then put on a stern face, ¡°Like it or not, you have to! You promised you¡¯d definitely get into high school and bring your dad and me to the city to live a good life.¡± Jiang Mianmian blinked, ¡°I can get into high school without studying with Sister Aibao.¡± Lin Aibao was just a junior high student, while she was a college student after all. If it really came down to it, it was hard to say who should be teaching whom. Hearing this, the Host sneered, ¡°Host, I advise you not to be too confident. Though Lin Aibao doesn¡¯t have as high an educational level as you, her basic skills are solid, and she performs well in all subjects. On the other hand, you, Host, have forgotten a lot of what you learned since graduating.¡± Su Wanyu adopted an ¡°I know you too well¡± face, affirming, ¡°You¡¯re so lazy; once you¡¯re at school, you¡¯ll definitely slack off and not pay attention in class. You might as well learn a bit from Aibao first.¡± Facing a double whammy, Jiang Mianmian protested, ¡°¡­I¡¯ll definitely pay attention in class.¡± Although she did think that way, she believed that even if she didn¡¯t pay attention, just reviewing the material herself twice before exams would surely be no problem. To the Host¡¯s blind optimism and confidence, the system could only scoff with two words: ¡°Ha ha.¡± By then, the Host would realize how naive she was being right now. ¡°No way, you¡¯re not even willing to be tutored now; you¡¯ll definitely be even less willing to study once you¡¯re at school,¡± insisted Su Wanyu decisively. Seeing his wife and daughter at an impasse, Jiang Changhai stepped in to mediate, ¡°How about this? Mianmian doesn¡¯t have to study with Aibao for the full two months, just go through half a book. You¡¯re so smart, it surely won¡¯t take you many days to learn it, right?¡± Jiang Mianmian pondered for a moment, then reluctantly agreed, ¡°But let¡¯s make it clear, as long as I finish half the book, Mom can¡¯t force me to study for the rest of the days.¡± Su Wanyu¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised in amusement, ¡°As long as you finish half the book, you can do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Deal! I¡¯m going to sleep now,¡± Jiang Mianmian turned her head, secretly delighted in her heart. A first-grade textbook is just so thin, it would only take half a day to go through the entire book, let alone half of it. Su Wanyu and Jiang Changhai exchanged a knowing look silently, both displaying a tacit smile¡ªthe plan worked! The system, observing everything: ¡­, this family of three are all drama masters; the Oscars owe you a statuette. * In the next room, Sun Lixia said sourly, ¡°So what if she can recite a few poems? Did the village chief really have to eagerly send his own daughter over?¡± When her son had just started school, the village chief hadn¡¯t shown any concern at all. Jiang Changtao spoke evenly, ¡°Usually kids at eight can¡¯t memorize that many poems and multiplication tables, San Ya is indeed a bit clever.¡± When he was eight, he was still playing with mud, let alone memorizing poems; he didn¡¯t even recognize his own name. ¡°Our Zhiwen and Zhiwu can recite too! And they know even more poems than she does!¡± Sun Lixia asserted indignantly, convinced her sons were the smartest and best. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Outshining the Elder Brother by a Notch Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Outshining the Elder Brother by a Notch Jiang Changtao didn¡¯t speak, and he wasn¡¯t willing to admit that his son was inferior to others, especially not to his older brother! The only thing in his life where he had managed to please his parents more than his older brother was by having two sons who could carry on the family lineage for the Old Jiang Family. Sun Lixia added, ¡°And with San Ya¡¯s lazy and gluttonous nature, even if she really is smart, she definitely won¡¯t be able to study well at school. It would be weird if she didn¡¯t fall asleep in class.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, that girl obviously can¡¯t handle hardship.¡± Jiang Changtao nodded, feeling that his wife made a lot of sense. After all, San Ya had been slacking off and lazing around like her parents since she was young; the tiresome nature of studying surely wouldn¡¯t sit well with her endurance. Thinking this way, he felt a lot better. As long as his brother¡¯s daughter couldn¡¯t surpass his own sons in achievements, he would always have the upper hand over his brother concerning their children! * After the daughters in the second household, including Zhao Xiaojuan, had fallen asleep, she whispered in a low voice, ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you talk to mom about it tomorrow, let Da Ya and the others also sit in on the class with San Ya? After all, it doesn¡¯t cost any money.¡± Jiang Changhe said in a muffled voice, ¡°Da Ya and the others need to work in the fields, mom definitely won¡¯t agree.¡± Zhao Xiaojuan knew this, but still couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°But the girls aren¡¯t young anymore. Da Ya will be getting married in a couple of years, and if she could read a few more characters, her future in-laws might regard her more highly.¡± Lin Aibao had just turned fifteen this year, and already several well-off families from the commune had come asking for her hand in marriage, offering high bride prices, because she was a junior high school student. However, the village chief didn¡¯t think much of those families and wanted to wait until his daughter graduated from high school to find her a husband from the town, so that she could marry into the city. ¡°If I had only one daughter like Da Ya, I might be able to bite the bullet and send her to school,¡± Jiang Changhe sighed softly, but he had four daughters! Even though both of them were diligent and honest, the work points they earned barely covered the family¡¯s food. Er Ya, who hadn¡¯t fallen asleep despite closing her eyes, felt a bit hurt upon hearing this; she knew her parents did not want so many daughters, they wanted a son. After a moment of silence, Zhao Xiaojuan suddenly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a long break at noon? We could let Da Ya and Er Ya attend classes during that time without affecting the fieldwork. As for the housework, Zhaodi and I will take care of it.¡± She thought of letting Da Ya and Er Ya learn first since they were older, planning to find a way to let the younger ones learn a bit later, and of course, Laidi, who was only five, definitely couldn¡¯t sit still. Jiang Changhe nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll discuss it with mom tomorrow morning.¡± The next day, Zhang Guihua listened and didn¡¯t object. Since it was free and wouldn¡¯t disrupt the house and fieldwork, she saw no issue. Da Ya and Er Ya were extremely happy, ¡°Thank you, grandma, we definitely won¡¯t neglect our work!¡± Jiang Mianmian, however, looked utterly desolate because Lin Aibao had come over early in the morning, eager to start classes. She was ruthlessly dragged out of bed by her mother and watched helplessly as her mother ate a boiled egg. Lin Aibao, mimicking her own teacher, put on a stern face and said solemnly, ¡°Jiang Mianmian, please open your Chinese textbook to the first page. We¡¯ll start with phonetics, follow my lead and say a, b, c, d¡­¡± Jiang Mianmian followed with a lack of enthusiasm and after one round, seeing that she wanted to teach again, quickly said, ¡°Sister Aibao, I can read them now.¡± Lin Aibao replied seriously, ¡°Student Jiang Mianmian, you should call me teacher during class, and raise your hand to answer questions.¡± Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Genius with a Photographic Memory Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Genius with a Photographic Memory Jiang Mianmian could only helplessly raise her hand, ¡°Teacher Lin, I can read it now.¡± ¡°Okay, then stand up and read it once for me so teacher can hear,¡± Lin Aibao wasn¡¯t quite convinced inside, but didn¡¯t say it aloud; she was a patient and good teacher after all. Ah! Jiang Mianmian stood up, quickly read it aloud, and immediately sat back down. Being a student to such a young girl felt rather embarrassing. Lin Aibao¡¯s mouth fell open slightly, her face filled with disbelief. She had only taught it once! Thinking she might have heard wrong, she casually pointed at one of the pinyin and asked, ¡°What is this read as?¡± ¡°e.¡± ¡°And this one?¡± ¡°f.¡± After questioning five times, she finally believed that Jiang Mianmian had indeed remembered it all. It turned out her father hadn¡¯t lied¡ªSan Ya really had a great memory! After all, when she herself had learned pinyin, it definitely wasn¡¯t this quick! Lin Aibao swallowed, struggling to maintain a teacher¡¯s composure, ¡°Since you can already read them, let¡¯s learn the tones next. There are four tones to each pinyin. Follow me¡ª¡± It really was the teaching mode of a first grader, but what could Jiang Mianmian do? She had to recite along. But it was just too simplistic and boring. She would rather watch encyclopedias and collections of poems with the system, at least she could lie down comfortably and not strain her voice. The system came online in a second: ¡°Host, don¡¯t be sad, let¡¯s watch together again tonight.¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°Thanks, but no plans.¡± This cunning system, she wasn¡¯t fooled into thinking it wasn¡¯t quietly increasing the difficulty of the Q&A knowledge. These past years, some questions even involved mathematical equation conversions. She learned with no joy, while Lin Aibao taught with great relish. Teaching a smart student was so satisfying; no wonder teachers liked smart students. Once she started teaching, she just couldn¡¯t stop, but Jiang Mianmian couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°Teacher Lin, we¡¯ve been at it for so long, it¡¯s time for a break.¡± Only then did Lin Aibao, still longing for more, say, ¡°Then let¡¯s take a twenty-minute break and continue with math next class.¡± Seeing her addiction to teaching, Jiang Mianmian, who initially wanted to hold back some, decisively resolved to finish half the book as quickly as possible! When the Jiang family members finally got off work and came home, Lin Aibao was even more excited than she was: ¡°Uncle, Aunt, Mianmian is a prodigy, she learns everything immediately after being taught!¡± ¡°I always knew my daughter was the smartest!¡± Jiang Changhai immediately puffed out his chest, his face full of pride and self-assurance. Sun Lixia, however, was full of disbelief: ¡°Aibao, you¡¯re not lying to us, are you?¡± It really shouldn¡¯t be true! The questioned Lin Aibao became somewhat displeased, ¡°Why would I lie to you! Mianmian is even smarter than my father said. I only need to teach her once, and she can recite. Our teacher said that such people are geniuses who never forget what they see.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Changhai burst into laughter: ¡°Wife, did you hear that? Our daughter is a genius!¡± He then ran into the house, picked up his daughter, and tossed her high. ¡°Ah! Dad, what are you doing?¡± Jiang Mianmian was startled at first, but soon couldn¡¯t help but join in the laughter. Ever since she turned seven, her dad seldom threw her up high anymore, because he wasn¡¯t very strong and was afraid he wouldn¡¯t catch her if she fell. Su Wanyu also smiled widely, covering her mouth, unabashedly said, ¡°Mianmian came out of my belly; of course, she is as smart as me.¡± Yet the old lady was more concerned with the practical issues: ¡°Then do you think San Ya can get into high school?¡± Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Pretending to Be a Top Student Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Pretending to Be a Top Student ¡°Of course she can!¡± Lin Aibao replied with utter certainty, ¡°Everyone in our school who isn¡¯t as smart as Mianmian has still managed to get into high school, and Mianmian might even be recommended to attend the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University.¡± Although no high school student from their town had ever been recommended to that university before, it was because none of them had Mianmian¡¯s photographic memory, so she wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°That would be wonderful!¡± The old lady¡¯s face instantly lit up with joy, and her gaze towards Jiang Mianmian softened considerably. Even though this granddaughter was gluttonous, lazy, and disliked doing chores, if she could get into high school and become a worker, she could indeed help to support and subsidize the family. Thinking this way, her heartache over spending two yuan on tuition fees and twenty eggs also vanished. The couple from the second branch also showed delight; after all, they were one family, and if San Ya became successful, she could also help her brothers and sisters. Sun Lixia retorted in a shrill voice, ¡°Mom, how can you take a kid¡¯s word for it?!¡± In the future, everything in the Old Jiang Family was meant for her son, and she wasn¡¯t about to let a good-for-nothing snatch it away!! Jiang Changtao said nothing, but his expression was less than pleased. At fifteen, Lin Aibao was already a young woman and couldn¡¯t stand being called an ignorant child, so she also raised her voice, ¡°If our teacher met Mianmian, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d say the same thing to me.¡± Seeing that the two were about to start arguing, Jiang Dashan interjected, ¡°Old lady, go make some sweetened water for Aibao and San Ya to drink. They must be thirsty from all that studying.¡± The old lady was stunned for a moment and somewhat reluctant, but her husband had spoken, so she could only turn and head towards the kitchen. The rest of the Jiang family were all shocked because the old man usually didn¡¯t show much affection for the children at home, occasionally summoning only his two most valued grandsons to talk to. Sun Lixia was even more sour and upset¡ªher father-in-law had never asked the old lady to make sweet water for her two sons! She didn¡¯t consider the fact that whenever there was something tasty or nice to drink, Old Granny Jiang didn¡¯t wait for Old Jiang to say anything; she would already have given it to her two grandsons, sometimes even secretly behind the first branch¡¯s back. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa Jiang,¡± said Lin Aibao, politely expressing her gratitude, blissfully unaware of the dynamics. Jiang Mianmian was also delighted, although she didn¡¯t know why her grandpa was suddenly being nice to her, she knew to seize a good opportunity when she saw it. The system enticed gently, ¡°Host, this is the wealth that comes from knowledge. You see, you¡¯ve only shown a hint of your academic talent, and your grandpa has begun to value you. If you keep being the top of your class after starting school, you¡¯ll be treated better and better at home, with all the best food and drink coming your way first.¡± Jiang Mianmian knew the system was finding ways to make her a top student, but she had to admit that it knew her well, speaking right to her heart. She didn¡¯t care whether her grandpa valued her or not, but she did love to eat! Not to mention, being top of the class in primary school was very easy, and she could strive for the same in junior high. She nodded in agreement, ¡°You¡¯re right, I can pretend to be a top student.¡± She, a slacker, pretending to be a top student would be fun too. System: ¡­Hehe, you won¡¯t have much choice in the matter later. When her grandmother came back with two bowls of sweet water, Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t drink it but handed it to her parents with an obedient look, ¡°Dad, Mom, you drink first.¡± In their family, whoever managed to get something tasty had to share it equally¡ªthat was the rule. ¡°My girl is so filial!¡± Jiang Changhe first praised her out of habit, then took a token sip to sweeten his lips. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Mom, Give Money Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Mom, Give Money Actually, he didn¡¯t care much about eating and drinking; being full was satisfaction enough, and he would gladly give any good food to his wife and child. But his wife had said that they couldn¡¯t spoil their daughter too much; otherwise, she might develop the habit of eating alone and not be filial when she grew up. Su Wanyu was different, though; she loved to compete with her daughter for food. She seemingly sipped delicately from Eldest¡¯s cup, but the water level still dropped noticeably. Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t mind. She took the bowl and drank heartily, to the envy of the other girls licking their lips. Er Ya thought to herself, if she could read like San Ya, would Grandpa also give her sweet water to drink? And Jiang Dashan, watching the two girls finish drinking, added, ¡°Once you¡¯ve rested enough, you can continue with the lessons. We¡¯ll make sure not to speak loudly and disturb you. Zhao Xiaojuan, who was nearby, quickly said, ¡°Aibao, could you also teach Da Ya and Er Ya? Just for a few hours every day during the noon break.¡± The two girls immediately looked at Lin Aibao with hopeful eyes: ¡°We¡¯ll study hard, we promise.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Aibao, now brimming with enthusiasm for teaching, agreed without a second thought. They were all sisters, after all. Who knows, they might be as smart as Mianmian. ¡°But I only have one set of textbooks. You¡¯ll have to share with Mianmian.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Mianmian immediately said caringly, ¡°I don¡¯t need it, let them use it. Besides, I¡¯ve already learned the first few texts; Eldest and Second Eldest need to start from the beginning, so we can¡¯t study together due to different progress.¡± Lin Aibao considered this and agreed, realizing Mianmian could listen to the lessons all day, whereas Da Ya and Er Ya only had about two hours before noon to study, necessitating a repeat of the same content. So she nodded and said, ¡°Alright, when Da Ya and Er Ya are in class, you can rewrite what you¡¯ve learned.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Jiang Mianmian was of course all for it; she could finally lie down on the bed and rest. But as soon as she entered the room and before she took off her shoes, her mom said, ¡°Finish your homework before you lie down.¡± Jiang Mianmian blinked innocently, ¡°But I don¡¯t have a pen or a homework book.¡± She said this while kicking off her shoes and climbing into bed, lying down comfortably. Hearing this, Su Wanyu and Jiang Changhai exchanged glances, realizing they had forgotten about that. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Jiang Changhai turned and went to the next room. ¡°Laosan, borrow Zhiwen and Zhiwu¡¯s pens and homework books for Mianmian to use.¡± Sun Lixia forced a smirk and said, unconvincingly cheerfully, ¡°Big brother, what a coincidence. Zhiwen and Zhiwu¡¯s pens ran out at school.¡± Paper and pens were precious, and she was reluctant to lend them to someone else¡¯s child. ¡°Is that so, Laosan?¡± Jiang Changhai raised an eyebrow, giving Jiang Changtao a meaningful look. Jiang Changtao felt a bit uneasy, but said awkwardly, ¡°Yes, the kids haven¡¯t had pens for their homework these past few days. But we still have some homework books left, I¡¯ll go find them.¡± He stood up to look for the homework books, not considering that they were useless without a pen. ¡°No need.¡± Jiang Changhai turned around and walked out, calling loudly before he even left the doorway, ¡°Mom, give me some money. I need to buy pencils and homework books for Mianmian.¡± ¡°School hasn¡¯t started yet, no need to buy anything! Borrow from Laosan; he¡¯s got some in his room,¡± the old lady shouted back, her voice raw. The amount of money her eldest son had swindled from her was no small sum. As soon as her words ended, her towering son was already standing in front of her, reaching out to her firmly, ¡°Laosan¡¯s wife won¡¯t lend any, give me the money.¡± His voice was not hushed, and upon hearing him, Sun Lixia nearly slipped and fell flat on her face. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Fall Flat on Ones Face Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Fall Flat on One¡¯s Face ¡°When did she say she wouldn¡¯t lend it? She clearly said she was out of pencils!¡± Then I heard my mother-in-law curse, ¡°This stingy idiot of a woman, I¡¯ll have a word with her.¡± So I hurried over to explain, ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t lend it, it¡¯s just that Zhiwen and Zhiwu ran out of pencils at school.¡± ¡°They¡¯re already out of pencils I just bought last month?!¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s voice suddenly rose eight octaves, and with a darkened face, she accused, ¡°Are you also trying to swindle money out of me?!¡± If it had been her biological son, that would have been one thing, but if her daughter-in-law even thought about it, a harsh beating would be getting off lightly! ¡°I swear to heaven and earth, I¡¯m not lying to you, Mom! There¡¯s just a lot more homework at the end of the term, so the pencils are used up faster,¡± Sun Lixia protested with an aggrieved face. She wished she could, but she didn¡¯t dare; her mother-in-law was too shrewd. Upon hearing the reason, the old lady¡¯s expression softened slightly, ¡°Eldest, just let San Ya practice writing with a fire stick on the ground for now. We¡¯ll buy more when school starts.¡± Every penny saved is a penny earned. ¡°No way, I can¡¯t let my daughter suffer like that!¡± Jiang Changhai immediately retorted without thinking, ¡°My nephews use paper and pencils at school, so my daughter must do the same!¡± Sun Lixia thought to herself, how could one girl compare to her two sons. The old lady, however, coaxed him in a gentle and peaceful tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t say we wouldn¡¯t buy it for her, just that we¡¯ll buy it when school starts.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t give me the money, then I¡¯ll trade the eggs we have at home for it,¡± Jiang Changhai issued a stern threat and then turned to leave. The old lady instantly roared in anger, ¡°You little bastard, if you dare touch an egg, I¡¯ll break your damn hands!¡± But Jiang Changhai had always been impervious to soft or hard tactics; he would use any means necessary to get what he wanted. Thus, Jiang Dashan, puffing on his pipe, spoke up, ¡°Alright, Eldest, how much money do you want?¡± Jiang Changhai turned swiftly, ¡°One yuan.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, one pencil is only two cents!¡± The old lady exploded again; she knew this good-for-nothing was trying to cheat her again. Jiang Changhai insisted, ¡°How can one pencil be enough for our smart Mianmian! She also needs to buy an eraser, a schoolbag, and a pencil case.¡± Upon hearing this, Sun Lixia barely suppressed a snicker; she thought the Eldest was going to ask for an exorbitant amount, not realizing he was so ignorant to think he could buy everything with just one yuan. Especially since a schoolbag alone cost one yuan, and that¡¯s the cheapest kind. The old lady also eerily fell silent for two seconds before regaining her composure and saying, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go get it.¡± ¡°I knew you and Dad still love Mianmian,¡± Jiang Changhai said with satisfaction as he walked away with the money. Lin Aibao, who was teaching in the main room, saw this and said, ¡°Uncle, we have pencils and notebooks at home; you can go to my place and ask my dad to lend you some to use for now.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll come by later,¡± Jiang Changhai nodded cheerfully and went into his own room. As Su Wanyu, who had been listening to the commotion, closed the door, she whispered, ¡°Dad, one yuan won¡¯t be enough to buy all those things.¡± ¡°Of course I know that, I¡¯m not stupid. We¡¯ll just buy the paper, pencils, and eraser with this one yuan. We¡¯ll use the rest to buy some food, and then ask for more from Mom and Dad when school starts,¡± Jiang Changhai said, his face unblushing and breath steady. After all, this wasn¡¯t the first time he had done something like this. Su Wanyu¡¯s face immediately lit up, ¡°Brother Hai, you¡¯re so clever!¡± She knew the man she had chosen wasn¡¯t that stupid! Jiang Changhai was puffing with pride: ¡°Of course, our daughter is so smart because she takes after me.¡± ¡°Back when I was in school, I also had the best grades in my class. If it weren¡¯t for the disturbance that closed down the school, I¡¯d definitely be a high school student,¡± Su Wanyu bragged. Jiang Mianmian: ¡­, she clearly inherited it from her past life. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 One Set After Another Chapter 34: Chapter 34 One Set After Another But that was not the point; the crux was that she could eat meat buns again. Thinking of the fragrant meat buns, Jiang Mianmian couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°Dad, when are we going to the town?¡± ¡°This afternoon, once the sun¡¯s not so harsh, we¡¯ll head out.¡± Jiang Changhai was always one for action; when he had money in hand, he was sure to spend it immediately. Hearing this, Su Wanyu¡¯s eyes shifted as she said with feigned consideration and love, ¡°It¡¯s so hot outside, Mianmian, you don¡¯t have to suffer with us. Your dad and I will bring back all the tasty treats for you.¡± ¡°I want to go!¡± Jiang Mianmian immediately protested, thinking her mother wanted to eat more behind her back. Seeing her ruse had failed, Su Wanyu coldly retorted, ¡°Then you can walk by yourself; no one¡¯s going to carry you.¡± The town was far away; even adults had to walk for more than an hour. ¡°I can walk by myself.¡± Jiang Mianmian puffed out her little chest with great determination, figuring that when she got tired, she could just act coy with her dad, and he would surely carry her. The family inside the house was cheerful at the prospect of eating meat buns, but Lin Aibao in the outer room was somewhat exhausted, correcting them again, ¡°No, that¡¯s not how it¡¯s pronounced.¡± Even though they were sisters from the same family, how could there be such a big gap! Mianmian would remember after one lesson, but Da Ya and Er Ya had to be taught several times and still couldn¡¯t remember, needing to be taught one by one. Fortunately, both of them were diligently studying, so Lin Aibao was still very patient. Er Ya, however, was a bit anxious, wanting to remember everything on the spot because their grandfather was sitting on the threshold, smoking and listening. The more anxious she became, the less she could remember, and even Da Ya was learning faster than she was. As Jiang Dashan listened to his granddaughters stumbling through their reading, his thoughts drifted to San Ya¡¯s fluency and confidence when reciting poetry; that girl indeed had a talent for learning. Not long after, seeing his eldest son emerge from the house with a radiant expression and heading out, he called to him, ¡°Eldest, where are you going?¡± Jiang Changhai responded, ¡°I¡¯m off to the village chief¡¯s house to borrow some paper and a pen.¡± Although he thought it wouldn¡¯t matter if his daughter didn¡¯t write her homework down, his daughter-in-law insisted that a good memory wasn¡¯t as reliable as worn-out writing materials, and urged him to borrow them to start writing immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Jiang Dashan flicked off his cigarette ash and stood up, ¡°I¡¯ve got something to discuss with the village chief anyway.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Changhai immediately brightened up, ¡°Then please go ahead, I could stay behind. Just bring back the pen and paper for me.¡± It was perfect; he¡¯d save himself a trip under the sweltering sun. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jiang Dashan shot him a glance and strode ahead. What could Jiang Changhai do? He simply had to follow his father. Upon arriving at the village chief¡¯s home, before even entering, he called out loudly, ¡°Village chief, I¡¯ve come to borrow Aibao¡¯s pen and exercise book.¡± ¡°Sure, take a seat and wait a moment,¡± the village chief said. The village chief asked his wife to fetch the items while he sat down to chat, ¡°How is San Ya getting on with her studies?¡± ¡°Aibao says our Mianmian is a genius who never forgets what she sees; she can memorize anything after just one read!¡± Jiang Changhai proclaimed with visible pride, his long legs shaking with excitement. Hearing this, the village chief calmly asked, ¡°Did Aibao really say that?¡± It was no surprise that he doubted the credibility of this statement, as Jiang Changhai was notoriously exaggerated in the village, a man who could spin tales with ease. Jiang Changhai wasn¡¯t offended and said confidently, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask my dad.¡± Jiang Dashan nodded, ¡°Aibao did say that.¡± Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Taking the Last Place Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Taking the Last Place Although his dark face showed little expression and his tone was very bland, those who knew him could still tell he was happy. At this, the village chief was truly surprised. He knew San Ya was smart and had a good memory, but he had not expected her to be this smart! Because Aibao was the best student among the children in the family, always maintaining top three ranks in her class, the school teachers had said that unless something unexpected occurred, she would definitely be able to attend high school. Since she had said so, it was evident that San Ya was no ordinary smart. So, he said with a laugh, ¡°Then your family must definitely let San Ya continue her studies. Just don¡¯t have her work anymore and don¡¯t skimp on the money for schooling. She will be able to earn it all back. Moreover, I heard from Aibao that now at the commune primary school, the first placers of fourth and fifth grades do not have to pay tuition fees. The same goes for the town¡¯s middle and high schools, and they even give scholarships to the students.¡± ¡°Is there really such a good deal?!¡± The Jiang father and son were both stunned. They knew education cost money, but this was the first time they had heard that studying could earn money. The village chief explained, ¡°This has only been in place for the past two years, but you have to be the top student in the entire school. Being first in class doesn¡¯t count, because each grade has several classes.¡± What he didn¡¯t mention was that the highest Lin Aibao had ever ranked in middle school was fifth place in the entire school, because the kids from the town had better educational resources than the children in the countryside from a young age. Maintaining a top three rank in her class was already the result of his daughter¡¯s hard efforts. After hearing this, Jiang Changhai confidently said, ¡°Mianmian will definitely be the top placer!¡± His daughter was a genius with a photographic memory! The village chief did not crush his hopes, he just leisurely sipped his tea. If San Ya really could become the top student in the entire school, it would be the best thing ever, as their village would also gain prestige, and he could boast about it at the commune meetings with other production teams. Meanwhile, Jiang Changhai, eager with pen and paper in hand, hastened back home, stepping into the courtyard and boldly announcing, ¡°Wife, daughter, I have some fantastic news to tell you!¡± ¡°What good news?¡± Su Wanyu, who was washing vegetables in the courtyard, got excited immediately. Brother Hai would never exaggerate to them. If he said it was fantastic news, it must definitely be fantastic news! Lying on the bed and playing with her feet, Jiang Mianmian immediately rolled off the bed and scurried out to greet her dad, then was scooped up in his arms. ¡°Daughter, if you become the top student in the entire school, not only will you not have to pay tuition, but the school will also give you a scholarship!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Dad, who did you hear this from?¡± She hadn¡¯t expected that schools nowadays were giving out scholarships, especially since so few children from the village went to school. Sun Lixia, however, covered her mouth and scoffed, ¡°Big brother, who have you been listening to? Zhiwen and Zhiwu are both in school, and they have never mentioned that the school exempts tuition fees, let alone gives money to students.¡± San Ya getting the top rank in the whole school? Big brother must be dreaming! The couple from the second household felt she was making sense. Even they knew schooling was expensive; otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many people unable to afford it. ¡°The village chief said it.¡± Jiang Changhai was radiant, and at that moment, he wasn¡¯t about to argue with her. Lin Aibao nodded, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the case. Zhiwen and Zhiwu probably didn¡¯t mention it because it didn¡¯t concern them, so there was no need to say anything.¡± Sun Lixia¡¯s face suddenly found it hard to maintain composure; she forced a dry laugh, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Nonsense! With their grades being so poor, being the last in the school is more likely.¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Happy Too Soon Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Happy Too Soon Jiang Changhai was stating the facts, without any intention of demeaning or mocking, but it was perceived differently by Laosan and his spouse. Sun Lixia¡¯s face turned dark instantly as she sharply questioned, ¡°Eldest brother, what do you mean by that? So only your daughter is smart and good at studies, and my son is an idiot and a fool?!¡± Jiang Changtao¡¯s expression was also unpleasing. As parents, everyone hopes to see their children succeed and be praised by others. ¡°I never said that, Third Brother and Sister-in-law, don¡¯t pin this on me,¡± Jiang Changhai said with a shrug, speaking nothing but the truth. Moreover, his two nephews were indeed not clever, always bringing home test papers full of red crosses. Seeing his indifferent and casual demeanor, Sun Lixia became even angrier, wishing she could literally throw the proverbial shit bucket over his head! The old lady finally snapped out of her joy over not spending money, saying, ¡°Alright Eldest, keep quiet, no one will take you for a mute.¡± Although she was pleased that her granddaughter San Ya was intelligent and good at studies, her favorite were still her two grandsons. The most excited at the scene were Da Ya and Er Ya, their eyes shining with hope, thinking they might also have a chance to study without tuition fees. But the next second, Da Ya¡¯s eyes dimmed again, that seemed impossible. Even if they really could rank first, free education only started from fourth and fifth grade; their grandmother would never spend the money for them to study from first to third grade. Er Ya, however, was hopeful. Thinking about pleading with her parents back in her room to let her and her older sister go to school, she was determined to study as hard as she could! At this moment, the most sober person, Jiang Dashan, spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited early. San Ya will definitely start from the first grade when school begins, and thinking about scholarships, you¡¯d have to wait for three more years.¡± A few sentences successfully calmed down the crowd that had been swept by ecstasy, right, San Ya had not yet attended school. When the old lady thought about the tuition for the next three years, her interest waned immediately, waving her hand and saying, ¡°Stop standing around foolishly, go back to whatever you were doing, Zhaodi, go wash the clothes.¡± However, the system spoke in Jiang Mianmian¡¯s mind, ¡°Host, you could directly join the fourth grade; the knowledge of primary one to three is minimal and simple, you could self-study it in two months.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± Jiang Mianmian retorted without a second thought, she would be crazy to skip ahead to high school and endure that hardship. The system continued to tempt, ¡°Host, don¡¯t you want the reward money? With that, you could freely buy meat buns, fruits, and canned goods to eat, and the reward money in high school will definitely be more generous.¡± Hearing about food, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s shamefully heart stirred, thus she asked, ¡°Sister Aibao, how much is the prize money for the first rank in junior high school?¡± Lin Aibao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Last year it was twenty yuan, and the commune also gave out five yuan.¡± ¡°That much?!¡± The Jiang family members collectively gasped; that all added up to twenty-five yuan! To think, they worked themselves to death in the fields all month and couldn¡¯t even make ten yuan! Lin Aibao, feeling the impact was still not enough, added, ¡°Last year, our school¡¯s second year first ranker was the eighth ranker in the county; not only did the school reward an additional ten yuan, but the county also gave a reward of twenty yuan.¡± This nearly made the Jiang family faint, fifty-five yuan!! My God, studying could actually make so much money! Jiang Mianmian also swallowed, feeling intensely tempted, as she visualized countless steaming hot meat buns waving at her. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Excessive Demands Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Excessive Demands In that era, a meat bun cost only ten cents, so with ten yuan, she could buy a hundred of them! Then she would be able to enjoy big meat buns every day! The system hurriedly took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire, ¡°Host, this is only ranking eighth in the whole county. If you manage to rank first in the county, you¡¯ll definitely get even more prize money!¡± However, this statement actually made Jiang Mianmian calm down quite a bit. The difficulty of becoming first in the county was so great that she didn¡¯t even need to think about it, but she could still try for being first in her school. After thinking for a moment, she said, ¡°I think I can directly join the fourth grade.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked. Join the fourth grade directly? She must be out of her mind! Even Lin Aibao was stunned. Although she thought Jiang Mianmian was very smart, a genius even, for someone who had never been to school, it was absolutely impossible to directly study the curriculum of the fourth grade! Only Jiang Changhai, after being stunned for a moment, burst out laughing, ¡°Good, not bad for my daughter. Ambitious!¡± ¡°Mianmian, without the foundational knowledge of first to third grade, the school won¡¯t let you join the fourth grade,¡± Lin Aibao said earnestly, without a hint of disdain. Jiang Mianmian pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°Then I¡¯ll learn all the textbooks for grades one, two, and three in the next two months. Sister Aibao, you still have your textbooks, right?¡± For the sake of meat buns, she was willing to go all out! Lin Aibao nodded, ¡°I still have them, but you should really think this over.¡± No matter how smart she was, Mianmian was still an eight-year-old child, and she had only just learned Pinyin today. Sun Lixia also hypocritically advised, ¡°San Ya, you should listen to Aibao. It¡¯s absolutely impossible to finish three years¡¯ worth of material in two months!¡± She admitted that her niece was somewhat clever, but certainly not a genius. After all, which genius would be as lazy and gluttonous as she was? The others also felt this was reasonable. After all, no decent person had emerged from several generations of their Old Jiang Family; it would be better to study in a down-to-earth manner. Jiang Changhai, however, waved his hand dismissively and said confidently, ¡°It¡¯s fine, let her study. Even if she doesn¡¯t finish, it won¡¯t cost us any flesh.¡± Generally, as long as it wouldn¡¯t harm her, he would fully support whatever his daughter wanted to do. ¡°Eldest is right. Let San Ya give it a try,¡± the old lady surprisingly took her eldest son¡¯s side, looking at Jiang Mianmian with an especially affectionate and loving gaze. If she really could join the fourth grade directly, not only would it save a sum of tuition fees, but she could also earn dozens of yuan! Jiang Dashan, however, thought even further ahead. If San Ya could directly start the fourth grade, it meant she could start working three years earlier to contribute to the family¡¯s finances, and it would bring great pride to their Old Jiang Family. So he made a decision, ¡°Then let San Ya give it a try.¡± Jiang Changhai, always looking for an angle, immediately said, ¡°Dad, considering how hard studying is and how much it strains the brain, Mianmian should eat an egg every day to replenish her strength.¡± He truly cared for his daughter and planned to sweet-talk his wife; he would not share the eggs with his daughter for the next two months. ¡°No way! Not every child who studies eats an egg every day!¡± The old lady¡¯s face turned green with irritation; this wretched man was always eyeing the eggs in the house! Even the second brother and his wife felt that his demand was excessive. After all, eggs were one of the few valuable items in the house that needed to be saved to exchange for salt and kerosene. They couldn¡¯t give them all to San Ya! Jiang Changhai made his case confidently, ¡°How can they be compared to our Mianmian?! She¡¯s going to learn in two months what they¡¯ve studied for three years.¡± Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Beating the Retreat Drum Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Beating the Retreat Drum Lin Aibao nodded in agreement, ¡°Uncle is right. Studying inherently strains the brain, so it¡¯s only right that Mianmian eats some nutritious food. Even the students in our class who come from well-off families eat eggs and meat every day, and they even drink milk.¡± Although she herself did not eat eggs every day at school, every time she went home, her parents would cook her eggs and braised pork. ¡°Aibao, the students in your class are city folks who can afford such meals, but we rural people are poor. Auntie hasn¡¯t had an egg in nearly a month,¡± Sun Lixia said sarcastically, determined not to let San Ya snatch her sons¡¯ portion. She had even begun to dislike Lin Aibao because she always took that dead girl¡¯s side! Jiang Changhai couldn¡¯t be bothered with her and directly discussed with the most authoritative person in the house, Jiang Dashan, ¡°Dad, think about it, Mianmian only needs to eat eggs for two months, and besides saving two yuan, she could also earn a bunch for the house at the end of the term. By then, who in the entire village wouldn¡¯t envy the Old Jiang Family? This is a great deal!¡± Listening to his firm belief that his daughter could come first place, Jiang Changtao couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s still not certain whether San Ya can make it to fourth grade or not.¡± Dad, please don¡¯t be fooled by big brother! However, Jiang Dashan felt his eldest son made some sense, so after pondering for a moment, he looked at Jiang Mianmian and asked, ¡°San Ya, can you master everything in two months?¡± His tone and expression were very serious, and everyone else looked over, suddenly putting Mianmian under pressure to perform. Her academically challenged nature reemerged, and she began to have doubts in her heart. She couldn¡¯t guarantee it! Feeling her hesitation, the system hurriedly comforted her, ¡°Host, don¡¯t worry, the knowledge from first to third grade is very simple, and for every book you finish, you can earn intelligence points to increase your IQ.¡± Jiang Mianmian felt reassured after hearing this, and remembering the delicious large meat buns, she finally mustered the courage and said, ¡°I can!¡± After speaking, seeing that Grandpa was still staring at her intently, she puffed out her small chest and repeated with full confidence, ¡°Grandpa, I can do it!¡± Jiang Dashan then shifted his gaze away, ¡°Old lady, from now on, cook an egg for San Ya every day.¡± Upon hearing this, besides the couple from the big house who were thrilled, everyone else was dumbfounded¡ªthat was sixty eggs in two months! Zhang Guihua shrieked, ¡°Old man, we don¡¯t have that many eggs at home!¡± Jiang Changhai jumped in again, ¡°We have three chickens at home. If Mianmian has one egg a day, there are still two left.¡± ¡°Dream on, you think those chickens lay eggs every day!¡± the old lady glared at him disapprovingly, ¡°Besides, the eggs at home are for trading for kerosene and occasionally for supplementing the family¡¯s diet.¡± Realizing there really were not many eggs at home, Jiang Dashan hesitated for a moment and then said, ¡°Zhiwen and Zhiwu will also not go to school for these two months, and they¡¯ll just temporarily stop eating eggs.¡± ¡°Dad?!¡± Sun Lixia stared wide-eyed in disbelief. Was her father-in-law losing his mind? Zhiwen and Zhiwu were the boys meant to carry on the Jiang Family lineage! Yet, Jiang Dashan said solemnly, ¡°That¡¯s settled then. Go and cook now.¡± As the head of the family, his decision was final, and no matter how reluctant the others were, they had no choice but to comply. But Sun Lixia wasn¡¯t satisfied! Why should her sons¡¯ eggs be rationed to pay for the loser?! If outsiders knew about it, who knows how they¡¯d mock her! Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Bragging and Deceiving People Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Bragging and Deceiving People So, as soon as the two boys who had been playing wildly outside came back, she immediately egged them on to go and cry to Grandpa and Grandma for eggs to eat. ¡°Your grandpa said he¡¯s going to give all the eggs you two are supposed to get in the next two months to San Ya only.¡± The moment the two boys heard this, they were stunned as if struck by lightning, ¡°Why?!¡± Sun Lixia spoke with a tone that was both cutting and dismissive, ¡°Because San Ya bragged and tricked your grandparents by saying she could finish the first, second, and third-grade textbooks in two months and start fourth grade right away.¡± She absolutely didn¡¯t believe that the lazy girl was a genius! Clearly, she was just like her dad, shamelessly boasting and deceiving people for a bite to eat without even blushing or batting an eyelid. And the two boys¡¯ mouths fell open even wider, was their sister Mianmian crazy? Especially Jiang Zhiwen, who had just finished third grade, even swallowed nervously, speaking hesitantly and with resistance, ¡°Third-grade textbooks are especially, especially difficult to learn!¡± His head hurt every day from writing homework, he wished he could go back to first grade instead. ¡°Right, fourth grade is even harder! A lot of students in our class fail their exams,¡± Jiang Zhiwu nodded in agreement, consecutive failures all detest and fear learning. Hearing this, Sun Lixia let out a cold laugh, ¡°Anyway, she will definitely get in trouble with your grandparents if she can¡¯t finish, so you two go ask your grandpa for eggs now or tomorrow morning you¡¯ll be left to watch San Ya eat them with envy.¡± So, the two boys immediately turned around and ran to Grandma to start bawling; as for Grandpa with the stern face who hardly ever jokes, they would steer clear¡ªhe was too scary. Having shooed her two sons away, Sun Lixia turned to see her husband¡¯s thoughtful expression and asked, ¡°Husband, what are you thinking about?¡± Jiang Changtao looked at her and said somberly, ¡°I am thinking, what if San Ya really does get into the fourth grade¡ª¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Sun Lixia cut him off sternly before he could finish, ¡°That¡¯s absolutely impossible; don¡¯t you start falling for that girl¡¯s lies as well. I mean, think about it, she¡¯s so lazy, no way she could handle this hardship, not a chance!¡± In many people¡¯s eyes during this era, studying was a road to a future but also a task more tiring than farm work. Hearing this, Jiang Changtao also thought of his niece¡¯s gluttonous and lazy nature and nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right, maybe she¡¯ll give up on her own in a couple of days.¡± And Su Wanyu was worried about this as well, injecting a dose of prevention to her own daughter, ¡°Daughter, we made a deal, you can complain all you want, but you can¡¯t quit studying halfway. If you do, your grandparents surely won¡¯t give you any eggs in the future.¡± She knew better than anyone how lazy and delicate her own daughter was, sometimes even lazier than herself. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t quit halfway!¡± Jiang Mianmian said, a tad exasperated, seeing the skepticism in her mother¡¯s eyes. In her mom¡¯s eyes, how could she possibly bear any hardship! When in fact, she was out every day cutting pigweed and looking for wild greens. Fortunately, her dad believed in her completely and even felt sorry for her, ¡°Wife, look, Mianmian has to learn so much, I won¡¯t eat any eggs for the next two months, you eat less too, okay?¡± Jiang Changhai said with a tone of negotiation, feeling for his wife as well. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re the best!¡± Jiang Mianmian flung herself at her dad¡¯s leg in a hug, the very picture of emotion. Indeed, only dads are good in this world; children with dads are treasures. Jiang Changhai grinned and picked her up, ¡°Who told you to be my daughter.¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Why So Stupid Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Why So Stupid Watching the affectionate father and daughter, Su Wanyu reached out and pinched Jiang Mianmian¡¯s ear, asking irritably, ¡°So if I eat it, does that make me a bad mother?¡± ¡°Good, good!¡± Jiang Mianmian, daring not to move, blinked frantically, her eyes showing sincerity. Seeing her daughter¡¯s flattering expression, Su Wanyu laughed, ¡°I won¡¯t eat it either, I¡¯ll leave it all for you, my little greedy cat.¡± Although she had a bit of a sweet tooth and had snatched quite a few treats from her daughter, she wouldn¡¯t go as far as to undercut her at such a crucial moment. After all, what were a few eggs? Once her daughter got the prize money, eating meat buns every day would be no problem! Trading eggs for meat buns was an incredible bargain! Jiang Mianmian, unaware of her mother¡¯s thoughts, was moved and began to sing, ¡°In this world, only mothers are good, children with mothers are like treasures; snuggling in mother¡¯s arms, where else to find happiness?¡± ¡°As long as you know!¡± Su Wanyu released her grip, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go eat.¡± The family stormed to the dining table with gusto, picking up their bowls and starting to fight over the food, aiming for the stir-fried cauliflower with pork¡ªthe only dish with meat. Sun Lixia, already looking displeased, indignantly pointed out, ¡°Big brother and sister-in-law, aren¡¯t you starting to eat before mom and dad have even lifted their chopsticks? That¡¯s not proper etiquette!¡± After all the crying and fussing by her two sons, and only being allowed to have egg custard once a week by the grandmother-in-law, why should it be so?! It was her sons, after all, who would truly carry on the lineage of the Old Jiang Family, not San Ya, that money-losing venture! Hearing this, the second daughter-in-law looked at her in surprise. Wasn¡¯t the eldest¡¯s family always like this? However, the three members of the first house didn¡¯t even spare her a glance, their mouths and hands too busy to be idle. Although Jiang Mianmian knew it wasn¡¯t polite, her father had told her to fight for her food, and as his daughter, she couldn¡¯t just ignore her own dad, could she? After all, there weren¡¯t many goodies at home, and she, still growing, needed to absorb as much nutrition as possible, or she wouldn¡¯t grow tall. At this moment, the old lady walked in with cured meat, scolding disdainfully, ¡°You eat like you haven¡¯t eaten in eight hundred years. When have I ever not fed you enough?!¡± Good thing she hadn¡¯t put the cured meat on the table yet. Jiang Changhai justified himself, ¡°We¡¯ve been fed enough, but without any fat or oil, we get hungry quickly, stomachs grumbling after just a couple of hours of work.¡± This comment left the Jiang family members utterly speechless. The eldest sure had some thick skin; a day¡¯s work by him probably wouldn¡¯t amount to what they could do in two hours. And the eldest¡¯s daughter-in-law, despite her frail appearance, didn¡¯t do much work, but she ate just as much as they did! Jiang Dashan kept his cool, ¡°Let¡¯s just eat.¡± He was hungry too. After eating, a few children surrounded Jiang Mianmian, ¡°San Ya, are you really going to learn that much in two months?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the determined Jiang Mianmian nodded quite calmly. The older children¡¯s faces immediately showed admiration while Jiang Zhiwu looked on with a mixture of fear and seriousness, ¡°San Ya, let me tell you, third-grade textbooks are really hard, I can¡¯t even understand them.¡± In fact, he thought his younger sister wasn¡¯t very smart, foolish enough to ask to learn so many things! ¡°I think I can understand them,¡± Jiang Mianmian stood with her small chin up, displaying an adult¡¯s confidence, which left the children awestruck. Da Ya looked at her with eyes full of envy and admiration, ¡°San Ya, you are so amazing. Aibao taught us several times this morning, and I still can¡¯t remember those pinyin.¡± Why am I so dumb! Er Ya also asked eagerly, full of curiosity, ¡°San Ya, how come you can memorize the textbook¡¯s content so quickly?¡± Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Secretly Hiding Candy Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Secretly Hiding Candy She wanted to know if San Ya had any tips for studying, and she wanted to learn them. Jiang Mianmian couldn¡¯t just say she had studied it in her previous life, so she had to boast without modesty, ¡°Because I have a good memory.¡± The other children listened and didn¡¯t doubt her, only hating that they didn¡¯t have the same good memory as her. The Scholar Tyrant System took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Would the Host with the good memory like to activate Scholar Tyrant mode now? You will only earn energy points after activating Scholar Tyrant mode.¡± ¡°No rush, let¡¯s wait until I finish a book,¡± she said. Just by hearing the name Scholar Tyrant mode, one would know it was tough; naturally, Jiang Mianmian would slack off for as long as she could. ¡°All right,¡± the System was not in a hurry for a few days¡¯ time; after all, it had been skimping by for so many years. Inside the room, the old lady finally had the chance to complain, ¡°Old man, how could you let Eldest sweet-talk you into this? All those eggs could have bought quite a few pounds of pork. It¡¯s a huge loss, even if we save a couple of yuan on tuition fees.¡± In front of the younger generation, she usually didn¡¯t contradict her partner openly, so she had held it in until now, ready to spill out her grievances. ¡°Moreover, if she eats all the eggs, the two grandsons won¡¯t have any to eat. If they lack nutrition and their health suffers, who will the Old Jiang Family rely on in the future? Eldest only has one daughter, and Eldest¡¯s son¡¯s wife is likely not going to give birth to a boy; most likely, we¡¯ll only have Zhiwen and Zhiwu, the two boys.¡± In her mind, having been instilled with this belief since she was young, only boys could serve as pillars of the home. Even if Mianmian married into her husband¡¯s family, it would not be proper. Jiang Dashan waited for her to finish her complaints before reply leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s not just about the money. If San Ya really gets into high school, I would have the face to meet our ancestors even if I were underground.¡± Their Jiang Family had always been peasants, generation after generation. If he could raise a successful and educated individual, it would bring honor to their ancestors. ¡°Plus, if she succeeds, she can also help Zhiwen and Zhiwu,¡± he added. Jiang Dashan saw further than anyone else; as the saying goes, when one man gains enlightenment, his whole family ascends to heaven. The whole family could benefit from her success and bask in her reflected glory. The old lady pursed her lips, still feeling the loss of the eggs, ¡°Then let her eat eggs after she gets into high school. If she doesn¡¯t get in, all those eggs would have been wasted.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not nice to her now, it¡¯ll be too late to start once she gets into high school,¡± he said. Jiang Dashan shook his head, and seeing his wife still skeptical, he said sternly, ¡°In any case, just listen to me on this.¡± Seeing his stern face, the old lady had no choice but to agree through gritted teeth, ¡°Fine! If that girl doesn¡¯t get into high school, don¡¯t even think about eating eggs for the next two months!¡± In fact, she would have preferred not to give eggs at all in the future, but Eldest had a temperament that definitely would not agree to that. If she truly withheld them, that defiant one would directly snatch them away! Jiang Dashan knew his wife would continue to grumble for a while and chose to close his eyes and go to sleep. It wasn¡¯t long before the old lady had vented enough and also lay down on the bed to sleep. The rest of them also fell into a deep sleep amidst the summer heat and the chirping of cicadas. After waking up, Jiang Mianmian and her parents went to town; they had popsicles and large meat buns, and she even pocketed two pockets full of fruit candies to bring home. ¡°Your dad and I will just taste one piece of this fruit candy¨Cjust to have a sweet taste¨Cand won¡¯t eat more, they¡¯re all for you. You must study hard to repay our love for you!¡± Su Wanyu earnestly lectured her daughter while sucking on a candy. ¡°Mm-hmm, got it,¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded absently; she couldn¡¯t be bothered to expose her mother¡¯s pretense. As if she hadn¡¯t seen her mother sneakily grab a handful and hide it in her pocket when they bought the candy. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Learned Everything in a Week Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Learned Everything in a Week So, the next day, Jiang Mianmian began her grueling study life. Okay, actually, it was not too bad. First-grade knowledge was very simple, and she only needed to look at it twice to almost memorize it. Mathematics was even less of a problem for her since she had grappled with higher mathematics before. However, she deliberately slowed down her pace, and it took her a week to finish the first-grade curriculum in both Chinese and mathematics. After all, she was a pseudo-scholar, without a photographic memory, and it would be terrible if others actually believed it. Even so, she shocked her teacher, Lin Aibao, ¡°Mianmian, you are so smart! You actually learned all of the first-grade knowledge in just one week!¡± ¡°It¡¯s also because you teach well, Sister Aibao,¡± Jiang Mianmian said with a humble face, sounding very sincere. She truly appreciated Aibao, this little teacher who not only shielded her but also helped her score two months¡¯ worth of eggs. When she got the reward money and bought big meat buns, she wouldn¡¯t forget to give a portion to the little teacher. Hearing this, Lin Aibao¡¯s smile was brilliant. Mianmian was really clever and adorable! When she went to school, she definitely wanted to tell the teachers she had nurtured a genius. The Old Jiang Family was also both shocked and pleased. They hadn¡¯t expected San Ya to really have a knack for studying. The eggs from the last few days hadn¡¯t been wasted! Jiang Changhai tried to act calm and said, ¡°I always knew my daughter could do it.¡± He tried to sound nonchalant, but his corners of his mouth were almost grinning to his ears. Hehe, his daughter was just so smart! Even the usually stern Jiang Dashan occasionally showed a tender smile in his eyes, looking contentedly at his tiny, fair-skinned granddaughter. Their Jiang family had hope for the future! Only Laosan and his wife were not feeling particularly great. Jiang Changtao could pretend to be happy, but Sun Lixia couldn¡¯t even muster a fake smile as her sense of crisis sharply increased. The lazier the girl, the smarter and more outstanding she became, which meant she could snatch more from Zhiwen and Zhiwu! Unfortunately, her two sons were blissfully unaware, looking up to and almost revering Jiang Mianmian just like the unprofitable members of the second household. San Ya was just too impressive! Even though they were all taught by the same person, Da Ya and Er Ya hadn¡¯t even mastered adding and subtracting within a hundred. Including the couple from the second household, who started discussing as soon as they shut themselves in their room, ¡°How on earth is San Ya¡¯s brain so smart?¡± Zhao Xiaojuan spoke quietly, as rural folks in those days always had a certain reverence for intellectuals. If only Da Ya and the others were also that smart, maybe the in-laws would even let them go to school. Jiang Changhe spoke in a muted tone, ¡°Maybe like big brother? Big brother used to learn very quickly when he was studying.¡± His big brother had always been smart, with a quick mind. If he hadn¡¯t been too lazy, skipping school to play, he would have at least been a junior high student. His third brother did like studying, but he wasn¡¯t as sharp as the eldest and didn¡¯t make it to junior high. As for himself, he felt sleepy whenever he saw a book, clearly not cut out for studying. Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiaojuan¡¯s little hope was instantly extinguished since she was a bit slow herself. The couple calmed down, but next door, Sun Lixia was pacing the room with a vexed face, ¡°I don¡¯t believe that girl really finished the first-grade textbooks. They must have colluded and teamed up to fool us!¡± Jiang Changtao frowned and scolded in a low voice, ¡°Stop walking, you¡¯re making my head spin.¡± The thought of his elder brother outdoing him from now on made him feel miserable. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Shes the Least Intelligent Chapter 43: Chapter 43 She¡¯s the Least Intelligent He spent his entire life being inferior to his older brother at currying favor with their parents and elders. Less clever and sociable than his brother, not nearly as good-looking, and now even his son was almost falling behind his brother¡¯s daughter! Fate was just too unfair to him! Why did all the good things go to his brother alone?! Sun Lixia was startled by his sudden outburst of anger and quickly offered comfort, ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t leave. Don¡¯t be angry or anxious, the textbooks for second and third grade are much harder than those for first grade.¡± When the time comes for her to fail to learn everything, she¡¯ll have her own tears to cry! At this moment, Jiang Mianmian, the subject of everyone¡¯s attention, was having a delightful chat with the system, ¡°System, I feel like my memory has improved a lot compared to my previous life. I can memorize things after just a few reads.¡± Though the knowledge in first grade was basic, she had never learned those children¡¯s articles before and had to start from scratch to memorize them. System: ¡°Yes, Host, you are right. Since both your parents are quite intelligent, your intelligence value this life is much higher than in your last life.¡± Jiang Mianmian then asked curiously, ¡°How high is my parents¡¯ intelligence?¡± System: ¡°After initiating the Scholar Tyrant mode, you will be able to check intelligence values and also collect intelligence points.¡± Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t agree immediately, but instead asked slyly, ¡°What¡¯s in it for me if I activate the Scholar Tyrant mode?¡± The system knew she wasn¡¯t easy to fool and thus dangled a tempting piece of bait: ¡°Once the Scholar Tyrant System is activated, the system will provide the Host with unlimited study materials. For every book the Host studies, scoring 60 earns you 1 intelligence point, scoring 80 earns 2 points, scoring 90 earns 3 points, and scoring 100 earns 5 points. Host can use intelligence points to increase their intelligence value and can also unlock the detector, which is more advanced than thermal imaging technology and has a wider and deeper range of detection, capable of detecting life forms five meters below ground.¡± Seeing the flicker of interest in her eyes and purposely pausing for effect, it added another line, ¡°Even if the Host doesn¡¯t start now, the system will automatically switch from the preschool mode to the Scholar Tyrant mode when school starts. Plus, if you activate it early, you¡¯ll receive a bonus of ten energy points~¡± Upon hearing about free energy points, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, ¡°Okay, then activate it!¡± Almost as soon as she finished speaking, the system switched modes: ¡°Scholar Tyrant mode successfully activated.¡± As the system spoke, an interface appeared in Jiang Mianmian¡¯s mind¡ª Memory (200): 119 Observation (200): 104 Attention (200): 98 Thinking (200): 100 Imagination (200): 102 Average Intelligence Value: 104.6 (Normal intelligence 90-110) ¡°All these abilities combined are your intelligence, Host. Once you receive intelligence points, you can add them to any of these attributes, and your corresponding abilities will improve. Once all abilities reach 200, the Host will indeed be a true genius scholar tyrant!¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°?? That¡¯s it? And you said my intelligence this life is higher than in my last life?!¡± How low was her intelligence in her previous life!! System: ¡°Yes, the system¡¯s detection is never wrong.¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°What about my parents¡¯ intelligence?¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s average intelligence value is 119, in the higher range of intelligence, just short of being considered exceptional. Your mother¡¯s intelligence value is also 115, which would be even higher if they had studied a few more years during their childhood.¡± Jiang Mianmian was dumbfounded, ¡°So in a family of three, my intelligence is at the bottom?¡± Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Rewards and Punishments Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Rewards and Punishments ¡°Yes,¡± the system affirmed, fearing she would take it too hard, it consoled, ¡°But don¡¯t be sad, Host. With this system, you¡¯ll soon become a genius with an IQ of 200!¡± Jiang Mianmian waved her hand dismissively, ¡°What¡¯s there to be sad about? You said it yourself, my IQ in this life is already much higher than in my last.¡± With an IQ of 104.6, she was now standing out among ordinary people, and her memory at 119 already exceeded that of an average person! Slacker underachievers are always so easily satisfied. System: Still no ambition! ¡°Host, there are 10 bonus intelligence points in the lower left corner, you can add them to whichever ability you wish to strengthen.¡± Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t even think before responding, ¡°Add them all to memory.¡± Her reasoning was simple, strong memory means memorizing answers, right? The system had no objections, only snickering at her naivety behind her back. Memory might be sufficient for handling the simple knowledge in grades one through three, but it falls short when tackling the thinking questions from grade three and up. ¡°Host, you can now attempt the test questions for the first grade.¡± Jiang Mianmian felt a little lazy, but considering she just learned the material and it was still fresh, she went ahead and did it. Without any surprises, she scored perfect marks, earning another 10 intelligence points, which she also poured into memory. Glancing at the interface¡ª Memory (200): 139 Observation (200): 104 Attention (200): 98 Thinking (200): 100 Imagination (200): 102 Average intelligence value: 108.6 (Normal range: 90-110) Seeing the striking 139, Jiang Mianmian nodded in satisfaction and prepared to sleep. But the system said, ¡°Host, upon activating study ace mode, your daily study tasks will be different from the preschool education mode. From now on, Host must study in the system space for at least one hour each day or else you¡¯ll lose 1 intelligence point.¡± ¡°Fuck! Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?!¡± Jiang Mianmian was dumbstruck. She had struggled for a week to earn just 10 intelligence points¡ªequivalent to just 2 sanity points! If you had said earlier, you¡¯d definitely have been delaying until school starts! The system silently judged her while maintaining a serious tone, ¡°Host, where there is reward there must also be punishment; this is a survival rule in human society.¡± You heartless system! Jiang Mianmian silently gritted her teeth, ¡°You win!¡± She really wanted to just go to sleep with a clear conscience, but, feeling protective of her limited intelligence, she reluctantly entered the system space to study. What the system didn¡¯t tell her, though, was that the passage of time inside was different from the outside, slowed down by a factor of three. In other words, while Jiang Mianmian thought she had to study only for one hour each day, it was actually three hours. That was because the human spirit body was too fragile for faster time flow; a three-fold reduction was the maximum that humans could endure. Otherwise, time in the system space could be even slower. Kids who loathed studying as much as the Host, if they knew, would probably go insane. Best to keep it a secret then. And so, Jiang Mianmian spent what felt like an excruciatingly long month, immersed in a dual learning environment. ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Jiang Mianmian took a sip of sugar water and wrote the last character of the ancient poem in the square box, sliding it forward. ¡°Sister Aibao, I¡¯m finished.¡± Da Ya and Er Ya looked up, their faces filled with envy, ¡°San Ya is so amazing, we¡¯re still memorizing first-grade textbooks, and you¡¯ve already memorized and written out the entire third grade!¡± Jiang Mianmian chuckled, reveling in the feeling of being an ace student! Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Why Not Believe It Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Why Not Believe It Lin Aibao had already become accustomed to seeing strange things and took the squared notebook; these past few weeks, Mianmian had completely redefined her understanding of a genius. On the squared notebook, the handwriting was neater and more elegant than that of the other children. She carefully checked it three times over, then let out a long sigh of relief and announced loudly, ¡°Mianmian, you¡¯ve written everything correctly; you¡¯ve now learned everything up to the third-grade level textbooks!¡± It was nap time, and all the Jiang Family members were present. Hearing this news, they all crowded into the room one after another. Jiang Changhai smiled like a blooming flower, lifted up Mianmian in his arms, and chuckled, ¡°I knew my girl was clever and quick-witted, capable of doing everything she said!¡± Su Wanyu couldn¡¯t help but kiss her too, feeling so proud of her daughter! The people from the Second and Third Branches were all dumbfounded. Zhang Guihua¡¯s weathered face also blossomed into a chrysanthemum with her smile: ¡°Not bad at all, San Ya will definitely be able to get into school and even win a scholarship!¡± Jiang Dashan¡¯s voice was steady, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a trace of joy, ¡°Aibao, has San Ya really learned everything?¡± Lin Aibao nodded earnestly, her heart brimming with pride, ¡°She has learned everything up to the third-grade material steadily and thoroughly. There will definitely be no problem with tests; you can all rest assured!¡± She felt proud and happy, never having imagined that she would actually succeed in teaching Lin Mianmian everything. Didn¡¯t this prove her ability to teach and educate? Maybe in the future, she could even become a teacher! Sun Lixia shrieked, ¡°Impossible! Our Zhiwen and Zhiwu have been learning for so many years, how could this girl have learned everything in less than two months!¡± Jiang Changhai was especially proud and retorted without a second thought, ¡°That only proves that our Mianmian is truly cut out for studying!¡± Lin Aibao, patting her chest to attest, said, ¡°I definitely didn¡¯t lie; Mianmian has learned it all. She¡¯s really a Little Genius. If you don¡¯t believe it, just look at what¡¯s written in this homework book yourself!¡± Not many among the Jiang family members could read, and Sun Lixia was particularly incredulous, spitting out her words heatedly, ¡°Why don¡¯t I believe it at all? You must have been given benefits by the main house to say this. How could this girl have learned in two months what others take three years to learn!¡± ¡°Why are you so skeptical?¡± Jiang Changhai was not very pleased. His daughter was a treasure, and he couldn¡¯t stand to hear anyone speak ill of her! ¡°Pah! Surely it¡¯s Lin Family¡¯s girl who is lying!¡± Sun Lixia glared at her own man who couldn¡¯t make a peep and was calculating in her heart. If San Ya had truly learned everything, the treatment for her sons Zhiwen and Zhiwu in the family would surely diminish! Their sons were expected to carry on the family lineage! Lin Aibao, by now looking a bit displeased, retorted, ¡°I never lie! It¡¯s all clearly written down in black and white. Third Aunt, is it that you can¡¯t read, or you just can¡¯t stand the thought of Mianmian being a genius?¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s expression darkened, and she was not very happy either: ¡°Laosan, control your wife. She¡¯s jealous of the family¡¯s good fortune every single day!¡± Jiang Changtao scolded Sun Lixia in response, ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Sun Lixia was furious but didn¡¯t dare to speak out, holding in her anger as she took Zhiwen and Zhiwu back to her room. Seeing that it was getting late, Lin Aibao reminded Mianmian a few things about the test before she left. Jiang Dashan was in exceptionally good spirits, his mouth clenched on his old tobacco pipe, stuffing tobacco into it. ¡°San Ya has really made us proud, bringing honor to our Old Jiang Family!¡± Zhang Guihua thought of the money soon to swell her purse¡ªseveral tens of yuan¡ªand her mood improved noticeably looking at the girl! Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Driven by Life Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Driven by Life Jiang Mianmian was taken aback. It was indeed rare for her grandmother, who favored boys over girls, to compliment her! System: ¡°So, being a top student is really great, Host should continue to work hard, achieving first in the county, the province, or even the whole country won¡¯t be a problem!¡± Jiang Mianmian was not tempted by this beautiful future. If one could slack off and still get by, who would choose to study hard? It was all due to life¡¯s pressures. Jiang Changhai boldly stretched out his hand to the old lady, ¡°Mom, you need to give us some money. One dollar isn¡¯t even enough to buy an eraser and pencils, we need at least two more dollars!¡± What, two dollars!? How many old hens¡¯ eggs would that take? Zhang Guihua¡¯s face twisted in anger, she gave her son a dismissive glance and slapped him, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. I see Laosan¡¯s family doesn¡¯t spend that much money, they don¡¯t give a cent!¡± Jiang Changhai dodged and grinned cheekily, ¡°Laosan¡¯s Zhiwen and Zhiwu aren¡¯t as smart as our Mianmian. She learns more and writes more, thus she needs better things, including a backpack and stationery.¡± The old lady gritted her teeth, his logic made sense, but the thought of spending so much on a girl made her ache and unwilling to give in. Jiang Mianmian poked her palm and sneakily watched her father. Jiang Changhai gave his daughter a reassuring look that said ¡°don¡¯t worry, absolutely no problem,¡± and resumed showcasing his persuasiveness: ¡°Mom, no pain, no gain. Think about the scholarships Aibao mentioned!¡± While Zhang Guihua was still hesitating, Jiang Dashan decisively banged the table with his old tobacco pipe, ¡°As long as Mianmian gets into fourth grade, you¡¯ll get the money, don¡¯t worry!¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s heart burst with joy. Two dollars was not only enough for new stationery, but also for better food! ¡°Dad, you can rest assured,¡± Jiang Changhai winked and joked cheerily at the old lady, ¡°Mom, just prepare those two dollars, when Mianmian¡¯s scholarship comes, we¡¯ll be all set to enjoy!¡± This comment made the old lady both annoyed and amused. Da Ya and Er Ya looked at Jiang Mianmian with envy, whispering softly,¡± San Ya will definitely pass the exam and be able to eat commodity grain after going to school, that¡¯s really nice!¡± ¡°We just don¡¯t have those brains, forget it!¡± Hearing what they said, Jiang Mianmian felt both proud and heartbroken. Being a girl in this era was too hard! After everyone else had left, Su Wanyu lay on the bed and sighed in relief, ¡°Our girl is really promising. She will definitely be able to go to high school and work in a factory. Then we can enjoy life.¡± Jiang Changhai patted his chest, even more confident than Jiang Mianmian, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our girl will definitely make it! Aibao said she definitely will!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just wait for our daughter to make a name for herself.¡± Jiang Mianmian frowned in despair: why is it that others are supported by their parents, while she is exploited by hers!? The system unkindly reminded her, ¡°Host, you can now take the third-grade test.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Jiang Mianmian puffed up her cheeks and entered the system space to start solving the problems. She still scored 100 in math, but her language score was deducted by 2 points because of her essay. Jiang Mianmian protested, ¡°Why deduct points from my essay?!¡± She felt she had written quite well and used many idioms and beautiful expressions. ¡°Host, your essay is florid, but lacks depth. Look at these essays written by other third-grade students,¡± the system calmly found a few exemplary essays. Jiang Mianmian was stunned upon reading them, ¡°Are these really written by third-grade students?¡± The essays were indeed better than hers, in every aspect. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Werent You Supposed to Be in School? Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Weren¡¯t You Supposed to Be in School? System: ¡°Of course, there are outstanding talents in every age group, and there are not a few whose intelligence is higher than yours at this stage, Host. Merely enhancing your memory is not enough, as composition requires thinking. True geniuses develop in a balanced manner in all aspects.¡±. Jiang Mianmian sighed, ¡°I¡¯m just a fake genius, nowhere close to a real genius.¡± She had tried so hard and even had high-tech help. Seeing her disheartened expression, the system quickly encouraged her, ¡°But with this system here, it won¡¯t be long before you become a real genius!¡± Jiang Mianmian allocated the 9 intelligence points she had obtained to her thinking. From the 10 intelligence points she had received in second grade, except for 2 that she added to her observation, the rest also went to her memory. Memory (200): 147 Observation (200): 104 Attention (200): 100 Thinking (200): 109 Imagination (200): 102 Average intelligence value: 112.4 (High intelligence 110-120) Seeing that she now belonged to the higher intelligence category, Jiang Mianmian felt considerably less frustrated. * A week later, on the day of school registration, Jiang Changhai carried his daughter on his back and headed out the door with one yuan of school fees. The neighbors saw them and asked, ¡°Eldest Jiang, are you really taking your daughter to school?¡± ¡°Taking my girl to take the exam. Haven¡¯t you heard what Aibao said? My girl is made for schooling!¡± Jiang Changhai said with a beaming smile. Although he was carrying Jiang Mianmian, his steps were light, and Zhiwen and Zhiwu followed by his side. Someone enviously said, ¡°When the three of you get to eat commercial grain, don¡¯t forget about us locals!¡± Others were skeptical, ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet; there are even kids from the city who make it to high school.¡± A flurry of discussions ensued. Jiang Mianmian buried her face in her dad¡¯s back, rubbing against his sturdy and reliable back, and whispered, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go.¡± The day had broken early, and with a light breeze blowing, the dirt road was empty. Two boys picked up a stick from the ground and swung it through the air, laughing and goofing around. Zhiwu, carrying a dirt-yellow backpack, cocked his head to look at Jiang Changhai, ¡°Uncle, can San Ya really pass the exam? The questions are always so tough, I even got a zero!¡± ¡°She¡¯ll definitely pass. Aibao said Mianmian is very smart!¡± Jiang Changhai was full of confidence. After walking a while, Zhiwen spotted a flock of ducks swimming in the river, his eyes lit up, and he nudged Zhiwu, ¡°Let¡¯s go count ducks!¡± Zhiwu hesitated for three or four seconds before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Uncle, you go ahead and take San Ya to her exam, we¡¯ll catch up later!¡± Seeing that Uncle did not object, the two boys instantly ran off out of sight. Jiang Mianmian: ¡­What happened to going to school! Jiang Changhai, tall and long-legged, reached the commune primary school in just over forty minutes. A yellow dog was tied up in front of the school gate and started barking wildly as soon as it saw Jiang Changhai. The gatekeeper, Old Man Zheng, chuckled, ¡°Dogs recognize folks, Eldest Jiang, what brings you to school, better not be here to make trouble.¡± Jiang Changhai wasn¡¯t upset, he set Jiang Mianmian down, extremely proud, ¡°I¡¯m here to register my daughter.¡± ¡°Hello, Uncle,¡± Jiang Mianmian greeted him politely and sweetly, her clear, bright eyes exuding vivacity. Old Man Zheng responded, then pointed, ¡°Then go to the office and find the teacher, it¡¯s in the smallest room.¡± The so-called commune primary school consisted of several bungalows and a large plot of open dirt land. Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: The Unremarkable Top Student Chapter 48: Chapter 48: The Unremarkable Top Student Jiang Changhai walked over and started knocking on the door loudly, his knocking sounding almost like banging, causing the old yellow dog at the school gate to bark even louder. Jiang Mianmian, ¡°¡­ Dad, can you knock a little lighter?¡± ¡°Just a moment,¡± said the bespectacled man, brimming with the aura of a scholar as he opened the door. It was Teacher Liu Wen, the supportive teacher from the village, ¡°Hello, may I ask who it is?¡± Jiang Changhai put his daughter down from his back, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m here to enroll my daughter for fourth grade!¡± Teacher Liu put on her glasses and took a look, the little girl was fair and tender, pleasing to the eye, unlike the scrawny children from the countryside. Feeling the scrutinizing gaze, she lifted her face, looking steadily back at him. Teacher Liu was taken aback and frowned, ¡°How old are you to be entering the fourth grade?¡± Jiang Mianmian puffed out her chest, ¡°I¡¯m eight years old!¡± Jiang Changhai hurriedly explained, ¡°My daughter has studied at home with village chief¡¯s Aibao and has finished all the textbooks up to third grade in just two months.¡± Upon hearing this, Teacher Liu began to believe they weren¡¯t messing around, as Lin Aibao was a student who had left the commune school, known for being an excellent student both in conduct and academics. So, she pulled out two stacks of thick papers from behind her and took out two exam papers, ¡°Well, write them, but you only have two hours!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jiang Mianmian started on the exam papers with swift movements. After just ten minutes or so, she put down her pen, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve finished.¡± Teacher Liu was stunned, ¡°You¡¯ve finished?¡± It couldn¡¯t be that she was just writing randomly, could it? But Jiang Changhai was proudly boasting, ¡°Teacher Liu, please take a look. My daughter didn¡¯t guess; she also knows many poems by heart.¡± Teacher Liu, ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Teacher Liu adjusted her glasses and carefully went over the paper, growing increasingly astonished, flipping back and forth, ¡°I got the wrong paper, this one is a fourth-grade math exam.¡± Jiang Changhai was surprised, ¡°Then how did my daughter do on the test?¡± Looking at Jiang Mianmian, Teacher Liu¡¯s eyes instantly blazed with enthusiasm and cheerfully exclaimed, ¡°All correct!¡± Jiang Changhai lifted Jiang Mianmian into the air, jubilant, ¡°Dad always knew you were brilliant, a true scholar, you¡¯ve made me proud, truly proud!¡± Teacher Liu also said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see the principal.¡± Such a talented student had to be introduced to the principal. So taking the two exam papers with her, she led them into a larger room than the office and informed the principal of the situation. After going through the papers, the ordinarily composed principal couldn¡¯t hide his surprise and asked, ¡°Young girl, did you really finish the textbooks from first to third grade in just two months?¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± The principal¡¯s eyes transformed in an instant, and he said ¡°good¡± three times in succession. He was thrilled and delighted, knowing that their village hadn¡¯t produced a college student in a long time, and even high school students were few and far between. This girl was truly a promising talent! He took out a registration form, ¡°Fill it out quickly. We have quotas in our school, and we won¡¯t charge tuition for an excellent student like you, as long as you maintain a top three ranking in your grade at the end of each term.¡± Upon hearing that there were no tuition fees, the eyes of the Jiang family father and daughter instantly lit up: was there such a good thing?! And then it was like gaining another dollar for free, how wonderful! ¡°Principal, rest assured, I will definitely maintain top three in my grade,¡± Jiang Mianmian promised with a straight back. The principal was very pleased to hear this and added, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already passed the fourth-grade exam, why don¡¯t you move on to fifth grade?¡± ¡°Principal, I¡¯m still young,¡± Jiang Mianmian replied with a pained expression, shaking her head like a rattle drum. She just wanted to be an ordinary fake top student, even skipping grades was too exhausting! Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Feels Quite Good Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Feels Quite Good Jiang Changhai also said, ¡°Let¡¯s just go with fourth grade, Mianmian is still young, we can¡¯t pull up seedlings to help them grow.¡± He didn¡¯t want his daughter to struggle too hard; after all, she could still win scholarships in the fourth grade. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s ¡®pulling up seedlings helps them not¡¯.¡± ¡°Right, right, my daughter is so smart, and she knows so many idioms too.¡± The principal thought about it and felt he made sense, ¡°Okay, then fourth grade it is, going steady is also good.¡± Teacher Liu arranged her in Zhiwu¡¯s class, ¡°You¡¯ll be with your brother Zhiwu. You¡¯ll have to help him out a lot since he always ranks near the bottom of the class.¡± She personally took Jiang Mianmian to the class, handed out a few brand new books, and arranged for her to sit at the very front. ¡°Jiang Mianmian, you sit here for now. You¡¯re young and short, you won¡¯t be able to see the blackboard from the back.¡± Looking at the podium just a stone¡¯s throw away, Jiang Mianmian had a face full of black lines. Having been a lifetime underachiever, this was her first time sitting in such a position, and her feelings were somewhat complicated¡­ The little girl, dressed in a florid cotton dress, lifted her head, her eyes sparkling brightly as she looked at the podium. She looked just like a sticky rice dumpling. Jiang Changhai stood outside the window, his face was beaming with the silly smile of a father, his daughter was the most well-behaved and adorable! Jiang Mianmian noticed her dad¡¯s gaze, turned back, gave him a big smile, and mouthed: ¡°Dad, buy me a big meat bun.¡± Jiang Changhai smiled and nodded, his little glutton. He only reluctantly left when the school bell rang. At the school gate, he ran into Zhiwen and Zhiwu slipping in with faces like calico cats. Jiang Changhai scolded with a laugh, ¡°You two little rascals, if your mom finds out you¡¯re sneaking in just as the bell rings, she¡¯ll kill you both!¡± Although they were afraid of Uncle, Zhiwen and Zhiwu believed he wouldn¡¯t snitch, they made a face and, at the instant the bell stopped ringing, they slithered into their classrooms. Their movements were practiced, clearly not their first time. Jiang Changhai fell silent; no wonder these two rascals never mentioned school work, their hearts just weren¡¯t in it. Back in the classroom, Zhiwu caught Teacher Liu¡¯s displeased look as he trotted from the door to the back row, but he caught sight of Jiang Mianmian and froze on the spot. San Ya was actually really in fourth grade! Just then, Teacher Liu tapped the blackboard with a serious face, ¡°Today, we have a new student in our class, let¡¯s give her a warm welcome with a round of applause!¡± Amidst the enthusiastic clapping of a bunch of little kids and Teacher Liu¡¯s encouraging gaze, Jiang Mianmian stood up and introduced herself with youthful innocence, ¡°Hello everyone, my name is Jiang Mianmian.¡± She was poised and composed, not the slightest bit afraid or timid in the face of this sudden arrival in a strange place. Teacher Liu nodded quietly to herself, not bad. The classmates whispered among themselves, ¡°She¡¯s so young but can be in our class, she must be amazing.¡± ¡°Look how cute she is, as white as an egg.¡± ¡°But she looks so little, did she come to the wrong class?¡± Teacher Liu banged on the table, ¡°This is our new student, only eight years old, and she¡¯s already scored double hundreds on the third-grade exam papers. You should all learn from Jiang Mianmian, got it?¡± A chorus erupted among the kids, ¡°Wow! She scored full marks!¡± At the back of the class, Jiang Zhiwu shook his head and bragged, ¡°That¡¯s my little sister, pretty awesome, huh!¡± Hearing this, a group of carrot-headed kids looked enviously at Jiang Zhiwu. They too wished they had a sister as smart and cute as her! Viewed by the group of little kids with admiring and reverent eyes, Jiang Mianmian blinked her eyes, feeling a bit unreal. But she kind of liked the feeling, hehe. Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Finally Not a Waste Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Finally Not a Waste Just as class ended, Jiang Zhiwu couldn¡¯t wait to dash to the front row, ¡°Mianmian, you¡¯re amazing, you even got a perfect score!¡± Jiang Mianmian responded seriously, ¡°Brother, you have to call me Mianmian at school, you can¡¯t call me San Ya.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Zhiwu agreed very readily. On the other side, Jiang Changhai hummed a little tune as he strolled along, arriving in the fields well after the start of the work day. This time, the scorekeeper didn¡¯t hassle him but asked with a curious expression, ¡°Eldest Jiang, you took your San Ya to school? How did it go?¡± The others all pricked up their ears, waiting for his response. Jiang Changhai immediately straightened up, a look of pride on his face, ¡°Our Mianmian has already passed the exam, she¡¯s now sitting in the fourth-grade classroom!¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s face lit up with joy, as she sprang up from the ridge and grabbed her son¡¯s hand, ¡°Eldest, are you telling the truth?!¡± Jiang Changhai waved his hand grandly, ¡°Why would I lie to you? The school principal even said that Mianmian could go straight to fifth grade!¡± Not to mention the waiver of tuition fees. Upon hearing this, a huge weight finally lifted from the hearts of the Jiang family members. Goodness gracious, two months¡¯ worth of eating eggs had not been in vain! If she hadn¡¯t passed, they¡¯d surely have to beat that greedy girl! Jiang Dashan also revealed a relieved smile and nodded, ¡°Very good.¡± Only Liu Lixia and Jiang Changtao looked gloomy, how did this happen?! The lazy San Ya actually made it, could she truly be a reading prodigy?! The other villagers, having heard the news, also showed looks of envy. Although Jiang Changhai was lazy, he¡¯d been blessed with such a bright daughter. For Eldest Jiang, earlier dependence on his parents and later on his daughter meant that even as a lazy man known throughout the local villages, he could live a content life. Now, he¡¯d have nothing to worry about for the future! ¡°Eldest Jiang, don¡¯t forget us old neighbors once your daughter strikes it rich,¡± someone said. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve all grown up together,¡± echoed another. Jiang Changhai laughed it off, ¡°I know, I know, we¡¯ll talk about it when my daughter makes good.¡± He hadn¡¯t forgotten the most important thing after his daughter¡¯s successful exam, spreading his hands, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t forget the two dollars you promised.¡± The old lady¡¯s face turned green, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when we get back, now get to work.¡±Upd@te by n0vgo .c0 ¡°Alright.¡± Jiang Changhai was in high spirits today and didn¡¯t make a fuss, promptly beginning his work efficiently. * As many kids lived far from the commune primary school, it let out at four-thirty in the afternoon. Jiang Mianmian and Jiang Zhiwu left the classroom together. Teacher Liu, holding her books, instructed, ¡°Mianmian, if there are any homework questions you can¡¯t do, come ask the teacher, alright?¡± Jiang Mianmian immediately felt valued and cheerfully complied. Teacher Liu also gently tapped Jiang Zhiwu¡¯s forehead, ¡°And you, Zhiwu, I¡¯ll let it slide that you didn¡¯t turn in your homework yesterday, but you were falling asleep in class too. Learn a bit from your sister, got it?¡± Jiang Zhiwu¡¯s spirit deflated, and he hung his head, ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡± He couldn¡¯t have been more dejected! However, once the teacher was out of sight, he energetically pulled Jiang Mianmian along, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mi¡­ Mianmian. I¡¯ll take you to find Zhiwen brother, and we¡¯ll head back together!¡± After Jiang Zhiwen heard Jiang Zhiwu¡¯s exaggerated story of how Jiang Mianmian was admitted to the fourth grade, he first showed shock and then, with a crafty glint in his eye, said, ¡°I¡¯ll carry your bag if you let me copy your homework later.¡± Jiang Mianmian gave him an unimpressed look, ¡°Big brother, we¡¯re not in the same grade.¡± Oh, right! Jiang Zhiwen¡¯s enthusiasm quickly deflated. Why hadn¡¯t Mianmian been directly promoted to fifth grade! Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Exchange for some cloth tickets Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Exchange for some cloth tickets At that moment, Jiang Changhai was standing at the door chatting with Old Man Zheng, ¡°Phew, it¡¯s really hot today.¡± Old Man Zheng fanned himself and asked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re here to pick up your girl?¡± It was rare enough for a girl to get into school, let alone having a father who cared so much that he personally came to pick her up. Jiang Changhai responded while enjoying the cool breeze from the fan, ¡°That¡¯s right, my Mianmian is so clever, you have no idea. She¡¯s obedient and quick-witted; the teachers and the principal all love her. In the fourth grade exam, she scored full marks.¡± Old Man Zheng¡¯s eyes widened in amazement, ¡°Your girl is that smart?!¡± ¡°My girl is a genius!¡± Just then, the bell signaling the end of class rang. Jiang Mianmian, with her sharp eyes, immediately spotted her father and ran towards him with joy, waving her hand, ¡°Dad!¡± Jiang Changhai quickened his steps, ruffled Jiang Mianmian¡¯s head: ¡°Look, Dad bought you a new school bag and some soda.¡± As he spoke, he pulled out a bottle of soda from the army green bag and handed it to her, ¡°It¡¯s still cold.¡± Jiang Mianmian licked her lips, twisted off the cap of the soda, and offered it to Jiang Changhai first, ¡°You drink first, Dad.¡± Jiang Changhai¡¯s eyes crinkled with joy, waving his hand, ¡°Dad¡¯s not thirsty.¡± ¡°No way, Dad must drink.¡± Jiang Mianmian stubbornly passed the bottle to him, her eyes sparkling brightly, looking incredibly adorable. ¡°Alright, Dad will drink first.¡± Jiang Changhai smiled and took a small sip, thinking how considerate and filial his daughter was. After that, Jiang Mianmian no longer held back and took a big gulp from the bottle. Ah, refreshing! Jiang Zhiwen and Jiang Zhiwu eyed the bottle longingly, licking their lips; they wanted a drink too. Jiang Changhai stood up, gave the two a glance, and said with unadulterated candor, ¡°You two rascals better forget it, there¡¯s none left.¡± Jiang Zhiwen stuck out his tongue, fumbled in his pockets, exchanged a look with Jiang Zhiwu, and both said in unison. ¡°Uncle, you and San Ya head back first, we¡¯re going to play with some classmates!¡± And with that, they ran off, disappearing from sight. Jiang Changhai knew that the old lady often gave them some pocket money, so they were surely heading to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy snacks. He didn¡¯t stop them, just walked slowly up the road home, holding his daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°Dad, the soda is really sweet. Have some more, and the rest can be saved for Mom to drink.¡± Jiang Mianmian stopped after taking a few sips, her heart still considering Su Wanyu, which deeply moved Jiang Changhai. His daughter was indeed a dutiful and thoughtful sweetheart! He put the bottle back in Jiang Mianmian¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my girl. Drink up, I¡¯ve saved another bottle for your mom, and a pork bun too. Eat something quick, don¡¯t go hungry!¡± Besides the school bag and stationery, he had bought three delicious pork buns and two bottles of soda. He ate one and saved the remaining buns and soda for his wife and daughter. Just then, they overheard a girl up ahead boasting to another girl, ¡°Look, this is the new dress my mom just made for me. Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± ¡°Pretty!¡± Jiang Changhai looked at the girl in the new red dress and then at his own daughter, clad in her dull attire. He stroked his chin, thinking his Mianmian would look even prettier in red! So that evening back at home, he discussed with his wife, ¡°I want to make a new dress for our Mianmian, but mom certainly doesn¡¯t have any cloth tickets. I plan to head up to the mountain to catch some game and trade it for cloth tickets in town.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Su Wanyu had no objections. Even though the mountain was home to some poisonous insects and ferocious animals, Jiang Changhai was very skilled at hunting for game and had never once had a mishap. Because he could run incredibly fast! And besides, private trading hadn¡¯t been as strictly controlled this past year as it used to be. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Will Never Let Go Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Will Never Let Go But after dinner, he still reached out to the old lady, ¡°Mom, give me money and cloth tickets. Mianmian also needs some new clothes.¡± ¡°Screw off, no money!¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s voice suddenly rose by eight octaves, her nostrils flaring wide. There were hardly any savings at home to begin with, and not a single cloth ticket, not to mention the new clothes for the two grandsons during the New Year were also made from cloth tickets squeezed out begrudgingly. Jiang Changhai said indignantly, ¡°Today, I saw many students in the classroom wearing new clothes. Our Mianmian is smarter than all of them, and she should not be outdone in clothing!¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re delusional!¡± Zhang Guihua slapped her own son on the forehead, saliva flying everywhere, ¡°One person¡¯s cloth ticket isn¡¯t even enough to make one piece of clothing, where am I supposed to get you more cloth tickets?!¡± She wanted them for herself! Sun Lixia had long felt that the Eldest¡¯s head wasn¡¯t screwed on right, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have forsaken his son but instead treated that girl like a treasure. The others seemed indifferent, already used to the Eldest¡¯s whimsical nature. Besides, there really were no cloth tickets at home, and even if he turned the house upside down, it wouldn¡¯t matter; the money just wasn¡¯t there. And Jiang Mianmian wasn¡¯t too keen on new clothes, believing that food was a more tangible benefit since you could only show clothes off while eating is what really matters. Better to spend the money on a few more meat buns! However, her dad was doing this for her, so she wouldn¡¯t undermine him. ¡°I don¡¯t care, my daughter must have a new set of clothes to wear!¡± Jiang Changhai, as usual, resorted to being shameless, ¡°If you don¡¯t give me, I¡¯ll just take the family¡¯s old hen to exchange for money!¡± Seeing him target the old hen again, the old lady turned to find a broom, ¡°You good-for-nothing, I knew I should never have given birth to you!¡± At this moment, Jiang Dashan said solemnly, ¡°Eldest, you know the situation at home. If you can get your own cloth ticket, I¡¯ll give you money to buy the fabric.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll figure out a way to get some cloth tickets myself.¡± Jiang Changhai had been waiting for these words; he wouldn¡¯t miss any opportunity to extract money from his parents! The rest of the Jiang Family didn¡¯t believe him; for the lazy, gluttonous Eldest to get cloth tickets would be a surprise indeed! But Jiang Changtao felt really frustrated inside. Previously, in such situations, his dad wouldn¡¯t have said anything but rather let his mom decide. Previously, because he had had two sons, their Third Branch had been more favored by the old lady compared to the Eldest and the Second Son, enjoying the first pick of any good items. But now, because San Ya was clever and good with her studies, suddenly they seemed inferior in comparison with their underachieving sons. Wasn¡¯t he upset?! The two boys were scratching their heads and struggling with their homework on the squared paper, mostly blank, unable to squeeze out a word. So they simply threw down their pencils, ¡°Mom, we want to sleep.¡± ¡°No sleeping!¡± Sun Lixia glared with fierce eyes, ¡°You two need to show some spirit; you can¡¯t be outdone by a girl!¡± She was reluctant to admit it, but she had to accept the fact that San Ya was intelligent. The two brothers¡¯ faces showed their reluctance. They weren¡¯t as smart as San Ya; how could they compete? Besides, studying was so boring; nothing like fishing in the river or hunting bird¡¯s eggs in the trees for fun. But faced with their Biological mother¡¯s stern expression, they could only continue to scratch their heads and nibble on their pencils, eventually simply scribbling something, knowing their parents couldn¡¯t understand anyway. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Descent of Wenqu Star Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Descent of Wenqu Star The next day, as Jiang Changhai took his afternoon nap, he had already prepared his outfit for going up the mountain and secretly hid it under the big banyan tree at the entrance of the village. Not long after he started his afternoon shift, he clutched his stomach and started groaning, ¡°No good, my stomach is acting up again. I need to go home to use the toilet!¡± The scorekeeper warned sternly, ¡°Eldest Jiang, you¡¯ve slacked off quite a few times these past few days. Stop faking it. If you sneak off again, your points for the afternoon will be deducted!¡± Jiang Changhai grimaced, bending over like a shrimp, ¡°I¡¯m really not faking it. If I hold it in any longer, I¡¯ll soil myself right here. Go ahead and deduct the points.¡± With that, he dashed off like a shot. The scorekeeper gritted her teeth and marked it in her book, deciding not to let this slacker get away with it anymore. Zhang Guihua looked up and immediately started shouting, ¡°Eldest, where are you running off to? Hurry up and get back here!¡± Jiang Dashan shook his head and continued to work. Seizing the opportunity, Liu Lixia snidely commented while hoeing, ¡°Eldest Brother hardly worked in the morning, and now he¡¯s run off again. I heard his wife is also slacking off by the tree. At this rate, who knows if the grain we get at the end of the year will be enough to fill our stomachs!¡± Zhang Guihua, frowning deeply, muttered, ¡°Old man, what are we going to do? San Ya hasn¡¯t brought back a single penny from school, and at this rate, the eldest¡¯s family is going to eat us out of house and home!¡± Jiang Dashan continued to diligently hoe the land, ¡°Let¡¯s just keep working and have a good talk with Eldest Jiang when we get home tonight.¡± Meanwhile, Jiang Changhai had gone to the old banyan tree, changed into long sleeves and pants, and used several Nile Ropes to tie the pant legs tightly to prevent any poisonous insects from crawling in. Then he shouldered his basket and headed up the mountain. This mountain, known as Mount Lao Mang, was the closest to their village. Previously, the secretary had said they were going to mine it. After half a year of fruitless mining, they concluded that there was really nothing on Mount Lao Mang and stopped managing it altogether. Though there were no minerals on the mountain, it was teeming with wildlife. Jiang Changhai, an experienced hunter, knew exactly where these small animals liked to hide. He tread lightly on the leaves without making a sound, stealthily approaching an unsuspecting rabbit. Suddenly, he pounced and caught the rabbit in one swift motion. Jiang Changhai chuckled, expertly stunned the rabbit and tied it up with rope, tossing it into the basket on his back. Today, his luck had really peaked; in just over an hour, his basket was bursting at the seams. Jiang Changhai weighed a plump wild chicken and two large rabbits in his hands, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today.¡± He stepped lively as he made his way down the other side of the mountain. In just half an hour, he reached the bustling town. As dusk approached, Jiang Changhai quickened his pace to get back home. He went straight to a vendor he had done business with before, ¡°Old Niu, just caught these in the mountains, fresh game. Swap them for some cloth tickets and money; I¡¯m making a new dress for my daughter.¡± Old Niu looked up, ¡°Oh, freshly caught game?¡± He weighed them on the scales; they were not light, ¡°Heavier than usual. You¡¯re running into some good luck?¡± ¡°My daughter is Wenqu Star descended from heaven, so of course, her father¡¯s luck has to be good too,¡± Jiang Changhai boasted gleefully, his face glowing with happiness. Knowing his doting nature, Old Niu nodded with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. That¡¯s fourteen pounds and three ounces altogether. How about I swap them for a cloth ticket and one dollar and fifty cents?¡± A cloth ticket could only make one dress. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Unconditional Flattery Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Unconditional Flattery Jiang Changhai slapped the table and said with a scowl, ¡°Don¡¯t try to bluff me! And we¡¯ve been friends for ten years, haven¡¯t we? My wife and kids all need new clothes, give me a bit more!¡± He was also thinking about his own wife, and if there were any extra cloth tickets, he would definitely get her a new outfit as well. Old Niu then took out two cloth tickets and a piece of money from his cloth bag, stuffed them into Jiang Changhai¡¯s bosom, and said with a pained face, ¡°Take it, take it, I know you care about your wife and children. Let¡¯s have a drink together when you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Although he often slacked off at work, Changhai was actually quite a smooth talker and enjoyed good relationships with others. Once he had money in hand, Changhai never skimped. He even bought more meat buns and popsicles to pick up his daughter from school. Jiang Mianmian held the big meat bun in her left hand and a popsicle in her right, munching and asking casually, ¡°Dad, where did you get the money?¡± The money from yesterday should have been nearly all spent by now, and her parents were certainly not ones to save money. Jiang Changhai looked at her tenderly, stroking her hair, and said, ¡°Today I went up the mountain and sold some game for a bit of money and two cloth tickets. I¡¯ll ask your grandma for a little more later, and you and your mom can get new clothes. Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± ¡°Happy!¡± Jiang Mianmian looked genuinely delighted, then with a worried expression, she asked, ¡°But Dad, you didn¡¯t run into any danger, did you?¡± She knew Mount Damang was rich with game, but it was also filled with many dangers. Her dad might slack off when others were around, but he was willing to endure hardship for the sake of his wife and child. He had exchanged two cloth tickets and hadn¡¯t even thought about himself. All the tasty things were only for her and her mom. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my girl,¡± Jiang Changhai boasted with some pride, pointing to the trousers and coat in his basket, ¡°Your dad¡¯s a great hunter, no one¡¯s going to hurt me. Besides, it¡¯s only right to get new clothes for my precious daughter and wife!¡± He was fully equipped. Yet Jiang Mianmian felt her eyes well up with tears. To have such a loving father was truly wonderful. She blinked, pushed the meat bun and popsicle toward him, and said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve worked hard. You eat more.¡± Jiang Changhai felt as if he¡¯d fallen into a honey pot, biting off a piece of bun and smacking his lips, ¡°Delicious, the buns in Mianmian¡¯s hand are even tastier than the ones I have. Eat up, my good girl, they¡¯re not as good when they¡¯re cold.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jiang Mianmian smiled sweetly, her soft hair brushing Jiang Changhai¡¯s palm, and she began gobbling up the meat bun. Seeing his daughter eat so happily made Jiang Changhai feel even more content. As long as his wife and daughter were well, he felt it was worth it, even if he had to go up to the mountains to hunt every day! ¡°Has anyone in class taken advantage of you being young to bully you? What did you have for lunch, were you full?¡± Taking a bite of her meat bun, Jiang Mianmian adorably tilted her head and said, ¡°No one¡¯s bullying me. The teachers are very nice, they always check if I understand everything after class. My classmates are also good to me, and I was especially full at lunch. The school even has free pumpkin soup, which was really sweet.¡± All was well. Hearing this, Jiang Changhai smiled contentedly, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Eat more, you need energy to study.¡± Jiang Mianmian patted her belly and held her little head high with pride, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, I definitely won¡¯t go hungry. The lessons are easy to understand, too. I¡¯ve seen most of the stuff in our previous textbooks, so I get it as soon as the teacher explains it. I¡¯m sure I can pass the exams to get into high school.¡± Since his daughter said so, regardless of whether she could get into high school in the end, he as a father would definitely praise her unconditionally. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Daddy Will Carry You for a Lifetime Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Daddy Will Carry You for a Lifetime Since his daughter had said so, whether she could pass the exam or not, he, as a father, was definitely going to praise her unconditionally. Jiang Mianmian: ¡­That¡¯s not necessary. After thinking for a moment, Jiang Changhai added, ¡°If you¡¯re tired from studying, rest. Your health comes first, you know?¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded obediently. After a while, she began to slow down, eventually stopping altogether and looking up at her father with a pitiful gaze, ¡°My feet hurt.¡± Jiang Changhai looked down and saw that her little feet were fine, she was just feeling lazy. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, can¡¯t walk anymore?¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded honestly and stretched out her hand, ¡°Hmm, I want a piggyback ride from dad.¡± Jiang Changhai squatted down, teasing, ¡°Dad walked so much today that he is all sweaty and stinky. Mianmian doesn¡¯t mind that dad smells, does she?¡± Jiang Mianmian immediately jumped on, ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡± Her dad¡¯s back was really wide and strong! ¡°Good if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Jiang Changhai grinned as he held the basket in his hand and easily hoisted up his little daughter. Jiang Mianmian buried her face in her dad¡¯s back, cooing sweetly, ¡°Dad is the best to me, I want dad to carry me all my life.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, Daddy will carry you all your life,¡± Jiang Changhai chuckled, ¡°But don¡¯t let your mom hear this, or she might get jealous.¡± Jiang Mianmian stuck out her tongue, ¡°I¡¯ll only tell dad secretly.¡± The father and daughter chatted and laughed their way to the entrance of the village when a huge rat zipped by in front of them and disappeared into the bushes. Jiang Changhai clicked his tongue, lamenting, ¡°That rat was really big, it must have stolen a lot of food!¡± If he didn¡¯t have his daughter on his back at that moment, he would definitely have caught that fat rat to eat. Upon hearing this, Jiang Mianmian quickly had the Scholar Tyrant System turn on the detector. Scanning over, they saw the rat dive into an underground heap of bright golden light. She immediately became excited, it had to be food! Such a large chunk of gold color, how much food there must be! This was a real fortune! So she extended her finger towards the rat hole, excitedly saying, ¡°Dad, I saw that rat dive into the hole. Rats like to hide food, there must be something inside!¡± Jiang Changhai followed his daughter¡¯s pointing finger and scrutinized it three or four times before discovering the extremely hidden rat hole, suddenly delighted, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really well hidden!¡± Having said that, he set his daughter down and began to dig out the rat hole with the tools he brought to the mountain today. Meanwhile, Jiang Mianmian consciously ran to the road intersection to keep a lookout since the villagers were still working in the fields, with hardly anyone passing by. About fifteen minutes later, Jiang Changhai exclaimed in joy, holding a bunch of corn kernels and peanuts and grinning from ear to ear, ¡°There¡¯s food, there really is food!¡± This was really getting a lot of food effortlessly, just like picking it up for free! Jiang Mianmian also broke into a big smile, with all this food, she could exchange it for many, many meat buns! When they had calmed down a little, Jiang Changhai covered the rat hole back up with soil, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first, we¡¯ll dig out the food in the evening.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded, knowing that if the villagers saw them, they¡¯d have to share it. Finally, Jiang Changhai carefully covered the hole with some dry branches and stones, so that even with a close look, nothing unusual could be discerned. Feeling refreshed, they returned home where the old lady, along with the second daughter-in-law and third daughter-in-law, were busy in the kitchen. The father and daughter first sneaked into their own house. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Stubborn Denial Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Stubborn Denial Hearing the commotion, Su Wanyu quickly lay down and pretended to be weak, but as soon as she saw her husband and daughter, she dropped the act, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Wife, I brought you some tasty treats.¡± As Jiang Changhai spoke, he stuffed over some meat buns and soda, whispering, ¡°Hide these for now, eat them first after dinner, and if you get hungry later in the night, you can have them then.¡± ¡°Alrighty.¡± Su Wanyu immediately sat up nimbly and happily stashed the items inside a cabinet. Once she had hidden them, Jiang Changhai went to the kitchen to ask the old lady for money, ¡°Mom, give me the money, just three yuan to start with, and if it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll ask for more!¡± As for buying new clothes for his wife, he would have to pay for it himself, because the old couple definitely wouldn¡¯t agree to spend money on new clothes for Su Wanyu, their daughter-in-law. Zhang Guihua rolled her eyes, and as she added firewood to the flames, she shouted, ¡°All you do is ask me for money every day, ungrateful wretch! I¡¯ve told you, we don¡¯t have any cloth tickets to make new clothes, what¡¯s the use of just asking for money!¡± Sun Lixia was even more sarcastic, ¡°Why keep asking for money when we don¡¯t have cloth tickets? You¡¯re not planning to run off with all the household money, are you!¡± Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t want to argue with a woman, so he pulled out a cloth ticket from his pocket and waved it in front of them, ¡°But I do have a cloth ticket!¡± Seeing the cloth ticket, everyone¡¯s eyes widened; they hadn¡¯t expected him to actually have gotten one. Zhang Guihua reached out to take the cloth ticket but Jiang Changhai agilely dodged her hand and glared at her, ¡°Where did you get that cloth ticket from? Aren¡¯t they only issued at the end of the year!¡± ¡°Cloth tickets are so scarce right now, don¡¯t tell me you found it on the road!¡± Sun Lixia, with envy in her tone, said mockingly, ¡°It better not be from cheating someone, because that would be committing a crime. You could get locked up for that! Sacrificing yourself for a girl, imagine how heartbroken our mother would be!¡± Zhang Guihua was already unhappy hearing the initial accusations; although her son was lazy, he was certainly not likely to swindle or deceive! But hearing what Sun Lixia said, her heart immediately sank, ¡°Where on earth did this cloth ticket come from? Without a clear explanation, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m giving you the money today!¡± Jiang Changhai arched an eyebrow, ¡°So if I explain clearly, you¡¯ll give me the money?¡± Though anxious and worried, Zhang Guihua didn¡¯t lose her senses and just snorted coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t give you any money if you just have the cloth ticket. Explain it clearly and fast!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t slouch off this afternoon; I went up the mountain during my break, caught some game and exchanged it for this cloth ticket. No cheating or deceiving involved!¡± Jiang Changhai glanced at Sun Lixia and deliberately shook the cloth ticket, ¡°But it¡¯s just one, and it¡¯s for my daughter. Don¡¯t anyone else get any crooked ideas.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua slammed the table in anger, dislodging a few cubes of chopped radish, ¡°You wastrel, how much game did it take to get just one cloth ticket? You¡¯re only good at these useless tricks. What¡¯s the use of getting so much for a daughter who might marry into another family someday? I¡¯d like to see where you¡¯ll go to cry then!¡± Jiang Changhai replied with confidence, ¡°My daughter is the smartest and most filial. I¡¯d be too busy laughing having meat to eat every day to care!¡± Then he opened his palm and urged, ¡°Hurry up with the money. We agreed yesterday that if I managed to get a cloth ticket, you would give me the money to buy fabric.¡± ¡°I never said that!¡± Zhang Guihua flatly denied, having no intention of parting with any money. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 You Cant Be Partial Chapter 57: Chapter 57 You Can¡¯t Be Partial Because she had decided that her eldest son couldn¡¯t get a cloth ticket, who knew he would actually manage to get one! She continued to cook with a gloomy face, chopping vegetables with a sound louder than thunder, ¡°No money, and even if there were, I wouldn¡¯t give it to a little girl to make new clothes when the boys haven¡¯t even got anything to wear yet!¡± Sun Lixia smiled somewhat smugly, the old lady was still favoring her two sons! Jiang Changhai curled his lips and felt a bit anxious, lifting his foot to get it from the room by himself, ¡°It was you who promised me at the start, going back on your word now is useless, if you won¡¯t give it to me, I¡¯ll just take it myself!¡± ¡°Stop right there, you little bastard, believe it or not I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± The old lady was shaking with rage, clasping onto his waist. Who knew that the usually lazy Jiang Changhai, who always did the lightest work, could be surprisingly strong at such a time, actually dragging the old lady toward the room. This caused a complete mess and everyone started making a fuss. ¡°Eldest brother, eldest brother, don¡¯t hurt Mom.¡± ¡°Ow, you unfilial son, dare to take the money and I¡¯ll fight you!¡± ¡°Mom, it was clearly you who promised me, don¡¯t get hurt!¡± The old tobacco pipe tapped against the door frame, Jiang Dashan looked sternly at everyone, his gaze finally resting on the cloth ticket, ¡°Where did you get this from?¡± Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t stop, ¡°I exchanged it for wild game, fair and square, to make new clothes for my girl; she finally got to go to school, she deserves a new outfit, Dad, you had indeed promised me before!¡± Jiang Dashan¡¯s expression finally eased a bit, reassured that it wasn¡¯t obtained through illegal means, ¡°Go give him three yuan, what kind of spectacle is it to have the family fussing like this?!¡± Zhang Guihua let go, muttering painfully, ¡°That was your promise, not mine.¡± A cloth ticket plus three yuan, that was enough to buy another hen. ¡°Evveryone needs to buy new clothes for the New Year, Eldest has managed to get a cloth ticket himself, after all, it saves us during the New Year, consider it a preparation in advance.¡± Jiang Dashan took a drag on his cigarette, ¡°Hurry up and cook, give him the money and stop this nonsense.¡± Once the old man of the house had spoken, the old lady, no matter how reluctant, didn¡¯t dare to disagree and, cursing, she opened the cabinet, ¡°Mad and crazy all day long, see which family treats their daughter so well ¨C in the future, who can outdo us? If this girl doesn¡¯t pass her high school examination, I¡¯ll be sure to break her dog legs!¡± Jiang Mianmian, who had been squatting by her window and had seen everything, rubbed her little arms and legs; for the sake of her safety, she realized she needed to study even harder. Jiang Changhai rubbed the calluses in his ears, joyfully taking the reluctantly given three yuan from the old lady, counting it very carefully, ¡°That¡¯s enough, don¡¯t worry, Mom, our Mianmian is so clever, she might even go to college!¡± Zhang Guihua pursed her lips, consoling herself with the thought that once San Ya got a scholarship, she¡¯d be able to earn some money back. Sun Lixia, who had been cracking sunflower seeds and watching the drama unfold, didn¡¯t expect the Eldest would actually get the three yuan, instantly feeling unbearably jealous, raising her voice, ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t favor one over the others, San Ya, a girl, is already getting clothes made; Zhiwen and Zhiwu are still wearing last year¡¯s old clothes! You had said before that all three children should be treated fairly!¡± Zhiwen and Zhiwu, who had just slipped back inside, were immediately overjoyed at the mention of clothes. ¡°Grandma, I want one too, make me one as well!¡± ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re always the kindest to us, we want new clothes too!¡± Although they weren¡¯t jealous of their little sister getting new clothes, what kid didn¡¯t want to wear new clothes these days? Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Exhausted Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Exhausted Zhang Guihua looked at her two lively grandsons with motherly affection, gently stroking the heads of the children. ¡°Stop fussing, stop fussing. When has grandma ever failed to make new clothes for you two?¡± In the second household, several girls leaned against the window, their faces full of envy as they watched the two boys in the courtyard. They had never worn new clothes from the time they were little. Because the family wasn¡¯t wealthy, it was generally the adults who wore new clothes, which after a few years were altered for the children, and as they outgrew them, the clothes were passed down to younger ones, and so on and so forth. With each passing, the patches increased, and the colors faded; by the time the clothes reached them, the original patterns were no longer recognizable, just a gray smeared patch¡­ Thus, other than Jiang Changhai making an effort to get Jiang Mianmian new clothes every year, only the two boys had new clothes to wear; the girls could only look on with longing each time. ¡°Alas, even getting San Ya a new piece of clothing is so difficult, we might as well forget about it. Not to mention cloth tickets, there¡¯s no way grandma would give us money,¡± one of the girls lamented. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really envious of them,¡± another agreed. Sun Lixia¡¯s eyes widened with dissatisfaction. ¡°Mom, Zhiwen and Zhiwu will carry on the family line in the future, so you can¡¯t be biased!¡± ¡°You wish! San Ya got new clothes only because Eldest procured cloth tickets. If you¡¯re capable, go up the mountain and hunt some game to exchange for cloth tickets. Then you can come back and nag me!¡± Zhang Guihua cursed and slammed the cupboard shut. Sun Lixia was instantly at a loss for words; as a woman, not to mention hunting game, just climbing up the mountain was exhausting enough. As for her husband, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him undertaking such a dangerous task! What if he was bitten by a venomous snake or insect while on the mountain? It would be a severe loss if the pillar of the household were to fall, for not everyone had Eldest¡¯s abilities. But she was determined not to give up on getting new clothes, so she dabbed at her eyes, feigning pity: ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being a useless mother who can¡¯t acquire cloth tickets. But mom, look at the clothes on Zhiwen and Zhiwu, they¡¯re full of patches. Many classmates mock them behind their backs.¡± ¡°Grandma, so many of our classmates are wearing new clothes!¡± the two boys gazed at the old lady with eyes brimming with longing, which melted her heart. ¡°Alright, alright, when the new year comes they¡¯ll issue tickets and you¡¯ll each get one new piece,¡± she conceded. The two boys cheered immediately, sweetly saying, ¡°Grandma is the best, we¡¯ll definitely take good care of you when we grow up!¡± Encircled by her two grandsons, who would carry on the family line, Zhang Guihua felt as sweet as honey in her heart. ¡°Okay, grandma is waiting, but for now, let¡¯s eat.¡± With this, Sun Lixia finally curled her lips in satisfaction. Even if that lazy girl San Ya was smart and good at studying, what of it? The grandmother¡¯s favorites were still her two sons! * At the dinner table, Jiang Mianmian, veering from her usual behavior, stopped after eating just one bowl of rice: ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± She had eaten a large meat bun on the way, and today¡¯s meal was just radish stewed with cabbage, without a trace of oil, making her lose her appetite after just a few bites. Jiang Changhai and Su Wanyu didn¡¯t stay at the table for long before returning to their room, leaving everyone else baffled. Zhang Guihua sipped her corn porridge and wondered aloud, ¡°The sun must¡¯ve risen from the west today. Eldest¡¯s family isn¡¯t rushing to eat.¡± Sun Lixia snorted disdainfully and said sarcastically, ¡°They hunted game on the mountain and didn¡¯t share a bite with us, so now they don¡¯t care for our plain food.¡± Zhao Xiaojuan, the second household¡¯s daughter-in-law, tried to mediate: ¡°That¡¯s because Eldest is skilled on his own, and besides, all the game was traded for cloth tickets.¡± Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Lets Split Up Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Let¡¯s Split Up She too felt envious. Not having new clothes for herself and her man was bearable, but her daughters had never worn new clothes from birth to growing up, always picking up what others had left behind. But who could blame them for not having the capability! Sun Lixia rolled her eyes, utterly dismissive of Zhao Xiaojuan, who couldn¡¯t bear a son, and furiously slammed down her chopsticks, ¡°Eldest sister-in-law is still speaking for Eldest. They are eating our public grain. They sneaked off to hunt game in the afternoon, now you guys fill in the deducted work points!¡± Zhao Xiaojuan¡¯s mouth twitched, wanting to say that there¡¯s no need to quibble since they were all one family. However, thinking about her own four daughters still needing support, she ended up keeping silent. Sun Lixia relentlessly poked at her sore spot, ¡°Eldest sister-in-law, you don¡¯t have a son, you don¡¯t know how hard it is to raise a son. There¡¯s a saying, ¡®a teenage boy can eat his poor dad out of house and home,¡¯ having more sons is a blessing but also a burden.¡± Though she verbalized her hardships, her tone and expression were extremely smug. At those words, Zhao Xiaojuan¡¯s face instantly turned pale; not being able to bear a son for the Old Jiang Family was her only lifelong guilt and unease, The old lady¡¯s face however, turned much darker. One after another, they were all so annoying! Just as Sun Lixia was about to open her mouth to continue her sarcastic remarks, Jiang Dashan frowned and said sternly, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat, go back to your room. Can¡¯t even eat a meal in peace.¡± No one dared fool around in front of the patriarch. Sun Lixia obediently shut her mouth, but she was still feeling indignant. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what likedable traits that lazy, slippery scoundrel of Eldest has?!¡± Back in her room, she started complaining again, ¡°This life is unbearable! Now even Eldest sister-in-law dares to defy me. Just because San Ya goes to school and is promising, she thinks her own daughters can be successful too. Pfft, what a daydream!¡± Jiang Changtao sat at the doorway smoking, not showing whether he was listening or not, But Sun Lixia kept ramping up her anger, ¡°I think the old couple is starting to favor the main house now. Usually doing no chores, all the work is done by us, yet, they manage to win the old lady¡¯s favor just by rattling their mouths. Now even the old man has started to be biased!¡± She rolled her eyes and muttered a few curses, then suddenly had a bright idea, ¡°Why don¡¯t we split the family? Neither the main house nor the second house have sons, parents would definitely stay with us. The four of us can work the fields, we would earn a full share, and then the kids could even eat eggs every day.¡± The sky had completely darkened. Jiang Changtao narrowed his eyes, his expression indecipherable. He had long thought about splitting the family; he would have done it a long time ago if it were possible! ¡°Parents will follow us, and we will care for them until their end of days. Then, everything will be ours at the end,¡± Sun Lixia quietly calculated aloud, ¡°if we wait for when dad and mom can no longer work to split, I will be at a huge loss!¡± ¡°Forget it! Parents will definitely not agree.¡± Jiang Changtao tapped his old tobacco pipe against the doorframe, his expression gloomy, ¡°And you know the nature of my grandparents. This house was built with half of their money at that time.¡± When Sun Lixia had married into the family, the grandparents were already gone. But she had heard that the old couple had a special preference for Eldest, explicitly stating before they died that half of the house was to be left to the eldest grandson. If they were to split the family, they could only divide the half that belonged to her father-in-law and mother-in-law, most likely not even keeping the room they lived in. The only option would be to go out and build a house with their own money, but who has spare money nowadays? Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Were Rich Now Chapter 60: Chapter 60 We¡¯re Rich Now Their family was already smart and hardworking, but the spare cash they had was only enough to build a small house. Besides, they needed to pay for their two sons¡¯ education in the future¡ªwho would want to spend so much money? Sun Lixia wished she could give them a piece of her mind to vent her anger, but she was afraid that the head of the household might hear her from the main house, so she could only curse under her breath for quite a while. ¡°The elders¡¯ hearts are so biased they¡¯re off the charts! Why should it be?!¡± Jiang Changtao certainly felt the same way in his heart. His eldest brother was nothing but a good-for-nothing, yet he was favored by grandparents and parents alike. He was the youngest, but he was always the one who got the short end of the stick. Whenever he thought about it, his heart ached with bitterness, and it even felt a little feverish. On the other hand, the atmosphere in the main house was unusually relaxed. Su Wanyu lay on the bed, chewing on a big meat bun, taking big gulps along with a soft drink, her pretty face filled with satisfaction: ¡°These meat buns are just so delicious, Brother Hai, you are so capable. It¡¯s been days since I¡¯ve had a good piece of meat, it¡¯s always just scraps of fat.¡± Jiang Changhai felt elated inside, massaging his wife¡¯s legs which were sore from labor, ¡°Look how you¡¯ve lost weight again, you need to eat more meat, you look prettier with your little face all rosy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because my man is the best, letting me have meat to eat.¡± Su Wanyu kissed Jiang Changhai, her eyes full of tenderness. Jiang Changhai hugged his soft and fragrant wife tightly and planted a loud kiss in return: ¡°I can¡¯t let my beautiful wife go hungry!¡± Suddenly feeling like she was force-fed public displays of affection, Jiang Mianmian: ¡­ She silently opened her textbook and began to do her homework. After finishing, she entered the Scholar Tyrant System space to study. Although the schoolwork of the fourth grade was very simple for her, who could say that learning has an edge, by going back it is the shore¡­ It seemed like something was off? ¡°It¡¯s ¡®learning is boundless, hard work is the boat¡¯, Host, you need to study more,¡± corrected the Scholar Tyrant System. ¡°Close enough,¡± Jiang Mianmian waved her hand and lowered her head to read. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been studying when she was suddenly poked in the arm. Opening her eyes groggily, she saw her parents already dressed and ready to go: ¡°Daughter, it¡¯s time for some serious business. Everyone else is asleep.¡± ¡°Right on it!¡± Jiang Mianmian instantly snapped into action and quickly got out of bed and put on her shoes. Then the family of three, each carrying a sack, sneaked out under the moonlight. Accompanied by the Jiang family¡¯s snoring, they quietly slipped to the bridge at the entrance of the village, where the mouse hole was the same as always. Jiang Mianmian stood guard at the entrance while her parents dug and sifted the soil, coordinating much more energetically than when they worked in the fields. After more than half an hour of toil, they completed the task of unearthing all the grains from the storage pit¡ªthey actually filled up three sacks! ¡°We¡¯ve struck it rich, this has got to be a hundred pounds, right?!¡± Su Wanyu, dirty and with earth on her beautiful face that couldn¡¯t hide the excitement and surprise in her eyes, exclaimed. Although most of it was coarse grains like peanuts and corn, the sheer volume was impressive. Jiang Changhai weighed the sacks and was quite satisfied, ¡°Each sack must weigh at least seventy to eighty pounds, we¡¯ve made a fortune now!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s little face blushed with excitement, her hands rubbing together, ¡°Does that mean we can have big meat buns at every meal now? I don¡¯t ever want to eat coarse grain flatbreads again!¡± Nowadays, coarse grains weren¡¯t ground into fine flour like in later times, they were large granules that really scratched the throat! ¡°Right, we can sell all these coarse grains and we¡¯ll have plenty of cash,¡± Jiang Changhai rubbed Jiang Mianmian¡¯s little head, ¡°Then our family of three can afford to eat meat at every meal.¡± Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61: For the Wife and Kids Chapter 61: Chapter 61: For the Wife and Kids ¡°How did you two find such a hidden place?¡± Su Wanyu asked curiously, her excitement evident. Jiang Changhai proudly replied, ¡°Our girl has sharp eyes; she spotted this hidden mouse hole right away!¡± Jiang Mianmian was initially modest, but hearing her dad praise her like that, she also felt awesome and powerful, ¡°I do have a cheat code!¡± The couple didn¡¯t understand what a cheat code was but didn¡¯t care either. Su Wanyu moved closer and planted a big kiss on her daughter¡¯s face, ¡°I knew our girl was a little lucky star!¡± Getting kisses from her beautiful mom was nothing short of blissful. It would be even better if mom didn¡¯t compete with her for things. The Scholar Tyrant System was extremely proud, ¡°Host, this is the result of studying hard. Remember, ¡®In books, there are houses of gold, in books, there are beautiful damsels¡¯¡ª¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± Jiang Mianmian quickly interrupted it; mentioning studying now was a buzzkill, ¡°Dad, how are we going to get this grain back home?¡± Jiang Changhai said, ¡°We¡¯ll hide the grain for now and haul it straight to town tomorrow to sell.¡± With a whole houseful of people and eyes everywhere, they couldn¡¯t start a fire in their own home without the old lady and Sun Lixia noticing. This was the downside of not splitting the household! After thinking for a while, he quickly chose a small hillside to hide it; it was on the route he took when driving Jiang Mianmian to school. After busily working for a good two hours, the family cautiously returned home, washed up a bit, and then went to bed. Jiang Changhai, after a long day, didn¡¯t feel tired at all. He lay with his arms behind his head and suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of splitting the household!¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The first exclamation was from Su Wanyu, shocked; the second was from an exhausted Jiang Mianmian who almost fell asleep but was jolted awake by her own mother¡­ ¡°How would we manage if we split the household?¡± Su Wanyu sighed, it was not that she didn¡¯t want to, but their home conditions were simply not feasible, ¡°The labor points we earn from our work aren¡¯t enough to support three people.¡± As Jiang Changhai fanned his wife and child, he was calculating in his mind, ¡°If we could split, I could openly provide both of you with whatever you wanted to eat or drink, without having to hide or worry about others gossiping behind our backs.¡± For his wife and child, no matter how much work it took, he never felt tired; there was always energy in his heart! But at the current stage, his parents would definitely not agree to split, and they genuinely didn¡¯t have any extra money. They could only maintain the status quo for now. Having gone to bed late, the next day, bright and early before dawn, Jiang Mianmian was pulled out of bed by her dad, they washed up, and Jiang Changhai carried her out of the house. Half-asleep, her dad stuffed an egg into her hand, ¡°Eat this.¡± He had just snuck it from the chicken coop. ¡°We¡¯re going early today. I¡¯ll bring the village¡¯s old ox, drop you at school, then sell the grain. I¡¯ll bring you some good things to eat later.¡± At the mention of good food, Jiang Mianmian was wide awake now. She rubbed her eyes and started munching on the egg, ¡°Dad, how much money can we get for the grain?¡± ¡°Enough to buy each you and your mom a set of clothes, with some left over.¡± Jiang Changhai was in a great mood, moving faster than usual. Despite the load, he carried his daughter steadily, ¡°Here we are, wait at the door.¡± Jiang Mianmian slung her little schoolbag and watched, impressed, as her dad boldly led the team¡¯s old ox out. There was nothing her dad didn¡¯t dare to do! Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Always Ready to Run Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Always Ready to Run Jiang Changhai deftly loaded the grains onto the cart, creating a clean and tidy little space for his daughter, then cracked the whip and sped down the deserted road. From time to time, a sharp whistle could be heard, ¡°Giddy up¡ª¡± Upon arrival at the school, Jiang Changhai greeted Old Man Zheng and casually requested a bottle of iced tea for his daughter, which Old Man Zheng had brewed. Old Man Zheng wasn¡¯t upset at all and was very kind to Jiang Mianmian. After all, who wouldn¡¯t cherish a cute and well-behaved little girl? As Jiang Changhai watched his daughter¡¯s tiny figure, his heart warmed, feeling that the hardships of the past two days were all worth it. Without further delay, he hitched Old Niu and headed to the town. By the time they reached the town, it was already six or seven o¡¯clock. There were hardly a few people on the main street, but the alleyways were crowded, with everyone clutching baskets or bags and looking cautious, as if ready to run at any moment. Jiang Changhai was shrewd and quickly found a small alley off the main road, constantly vigilant of any authorities coming his way. Old Niu¡¯s eyes bulged as he hurriedly weighed down the tickets with a steelyard, fearful that others might see, ¡°You kid, where did you get so many tickets? Don¡¯t you dare get desperate and resort to swindling; that could get you shot!¡± Standing at the corner, he approached those with a cautious look and skittish walk, and within a few words, he made a deal. The batch of grains was of good quality and plentiful. Jiang Changhai wasn¡¯t cunning and couldn¡¯t be bothered with long bargaining, so he offered a fair price. So it wasn¡¯t long before he made the second deal after the first, trading all sorts of things! In less than two hours, Jiang Changhai had traded two bags and collected a good amount in return, seven to eight yuan plus many cloth tickets and meat coupons. His family couldn¡¯t earn this much from half a year of hard work on the land. Carefully examining the tickets, Jiang Changhai felt an upsurge of happiness. If only he could always do this kind of business, how good that would be! Just then, he saw a gentleman with glasses carrying a small bag of white flour coming over. He peered at the bag of coarse grains and whispered, ¡°Big brother, I have three jin of fine flour, two milk coupons, one meat coupon, and five yuan. Do you think these can get me that remaining bag?¡± When the bag of fine flour was opened, the flour inside was as white as snow, without a speck of dirt, clearly a quality product distributed by the factory. Although he figured he was losing a bit on the deal, the fact that he could close shop quickly swayed Jiang Changhai, who cheerfully took the bag of flour and weighed it, ¡°How about this, give me one more meat coupon and we¡¯ll call it even. There are seventy to eighty jin in this bag of coarse grains. Don¡¯t believe me? Go home and weigh it, it¡¯s enough for your family for two months.¡± The man hesitated for a moment but finally nodded, ¡°Deal. I can¡¯t carry this bag back myself, would you¡­¡± Jiang Changhai carefully counted the cloth tickets and the money, sizing up the man for a moment¡ªTruly skinny! Then he nodded and said, ¡°Then give me an extra dime for delivery. After all, I¡¯m taking a risk bringing it to your house.¡± The man clenched his teeth, ¡°Deal. Thanks for your trouble!¡± He really couldn¡¯t carry such a big bag of grains himself. Having sold off the final batch of grains, Jiang Changhai heaved a long sigh of relief, clutching the pocket with the money, overwhelmed with joy. This trip had netted him twelve yuan, about ten meat coupons and cloth tickets, and the two milk coupons from before. It could be said that the haul was quite full! Aside from the cloth tickets, the rest wasn¡¯t of much use to Jiang Changhai, so he counted the tickets and went straight to Old Niu who was well versed in these matters, ¡°Ho, taking a break, huh.¡± Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Damn, Hes Really Rich Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Damn, He¡¯s Really Rich ¡®Came again, huh? You¡¯ve been coming quite a lot these days, trading for game again?¡± Old Niu skillfully took a steelyard from under the table. ¡°The game from your mountains is really nice. If you have more in the future, could you send them all to me?¡± Jiang Changhai smiled and secretly handed over a thick stack of cloth tickets, ¡°The mountains are treacherous, we¡¯ll talk about it next time. Take a look at these, and exchange them for money. Give me a good price; these tickets aren¡¯t easy to come by.¡± Old Niu¡¯s eyes widened as he quickly pressed down the tickets with the steelyard, afraid that others might see. ¡°You kid, where did you get so many tickets? Don¡¯t get into swindling when you¡¯re desperate¡ªit can get you shot!¡± He had almost been caught himself for speculative hoarding during strict checks. Luckily, he was fast and clever, and he got away. So even though the checks weren¡¯t as stringent now, he still cautiously conducted business only with people he knew well, and his life was quite good. Jiang Changhai shrugged. ¡°They were legitimately exchanged. Don¡¯t worry, why would I come to you if they were stolen?¡± Knowing he was mischievous but not bad at heart, Old Niu was relieved and carefully counted, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll exchange them for three yuan, okay? These days, meat coupons and milk coupons are rare, but not everyone can use them, right?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jiang Changhai wasn¡¯t greedy; feeling that it was a fair deal, he turned and headed to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy cloth. But just as he had taken a few steps out, he saw an old man in black, carrying a basket covered with a white cloth. As he approached, a strong smell of meat wafted through the air. It was pork! Jiang Changhai¡¯s eyes lit up, and he hurried over to inquire. Learning that the pork was only fifty cents a pound, he almost couldn¡¯t keep his excitement contained: ¡°Let me have a look first.¡± Upon lifting the cover, he saw the flesh was still a fresh red color, clearly from a recently slaughtered pig. Even though it was just scraps, the price was cheap, and no meat coupon was needed. He had to buy two pounds! He licked his lips, bought two pounds of pork, and spent two more cents on a big bone. He wrapped them in a bag and stuffed them into his cart. Now all that was left was to buy new clothes for his wife and daughter. At the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, a sales clerk with braided pigtails was busy tidying up. Jiang Changhai approached with a smile, ¡°Miss, I want to buy some cloth. What kind of fabrics do you sell here?¡± The clerk, a young girl, saw that he was good-looking and was much nicer to him, pointing to the back. ¡°There, that fabric can make a set of clothes for fifty cents a yard. It¡¯s about three yuan for a set, quite reasonable.¡± Jiang Changhai noticed several neatly folded new outfits beside him, which were fresher and more vibrant than the fabrics. ¡°Miss, how much are these ready-made clothes?¡± Thinking of how good his wife and daughter would look in them. The clerk, while tallying up the account, replied, ¡°These are made from fine broadcloth, fifteen yuan a set. They just arrived today, and only three sets are left. Four sets sold this morning¡ªthey¡¯re really in demand.¡± Some girls in the city, either not lacking money or wanting to dress fashionably, would grit their teeth and buy a set. Jiang Changhai was stunned: People in the city really have money. Buying a set of clothes could cost twenty pounds of pork! To think that his two hundred plus pounds of grain only sold for fifteen yuan! The clerk was not surprised by his reaction, pointing to another few sets of clothes, ¡°These are cheaper, only six yuan a set.¡± She began chatting away as if opening a floodgate, ¡°These ready-made clothes sell well, but that stack in the corner doesn¡¯t. They¡¯re dyed poorly, you see the splotches? People in the town don¡¯t want them. Alas, they can¡¯t even sell without requiring cloth tickets, so they¡¯ll just sit and gather dust.¡± Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Also benefits the target Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Also benefits the target Jiang Changhai lowered his head to look at the past, noticing that the dye on these pieces of fabric was not very even, but the material itself was good, just not as aesthetically pleasing. But for the common folk, aesthetics weren¡¯t important, what mattered was that it was practical and cheap! ¡°How much for this cloth?¡± Jiang Changhai thought of an excuse, ¡°Our family has a lot of members, and many relatives too. We made some money this year and want to give back to the elders. Miss, what do you think?¡± The salesperson thought for a moment, ¡°Usually it¡¯s fifty cents per chi, these are going for thirty cents per chi, but¡­¡± Since it¡¯s not yet open for business, who knows if he¡¯s trying to speculate. Jiang Changhai was smooth-talking and quick-witted, ¡°Miss, you can trust me, I can tell you¡¯re smart and educated, kind and reasonable. If these fabrics spoil, they¡¯ll be of no use. Why don¡¯t you sell them to me for cheap? I¡¯m here in town to exchange for cloth tickets and milk coupons, and I have industrial coupons too. Next time I come to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, I¡¯ll bring you a few coupons, how about that?¡± The salesperson was somewhat tempted upon hearing this. Jiang Changhai was handsome and had a way with words, and even suggested bringing her coupons, it seemed like a great offer. She blinked, ¡°Really, no tricks?¡± ¡°If I come to town to shop, I¡¯d definitely look for you, right? If I go back on my word by then, you can refuse to sell to me!¡± Jiang Changhai thumped his chest to assure her, and suddenly, his tone changed as he said cheerfully, ¡°Can you make it even cheaper, miss? I¡¯ll bring you a few more milk coupons. I heard that girls who drink more milk will have skin as white as milk, which is also good when looking for a partner.¡± Of course, this was a lie, but others wouldn¡¯t know that. The salesperson had indeed not found a partner and immediately blushed, ¡°All right, two and a half cents per chi, it¡¯s a total of eight zhang, that¡¯ll be twenty yuan for you.¡± Jiang Changhai took out all the money in his pocket, ¡°I only have eighteen yuan and three jiao on me, plus two cloth tickets, is that okay with you?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The salesperson hesitated for a while before agreeing, ¡°Next time you have industrial coupons, remember to come to me first to exchange.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Jiang Changhai loaded the fabric onto his ox cart and arrived at the commune school just before eleven o¡¯clock. He greeted Old Man Zheng and then entered the school¡¯s cafeteria. The chef was baking corn pancakes when Jiang Changhai placed the pork and fine flour on the table and grinned, ¡°Master, can we add a new dish for lunch today? How about noodles? I just bought this pork, it¡¯s fresh?¡± The chef was an honest fellow and hesitated, ¡°Isn¡¯t this against the rules?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about rules? It¡¯s all about whether the kids eat well to study well,¡± Jiang Changhai added as he slipped a big bone over, ¡°Make something tasty for the kids, will you? The girl in fourth grade, Jiang Mianmian, she¡¯s easy to spot¡ªfair and delicate. You can keep this bone to make yourself some soup or something.¡± Although a big bone wasn¡¯t worth much, stewed into soup, it could yield plenty of nutrients. So, without another word, the chef agreed, ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make something special for your girl later on.¡± ¡°Thank you so much!¡± As Jiang Changhai left the cafeteria, he headed to the classrooms and stood by the window to see his daughter answering the teacher¡¯s questions and receiving praise. Pride swelled in his heart, that was his girl! It was then that he cheerfully made his way to the entrance, where from a distance, Old Man Zheng shouted, ¡°Xiao Jiang, a bunch of old dames are surrounding your ox cart up to something!¡± Jiang Changhai ran over and saw a group of about a dozen women, from who knows which village, surrounding his ox cart, touching the fabric with their hands all over. Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Earned Over Fifty Dollars Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Earned Over Fifty Dollars Seeing his approach, the leader, who looked older, waved her hand, ¡°Young man, come here quick. Where did you get this cloth from, and why do you have so much?¡± Jiang Changhai¡¯s footsteps became even more brisk: Look at that, business is practically knocking on my door! He wiped the sweat from his brow and feigned a helpless sigh, ¡°A friend of mine who works in a garment factory owed me money and used this to settle the debt. He said they couldn¡¯t sell it because the dye is uneven, so they only sold it to the factory workers. There are only three people in my family, I¡¯m really worried about how to use all this fabric.¡± Several women chattered and discussed among themselves. ¡°How about selling it to us? The village is in need, and we haven¡¯t received any cloth tickets for the whole year. The Supply and Marketing Cooperative won¡¯t let us buy any!¡± Jiang Changhai made a raspy sound, ¡°This is good quality cloth. If you¡¯re planning to fleece me, I¡¯d rather let it rot than sell it.¡± The leading woman gestured with her hands, ¡°That won¡¯t do. We¡¯re all honest people here, young man. How much for one yard?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. For cloth like this, it¡¯s fifty cents a yard. But I won¡¯t gouge you. The color¡¯s off, so no cloth ticket needed. I¡¯ll give you a discount, let¡¯s say seventy cents a yard. But don¡¯t spread the word, or we¡¯ll both be in trouble!¡± Jiang Changhai had already calculated his profits in his mind. Seventy cents might be more expensive than what the collective sells for, but no cloth ticket needed! The color might not be pretty, but we¡¯re all farmers. Who cares about that as long as there¡¯s something to wear? ¡°Deal, I¡¯ll take five yards.¡± ¡°I want five yards too.¡± With an agreement quickly reached, the women led him back to the village to fetch money, and within half an hour, he had sold it all. Everyone was sneaky about it, and even the village chief turned a blind eye. After all, they hadn¡¯t received any cloth tickets, and who wants to wear rags? We still have to live our lives. Jiang Changhai drove his ox cart back to the village, counting the bulging wallet on the way. From this trip alone, he had made over fifty bucks. That¡¯s a lot faster than sweating it out in the fields for months! Now with money in hand, Jiang Changhai went back to town and traded Old Niu for two cloth tickets to purchase a yard of good fabric. He couldn¡¯t let his wife and daughter be poorly clad! After all this back and forth, people from the village had finished their work for the day. Just as he reached the entrance of the village driving his old ox cart, he was stopped by the party secretary, ¡°Eldest Jiang, why did you take the village¡¯s communal property without saying a word? Do you realize this is selfish behavior, disrespecting the collective interest¡­ ¡± Jiang Changhai picked his ears, then limped off the cart, ¡°Ah, secretary, I didn¡¯t mean it, everyone was asleep when I got up early this morning. I twisted my ankle but needed to take Mianmian to school; I really had no choice.¡± The villagers were dissatisfied but didn¡¯t have much to say. The old ox was a communal resource, so it was for everyone to use. At most, they could curse a few times, but what else could be done? Jiang Changhai exchanged a few more words, then slipped away. Returning home, he first stuffed all the buns into his house, then met Zhang Guihua outside, her face clouded with anger, ¡°Where did you run off to this morning? You didn¡¯t work all day, do you know how many work points you¡¯ve lost?¡± Jiang Changhai shrugged his shoulders, pretending to be innocent, ¡°I was taking Mianmian to school, and had an accident on the way. I twisted my foot, so I got back late.¡± ¡°You really twisted it?¡± Su Wanyu was holding a basket, her beautiful eyes filled with a mix of concern and skepticism. Jiang Changhai stole a proud smile toward his wife, puffing out his chest. Of course he hadn¡¯t twisted his ankle! With his leg strength, there were few in the ten surrounding villages that could match him! Of course, not a single member of the Jiang family believed him. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Biological Brothers Settle Accounts Clearly Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Biological Brothers Settle Accounts Clearly Who doesn¡¯t know that Jiang Changhai can walk the mountain as if it was flat ground? How could he have fallen for no reason? It¡¯s just an excuse to be lazy! Since everyone lives together, no matter how many work points each person earns, the food is shared among all. If Jiang Changhai works less, everyone else has to work more! For a moment, people are somewhat displeased. Even if Zhang Guihua favors her eldest son, this time she gave a firm command, ¡°Don¡¯t feed me lies. You don¡¯t need to escort San Ya to and from school anymore! Zhiwen and Zhiwu both go on their own; three kids walking together won¡¯t cause any trouble!¡± ¡°No way, Mianmian is so young, and she¡¯s a girl. I can¡¯t let her go to school alone,¡± Jiang Changhai said without even thinking. How could he possibly feel at ease letting Jiang Mianmian go to school alone! Let alone the dangers she might encounter, just the length of the road alone¡ªhow tired his daughter would be walking it by herself! Nobody could stop him from being good to his wife and daughter. That completely infuriated Zhang Guihua, who flung the towel hanging around her neck to the ground, ¡°For the sake of a little girl, you delay work. Do you even care about the whole family? All you know is to be lazy!¡± Jiang Changhai was very proud of his daughter and puffed out his chest, ¡°My daughter is the smartest child within ten li, she will have great prospects. Of course, I should escort her to school. Today was an accident, it won¡¯t happen again¡­¡± Before he could finish, Sun Lixia, who had always been very dissatisfied with the main branch of the family, finally erupted. She furiously threw the sickle in her hand to the ground, ¡°You say this every day. Do you know how much extra work we¡¯ve had to do to make up for the work points? Every day you do nothing but eat, drink, and be merry; you think your life is the only life that matters, and the days of others don¡¯t? ¡°From now on, Changtao and I definitely won¡¯t do unpaid work for your main branch anymore!¡± Jiang Changtao also said somberly, ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re really going too far now. The work you and sister-in-law do each day doesn¡¯t even amount to one person¡¯s work points, yet you consume the food of three people. That¡¯s not fair to us in the second branch and the third branch.¡± The silent couple of the second branch nodded in agreement but didn¡¯t utter any overly harsh words. After all, everyone just wanted to first ensure their own household was running well! Encouraged by their reaction, Sun Lixia was even more emboldened, ¡°According to me, we should be more fair. If the big brother and sister-in-law don¡¯t work, they don¡¯t deserve to eat the food of the others in the family. You should eat only as much as you work for, and stop freeloading at home!¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s frown deepened when she heard this. She knew about her eldest son¡¯s laziness; without the help of the two younger brothers, they would definitely not have enough to eat. But she also wanted to use the words of her third daughter-in-law to scare him, so she kept silent. Otherwise, he would think that having a smart daughter ensured a carefree life of food and clothing, and he wouldn¡¯t need to work at all! Everyone thought Jiang Changhai would refuse, or even make a scene, but to their surprise, he slapped his chest and agreed, ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s do it that way. Our main house will eat our own food, and you eat yours.¡± Even Sun Lixia could hardly believe he would agree, ¡°Big brother, we¡¯re serious. Don¡¯t think this is a joke. We need to keep things clear, even biological brothers have to settle accounts properly!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking either, let¡¯s go ahead with that.¡± Jiang Changhai, with his wife in his arms, prepared to enter the house, even humming a little tune in high spirits. Su Wanyu had always trusted him and was equally relaxed. Leaving behind several people dumbfounded¡­ Sun Lixia, who had achieved her goal, should have smiled, but couldn¡¯t. The success was simply too easy! Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Cant Let the Daughter Know Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Can¡¯t Let the Daughter Know Originally, he thought it would take more talking to get the lazybones older brother to leave without splitting their portion of food, but surprisingly, he agreed so easily. She didn¡¯t believe the eldest could be so reasonable; surely, he would still make a scene and try to get their share of the food! Just when she was considering asking the eldest to make a pledge, Jiang Changhai pulled his wife back into the house. Of course, he had the confidence to speak like that. Now, he was clutching fifty yuan in his hand, and with just three people in the household, casually going to work each day brought in enough food for the three of them. With so much money, they could live well and drink for over half a year. As for what to do after the money was spent? The future would obviously come later; worrying so much now was a waste! ¡°Brother Hai, is this all money from selling the food?!¡± Su Wanyu counted the money her husband had brought over, her eyes shining brightly. Now they had really struck it rich! ¡°A total of fifty-four yuan!¡± After counting several times, Su Wanyu carefully hid the money in the drawer by the bed with a lock on it. Thinking about eating delicious large meat buns every day, she felt as if she were living an immortal¡¯s life. Jiang Changhai, seeing his wife¡¯s happy expression, was naturally happy too. He patted his chest and related the fabric incident, ¡°When I first saw that bolt of cloth, I had this idea, since fabric is something you can¡¯t even buy with money in the countryside¡ªit¡¯s that scarce and valuable!¡± ¡°Brother Hai, you¡¯re really smart!¡± Su Wanyu hugged Jiang Changhai and kissed him, looking up with admiration, ¡°My man is awesome! From now on, my daughter and I will just enjoy life following you.¡± ¡°Exactly, if I weren¡¯t smart, I wouldn¡¯t have fathered a little genius like Mianmian.¡± Jiang Changhai laughed heartily, feeling terrific being kissed by his beautiful wife. In his heart, as long as his wife and daughter were happy, he was happier than anything else. Looking at the several tens of yuan locked in the drawer, the couple discussed their plans for the upcoming months. With those fifty-some yuan, not to mention not having to work for food, they could afford to eat and drink lavishly every day! However¡­ Jiang Changhai thought it over carefully and looking seriously at Su Wanyu, said, ¡°Still, we need to do some work during this period. It¡¯s the peak time for harvesting. Once we¡¯ve gathered all the crops, we can stay home and do nothing, just live well since we have food and drink.¡± He wasn¡¯t oblivious to Sun Lixia¡¯s veiled criticisms; since there were good days ahead, why wouldn¡¯t they enjoy them? Su Wanyu, aware of the situation, held onto her husband¡¯s arm, agreeing repeatedly. She had long been reluctant to work. Work was a necessity when they had no money, but now that they had some, who would want to suffer anymore when they could eat their fill? After calming down a bit, Su Wanyu said, ¡°Right, Brother Hai, we can¡¯t let our daughter know about this fifty-some yuan, otherwise she definitely won¡¯t focus on her studies.¡± What lazy tendencies their own daughter had, they knew all too well! Of course, they couldn¡¯t let her know they had so much money, otherwise the girl would get too lazy to strive for scholarships. ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t tell our daughter. But we¡¯ll definitely take good care of her eating and drinking. She can¡¯t go on without nutrition while studying hard at school.¡± Jiang Changhai had already planned to provide extra meals for his daughter for the next few months. Now was the time when his daughter was growing. They didn¡¯t have the means before, but now with money, they naturally wanted to give her the best of everything. Of course, his wife couldn¡¯t be left out either! Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Dont Eat Dinner Tonight Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Don¡¯t Eat Dinner Tonight Regarding the trait of cherishing one¡¯s wife and doting on one¡¯s daughter, Jiang Changhai exhibited it to the fullest. ¡°That¡¯s a certainty,¡± Su Wanyu had no objections to his words, for a daughter was naturally to be cherished. After lunch, the couple stayed home and didn¡¯t go to work, which sparked Zhang Guihua¡¯s discontent: ¡°Eldest, get moving and go to work for me! Do you not want your work points for today?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not feeling very well, and since I didn¡¯t go this morning, missing half a day more won¡¯t matter. My wife and I will just rest at home.¡± Jiang Changhai lazily sat on a stool, with a rascal¡¯s demeanor that suggested no matter what you say, I won¡¯t move, which infuriated Zhang Guihua. She pointed at her disappointing son and angrily said, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what use it is raising you! If you don¡¯t go this afternoon, don¡¯t expect to eat dinner!¡± Nasty words being ineffective, Zhang Guihua simply resorted to threatening with food, and looking at the submissive and frail Su Wanyu by her side, she felt even more dissatisfied. ¡°Each one of you makes me worry endlessly!¡± Hanging a towel around her neck, she stormed off, out of sight, out of mind. Seeing that neither the Second Branch nor the Third Branch could persuade Jiang Changhai, they didn¡¯t bother either, only Sun Lixia, as she passed by the couple, spitefully hummed with a mix of intention and unintentional mocking: ¡°Doing the least work every day, yet eating the most, forcing us to do the hard labor, truly here to collect debts from a past life!¡± She really wanted to split the household! Now that the whole family shared meals together, no matter how many work points were earned each day, it all went to everyone¡¯s meals. The Eldest Branch did nothing but freeload meals¡ªwhy should so many others carry the burden? The more Sun Lixia thought about it, the more imbalanced she felt. But these were just thoughts; she never really acted on them, not wanting to advantage the Eldest Branch with most of the house. However, Jiang Changhai and Su Wanyu treated her words as if they were wind by their ears, hardly caring at all. The couple lazily lay there, resting for half the day. When they had rested enough, it was time to pick up their daughter from school. Jiang Changhai walked from home to the commune primary school to pick up his daughter after school. After greeting Old Zheng at the school, Jiang Changhai sat on an outside bench waiting for Jiang Mianmian to finish school. After the school bell rang, students sprinted out of the classrooms, and Jiang Mianmian immediately spotted Jiang Changhai at the gate: ¡°Dad!¡± Jiang Changhai responded with an ¡°Hey,¡± took his daughter¡¯s backpack in one hand, and held his daughter¡¯s hand with the other: ¡°How was school today?¡± Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t think deeply and excitedly exclaimed, ¡°Dad! Today at noon I got to eat meat and rice, and the cafeteria uncle even gave me a bowl of bone soup just for me, it was so delicious!¡± Remembering the delicious meal from noon, Jiang Mianmian smacked her lips as if the taste was still lingering in her mouth. Now, the happiest thing in her daily life was eating, especially something tasty! ¡°Daughter, if you want to eat, you can have meat every day from now on!¡± Jiang Changhai rubbed her head and smiled, promising. ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Mianmian raised her little head, her face glowing as she looked up at her tall father. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when has Dad ever not kept his promise?¡± Jiang Changhai patted his chest earnestly, simply recounting the morning¡¯s selling grains, only mentioning that he had exchanged them for money, without giving specifics about the amount. However, Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t care about the amount of money; hearing that she could eat meat every day was enough to make her happy, her cheeks blushing: ¡°I knew Dad loves me the most.¡± The Host seized the opportunity to gently coax: ¡°Host, as long as you study hard, in the future you will have more delicious food than you can eat, so you have to keep it up!¡± Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Hes also wronged Chapter 69: Chapter 69: He¡¯s also wronged Jiang Mianmian had eaten long-missed meat and rice today, and was in an excellent mood. Hearing the system¡¯s words, she nodded in agreement. ¡°Hmm, what you¡¯re saying does make a bit of sense, once we¡¯ve spent the money from this grain sale, we¡¯ll go find a few more rat holes.¡± System: ¡°¡­Host, could you think more long-term? Let¡¯s not get stuck on rat holes, shall we? After all, the grain in those rat holes was laboriously gathered by the rats, enjoying the fruits of their labor isn¡¯t really nice, is it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so bad about that? Rats are one of the four pests, by doing this, I¡¯m eliminating a hazard for the people.¡± Thinking this, Jiang Mianmian lifted her head proudly like a great hero. Jiang Changhai watched his daughter walking along, suddenly carrying her head high, and laughed as he asked, ¡°Daughter, what¡¯s with you? Is your neck uncomfortable?¡± Jiang Mianmian was caught by the question, her eyes darting as she replied, ¡°Er, yes, Dad, I¡¯ve been writing with my head down at school, my neck¡¯s a bit sore, just stretching it out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really tough for my daughter to be in school. Come on, let me carry you home.¡± As he spoke, Jiang Changhai squatted down, gesturing for Jiang Mianmian to climb on. Without any hesitation, she plopped onto her dad¡¯s back, comfortably letting him carry her. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re really good to me.¡± Jiang Mianmian squinted her eyes, happily exclaiming. ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re my only daughter. If I don¡¯t treat you well, who else would I treat well?¡± When approaching the village, Jiang Mianmian got off Jiang Changhai¡¯s back and walked on her own. If the villagers saw her dad carrying her home, the news would reach her grandmother¡¯s ears, and Jiang Mianmian would definitely not escape a scolding. Zhang Guihua saw them returning home, glared at them fiercely, and slammed the door as she entered the house. Jiang Mianmian tugged on Jiang Changhai¡¯s arm and shook it, asking, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s up with Grandma?¡± Jiang Changhai, looking a bit wronged, replied to his daughter, ¡°Your dad didn¡¯t go to work today, and your grandma is angry.¡± So that was it, no wonder her grandma had glared at her as well. Lately, her grandma¡¯s attitude towards her had improved a lot. To avoid getting caught in the crossfire, Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t wait for the system to prompt her, she took her little backpack inside and started doing her homework, aiming to be invisible at home. At dinner time, Zhang Guihua watched the family of three from the master bedroom gobble up their food like hungry ghosts reincarnated. Unable to hold her anger back all day, she finally snapped, slamming her chopsticks on the table with a ¡®slap¡¯. Pointing at Jiang Changhai, she scolded, ¡°Eat, eat, eat, you only know how to eat. When it¡¯s time to work, you run faster than anyone, and when it¡¯s time to eat, nobody can out-eat you. The work points your family of three earns aren¡¯t enough to feed one of you.¡± Sun Lixia, seeing the master bedroom¡¯s family get scolded, glanced at them smugly, suppressing the joy in her heart, she inwardly cursed, ¡°Serves you right, always knowing how to laze around and freeload.¡± ¡°Mom, let¡¯s just eat, why bring this up? Come on, eat, the food will get cold soon.¡± Jiang Changhai ignored Zhang Guihua¡¯s frowning face, focusing on eating and serving himself more food. Zhang Guihua, looking at her mainstay of a son who seemed as substantial as butchered meat, said fiercely, ¡°Jiang Changhai, you think I¡¯m joking? Starting today, everyone in this household will record how many work points they earn each day in a notebook. From now on, each person in our family will eat as much grain as they earn through their work points. Those who don¡¯t earn work points will just starve.¡± Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Person Who Always Freeloads Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Person Who Always Freeloads Jiang Changhai only then gave Zhang Guihua a look and asked, ¡°Mom, are you serious?¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be more true. I¡¯ll leave it at that today, Changhai. From now on, if you¡¯re lazy and try to shirk work, you won¡¯t get a meal, no matter how much you beg me. And Wanyu, San Ya, you both remember my words.¡± Zhang Guihua deliberately mentioned the names of the three people from the eldest branch, making it clear who her words were directed at. Far from being flustered upon hearing this, Jiang Changhai not only agreed but nodded in approval and said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve been saying, you should have done this a long time ago, to prevent some people from not working and just freeloading.¡± After Jiang Changhai finished speaking, he looked directly at the couple from the Third Branch. Sun Lixia was not one to be taken advantage of. Seeing Jiang Changhai looking at them as he spoke made it seem as though the Third Branch had taken advantage of the eldest branch. She immediately exploded, ¡°Eldest brother, why are you looking at me? The work points earned by just one person in our family are more than those earned by two people in yours, and you still have the nerve to say that? It¡¯s clear who is taking advantage of who.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, look at you, I didn¡¯t even say anything and you¡¯re already feeling guilty. This isn¡¯t how we settle accounts. Although your family earns work points with two people, your family eats with four mouths, you¡¯ve never heard of ¡®half-grown kids starving their father,¡¯ have you?¡± ¡°Our family is different. We also earn work points with two people, but three of us eat, you see. Mianmian, a little girl, eats so little every day, almost like cat food.¡± Listening to Jiang Changhai brazenly lying, Sun Lixia angrily pointed to the large bowl of rice in Mianmian¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Eldest brother, is this what you call cat food?¡± ¡°Yes, Mianmian was hungry today and ate a bit more. Usually, Mianmian eats nothing but cat food,¡± Jiang Changhai said without changing his expression. Sun Haixia was so angry she huffed and puffed, wishing she could scratch Jiang Changhai¡¯s arrogant, shameless face. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s eat, and do as your mother said,¡± Jiang Dashan said, seeing their quarrel getting out of hand and sternly putting an end to it. Eldest, a man in his thirties, really couldn¡¯t continue this way any longer. The couple from the second branch had not taken part in this conflict, but their eyes were full of shock. The parents had truly hardened their hearts against the eldest brother?! But with the eldest brother¡¯s way with words, not doing business was indeed a waste of talent. It was clear that his family of three was taking advantage of the other branches, but through his rhetoric, it seemed as if the Third Branch was taking advantage of him. Regardless of who was taking advantage of whom, it was none of their business. While their household had the most mouths to feed, they also earned the most work points. Their children, except for the youngest, worked daily as if they were tied to the fields. Regardless of what others said, it wouldn¡¯t apply to them, and Zhao Xiaojuan proudly stood tall. The next morning, Jiang Changhai took his daughter to school and, without waiting for Zhang Guihua to urge him, conscientiously grabbed his tools and went to work. Zhang Guihua thought her speech the day before had had an effect and felt that although her son was lazy, he was not beyond redemption. If Jiang Changhai knew what his mother was thinking, he would surely laugh out loud. The reason he rushed to the fields to harvest was purely to earn his own food supply. After all, if he didn¡¯t earn enough work points by the end of the year, they would receive very little food supply. Although they could buy on the black market, what would they do if the crop yield was poor this year and they couldn¡¯t buy food? Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Ill Listen to You Chapter 71: Chapter 71 I¡¯ll Listen to You So, to avoid an empty stomach, Jiang Changhai still decided to put in a few hard days of work. Once the rush to harvest the crops was over, he planned to take all the rest he had missed during this period. During these days, Jiang Changhai kept to his work schedule punctually, although he still managed to sneak in some moments of laziness. However, he was much improved compared to before. Even Zhang Guihua, who had always been critical of her eldest son, couldn¡¯t help but smile at him these past few days. Jiang Changhai had never received such treatment before, and it almost made him giddy with joy. At night, lying on the kang exhausted, Jiang Changhai let out a long sigh and complained to his wife, ¡°Ah, wife, these past few days have worn me out. I¡¯ve finally finished the harvest. I¡¯ll have to go a bit later tomorrow; I need to sleep in and rest at home for a while.¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m tired too, I¡¯ve gotten a tan in just these two days,¡± Su Wanyu waved her still fair hands in front of Jiang Changhai, teasing him. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true, my wife has gotten a tan. Then you shouldn¡¯t go tomorrow, let¡¯s both take a good rest,¡± said Jiang Changhai, squeezing Su Wanyu¡¯s hand and giving it a kiss with a chuckle. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Su Wanyu smiled coyly. Jiang Mianmian sat at the table miserably, listening to her parents being all lovey-dovey. She turned to look at her parents lying on the kang, hopeful as she asked, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve also gotten a tan from going to school these past few days. Can I stay home and rest for a day tomorrow?¡± ¡°Is that so, my daughter? Come, let daddy see, where did you get a tan?¡± asked Jiang Changhai promptly, sitting up and looking at Jiang Mianmian with concern. Jiang Mianmian randomly pointed to her face, batting her big eyes, hopeful as she looked at Jiang Changhai. Su Wanyu stood up, tapped Jiang Mianmian¡¯s forehead and looked at her with a face that said I know what you¡¯re up to, ¡°My daughter, you¡¯re preparing for high school, you can¡¯t afford to slack off two days for every three days of work.¡± ¡°Right, your mother¡¯s right.¡± Jiang Mianmian, seeing Jiang Changhai firmly on Su Wanyu¡¯s side, turned expressionlessly and continued her homework. The next day, when it was time to start work, Zhang Guihua saw that Jiang Changhai had just sent Jiang Mianmian back and was taking quite a while to come out. Perplexed, she knocked on the door and asked, ¡°Changhai, what¡¯s keeping you? It¡¯s time to start work.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m feeling off today, I¡¯ll go a bit later,¡± came Jiang Changhai¡¯s groggy voice from inside the house. Zhang Guihua, seeing her son¡¯s laziness flare up again, took a deep breath to suppress her anger and asked, ¡°What about your wife? Why hasn¡¯t she come out?¡± ¡°Wanyu is also feeling under the weather, I¡¯m staying home to take care of her, I¡¯ll head out soon.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better hurry up, if you don¡¯t go, wait and see if I won¡¯t beat you when I get back,¡± Zhang Guihua said, as she was already late herself and left after issuing a stern warning. As Zhang Guihua was working in the fields, it was almost ten o¡¯clock before Jiang Changhai leisurely made his way there. He left early in the afternoon, using the excuse of picking up Jiang Mianmian, which infuriated Zhang Guihua for the entire afternoon. After finishing work, Zhang Guihua stormed home angrily and upon seeing Jiang Changhai sitting on the kang like a lord, she slapped his back hard and scolded, ¡°You little rascal, only serious about work for two days before you start slacking off again, right? Do you not want your share of the grains at the end of the year?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve been feeling unwell these past few days, don¡¯t have much of an appetite, and can¡¯t eat much grain anyway. The work points I¡¯ve earned are enough,¡± Jiang Changhai said nonchalantly. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Its Not About Those Work Points Chapter 72: Chapter 72: It¡¯s Not About Those Work Points ¡°Okay, remember what you said today. When you can¡¯t have a meal, calling for mom won¡¯t help,¡± When Zhang Guihua went out, she happened to run into Su Wanyu returning to her room. ¡°Mom.¡± Su Wanyu greeted Zhang Guihua, who scowled and glared at her but said nothing and just pushed the door open and left. ¡°You¡¯ve upset mom again,¡± Su Wanyu asked, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll go and coax her in a bit,¡± Jiang Changhai said nonchalantly. Su Wanyu didn¡¯t dwell on it. She had seen too many years of love and conflict between this mother and son and had become numb to it. Su Wanyu took out the fabric Jiang Changhai had bought earlier from the closet and, while cutting it, said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to the fields these next few days, it¡¯s a good opportunity to make Mianmian¡¯s clothes.¡± Jiang Changhai stepped forward to help stretch the fabric, watching Su Wanyu, ¡°Sure, take your time. We are well-off now and don¡¯t need those work points, don¡¯t exhaust yourself.¡± Ever since that day she spoke to Jiang Changhai, Zhang Guihua really stopped fussing over them. Every day, no matter what time Jiang Changhai went to work, or whether he went at all, she acted as if she saw nothing. Sun Lixia thought that her mother-in-law had finally given up on the Eldest¡¯s family. In her room, she and Jiang Changtao schadenfreuded several times, waiting for their parents to be completely disappointed with the Eldest, to see how they would then slack off. In the afternoon, as soon as Jiang Mianmian got home, she saw new clothes laid out on her bed; a girl always loves to look beautiful. She picked them up joyfully and measured against her body for quite a while before happily asking, ¡°Mom, did you make these for me?¡± ¡°Yes, what do you think? Do you like them, Mianmian?¡± Su Wanyu asked with a smile. ¡°I love them, I really love them, mom you are the best mom in the world.¡± Jiang Mianmian jumped onto the kang bed, hugging Su Wanyu and kissing her several times. ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯ve smeared my face with saliva,¡± Su Wanyu laughed as she peeled the clinging Jiang Mianmian off herself. ¡°I¡¯m going to change into them right now,¡± Jiang Mianmian said, then began stripping off her dusty clothes. As soon as Jiang Changhai entered the room and saw his daughter in her new clothes, he scooped her up and asked with a laugh, ¡°Hey, who¡¯s this little fairy? How come she¡¯s so pretty?¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m the Jiang Family¡¯s little fairy,¡± Jiang Mianmian said with delight. ¡°Enough, you two, go easy on the craziness,¡± Su Wanyu couldn¡¯t stand watching their overly affectionate display and spoke up. ¡°Yes, my wife,¡± When his wife spoke up, Jiang Changhai immediately put Jiang Mianmian down. Jiang Mianmian, seeing her dad so easily ¡®abandon¡¯ her, pouted, but decided magnanimously not to fuss over it for the sake of her new clothes. Jiang Mianmian admired herself in the mirror, turning from side to side, when suddenly her stomach growled, and then, clutching her stomach, she rushed out. ¡°Dad, mom, I¡¯m stepping out for a bit!¡± ¡°We¡¯re about to eat, where are you going?¡± Jiang Changhai muttered, puzzled. ¡°My stomach¡¯s upset, I need to go to the outhouse.¡± ¡°Then change your clothes when you get back, don¡¯t get them dirty,¡± Jiang Changhai said worriedly. ¡°No time, I can¡¯t wait!¡± Jiang Mianmian replied and then ran out. After Jiang Mianmian left, Su Wanyu took a small bundle from the closet, containing a few small items. Jiang Changhai craned his neck to see and asked with curiosity, ¡°Wife, what are you making there?¡± Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Who Digs a Hole for Whom Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Who Digs a Hole for Whom Su Wanyu opened the bundle and whispered, ¡°I made two pairs of underwear for you, and two tops for myself.¡± ¡°Why did you make these for me? I still have some. Why didn¡¯t you make clothes for yourself?¡± Jiang Changhai was somewhat displeased to see that Su Wanyu had used all the cloth he had bought for them. ¡°Mianmian goes to school every day; making her two sets of clothes gives her something to change into. Your underwear has holes in it; can you even wear them anymore? As for me, my old clothes aren¡¯t worn out, I can still wear them, so I didn¡¯t need to make any,¡± Su Wanyu explained with a smile. Jiang Changhai wrapped his arms around Su Wanyu, kissed her on the cheek, and said, ¡°My wife is really wonderful. But don¡¯t worry, wife, next time I go to town I¡¯ll definitely get some cloth tickets, and then I¡¯ll make you a beautiful outfit.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting. I believe in you.¡± After relieving herself, Jiang Mianmian walked back feeling refreshed and happened to run into Zhaodi who was just stepping out. Zhaodi¡¯s eyes lit up immediately when she saw Jiang Mianmian in new clothes, ¡°Sister San Ya, your clothes look really nice.¡± Hearing Zhaodi¡¯s words, Zhiwen and Zhiwu, who were playing with mud at the doorway, ran in curiously. Upon seeing the red new clothes on Jiang Mianmian, they asked with envy, ¡°San, Mianmian, your clothes look really nice. Where did you get them?¡± ¡°My mom made them for me,¡± Jiang Mianmian said happily. ¡°That¡¯s so nice, I want new clothes too,¡± Zhiwen said enviously as he looked at Jiang Mianmian. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Sun Lixia came out to call everyone to eat and saw Jiang Mianmian surrounded by several children, dressed like a bright red lantern. Sun Lixia glared at Jiang Mianmian with hostility, thinking, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Eldest to really have made her a new outfit. A mere lass wearing such fine clothes, Eldest really doesn¡¯t know better. In the future, don¡¯t expect my sons to run errands or wash bowls for you.¡± Hearing the call to dinner, Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t have time to go back to her room to change. Reflexively, she ran towards the main house and upon entering, she saw her parents already seated at the big table, waiting to eat. Seeing Jiang Mianmian come in, Jiang Changhai smiled and called out, ¡°Mianmian, come over here. Why took you so long in the latrine?¡± ¡°I was talking with my brother and sister outside,¡± Jiang Mianmian explained in a soft voice. During the meal, everyone in the room couldn¡¯t help but glance at Jiang Mianmian after each bite of food. Their usual clothes were all dull and gray, but now with Mianmian¡¯s bright red new clothes, she was as conspicuous as a searchlight in the darkness. Jiang Mianmian was now the only splash of bright color in the dreary room. Being watched by so many people, as if she were a monkey on display, made this meal particularly difficult for Jiang Mianmian. ¡°Mom, Mianmian looks really good in that red outfit. Mom, you¡¯ve never worn such fine fabric, have you?¡± Sun Lixia couldn¡¯t stand to see a young girl dressed so well and deliberately stirred trouble. Zhang Guihua was already simmering with anger. With her keen eye, she could tell that the fabric Jiang Mianmian was wearing wasn¡¯t the cheap kind sold at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Eldest was really willing to spend money on this lass. What made it even more infuriating was that the money he spent was painstakingly saved by her. Seeing Sun Lixia trying to set him up, Jiang Changhai asked with a chuckle, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sister-in-law? Do you want to buy fabric to make clothes for mother?¡± ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t have any money. Don¡¯t talk nonsense, big brother,¡± Sun Lixia retorted in a fluster upon hearing Jiang Changhai¡¯s words. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Shes Feeling Guilty Chapter 74: Chapter 74: She¡¯s Feeling Guilty ¡°Ah, then I misunderstood. I thought you wanted to show filial piety to our mother,¡± Jiang Changhai said to Sun Lixia with a smirk. ¡°My own son hasn¡¯t shown me any filial piety, how could I expect it from a daughter-in-law?¡± Zhang Guihua scolded both of them in one sentence. Sun Lixia¡¯s face turned bright red, and she kept her head down, not daring to say a word. Yet Jiang Changhai acted as if Zhang Guihua¡¯s words weren¡¯t about him at all, ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? In what way is my younger brother not filial to you?¡± Jiang Changtao was once again shocked by his brother¡¯s shamelessness, ¡°Big brother, mom wasn¡¯t talking about me, she was talking about you.¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± Jiang Changhai looked as if he had just had an epiphany. ¡°It¡¯s you, you white-eyed wolf, always buying clothes for your daughter. Your old mother hasn¡¯t bought clothes for over a decade, and you¡¯ve never even asked once,¡± Zhang Guihua complained, heartbroken. ¡°Hey, mom, that¡¯s a huge misunderstanding. You know, the clothes Mianmian is wearing were approved by dad. When I went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, there was only such a big piece of fabric left, just enough to make a set for a child.¡± ¡°But mom, don¡¯t worry. Once Mianmian scores first in the whole school and gets the scholarship, I will definitely buy you a piece of good fabric so you can make a new dress. How does that sound?¡± Jiang Changhai sweet-talked her soothingly. Hearing her son say this, Zhang Guihua suppressed the smile tugging at her lips and said flatly, ¡°You¡¯ve got some conscience, kid.¡± Busy times always fly by, and Jiang Mianmian went to school day in and day out like clockwork. Just like that, half a semester had passed. Today was the midterm exam at school, and Zhang Guihua had been worrying about it all day. As soon as she finished work in the evening, she hurried home. Seeing Jiang Mianmian blowing in the yard alone, she immediately asked with eager anticipation, ¡°San Ya, how did the exam go today? Can you get first place?¡± Jiang Mianmian thought today¡¯s exam was quite easy, but she knew better than to speak too confidently before the results were out. So after thinking it over, she said modestly, ¡°Granny, I think I did alright.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua¡¯s face darkened and she demanded in a high-pitched voice, ¡°Just alright?! You had said you must get first place!¡± Jiang Mianmian, seeing her granny¡¯s impressive ability to switch expressions, feared being sprayed with saliva and quickly took a step back. But to Sun Lixia, that step back indicated guilt. The brat must have done poorly, mooching off the family for so long at home, afraid of being scolded, she didn¡¯t dare to speak the truth. ¡°San Ya, good children shouldn¡¯t lie. If you didn¡¯t do well, just tell your granny directly, she won¡¯t blame you,¡± Sun Lixia said, looking at Jiang Mianmian with bad intentions. ¡°Third Aunt, I said I did alright,¡± Jiang Mianmian just repeated herself. ¡°Good is good, bad is bad, what do you mean by ¡®alright¡¯?¡± Sun Lixia started to nitpick. Jiang Mianmian was also getting impatient, ¡°Alright means alright. If you really want to know, wait until the results come out tomorrow. And third Aunt, if you have time, you should pay more attention to my second brother. He almost arrived late for the exam today.¡± Sun Lixia, feeling that her son was being used to make a point, glared at Jiang Mianmian fiercely, ¡°Your second brother would never lie to his elders!¡± ¡°Granny, I¡¯ll be going now,¡± Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t want to stay any longer and turned to walk towards the house. From behind her, Zhang Guihua cursed, ¡°You ungrateful girl, if you do poorly, see if I don¡¯t beat you, you little thieving sprite that mooches off others.¡± Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Coming Back with Two Duck Eggs Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Coming Back with Two Duck Eggs Jiang Mianmian listened to her grandma¡¯s words, shook her head helplessly. Indeed, only the top students who could make money and boys with influence deserved her grandma¡¯s favor. Jiang Changhai was sleeping in the room. Hearing someone enter, he opened his eyes and saw his fair-skinned daughter sighing like a little adult. He immediately asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, daughter? Did someone bully you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Jiang Mianmian waved her hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s just that grandma asked me how I did on the test today. I was modest, and both she and my aunt thought I didn¡¯t perform well.¡± She didn¡¯t care, but Jiang Changhai jumped up promptly from bed, ¡°I¡¯ll go and give them a piece of my mind!¡± His mom and his three younger siblings must have said something nasty! Jiang Mianmian quickly grabbed her dad¡¯s hand, ¡°Dad, where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to find your grandma and your aunt. How can they bully my daughter?¡± said Jiang Changhai, filled with indignation. A few scolds from his mom could be ignored, but what right did Sun Lixia have?! ¡°Dad, don¡¯t go, I wasn¡¯t bullied. Besides, let¡¯s wait until the results tomorrow so we can speak with the facts,¡± Jiang Mianmian reasoned earnestly. Listening to her crisp and cute voice, Jiang Changhai immediately laughed, ¡°Oh, my daughter is really impressive, even knowing how to talk with facts. Dad believes in you, you¡¯ll surely come first.¡± Sun Lixia, eavesdropping from outside, curled her lips in disdain, silently praying that Jiang Mianmian did poorly. It would be best if she came back with a couple of zeroes and see how the main room¡¯s family will continue their freeloading! The next afternoon, Zhang Guihua, who always strived to be a role model worker, kept looking up at the sun. It wasn¡¯t even four o¡¯clock yet when she urged Jiang Changhai, who was dallying: ¡°Changhai, stop pretending to work and hurry up to school to pick up San Ya.¡± Jiang Changhai, seeing an opportunity to laze about legitimately, immediately put down his tools and flashed Zhang Guihua a brilliant smile, ¡°Alright, Mom, I¡¯m on it. Go home early and cook a few more dishes to welcome our family¡¯s hero.¡± ¡°Cook a few more dishes? How about I make bamboo shoots and pork for you¡ªis that okay? If San Ya doesn¡¯t come first, see if I don¡¯t break your legs,¡± Zhang Guihua shouted at her son¡¯s retreating back. Jiang Changhai ignored Zhang Guihua¡¯s threats. She had been threatening to break his legs for many years but had never actually done it. However, if he really did have his legs broken, he would no longer have to work in the fields, and his parents would have to take care of him. Alas, why couldn¡¯t his mom figure out this equation? Jiang Changhai shook his head, complaining inwardly. Jiang Mianmian bounced out holding her papers, her excitement contrasting starkly with the dejected students around her clutching their papers. Jiang Changhai spotted his daughter in the crowd almost immediately. ¡°Daughter, Dad¡¯s here,¡± Jiang Changhai stood next to Old Man Deng, calling out to Jiang Mianmian. Jiang Mianmian walked over, politely greeting, ¡°Hello, Uncle.¡± Old Man Zheng smiled and nodded in approval, ¡°Ah, good, good, Mianmian is getting prettier.¡± Hearing someone compliment her looks, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s eyes crinkled with a smile. Jiang Changhai deliberately asked in front of Old Man Zheng, ¡°Mianmian, are the exam results out?¡± Jiang Mianmian handed the papers to him, ¡°They¡¯re out, Dad, I got a perfect score.¡± Jiang Changhai took the papers, looking at all the check marks, and the bright red hundred percent at the top of the page. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Hurrying Home to Show Off Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Hurrying Home to Show Off His eyebrows raised in delight as he bragged to Old Man Zheng, ¡°Brother, my daughter has been smart since she was little, especially fond of studying. Look at her, skipping three grades to jump directly into the fourth grade, and she can still score full marks.¡± Old Man Zheng listened and laughed along, praising, ¡°Oh, Mianmian is really a little genius. At such a young age, she can already top her class. She will surely get into high school and become a worker.¡± Jiang Mianmian felt somewhat embarrassed by the praise and tugged at Jiang Changhai¡¯s arm, whispering, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go home.¡± Jiang Changhai remembered that his family was waiting for them to return home, and he nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, we should hurry back and show your grandparents how capable you are!¡± Thinking his daughter was walking too slowly because of her short legs, he immediately squatted down, ¡°Come on, Mianmian, Dad will carry you home.¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll walk by myself for a while.¡± Jiang Mianmian noticed her classmates coming and going, all staring at her, and felt slightly embarrassed¡ªafter all, inside she was almost a thirty-year-old aunt. ¡°Quickly get on. I¡¯m eager to go home and show off to your grandma,¡± Jiang Changhai urged. Jiang Mianmian: ¡­ Alright, she wasn¡¯t surprised at all, so she compliantly climbed onto her dad¡¯s back. As soon as the father and daughter entered the courtyard, Zhang Guihua and Sun Lixia ran out of the house. Both of them stared at Jiang Mianmian with intense gaze, as if they wanted to melt her with their heat. ¡°San Ya, how did the test go? Did you get first place?¡± Zhang Guihua stared at Jiang Mianmian and asked. Jiang Changhai stepped forward, walked up to his mother, and his chin almost reached up to the sky, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not bragging, but your granddaughter inherited all my intelligence and wisdom. A hundred percent! She scored a hundred in both Chinese and Math, topping her entire grade. How about that? Impressive, right?¡± Jiang Mianmian also proudly puffed out her little chest, as this achievement truly stemmed from her hard work! ¡°Really? Oh, that¡¯s so wonderful.¡± Zhang Guihua was relieved to hear that Jiang Mianmian had come in first place. However, Sun Lixia couldn¡¯t accept this fact and pointed at Jiang Mianmian, accusing, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yesterday that you did badly? How come you¡¯re the first today? Are you lying to us?¡± Jiang Changhai immediately frowned, displeased, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a time for celebration that Mianmian came first in her exams? Aren¡¯t you happy for her as her aunt?¡± Sun Lixia forced a smile, ¡°If she really did come first, I, as her aunt, would definitely be happy for her. But none of us have seen the test. Who knows how many points she actually got?!¡± In the house, Jiang Dashan heard the news of Jiang Mianmian ranking first, but before he could feel happy, he heard those two troublemakers outside arguing again. He walked out, a stern expression on his face, ¡°Enough already, always fighting. San Ya, bring out your test and show it to me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jiang Mianmian quickly took out her test paper and ran over to Jiang Dashan. She knew well who had the final say at home. Jiang Dashan saw the red check marks filling the test paper, and his furrowed brow slightly relaxed, gradually his lips curled into a smile. Even breaking with routine, he reached out and patted Jiang Mianmian¡¯s head, ¡°San Ya, keep studying hard. Tonight, let your grandma make you an egg custard.¡± Jiang Mianmian smiled sweetly, ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± Seeing her husband¡¯s reaction, Zhang Guihua knew her granddaughter hadn¡¯t lied and immediately leaned in, then her old face instantly bloomed like a chrysanthemum. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Caught in a Conversation Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Caught in a Conversation ¡°` Indeed, a perfect score¡ªher precious eggs hadn¡¯t been wasted in vain! There was also hope now to recoup the money spent on tuition and school supplies! And she decided that after dinner, she would take the two test papers and show them off around the village, and see who would dare to mock her for wasting money on her daughter¡¯s education! Da Ya and the other girls were looking at Jiang Mianmian with faces full of admiration and envy. ¡°San Ya, you¡¯re so amazing!¡± The couple from the second branch was also pleased; after all, they were one family. If San Ya succeeded, it reflected well on them too. Moreover, once San Ya became a worker in the city, their daughters would also be looked upon more favorably by their in-laws. And if anything came up in the future, San Ya would certainly lend a helping hand. As for the idea of making an egg custard for Jiang Mianmian, they had no objections. After all, even if they didn¡¯t give it to San Ya, it wouldn¡¯t end up in the mouths of their own daughters anyway. Sun Lixia¡¯s face turned sour as she looked at Jiang Mianmian, who was surrounded by people. That lazy girl had actually come back with a first-place result¡ªwasn¡¯t Zhiwu saying that the fourth-grade textbooks were very difficult?! Just then, two young boys came running back with their school bags on their backs. As soon as Zhiwu entered the courtyard, not noticing the dreadful look on his biological mother¡¯s face, he ran to Jiang Mianmian, exclaiming with joy, ¡°San, Mianmian, you¡¯re incredibly awesome! You¡¯ve really made your second brother proud; now the whole school knows I have a sister who came first.¡± ¡°Even our teacher praised you to us, telling us to learn from you; I¡¯ve told all my classmates that you¡¯re my little sister,¡± Zhiwu said proudly. Sun Lixia looked at her two clueless and silly sons with dismay! Didn¡¯t they understand? There was only so much of the good stuff at home; the better San Ya did in school, the more she would get, leaving even less for them. Before, even when that wretched girl hadn¡¯t come first, they had already let others eat their eggs. If she really got into a high school later, wouldn¡¯t this mean their third branch wouldn¡¯t even have a place to stand?! But she couldn¡¯t explain this to her two sons openly, fearing their young age and lack of guile would lead to the first branch coaxing information out of them. Better to be out of sight, out of mind¡ªshe returned to her own room with a cold face. That evening, as Jiang Mianmian savored the delicious egg custard, she scooped a few spoonfuls for Jiang Changhai and then a few for Su Wanyu, making both beam with delight. Watching the golden egg custard in Jiang Mianmian¡¯s bowl, Zhiwu looked at Zhang Guihua with a coquettish gaze. ¡°Grandma, I want to eat egg custard too.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± exclaimed Zhiwu loudly. ¡°You don¡¯t get any.¡± Jiang Dashan glanced at his two grandsons, then looked at Jiang Mianmian who was eating her egg custard, ¡°Zhiwen, Zhiwu, if you want to eat egg custard, you need to study hard in school. Starting today, for each test, any of you three who scores above ninety in two subjects will be rewarded with an egg.¡± The two boys immediately frowned at this news; they couldn¡¯t even score sixty! So, they simply bowed their heads and ate their rice, not mentioning egg custard again. Meanwhile, Jiang Changhai watched his nephews with their sullen faces, raising an eyebrow¡ªhe still remembered how Sun Lixia had doubted his daughter earlier in the afternoon. ¡°Zhiwen, Zhiwu, in the excitement of asking Mianmian about her scores this afternoon, we overlooked you guys. Now, your uncle wants to know, how did you do on your exams?¡± The two boys, who had been secretly relieved that day, thinking that no one would ask about their scores since everyone was concerned about Jiang Mianmian, were now put on the spot. ¡°` Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Uncle Begs for Mercy Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Uncle Begs for Mercy Uncle didn¡¯t expect to bring it up in front of the whole family, and now it was a disaster! Sure enough, the other members of the Jiang Family, including Jiang Dashan, all turned their gaze toward the two boys. ¡°Ah, this, this¡ª¡± The two boys stammered for a while and couldn¡¯t explain themselves. Sun Lixia didn¡¯t know what level her own boys were at? She didn¡¯t want her sons to be outdone by San Ya and quickly took over the conversation, ¡°Zhiwen, Zhiwu also did quite well, let¡¯s eat now, the dishes are getting cold.¡± But Jiang Changhai wasn¡¯t about to let her off, ¡°Is that so? Third sister-in-law, why did I hear that they both failed?¡± ¡°Eldest brother, you can¡¯t just make claims without evidence,¡± Sun Lixia stiffened her neck, unwilling to admit it. Jiang Changhai said provocatively, ¡°Then dare you show us Zhiwen and Zhiwu¡¯s exam papers?¡± ¡°We forgot to bring our test papers back from school!¡± The brothers were surprisingly quick-witted this time, promptly responding. Uncle, please let it go! Er Ya in the yard pursed her lips, thinking that if she and her elder sister could go to school, they¡¯d definitely pass. Although they weren¡¯t as good as San Ya, they were still better than the two boys! Zhang Guifang couldn¡¯t stand seeing her two grandsons look so pitiful, so she couldn¡¯t help but speak up in their defense, ¡°Alright, Eldest, not even eating shuts your mouth.¡± ¡°Dad, have some egg soup,¡± Jiang Mianmian also winked at her dad. Although she found it refreshing to see her third aunt get put in her place, continuing to pick on her two cousins would only bring them more suffering. Jiang Changhai got the hint and reluctantly let it go, chuckling, ¡°My daughter is indeed filial.¡± Seeing that he finally stopped biting at her, Sun Lixia secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Back in the room, she saw her two sons fooling around and sternly called them over, ¡°Zhiwen, Zhiwu, have you two finished your homework yet, playing around like that?¡± Zhiwen said unhurriedly, ¡°Mom, no rush, we¡¯ll do it in a bit.¡± Sun Lixia, frustrated, tapped Zhiwen¡¯s forehead, ¡°No rush, no rush, you¡¯re already in fifth grade, not rushing, even your eight-year-old sister is stepping on you both, and you¡¯re still not rushing?¡± ¡°Come here and do your homework, after school come straight home from now on, you aren¡¯t allowed to play outside. Only when you score full marks can you go out to play, do you hear me?¡± What?! The brothers were a bit dazed by Sun Lixia¡¯s scolding and just as they were about to protest, Jiang Changtao also said sternly while sitting on the kang, ¡°Your mom is right, you two need to tighten up, if you fail again next time, I¡¯ll hang you up and beat you, understand?¡± Today, Eldest deliberately asked about his own sons¡¯ grades at the table, elevating his daughter and putting down his son, which made Jiang Changtao feel as if his face had been stripped off. He would not allow such an incident to happen a second time! The two boys felt like they were in the dark as soon as they heard it. Because Jiang Changtao was unlike Sun Lixia, who just scolded them verbally, he was really willing to lay hands on them. This time the brothers dared not take things lightly, nodding continuously, ¡°We understand, dad, mom, we understand.¡± * After washing up, Jiang Mianmian lay in bed, ready to study in the system space, but Da Ya and Er Ya came knocking on the door, ¡°Uncle, we have a few math questions we want to ask San Ya about.¡± Since school started, Lin Aibao, who studied in the town middle school, didn¡¯t have time to teach them anymore and had given them her used textbooks. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The First Step to Changing Destiny Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The First Step to Changing Destiny Da Ya and Er Ya both studied during their daily rest breaks and noted questions they couldn¡¯t answer to ask Jiang Mianmian when she returned from school. They brought out the math problems they couldn¡¯t understand during the day, and after a brief glance, Jiang Mianmian began to explain them to the two. After Jiang Mianmian had explained all the problems they didn¡¯t understand, Er Ya looked at her with a face full of longing and asked, ¡°San Ya, can you tell us what school is like?¡± Although the commune primary school was not too far from here, Da Ya and Er Ya had started helping at home at a very young age and never had any leisure time of their own. So, having grown up so much, they had never left Stone Bridge Village, let alone seen that ¡®legendary¡¯ school. ¡°The school is just a few mud houses and a large open space, not much different from our village. Each classroom has a big blackboard, and the teacher writes on it with white chalk,¡± Jiang Mianmian described indifferently, unimpressed by even the rarest red brick houses, having seen skyscrapers in the twenty-first century. Jiang Mianmian knew they longed for school and hoped to imagine themselves there through her description. Thinking about this, she suddenly felt a pang of sorrow, but mostly, she felt fortunate. If she didn¡¯t have a father who valued daughters as much as sons, perhaps her fate would have been the same as theirs, although she wouldn¡¯t have accepted it, she surely wouldn¡¯t have been as happy as she was now. After reflection, she said to them, ¡°Big sister, second sister, even if you can¡¯t go to school, you can still study at home. If you have questions, ask me, and if I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll ask the teacher. It¡¯s good to learn more. Later, if the county town recruits workers, they will surely need people who can read.¡± Although they couldn¡¯t go to school right now, they knew the importance of taking the initiative to learn; this was a significant step forward and the first step in changing their own destinies. Upon hearing this, Er Ya¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, ¡°San Ya, are you serious? Will we have a chance to work in the county town in the future?¡± Facing Er Ya¡¯s hopeful eyes, Jiang Mianmian nodded firmly, ¡°Absolutely, as long as you study hard, there will always be a chance.¡± Especially Er Ya, who was relatively intelligent and diligent in her studies, often quietly reciting poetry and verses from the language textbook while working. But right now, her voice carried little weight, and she couldn¡¯t help them; her own chance to attend school had been the result of her father making a huge fuss. The two girls stayed in the big room for a long time before leaving reluctantly. And Jiang Mianmian excitedly entered the system space, ¡°System, it¡¯s time for the reward!¡± The system feigned ignorance, ¡°What reward?¡± ¡°I scored a double hundred this time, and I should receive ten intelligence points,¡± Jiang Mianmian said loudly, it was the first time in her two lifetimes that she had achieved full marks! First in her year, how could she not be excited as someone who had struggled academically! The system replied calmly, ¡°Host, rewards are given only after completing an entire book, and you¡¯ve only studied half of the fourth-grade textbook.¡± Jiang Mianmian¡­ she had indeed forgotten. So she said, ¡°Never mind then, let¡¯s wait for the final exams.¡± She no longer needed to rush through the textbook now, how exhausting! Yet, the system kindly reminded her, ¡°Host, you have only three minutes left on your detector.¡± The Host was like a salted fish, who wouldn¡¯t move unless pushed. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Petty Merchant Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Petty Merchant ¡°No way?!¡± Jiang Mianmian was shocked and hurriedly looked at the bottom left corner of the screen, and it was indeed true. That wouldn¡¯t do, she still needed the detector for hunting! The stingy system of a shady dealer, only granting her three minutes of use time after she painstakingly finished studying a book, was too outrageous! Hearing her inner thoughts, the system thought to itself it was only because she was too lazy that it needed to clamp down on her lifeline to force her to strive to become a top student. But verbally, it said in a considerate manner, ¡°Host can study within the system, so it won¡¯t interfere with your sleep time.¡± Jiang Mianmian snorted, ¡°I¡¯ll study on my own during class.¡± She certainly didn¡¯t want to use her sleep time for studying! Moreover, the textbooks in the fourth grade were simple, and she would know the material just by reading through them once. Hearing this, the system didn¡¯t push too hard, knowing that it wasn¡¯t easy to erase the studying-impaired habits she had developed over a decade or more overnight. In order to get more time on the detector, Jiang Mianmian began secretly self-studying during class the next day. On the way home from school in the afternoon, out of a sense of crisis, she even asked her dad, ¡°Dad, the money we made from selling the grain last time is almost gone, right?¡± Jiang Mianmian inquired. Jiang Changhai was about to shake his head, but then he remembered what his wife had said and ambiguously grunted, ¡°There¡¯s a little left.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian felt an even greater sense of urgency, realizing that she truly needed to finish studying her fourth-grade textbooks ahead of time. However, in order to continue eating meat and fine grain daily, she still had the system activate the detector to find rat holes. But to her disappointment, the several rat holes detected didn¡¯t contain much grain. Fortunately, just as they were about to enter the village, a bright patch of golden light emerged, and Jiang Mianmian revealed a satisfied smile: little creatures, I¡¯ve finally found you. Pointing in the direction of the rat hole, she suppressed her excitement and said, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s a big rat.¡± ¡°A rat?¡± Jiang Changhai¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of rats; last time they dug out a rat¡¯s hole, he had made quite a bit of money. Now, to him, rats meant grain. With the detector on, Jiang Mianmian pointed out the direction for Jiang Changhai, who followed the line of her finger to locate the rat hole. After clearing away the stuff above the rat hole and seeing the entrance, he memorized the location before carefully concealing it again. Then he turned to Jiang Mianmian with a glee, saying, ¡°Ah, my precious daughter, you really are Dad¡¯s lucky star. Once Dad sells the grain and gets some money, I¡¯ll buy you a big meat-stuffed bun.¡± Jiang Mianmian swallowed, pointing at the rat hole confidently, ¡°Dad, that rat just now was even fatter than the one we saw last time. There must be even more grain in their hole.¡± Jiang Changhai glanced at the rat hole again, made sure he had hidden it well so it would be unnoticed by most people, then took Jiang Mianmian¡¯s hand and walked back, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my girl. We¡¯ll come back when it¡¯s dark and no one¡¯s around to dig up the grain, just like last time.¡± So that evening, the three of them repeated their old trick, digging out the grain and secretly stashing it away. And this time, they excavated even more grain than the last¡ªover three hundred pounds, delighting the trio. Early the next morning, Jiang Changhai again secretly led out the village¡¯s Old Niu, not caring about the scolding he might get. Those who had bought grain from him previously saw he was back and approached him to buy more. Over one hundred pounds of grain was quickly sold out. This time, with past experience under his belt, he didn¡¯t just accept any coupons offered to him. Instead, he intentionally collected several more milk coupons. Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Giving You a Message Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Giving You a Message Jiang Changhai, holding the new milk coupons and money, happily headed to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. He often came here to shop and dearly loved his wife and daughter, so the sales clerks all knew him. Seeing him approach, one clerk even called out proactively, ¡°Comrade Jiang, what are you here to buy today?¡± Jiang Changhai took out the milk coupons and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not buying anything. Didn¡¯t you mention last time that your sister had given birth and didn¡¯t have enough breast milk? I specially exchanged these milk coupons for her. Do you want them?¡± The clerk¡¯s eyes lit up as soon as she saw the milk coupons in Jiang Changhai¡¯s hand, and she asked in surprise, ¡°Where did you get so many milk coupons? These things are hard to come by.¡± ¡°I have my ways,¡± Jiang Changhai said with a proud smile. Seeing that Jiang Changhai was unwilling to reveal where the milk coupons had come from, the clerk did not pry further, ¡°Then hand over all the milk coupons you have. Do you want to exchange them for other coupons or for money?¡± Recalling how his wife had spent days tiring herself out making clothes for Mianmian and had pricked her fingers several times, Jiang Changhai felt a pang of heartache and asked, ¡°Do you have any sewing machine coupons?¡± The clerk, seeming a bit troubled, shook her head, ¡°I really don¡¯t have sewing machine coupons, but¡­¡± Seeing her like this, Jiang Changhai knew she probably had some connections and quickly prompted, ¡°But what?¡± The clerk whispered, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I could get you a second-hand sewing machine that doesn¡¯t require coupons.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Changhai immediately agreed, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, then help me get one. How much is it? I¡¯ll pay you right now.¡± ¡°No hurry with the money. I have to contact them first; I¡¯ll let you know when I have news.¡± Finally, Jiang Changhai exchanged those milk coupons for two dollars and fifty cents, and the clerk was very grateful to Jiang Changhai for helping her solve this urgent problem. Her sister¡¯s child had been crying at home every day because they were not getting enough to eat, and her mother also felt so heartbroken that she kept wiping tears at home; seeing this made the clerk feel quite uncomfortable. The clerk knew Jiang Changhai¡¯s family didn¡¯t live in the county town. She had just complained to him casually before, not expecting him to take her words to heart and bring the milk coupons especially for her. She immediately felt that Jiang Changhai was a sincere man. Since he had taken such good care of her, she couldn¡¯t let him be at a disadvantage. After thinking for a moment and checking to ensure no one was nearby, she whispered, ¡°Brother, I can tell you¡¯re a good person, and you¡¯ve done me a big favor, so I¡¯ll give you some information.¡± Jiang Changhai had already intended to maintain a good relationship with the clerk so that she could inform him in advance about any good items coming into the Supply and Marketing Cooperative or help him reserve them, but he hadn¡¯t expected benefits to come this quickly. ¡°That¡¯s great, sister, what¡¯s the news?¡± Jiang Changhai quickly called her ¡®sister.¡¯ ¡°A few days ago, someone brought a large batch of cotton from the north wanting to sell it to our Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but he didn¡¯t have a certificate from the local brigade so our manager didn¡¯t dare to accept it.¡± ¡°Your family is large, right? If you go to buy, you might not need coupons and it could be cheaper than what we sell here. Buy more and you won¡¯t have to worry about winter clothes this year,¡± the clerk very thoughtfully considered for Jiang Changhai. The reason the clerk mentioned that Jiang Changhai¡¯s family was large was because he had once told a lie to buy more fabric, which she remembered. Upon hearing this, Jiang Changhai immediately felt it was a great opportunity to make money. He quickly inquired, ¡°Really? Sister, that¡¯s so kind of you. Do you know how to get in touch with the cotton seller?¡± Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Comrades, Dont Be Afraid Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Comrades, Don¡¯t Be Afraid The sales clerk pointed in one direction and said to Jiang Changhai, ¡°He¡¯s staying in our county town¡¯s lodging house, what¡¯s his name, Shao something, you¡¯ll know once you go there and ask around.¡± Jiang Changhai, having learned important information, didn¡¯t delay any further, ¡°Alright, thanks, miss. I¡¯ll go find him right now and the next time I have milk coupons, I¡¯ll bring some to you.¡± As soon as Jiang Changhai left the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, he headed straight for the lodging house. Upon entering, the service staff there thought he wanted to stay and stopped him to ask, ¡°Comrade, how many nights would you like to stay?¡± Jiang Changhai pulled out two pieces of candy from his pocket and handed them to the staff member, smiling as he asked, ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m not here to stay, I want to ask about someone. Do you know the Comrade Shao who arrived to stay today?¡± The staff member looked at the candy in his hand, a bit hesitant, ¡°What do you want to inquire about him for?¡± Jiang Changhai, fearing a misunderstanding, quickly explained, ¡°Comrade, don¡¯t get me wrong, Shao Jianguo and I are friends. I heard he came to the county town, and I wanted to invite him to dinner, but I don¡¯t know which room he¡¯s staying in, so I came to ask you.¡± The staff member glanced at Jiang Changhai, and seeing that he knew Shao Jianguo¡¯s name and looked decent, not like a bad person, casually pocketed the candy. Then he pointed towards the innermost room of the lodging house, ¡°That one right there. He just came back. Go find him.¡± ¡°Thank you, comrade.¡± Jiang Changhai said thanks with a smile and walked over to knock gently on the door twice before a man¡¯s voice came from inside, ¡°Who is it?¡± Jiang Changhai replied, ¡°I¡¯m here for the cotton.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± There was rustling from inside, and soon the door opened to reveal a tall, dark-complexioned man standing in front of Jiang Changhai. He looked at Jiang Changhai cautiously and asked in a low voice, ¡°You want to buy cotton? Who told you I have cotton here?¡± As soon as Jiang Changhai heard this, he knew the man was very wary, and responded quietly, ¡°Comrade, don¡¯t be afraid. I know people at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative; they¡¯re the ones who told me.¡± Hearing that Jiang Changhai knew people from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Shao Jianguo¡¯s impression of him improved instantly, and it didn¡¯t surprise him that he would come to buy cotton from him. He opened the door wider, stepping aside with a smile and saying, ¡°Oh, I see, well, come on in, then. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± Once inside, Jiang Changhai began to build rapport, ¡°Comrade, it must not be easy bringing goods all the way from the north, right?¡± Shao Jianguo, having run into a dead end at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and feeling frustrated, immediately opened up at Jiang Changhai¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult, comrade. You see, we¡¯ve come from so far away, and just because we lack a team certification, the Supply and Marketing Cooperative refuses to accept it. I have a whole truckload of cotton, what am I supposed to do with it? Look at how stressed I am; I¡¯ve even got blisters on my mouth,¡± he said. Shao Jianguo had considered selling it on the black market, but being an outsider with an unfamiliar face, people were reluctant to trust him, and he couldn¡¯t sell that much cotton quickly if he were to sell it in small quantities. Jiang Changhai glanced at him and saw that he did indeed have two blisters on his mouth. He laughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, take a look, the business has come to you. Comrade Shao, how are you selling the cotton?¡± ¡°Sixty cents per pound.¡± After saying that, worried Jiang Changhai would find it expensive, he hastily added, ¡°Comrade, my cotton is a bit more expensive than what¡¯s sold at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but you don¡¯t need coupons for mine, which makes it quite a good deal.¡± Jiang Changhai did some mental calculations with the money he had on hand. This time, he had made over twenty-five yuan from the sale of more than three hundred pounds of grain. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83: After all, Young Chapter 83: Chapter 83: After all, Young Adding to the thirty over yuan he had left, and keeping some change for everyday expenses, he could buy fifty yuan worth of cotton. Having made his calculations, he discussed with Shao Jianguo, ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m buying in bulk, is there any chance you could give me a discount?¡± Shao Jianguo didn¡¯t directly say whether he could offer a discount, instead probing, ¡°So how much are you planning to buy?¡± Jiang Changhai waggled a finger: ¡°A hundred catties. I¡¯ll buy a hundred catties if you give me a discount.¡± Shao Jianguo calculated the cost: ¡°Five fifty cents per catty, it can¡¯t get cheaper. We¡¯ve hauled it from afar, including workers¡¯ food and housing, the costs are high, we also need money.¡± They were selling at a very fair price; if it weren¡¯t for the volume, they wouldn¡¯t dare to sell it so cheaply. Listening to him crunching the numbers, an idea suddenly came to Jiang Changhai, sparking a new way to make money. ¡°Comrade, how about this, I do have some connections here. I¡¯ll help you find some sales channels, and you give me a cut. Let¡¯s partner up, what do you say?¡± Shao Jianguo¡¯s eyes lit up at these words, ¡°Comrade, are you serious?¡± Every day he was delayed here, he was incurring more expenses for food and lodging. Naturally, someone willing to help was exactly what he was hoping for. ¡°I never tell lies.¡± Jiang Changhai stated solemnly, swearing with utmost conviction. Seeing that he was serious about helping sell the cotton, Shao Jianguo didn¡¯t quibble. He grandly gestured, generously proclaiming, ¡°Comrade, if you can help me sell this batch of cotton, I¡¯ll give you five cents per catty; for the cotton you buy from me, it¡¯s fifty cents per catty.¡± Jiang Changhai was inwardly thrilled to hear this. Five cents per catty might not seem like much, but it adds up with the volume. The salesperson had said that they had brought a large batch of goods from the north. ¡°Good, so we¡¯re agreed?¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Both looked at each other, feeling they had each scored a great deal. With a very familiar tone, Jiang Changhai said, ¡°Big Brother, now that we are partners, always calling each other ¡®comrade¡¯ feels a bit impersonal, I don¡¯t even know your name.¡± Upon hearing this, Shao Jianguo thought it made sense and introduced himself, ¡°My name is Shao Jianguo, a few years older than you, just call me Big Brother.¡± ¡°Alright, Big Brother Shao, my surname is Jiang, you can just call me Changhai.¡± ¡°Big Brother Shao, don¡¯t you think you should show me the cotton? It will be easier for me to talk to people about it when I go out to look for buyers,¡± Jiang Changhai suggested. Slapping his head, Shao Jianguo laughed and said, ¡°Look at me, all excited and forgetting the matter at hand. The cotton is stored in a civilian¡¯s house near the train station, let me take you to see it.¡± Jiang Changhai followed Shao Jianguo and checked out the cotton, which was indeed fresh. He was reassured and gave Shao Jianguo fifty yuan, making a deal for a hundred catties of cotton. Having no place to store it at home, he gave Shao Jianguo a heads-up, leaving the cotton there for now and planning to come back for it in a couple of days. After finalizing the deal, Jiang Changhai hurried back to the village with his ox cart. At that moment, fourth graders at the commune primary school were having a Chinese language class. The teacher, Meng Weidong, wrote the rare words from the lesson on the blackboard, teaching the students the pronunciation and explaining the meanings one by one. However, he noticed that the universally acknowledged Little Genius, sitting in the front row, had her head down all the time, not joining in with the others reading the new words aloud. He thought she must be too young, with an attention span not long enough to stay focused for extended periods, and easily distracted. So he tapped the blackboard lightly with the ruler twice, and only after seeing Jiang Mianmian look up did he continue with the lesson. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Its Ruined Just Like That Chapter 84: Chapter 84: It¡¯s Ruined Just Like That But after a while, Jiang Mianmian bowed her head again and seemed to be doing something else. Meng Weidong frowned slightly, but he did not call her out by name. His own child was about the same age as Jiang Mianmian, and he knew children of this age were at a time when their self-esteem was strong, especially girls. If he criticized her in front of the whole class, he was afraid she might develop an aversion to school, but he also kept thinking about this issue. So, after class, he went back to the office and looked for the homeroom teacher, Teacher Liu: ¡°Teacher Liu, do you have a moment?¡± ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Teacher Liu pushed her glasses up and looked at Meng Weidong. Meng Weidong said, ¡°That student of yours, Jiang Mianmian, I¡¯ve noticed her attention isn¡¯t focused during class. Could it be that she¡¯s too young to sit still?¡± ¡°Really? Jiang Mianmian is usually very well-behaved, and she listens attentively during class.¡± Teacher Liu revealed a look of surprise; she was very fond of Jiang Mianmian, a student who was both obedient and clever. At these words, Meng Weidong¡¯s brows knit together with worry, ¡°Could it be she doesn¡¯t like Chinese language? It¡¯s also possible; many kids find Chinese very uninteresting.¡± Ah, how beautiful Chinese is, with its characters, symbols, and language, all so captivating and enchanting. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case,¡± Teacher Liu consoled her colleague, ¡°The next class is math. I¡¯ll observe closely. Maybe there¡¯s something going on at home today.¡± At the beginning of the class, Teacher Liu saw Jiang Mianmian listening attentively and nodded in satisfaction. But not even five minutes had passed when Jiang Mianmian began to bow her head again. Teacher Liu did not call her out but deliberately walked by her desk. Jiang Mianmian immediately lifted her head. However, after Teacher Liu wrote a problem on the blackboard, she found Jiang Mianmian bowing her head again. This time, she had to believe Meng Weidong¡¯s observation. She couldn¡¯t let such a promising student be ruined! So, Teacher Liu approached and tapped on Jiang Mianmian¡¯s desk quietly, signaling her to pay attention to the lesson. After doing this three times, Teacher Liu was growing a bit angry. She said sternly, ¡°Jiang Mianmian, come up here and solve these problems on the blackboard.¡± She hadn¡¯t planned to criticize Jiang Mianmian in front of the whole class; she just thought that a little admonishment might make her pay more attention if she couldn¡¯t solve them. Seated in the last row, Zhiwu saw his sister being called up by the teacher to solve the problems, and his face immediately showed sympathy. Poor Mianmian, It seems that being a smart student, favored by the teacher, is not so great after all; you get called up to answer questions every day! Meanwhile, Jiang Mianmian had walked up to the podium, glanced at the problems, and then took the chalk to start writing briskly. The problem-solving process was very smooth, leaving her classmates staring in amazement. The teacher hadn¡¯t even taught these problems yet! Jiang Mianmian is truly so smart, that was the unanimous thought among her classmates at that moment. Seeing Jiang Mianmian¡¯s clear and simple approach to solving the problems, two of which were even simpler and easier to understand than her own planned methods, Teacher Liu immediately forgot her original intent and nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Pay attention in class.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Mianmian replied crisply, guessing that the teacher had noticed her inattention during the lesson. Thus, for the rest of the class, she tried her best to listen to the teacher¡¯s lecture. But it was too simple, too dry, she already knew all this. After enduring until the class was over, Teacher Liu walked over and tapped on her desk, saying, ¡°Come to the office with me.¡± Once in the office, Teacher Liu asked gently, ¡°Jiang Mianmian, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been distracted during class. Can you tell me why?¡± Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Going All Out Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Going All Out Jiang Mianmian looked at his amiable face, thought for a moment, and decided to tell the truth, ¡°Teacher Liu, actually I¡¯ve already studied all those problems you talked about in advance.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯ve studied them all?¡± Teacher Liu was somewhat surprised to hear Jiang Mianmian say this. ¡°Yes, Teacher Liu, I have already studied them.¡± Teacher Liu¡¯s first reaction was disbelief, but then she thought of how Jiang Mianmian had completed three grades¡¯ textbooks in just two short months and somehow felt it was very plausible. So, after thinking it over, she said, ¡°Then let me test you.¡± As she spoke, she turned a few more pages in the textbook and wrote several typical math problems on a sheet of white paper, handing it to her. ¡°Okay.¡± Jiang Mianmian took it, picked up the pen, and finished writing in just a few minutes. Teacher Liu watched her problem-solving process with a surprise; she had indeed brought a genius into her class. Since Jiang Mianmian had already learned all these things, Teacher Liu didn¡¯t want to stubbornly hold Jiang Mianmian back to listen to her explain them one more time. She couldn¡¯t hinder the path of a genius¡¯s growth! ¡°Mianmian, have you also self-learned everything that the Chinese teacher is currently teaching?¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded, ¡°Yes, Teacher Liu.¡± ¡°Alright, if that¡¯s the case, then from now on study in your own way. I will talk to the Chinese teacher about it, and if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, come and ask me after class.¡± Teacher Liu thought she should be more flexible and not treat a genius with the same approach as ordinary students. Upon hearing that she could now legitimately enter the system to study, Jiang Mianmian gave Teacher Liu a salute like a Young Pioneer, saying cheerfully, ¡°Thank you, Teacher Liu.¡± ¡°Alright, go back to class,¡± Teacher Liu said with a smile. Watching the little figure bouncing away, she couldn¡¯t help but smile broadly, thinking that if she could teach a talent who makes significant contributions to the country, her life would be worthwhile! After some thought, she felt it was necessary to talk to the principal about this. ¡°Principal, our student Jiang Mianmian, she has finished all the material we are currently covering,¡± Teacher Liu said straightforwardly as she entered the office. The principal also showed delight upon hearing this and said cheerfully, ¡°Good, good! But now that this little girl is so capable, what do you think we should do?¡± ¡°I think Jiang Mianmian has her own study methods. I was considering letting her follow her own method for now. If she tries to keep up with our pace, I¡¯m afraid we might hold her back,¡± Teacher Liu shared her thoughts. The principal thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Okay, let her self-study for now, and after she has finished the textbooks, we¡¯ll test her. If her results are good, we will adopt a targeted education approach. We absolutely cannot let a genius be buried in our hands.¡± Teacher Liu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking.¡± ¡°This Little Genius, I¡¯ll leave it to you and the other teachers to groom her well. By the time the middle school exams come, I¡¯m counting on her to bring glory to our school and make all the other commune schools, even the county schools, green with envy,¡± the principal said with barely hidden anticipation and ambition in his eyes. The other teachers, upon hearing this, were also ambitious, gearing up for a big effort. They would use all their knowledge to nurture this genius student! ¡°Achoo!!¡± Jiang Mianmian, who was reading, suddenly sneezed and said, rubbing her nose, ¡°It must be my dad thinking about me, planning to buy me a big meat bun.¡± At that moment, Jiang Changhai had already returned to the village. Since everyone in the village was busy working in the fields and hadn¡¯t caught him reminiscing, he quietly brought the old ox back. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86 The Life of a Rich Second Generation Chapter 86: Chapter 86 The Life of a Rich Second Generation Su Wanyu, claiming to be unwell, was lying at home resting when Jiang Changhai entered the room, kicked off his shoes, and climbed on the bed to hug his wife and gave her a big kiss. Lazily, Su Wanyu asked, ¡°Why did you come back so late? Was it hard to sell the grain?¡± Jiang Changhai, sitting with one leg cocked, bragged, ¡°Don¡¯t you know who your man is? With me in charge, is there anything that can¡¯t be sold?¡± Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu immediately propped herself up on one elbow, her eyes shining as she looked at him, ¡°Did you sell it all? For how much?¡± ¡°Sold it all, for twenty-five yuan,¡± Jiang Changhai said, and then he took a steamed meat bun out of his pocket and handed it to her. Su Wanyu smiled as she took it, taking a big bite, her face beaming with happiness, ¡°That¡¯s quite a bit, our family now has more than fifty yuan in savings. We can eat meat buns every day.¡± Jiang Changhai pinched her nose, saying affectionately, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll buy you meat buns every day, and fatten you up until you¡¯re plump and white.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not, we should only eat them every few days. If we eat like this all the time and people find out, it¡¯d spoil everything,¡± said Su Wanyu thoughtfully, albeit reluctantly. After all, at this time, there were others who couldn¡¯t even get enough to eat. If their family ate meat buns every day and they themselves became plump and white, wouldn¡¯t that be blatantly revealing that they were cooking their own little pot? But Jiang Changhai waved his hand, unconcerned, ¡°Who cares what they think, we¡¯ll live our lives as comfortably as we can.¡± After finishing his statement, he suddenly lowered his voice, a mix of mystery and pride on his face, ¡°Wife, I did something big today.¡± ¡°What big thing?¡± Su Wanyu showed a curious expression, playing along. ¡°There¡¯s a northerner who brought over a load of cotton to sell to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but they didn¡¯t have the right paperwork, so the Co-op didn¡¯t dare take it. I went and bought a hundred pounds from them.¡± ¡°Cotton?¡± At the mention of cotton, Su Wanyu became excited, ¡°Brother Hai, you¡¯re amazing, actually managing to get cotton. I¡¯ve been wanting to make a new cotton-padded jacket for Mianmian. The cotton in our jacket is all clumped; it¡¯s not warm at all when worn in the winter.¡± Jiang Changhai was quite pleased with his wife¡¯s praise, saying rather grandiosely, ¡°This winter, we¡¯ll make them. You and Mianmian will each get two new sets to switch between, and they¡¯ll be so envious.¡± ¡°Yes, make them envious; Brother Hai, you¡¯re just too clever.¡± Not satisfied with just praising Jiang Changhai with words, Su Wanyu pulled his head over and gave him a kiss, ¡°mua~¡± ¡°This side too,¡± Jiang Changhai chuckled, bringing his other cheek forward. * That evening, when Jiang Mianmian found out about the cotton, she immediately gave her dad a thumbs up in approval, ¡°Dad, you really have a head for business. When the weather gets cold and everyone starts buying cotton, we are definitely going to make a fortune.¡± She had planned to wait a few years, until policies became more open, to support her dad in starting a business. But now she didn¡¯t even have to speak up; her dad had already started on his own. It seemed she was destined to live the life of a rich second generation. Jiang Mianmian was elated at the prospect of a happy life waving at her, and couldn¡¯t stop complimenting her dad, nearly inflating his ego beyond measure. Seeing how his daughter praised him to the skies just for buying some cotton, Jiang Changhai was so eager he wished he could go straight to the black market, find Old Niu, and sell off all the cotton in one go for a commission. The next morning, after dropping his daughter off at school, Jiang Changhai headed straight for the black market to find Old Niu. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Rather Eat Less Myself Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Rather Eat Less Myself There was no helping it, he was still thrilled about how his daughter buttered him up yesterday. He simply had to dive into big business to work off the excitement from his daughter¡¯s pep talk the day before. When he arrived, Old Niu was entertaining a customer, so he waited a while by the side. Only after the customer left did he approach. ¡°Yo, Changhai, here to exchange tickets again? What kind of tickets are you after this time?¡± Old Niu teased with a smile. Jiang Changhai walked over and put his hand on Old Niu¡¯s shoulder, whispering mysteriously, ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯ve got a big deal on my hands, it all depends on whether you¡¯re up for it?¡± Old Niu glanced at Jiang Changhai sidelong, patted the bag on his body filled with various tickets, and snorted coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no deal Old Niu is scared of, spit it out, don¡¯t play games with me.¡± ¡°Alright, knowing you have the connections, I¡¯ve got a batch of cotton that doesn¡¯t need tickets. I just checked it out; the quality is top-notch, very white and soft. What do you think? Interested?¡± Old Niu¡¯s expression shifted slightly upon hearing Jiang Changhai¡¯s words, and he asked in a lowered voice, ¡°How much do you have?¡± Jiang Changhai stretched out one finger and wiggled it. Old Niu frowned and asked somewhat disdainfully, ¡°A hundred pounds?¡± Jiang Changhai shook his head and said proudly, ¡°Add a zero.¡± Old Niu gasped, his eyes widened, ¡°A thousand pounds?¡± Jiang Changhai nudged Old Niu with his shoulder, asking proudly, ¡°How about that, brother? Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± And that was just the amount they were selling in their town. According to Shao Jianguo, they had hauled several tons over, but it was a pity they couldn¡¯t handle more. ¡°How are you selling this cotton?¡± Old Niu inquired. Jiang Changhai began to quote as per Shao Jianguo¡¯s instructions: ¡°If you take a lot, it¡¯s fifty-five cents per pound, if less, then sixty cents per pound.¡± Old Niu, with eyes downcast, was rapidly calculating in his mind, and after a while, he looked at Jiang Changhai and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take eight hundred pounds.¡± When Jiang Changhai heard Old Niu wanted so much, he looked at him in surprise, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to have such a stash, Old Niu.¡± Eight hundred pounds, at fifty-five cents per pound, that was over four hundred dollars. It seemed he had underestimated Old Niu¡¯s capacity in the past. Then, the thought of the money he would make from selling eight hundred pounds of cotton made his smile irrepressible, ¡°Alright, when shall we go?¡± Old Niu thought for a moment, then said, ¡°How about tomorrow? Come look for me tomorrow, I need to gather some money.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Having struck a big deal, Jiang Changhai thought about the money that would soon be in his pocket and decided to treat his daughter to an extra meal. Feeling delightful, he went to the pork shop and bought three pounds of pork, rice, and two bunches of noodles. His daughter had become so picky from eating refined food at school every afternoon for the last two months that she wasn¡¯t eating as much at home as before. After buying these items, the ten dollars in his pocket shrunk instantly, but as long as it was something his daughter loved to eat, he was willing to spend any amount. After greeting Old Man Zheng, Jiang Changhai, knowing his way around, walked into the school cafeteria with the goods. The cafeteria chef was busy shaping steamed buns. Jiang Changhai placed the pork and rice on the table and said with a beaming smile, ¡°Chef, we¡¯re adding a dish to today¡¯s lunch menu.¡± ¡°Here to bring your daughter meat again?¡± The cafeteria chef had already remembered Jiang Changhai, who after all was one of the few parents who regularly brought meat to the school for their child. ¡°Yes, my kid is doing great in school. She scored full marks on her test a few days ago and ranked first in her grade. I¡¯d rather eat less myself, just to make sure she eats her fill.¡± Jiang Changhai took every opportunity he could to brag about his daughter¡¯s achievements. ¡°Wow, your child is that impressive? I remember she¡¯s not that old, right?¡± Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Easily Hurt Friendships Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Easily Hurt Friendships The cook was very impressed with Jiang Mianmian, the lovely and polite girl. He hadn¡¯t expected that not only was she attractive, but she was also such a good student. ¡°That¡¯s right, my girl went straight into fourth grade and only started studying not long ago. She finished three years¡¯ worth of books at home in two months; I really should make it up to her.¡± The cook nodded in agreement, ¡°She deserves it. Don¡¯t worry, when she comes for a meal later, I¡¯ll give her some extra dishes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you in advance.¡± Jiang Changhai thought about how Jiang Mianmian would have to study there for another two years and eat at the school cafeteria for two years, so it was essential to be on good terms with the cafeteria chefs. Jiang Changhai leaned close to the cook and asked in a low voice, ¡°Master, does your family need any cotton?¡± When the cook heard Jiang Changhai¡¯s words, he knew he had connections. He looked around to see that no one was there and quickly said, ¡°Yes, brother, what is it? Do you have a way?¡± ¡°I have a relative who brought some back from the north, cotton that doesn¡¯t require a coupon; it¡¯s very much in demand. If you want some, I¡¯ll have him keep some for you. Don¡¯t sell it all, especially since we have this relationship. I should really think of you when there¡¯s good stuff.¡± Jiang Changhai acted as if they were old buddies, making the cook beam with joy. ¡°So how much for a pound of cotton?¡± Jiang Changhai made a gesture for six and waved it in front of the cook. The cook grabbed Jiang Changhai¡¯s hand tightly and nodded vigorously, saying with immense gratitude, ¡°Brother, save twenty pounds for me, we have a big family. Tell your relative, you must save some for me.¡± Having made a deal, Jiang Changhai left feeling pleased and ended up selling another ten pounds of cotton while chatting with Old Man Zheng. After all, everyone was from Mianmian¡¯s school, so he couldn¡¯t give to one without giving to another. Otherwise, if someone spills the beans, it might harm relationships. After the class ended, he went to the teachers¡¯ office. Jiang Changhai was about to knock when he suddenly remembered his daughter telling him to knock lightly, so he gently rapped on the door twice. Teacher Liu was surprised to see Jiang Changhai, ¡°Is that you, Mianmian¡¯s father? Are you here to see student Jiang Mianmian?¡± ¡°No, Teacher Liu, I came here especially to see you,¡± Jiang Changhai said with a smile. Teacher Liu looked puzzled, ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± ¡°Teacher Liu, Mianmian told me how you always look after her in class. I¡¯m very grateful. I don¡¯t have much to offer in thanks, but my relative has some cotton that doesn¡¯t require a coupon. Would you be interested?¡± Upon hearing this, Teacher Liu frowned slightly and said disapprovingly, ¡°Mianmian¡¯s father, I look after Mianmian in class because she is the youngest. It¡¯s my duty to care for her. Moreover, speculation is not right. We shouldn¡¯t buy things that don¡¯t require coupons. How can we exploit loopholes in the system?¡± Jiang Changhai, seeing Teacher Liu¡¯s educational stance, quickly explained, ¡°Teacher Liu, you misunderstood me. I¡¯m not speculating. My relative¡¯s family grows cotton in the north, where cotton is so abundant it doesn¡¯t sell well, so the boss pays them with cotton.¡± He feared that his actions might affect his daughter¡¯s standing with Teacher Liu and added a few more words, ¡°This cotton, my relative can¡¯t use it all. He intends to help his relatives out; whoever in the family needs it can buy some. It also serves to help us, who are struggling at home.¡± When Teacher Liu realized she had misunderstood, she apologized promptly, ¡°Mianmian¡¯s father, I¡¯m really sorry. I misunderstood you just now.¡± Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89: The Precious Milk Essence Chapter 89: Chapter 89: The Precious Milk Essence ¡°No worries, no worries, I just didn¡¯t explain myself clearly earlier,¡± Jiang Changhai considerately provided an out. Teacher Liu cleared her throat embarrassedly before whispering, ¡°Then, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s dad, please put in an order for twenty jin of cotton for me.¡± ¡°Sure, I will definitely reserve it for you,¡± Jiang Changhai nodded happily. Just by making a round at the school, he had secured orders for fifty jin of cotton from individual customers. Teacher Liu, thinking of Jiang Mianmian¡¯s self-study, felt she should give her father a heads up first. ¡°Jiang Mianmian¡¯s dad, there¡¯s something about Jiang Mianmian I want to talk to you about.¡± When Jiang Changhai heard it was about his own daughter, he immediately perked up with utmost attention, ¡°Go ahead, go ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this, student Jiang Mianmian learns very quickly, and she has already self-studied the content we¡¯re currently covering. The principal and I have discussed it, and we thought to let her study at her own pace to see how it goes. What do you think?¡± Teaching such a gifted student made Teacher Liu feel both proud and slightly embarrassed. As soon as Jiang Changhai heard his daughter was so capable, even outpacing the teacher¡¯s lessons on her own, he was both proud and excited, nodding repeatedly. ¡°Teacher Liu, I will follow the school¡¯s advice. Whatever teaching method you decide, her mother and I will fully support it!¡± Seeing his support for her work made Teacher Liu nod with satisfaction. After leaving the school, Jiang Changhai thought about how outstanding his daughter was and felt that he, as her father, had to strive to create better learning and living conditions for her! So, he immediately went to the black market to borrow a horse cart from Old Niu and delivered the cotton that several people had just ordered. With the money he had just earned, still warm in his hand, he went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and bought a can of milk essence. He had heard the salesperson say that the children in the city all drank this, claiming it was especially nutritious. His daughter had been so impressive even before she drank milk essence. Now that she was going to drink it, she would surely become even more impressive than those city kids. Jiang Changhai walked home buoyantly with the milk essence in his arms. Zhang Guihua spotted him with eagle eyes and immediately pulled a long face, asking discontentedly, ¡°Wasting money again, what did you buy now?¡± Jiang Changhai puffed out his chest, saying proudly, ¡°Milk essence, the children in the city all drink this. It¡¯s highly nutritious, and I bought it for my daughter.¡± ¡°What? Milk essence?¡± As soon as Zhang Guihua heard this, her face immediately darkened. Pointing at her clueless son, she burst out scolding, ¡°Eldest, do you have so much money you¡¯re burning it? Is our home lacking in food or drink for her? And you went and bought her such an expensive milk essence? I think you¡¯re out of your mind.¡± Jiang Changhai, not wanting to be sprayed in the face with spit, quickly stepped back, but still firmly retorted, ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? The milk essence isn¡¯t for eating meals. My daughter works so hard at school, it¡¯s only right that I give her something to boost her nutrition!¡± ¡°You still know it¡¯s not to be eaten as a meal? And yet you bought it. With that money, couldn¡¯t you have bought some grains instead?¡± Zhang Guihua grew angrier as she spoke, rolling up her sleeves and approaching Jiang Changhai as if to hit him. Jiang Changhai was not one to stand still and be hit; holding the milk essence, he began to run around the yard. Da Ya and the other girls stood at the door, craning their necks, trying to get a glimpse of the milk essence in Uncle¡¯s hand. They had only ever heard adults mention it and had never actually seen it. From what the adults said, that stuff was expensive¡ªa small can cost several dollars. Uncle really treated Mianmian well and was willing to buy her anything. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Higher You Hold, the Harder You Fall Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Higher You Hold, the Harder You Fall Sun Lixia was brimming with jealousy on the side, resentful that such a precious good like milk essence was fed to a ¡°loss-making investment¡±, with no fear of shortening her life! Her mouth dripped with sarcasm as she said, ¡°Wow, big brother, San Ya just started school a few days ago, and look at how much stuff you¡¯ve already bought for her? Look at Zhiwen and Zhiwu, who have been in school for many years. They eat and drink like everyone else and yet aren¡¯t as picky as San Ya.¡± Jiang Changhai listened to Sun Lixia¡¯s sour words and sneered, ¡°Can Zhiwen and Zhiwu compare to my daughter? My girl is the one who topped her grade, when have Zhiwen and Zhiwu ever passed an exam? Buying them anything is a waste, and besides, it¡¯s my money that I earned. I¡¯ll buy whatever I want.¡± Upon hearing this, Sun Lixia saw Jiang Changhai stepping on her own sons to elevate his daughter, her face turning both black and red with anger, ¡°San Ya just topped her grade this once. Kids change every day, who knows what the future holds! Big brother, you should temper your excitement, the higher you raise her, the harder she may fall.¡± ¡°Ha, sister-in-law, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s going to disappoint you,¡± Jiang Changhai said with a proud grin, purposely not finishing his sentence to keep her in suspense. Sun Lixia knew she shouldn¡¯t indulge him, but her curiosity got the best of her, and she asked, ¡°What for?¡± There was a hint of uncontrollable excitement in her voice. What else could a teacher want with a parent? It must be that the child wasn¡¯t paying attention in school or had caused some trouble! But Jiang Changhai laughed triumphantly, ¡°He said, our Mianmian is learning things too quickly now. There are many things the teacher hasn¡¯t even taught yet, and she¡¯s already mastered them. The teacher and the principal have both said they¡¯ve never seen such a smart child and they made a special point to remind us, as her parents, not to skimp on money but to cultivate her properly.¡± Of course, that last part he added himself; after all, they wouldn¡¯t go out of their way to the school to verify it with the teacher. Jiang Dashan, who had been listening to Jiang Changhai¡¯s words from inside the house, slowly came out and asked, ¡°Did the school teacher really say that?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true!¡± Jiang Changhai said with an air of confidence, his eyebrows lifted, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go to the school and ask yourself.¡± Jiang Dashan, knowing his character, realized he was not boasting when he saw his demeanor, ¡°Wife, cook an egg for San Ya tonight.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Eldest already buy her milk essence? Why cook eggs? We¡¯re saving the eggs at home to trade for salt and kerosene,¡± Zhang Guihua trembled in protective frugality at his words. Ever since San Ya started school, she had eaten how many eggs! Yet Jiang Dashan spoke with finality, ¡°One meal won¡¯t make us poor. Cook one for Zhiwen and Zhiwu too. The kids are working their brains hard studying; they deserve to eat well.¡± Though he valued his clever granddaughter who could study well, his deepest affection remained with his two grandsons; after all, the ingrained ideology of valuing boys over girls wouldn¡¯t be easily changed. Hearing this, Zhang Guihua reluctantly nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright then.¡± Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t mind his nephews sharing in the benefit of eating eggs thanks to his daughter¡¯s brilliance, sweet-talking his parents, ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t worry, Mianmian will surely get into high school in the future, become a worker, earn money, and take care of you.¡± Sun Lixia, not wanting to see his smugness after gaining an advantage, secretly glared at him before she turned with a gloomy face and went inside. * When Jiang Mianmian came home and found out her dad had bought her milk essence, her whole face lit up, ¡°Dad, how can you be so nice, even buying me milk essence.¡± Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Taste a Bowl Too Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Taste a Bowl Too Jiang Changhai hugged his own fragrant and soft little girl, declaring proudly, ¡°I heard this stuff is very nutritious, kids in the city all drink it, and my girl isn¡¯t inferior to them, she needs to drink it too.¡± Jiang Mianmian kissed her dad again and continued her sweet talk, ¡°Dad, you really are the best dad in the whole world.¡± Su Wanyu sat on the kang bed, looking at this sticky-sweet father-daughter duo, and clicked her tongue, ¡°Enough with the both of you already.¡± When Jiang Changhai saw his wife speaking up, he quickly pushed Jiang Mianmian away, laughing as he said, ¡°My girl, actually, this milk essence is something I bought for both you and your mom. Your mom has it quite tough every day too, you two should have a good supplement together.¡± ¡°Mm-hm, dad should drink it too,¡± Jiang Mianmian beamed sweetly and adorably, thinking to herself that there couldn¡¯t be any man in the world as great as her dad! He cherished and doted on both her and her mom as if they were the apple of his eye. Outsiders always said her dad was lazy and unsuccessful, but she believed her dad was the most responsible man in the world. She also wanted to be the little cotton-padded jacket close to her dad¡¯s heart! So, she climbed onto the kang and kneeled behind Jiang Changhai, using her soft little hands to fervently knead his broad, sturdy shoulders, ¡°Dad, you work so hard, let me massage your shoulders for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my girl is so filial.¡± Jiang Changhai, with his eyes closed, enjoyed his daughter¡¯s affectionate massage for a while before stretching languidly and exaggerating, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just a few presses from Mianmian are better than a nap, I feel refreshed and energized now.¡± He was worried that his daughter might tire out her tender hands if she kept kneading too long. ¡°Then I¡¯ll massage you every day from now on,¡± Jiang Mianmian said earnestly. Seeing her serious little face, Jiang Changhai felt his heart soften, and he chuckled as he gently pinched her soft little hand, ¡°That won¡¯t do, these hands are meant for holding a pen and writing, your mom and I are counting on you to make money in the future so that we can have meat and rice every day.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded vigorously, ¡°In the future, we¡¯ll have meat at every meal, new clothes every season, and we¡¯ll even live in a big brick house!¡± ¡°Cough cough!¡± Su Wanyu, sitting off to the side watching the affectionate father and daughter, feigned a cough, ¡°My shoulders are sore from washing the sheets and quilt covers today.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian hurried over, ¡°I¡¯ll massage your shoulders too, Mom.¡± Jiang Changhai, holding back a laugh, said to both of them, ¡°Mianmian, you take good care of your mom. I¡¯ll go make a bowl of milk essence for each of you, and we can try if it¡¯s tasty or not.¡± He took out two bowls from the cupboard in the main room and scooped two spoonfuls of milk essence into each bowl, then poured in hot water, and the rich scent of milk immediately filled the air. Zhiwen and Zhiwu, trying to avoid homework, were playing with the old lady in the courtyard at the time. Seeing their Uncle carrying two bowls of the fragrant milk essence, they immediately swallowed hard and came over to ask, ¡°Uncle, what¡¯s that you¡¯re holding? It smells so good.¡± Jiang Changhai looked at Zhiwu, his eyes crinkling with a smile, ¡°Smells good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Zhiwu sniffed deeply and nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, smells nice.¡± ¡°Heh heh, this is called milk essence, I bought it to nourish your little sister¡¯s body,¡± Jiang Changhai said, and without any intention of making a bowl for the two boys, he turned to walk away with the milk essence. Just then, Sun Lixia came out to call her two sons back inside to do their homework and shamelessly said, ¡°Big Brother, Zhiwen and Zhiwu have never had such a precious thing, give them each a bowl to try, why don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Wasting My Filial Piety Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Wasting My Filial Piety Jiang Changhai glanced at Sun Lixia and didn¡¯t give an inch, ¡°I bought this for my daughter. If your son wants to drink, go buy it yourself.¡± ¡°Mom, look at how Eldest Brother is talking. Zhiwen and Zhiwu are his own nephews, and he grudges even a bowl of milk essence,¡± Sun Lixia pointed at Jiang Changhai and complained to her mother-in-law. ¡°Eldest, how can you act like an uncle? If the kids want to drink, just mix up two bowls for them,¡± Zhang Guihua also thought her eldest son was being too unreasonable, as it wouldn¡¯t cost much to make two separate bowls for the children. However, Jiang Changhai was unmoved, ¡°Mom, I am their uncle, not their biological father. If they want to drink, let their biological fathers buy it for them.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, you don¡¯t give it to your own nephews, then what if your biological mother wants to drink, will you give it to her?¡± Zhang Guihua wasn¡¯t stupid and quickly changed her approach. Jiang Changhai laughed upon hearing his mother¡¯s words, ¡°Mom, just listen to what you¡¯re saying. Not to mention wanting to drink milk essence, even if you wanted to drink my blood, I, as your son, would certainly let you have it.¡± As he spoke, he handed over the bowl in his right hand to Zhang Guihua, ¡°Here, Mom, this bowl¡¯s for you. Drink it while it¡¯s hot; it won¡¯t taste good once it cools down.¡± Listening to her son¡¯s words, Zhang Guihua wasn¡¯t as angry as before. She pointed at the table, ¡°Just put it there, I¡¯ll drink it later.¡± Jiang Changhai knew all too well what his mother was up to and shook his head earnestly, ¡°Mom, that won¡¯t do. I will watch you drink it. If I walk away and you give it to someone else, wouldn¡¯t that waste my filial piety?¡± ¡°You annoying thing, get lost, get lost, get lost!¡± Zhang Guihua couldn¡¯t handle her obstinate son, Even though Jiang Changhai was scolded, he didn¡¯t get angry, instead he said with a smile, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯m going.¡± Having said that, Jiang Changhai walked to the doorway and, seeing Sun Haixia blocking the way, he simply pushed her aside, ¡°Move, don¡¯t block my way.¡± Sun Lixia glared hatefully at Jiang Changhai, really wanting to rush up and knock the bowl out of his hand, so that good-for-nothing wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy it! But the last bit of reason left in her told her not to compete with someone as shameless as Jiang Changhai, Zhang Guihua watched her eldest son¡¯s retreating figure, then turned to her two grandsons and said, ¡°Zhiwen, Zhiwu, don¡¯t bother with your Eldest Uncle, he¡¯s just a scoundrel. Come on, Grandma will make you some brown sugar water.¡± Watching her mother-in-law take her two sons to her own room, Sun Haixia angrily returned to her room. Jiang Changtao saw Sun Lixia come back fuming and asked in confusion, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to call Zhiwen and Zhiwu? How come you¡¯re back by yourself?¡± Sun Lixia exaggerated the story whilst retelling it to her own man, and Jiang Changtao¡¯s face darkened after hearing it. ¡°Tell Zhiwen and Zhiwu later to keep their distance from Eldest; we don¡¯t need to warm our faces against his cold backside,¡± Jiang Changtao said somberly. ¡°I get it. Let Eldest keep doting on San Ya, that girl; I want to see what good comes out of it! If San Ya grows up and runs off with some wild man just like her aunt did, I¡¯d like to see where he can cry! By then, let¡¯s hope he doesn¡¯t come begging my sons to provide for his old age,¡± Sun Lixia said maliciously. Upon hearing this, Jiang Changtao abruptly stood up and reprimanded her, ¡°How many times have I told you not to bring up Changmei¡¯s affair!¡± If their mother heard, she would definitely get upset again, and their father would start scolding people. To be still getting disciplined by his parents at his age was too embarrassing for a man. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Jiang Changhai Has Real Skills Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Jiang Changhai Has Real Skills Sun Lixia thought of her family¡¯s ¡®taboo¡¯ and quickly shut her mouth, realizing she had misspoken, she covered her mouth in haste, ¡°I misspoke, Changtao, don¡¯t be mad, I won¡¯t say it ever again.¡± On the other side, Jiang Changhai brought back two bowls of milk essence. Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t immediately reach out to take one, instead she asked, ¡°Dad, where¡¯s yours?¡± Jiang Changhai said, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to carry three bowls. Dad already had one in the kitchen.¡± If it had been just two bowls, he would have certainly given priority to his daughter-in-law and girl, but considering the big can of milk essence, after all, he was never someone who would treat himself unfairly. And after finishing, he could still buy more! Jiang Mianmian, hearing this, cradled the bowl and began to gulp it down. The long-lost sweet taste of milk nearly moved her to tears. Seeing this, Jiang Changhai said, ¡°When this is gone, Dad will buy you more.¡± Jiang Mianmian, with a ring of milk froth around her mouth, blinked her big eyes at her dad and nodded vigorously, ¡°Dad, I just knew you¡¯re the best.¡± Su Wanyu also looked at Jiang Changhai with a smile brimming with joy, praising him, ¡°Brother Hai, you are the best man in the world.¡± Jiang Changhai, with a beaming smile, looked at his wife and daughter enjoying the milk essence on the kang bed and felt sweeter inside than if he had drunk honey. Earning money really was damn hard! It was mentally exhausting and far from as easy as working in the fields. Always used to taking it easy and skiving off whenever possible, Jiang Changhai couldn¡¯t bear hardship and was prone to get tired. He thought to himself, once he made this money, he would take a good rest for a while, and when the money in hand was spent, he would figure out a way to make more. Go to ????????????????????.co * Early the next morning, Jiang Changhai sent off his daughter and then went with Old Niu to the guest house to find Shao Jianguo. They exchanged cash for goods, and Old Niu hired a horse cart and took several trips to get the cotton back to their house. Jiang Changhai also had Old Niu take his cotton to his house. After all, Shao Jianguo was renting the civilian house by the day, and once the cotton was sold, the house would have to be vacated. Once Old Niu had taken away all the cotton, Shao Jianguo felt a huge relief looking at the only one hundred pounds of cotton left in the house. ¡°Big Brother Shao, how about it? Trusting my word wasn¡¯t wrong, was it?¡± Jiang Changhai asked with a smile. ¡°Not at all, Brother Hai is really impressive. In less than a day, so much cotton was sold. I really owe you one this time.¡± Shao Jianguo praised repeatedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Big Brother Shao, I still have a few friends who want to buy cotton. I¡¯ll bring them here later, and with this bit of cotton, it¡¯ll all be sold out soon, and tomorrow you can go home. If you have any good stuff in the future, just don¡¯t forget your brother, that¡¯s all,¡± Jiang Changhai said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother, I can forget anyone but not you. We¡¯ll keep in touch in the future.¡± Shao Jianguo had a very good impression of Jiang Changhai. In his eyes, Jiang Changhai was a capable person who had connections both at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and locally. Being on good terms with him was a sure bet for profit. In the afternoon, Jiang Changhai also did a favor for the butcher, considering he needed to buy meat from him long-term. The butcher, hearing there was cotton available without a need for ration tickets, gathered a few relatives to discuss, and they decided to take all the remaining fifty pounds of cotton. Jiang Changhai helped Shao Jianguo sell nine hundred pounds of cotton and made a total of forty-five yuan, tasting once again the sweetness of doing business. That evening, he placed the forty-five yuan on the kang bed, and the family of three huddled together, looking at the thick stack of money. Su Wanyu admired Jiang Changhai and said, ¡°You dad, are truly amazing. You made so much money just by moving your lips! This is so much better than breaking our backs in the fields for those meager work points.¡± Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Tired of Braised Pork Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Tired of Braised Pork ¡°Yes, Dad, you really have great taste and a head for business. You¡¯ve made so much money, let¡¯s go to the county for some good food tomorrow,¡± Jiang Mianmian suggested, swallowing. ¡°Right, her Dad, Mianmian is right, we should go to the state-owned restaurant and have a feast. The meat buns are no longer satisfying me,¡± Su Wanyu said eagerly. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go to the state-owned restaurant tomorrow, have a good meal, and buy your mom some clothes and shoes, and get you a pen and notebook,¡± Jiang Changhai teased Jiang Mianmian on purpose. Sure enough, as soon as Jiang Mianmian heard her dad was going to buy her mom clothes and shoes, and her a pen and notebook, she immediately felt jealous and clung to her dad¡¯s neck, cooing, ¡°Dad, I want new shoes too. I still have the pen and notebook I bought last time.¡± ¡°Then kiss your dad,¡± Jiang Changhai pointed to his cheek. Seeing her dad teasing her, Jiang Mianmian grabbed her dad¡¯s head and bit him fiercely, making Jiang Changhai cry out in pain, ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Su Wanyu chuckled and raised her hand to wipe the saliva off Jiang Changhai¡¯s face, then kissed him gently. Jiang Mianmian, holding her stomach, refused this serving of dog food. Jiang Changhai, circling his wife and daughter in his arms, felt his life could not be more fulfilled. The next day happened to be Sunday. Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t have to go to school, so she got up early, dressed, and combed her hair. In front of the mirror, she primped and preened, looking forward to her dad leading her and her mom for the feast. The family dawdled until others had gone to work, then they cheerfully held hands and went to the state-owned restaurant together. Go to ????????????????????.co Jiang Changhai swung his arm and declared generously, ¡°Order whatever you want. Our family has money. No need to save.¡± ¡°Dad, I want to eat fish,¡± Jiang Mianmian licked her lips. She had gotten a little tired of braised pork recently and wanted to try something different. ¡°Her dad, I want ribs and Dongpo pork.¡± ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll have them all,¡± Jiang Changhai generously ordered four dishes. The family of three left with their bellies round and full. Jiang Mianmian rubbed her plump belly, savoring the Dongpo pork she had just eaten, which was soft and delicious, endlessly delightful. The pigs in this era were all natural and pollution-free, not like the pork in later times, which was all hormones and feed, incomparable to the taste now. Jiang Changhai, seeing the satisfied look on his daughter¡¯s face, couldn¡¯t help but smile and pinch her cheek, ¡°My girl, if you like it, Dad will bring you guys here again in a few days.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Mianmian blinked her big eyes at Jiang Changhai, ¡°I love it! Dad, can we come here once a week?¡± Jiang Changhai¡¯s heart nearly melted at his daughter¡¯s gaze, and he readily agreed, ¡°Of course we can, Mianmian. Whenever you want to eat here, we¡¯ll come.¡± ¡°Her Dad, we can¡¯t spoil the child like this. Daughter, if you want to come to the state-owned restaurant in the future, you need to score a hundred percent,¡± Su Wanyu promptly voiced out, stopping Jiang Mianmian¡¯s ¡®dangerous¡¯ idea. ¡°Right, your mom is right. Wait till you come first in your final exams, then we¡¯ll come back here for a big meal,¡± Jiang Changhai firmly sided with Su Wanyu, but he secretly winked at his daughter. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Wearing New Leather Shoes Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Wearing New Leather Shoes Jiang Mianmian caught her father¡¯s glance and pouted, feigning reluctance, ¡°Alright then, I will try hard to get a hundred percent.¡± After a satisfying meal, Jiang Changhai, with his daughter and wife in tow, headed straight for the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Seeing that he didn¡¯t come alone this time, the fabric salesperson at the cooperative joked with a laugh, ¡°Comrade Jiang, I finally get to meet your wife and daughter you¡¯ve mentioned.¡± ¡°No wonder you treasure them so much, this fairy-like wife and angelic daughter of yours; anyone would cherish them.¡± Jiang Changhai felt even happier than if he¡¯d been praised himself when someone complimented his wife and daughter, ¡°Haha, girl, you aren¡¯t mistaken. My wife is not only fairy-like in appearance, but she¡¯s also very skillful with her hands. Look at the clothes my daughter is wearing; they were all made by my wife.¡± Remembering the milk coupons Jiang Changhai had helped her with, the salesperson was willing to flatter him to make him happy, ¡°Is that so? These clothes are really beautiful, hardly distinguishable from the ready-made clothes we sell here.¡± Su Wanyu felt pleased when her own handiwork was complimented. Although she knew her skills couldn¡¯t compare to ready-made garments, who wouldn¡¯t like to hear words of praise? She elegantly smiled and nodded to the salesperson, ¡°Hello, comrade.¡± Seeing how well she praised others, Jiang Changhai said almost casually, ¡°Exactly, these clothes were a gift from her mom and me for our girl scoring first in her grade.¡± ¡°Wow, the young lady is so impressive, scoring first in the grade! Comrade Jiang, you are truly fortunate,¡± said the salesperson as she gave Jiang Changhai a thumbs-up. After boasting about his wife and daughter, Jiang Changhai pointed at the various clothes hanging on the wall and turned to Su Wanyu, ¡°Wife, take a look at which outfit you like. This time, let¡¯s just buy ready-made clothes and save ourselves the hassle.¡± At his words, Su Wanyu¡¯s eyes crinkled with joy. She took her time choosing and eventually picked a white dress with small flowers, ¡°Brother Hai, do you think this one looks nice?¡± ¡°Beautiful. You¡¯ll definitely look great in it,¡± Jiang Changhai nodded enthusiastically. His wife was not only handsome but also fair-skinned, and she looked good in anything. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Girl, wrap up that dress for me,¡± Jiang Changhai said without even asking the price. ¡°Alright.¡± After buying the dress, Jiang Changhai¡¯s gaze shifted to the shiny leather shoes on display, ¡°How do we buy these shoes?¡± ¡°Comrade Jiang has a good eye,¡± the salesperson said with a smile. ¡°These leather shoes are all transported from Haicheng, made entirely of cowhide. The soles are soft, too, ensuring comfort with every step. The quality is also good, they won¡¯t wear out no matter how you use them. We¡¯ve been selling a lot of these. Tell me which you like, and I¡¯ll show them to you.¡± Su Wanyu and Jiang Mianmian were glued to the selection, unable to look away. No woman could resist beautiful clothes and shoes. Thus, each of them picked a pair of little leather shoes. Wearing them, their steps clicked with a fashionable and lovely sound. The shoes were truly comfortable to wear and looked pretty, too. But the price was indeed steep; two pairs of leather shoes cost nearly twenty yuan. Jiang Changhai, however, waved his hand generously and declared, ¡°Buy!¡± Jiang Mianmian, holding the little leather shoes, felt overwhelming emotion. After so many years, she could finally wear little leather shoes again. No more wearing cloth shoes that were suffocating in summer and leaked in winter. ¡°Husband, you should buy a pair of leather shoes too. The three of us each with a pair, just think how classy we¡¯ll look when we step outside,¡± Su Wanyu persuaded. She also felt sorry for her man. Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Ill Keep the Money for You Chapter 96: Chapter 96: I¡¯ll Keep the Money for You Jiang Changhai had counted the money in his hand and then shook his head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need any, I don¡¯t like these leather shoes. I love wearing the thousand-layer sole shoes made by mom. You two just wear them.¡± After a hearty meal and buying new clothes and leather shoes, the three happily walked home. Sun Lixia had spotted them from afar, carrying large and small packages, and loudly asked, ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law, have you had fun outside all day? Oh, what are all these things you¡¯re carrying in such big bags?¡± Zhang Guihua heard the noise from inside the house and hurried out, seeing what her eldest son and his family were carrying, her eyes nearly bursting into flames, ¡°Eldest, what are all these things you¡¯re bringing?¡± Jiang Changhai, unconcerned by her furious questioning, said cheerfully, ¡°Mom, isn¡¯t this because Mianmian ranked first in her exams? We should reward her so she continues to study hard.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandma, I will definitely study hard in the future, to repay your kindness toward me.¡± Jiang Mianmian quickly stood up to support her dad. Zhang Guihua glared fiercely at her, ¡°Haven¡¯t we already rewarded San Ya with eggs?¡± ¡°Mom, wasn¡¯t it you and Dad who rewarded her with eggs? I, as a father, haven¡¯t given my reward yet. Mianmian goes to school and comes back, walking such a long distance. How could she do it without a better pair of shoes? I bought her a pair of leather shoes.¡± ¡°What? Leather shoes? Where did you get the money to buy leather shoes?¡± Zhang Guihua widened her eyes and stared at Jiang Changhai, almost wishing she could devour him. Jiang Changhai assertively said, ¡°I earned it by hunting game in the mountains.¡± ¡°How much game did you have to hunt?¡± Zhang Guihua felt a pang of heartache upon hearing her son¡¯s explanation. How much would a pair of leather shoes cost, how many eggs could that have been exchanged for? And instead, you buy shoes for this girl? The girls from the second household were working outside, their eyes filled with envy as they looked at Jiang Mianmian¡¯s new leather shoes, then glanced down at their own cloth shoes, toes already peeking out. Go to ????????????????????.co Da Ya¡¯s cloth shoes were even too small to wear anymore, half of her heels were exposed. But she sensibly didn¡¯t ask her parents for a new pair of cloth shoes, knowing the family¡¯s hardship and feeling content with having anything to wear at all. Jiang Changhai, with a righteous demeanor, declared, ¡°As long as my daughter studies well and ranks first, I would gladly hunt all the game in the mountains.¡± ¡°You wastrel, ingrate! You earn money from hunting and only know to buy things for your daughter. I have wasted so many years raising you!¡± Zhang Guihua said, ready to grab something to hit Jiang Changhai. Jiang Changhai quickly took a small bag of something out of his pocket and shook it in front of Zhang Guihua, ¡°Mom, Mom, look what this is. You¡¯ve wronged me. With you being so good to me, how could I possibly have money and not honor you? Look, I specifically bought you some brown sugar.¡± Zhang Guihua, seeing the brown sugar in her eldest son¡¯s hand, no longer tried to hit him. After all, the money was already spent, and beating him wouldn¡¯t bring it back. She took the brown sugar, her expression slightly easing, but she still sternly instructed, ¡°This time since it¡¯s already bought, I won¡¯t pursue it. But from now on, when you earn money from hunting, don¡¯t waste it, hand it over to me and I¡¯ll manage it for you, understand?¡± ¡°Mhm, I understand. Mom, you must be thirsty after scolding for so long¡ªgo make some brown sugar water to soothe your throat.¡± Jiang Changhai kept nodding, trying to stop his mom from nagging any further, as he agreed nonchalantly. Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Testing Learning Outcomes Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Testing Learning Outcomes Zhang Guihua finally let him off the hook, bouncing off with the brown sugar to lock it up inside a cabinet in the house. Sun Lixia stood there, dumbfounded, watching her depart. How had a package of brown sugar completely appeased the old lady? Compared to a pair of leather shoes, what was a pack of brown sugar? Could it be that her mother-in-law was getting senile? Jiang Changhai, along with his wife and child, went back inside the house. Once inside, Su Wanyu hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, ¡°Brother Hai, how are you so clever to have thought of buying brown sugar in advance to coax Mom!¡± Jiang Changhai wore a smug expression, ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t know my own biological mother¡¯s temper?¡± His mom might have a bad temper, but she was also easy to appease. Jiang Mianmian looked at him with admiration. Her dad¡¯s impressive counter-espionage skills must have come from years of matching wits with them. The system seized the moment to brainwash Jiang Mianmian, ¡°Host, look how much your dad loves you, buying you so many things, don¡¯t you think you should study hard, strive to be the top student, and make your dad proud?¡± Jiang Mianmian thought about it and felt the system had a point. She indeed should study hard to repay her dad. So, gritting her teeth, she determinedly said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll study an extra two hours every day in the system space.¡± Seeing that she finally understood the importance of progress, the system was extremely moved: The journey from flunkie to top student had taken a step forward, it wasn¡¯t easy! In the following days, Jiang Mianmian truly did study an extra two hours daily in the system space, which actually amounted to six hours. Go to ????????????????????.co With the subjects not being particularly difficult, she finished the entire fourth-grade curriculum in Chinese and mathematics in less than a week. Then, she went to the teachers¡¯ office to find Teacher Liu, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve finished the fourth-grade textbooks.¡± ¡°Already?!¡± Teacher Liu¡¯s eyes, behind her glasses, were filled with surprise. If he remembered correctly, it hadn¡¯t been even a week since they decided to let Jiang Mianmian study on her own, had it? Meng Weidong also came over, ¡°You finished both Chinese and mathematics?¡± Watching the two teachers¡¯ expressions mixed with shock and excitement, Jiang Mianmian hesitantly nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve finished both.¡± She felt like maybe today was not a good day to visit the office. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Teacher Liu suddenly stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor, startling Jiang Mianmian. Realizing her abruptness, she adjusted her glasses, trying to calm her excitement, and said in a slower voice, ¡°Jiang Mianmian, come with us to the principal¡¯s office to discuss your progress.¡± The two teachers led her to the principal¡¯s office to share the good news. The principal was both surprised and delighted, and after pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°Jiang Mianmian, let¡¯s test you to see how well you¡¯ve learned.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± What else could Jiang Mianmian say? She simply nodded in agreement. ¡°You two, bring over two sets of papers,¡± the principal instructed Teacher Liu and Meng Weidong. Teacher Liu looked helpless and said, ¡°Principal, we didn¡¯t expect Jiang Mianmian to learn so quickly; we didn¡¯t prepare any papers.¡± Meng Weidong thought for a moment and said, ¡°Principal, we have last year¡¯s papers, would that work?¡± Upon hearing this, the principal nodded, ¡°Sure, last year¡¯s textbooks are the same as this year¡¯s. Go get them.¡± Meng Weidong then brought over last year¡¯s papers for Jiang Mianmian to work on. The principal also contributed his own pen for her use and let her sit at his desk to take the test. ¡°Thank you, principal.¡± Jiang Mianmian took the pen and began writing swiftly. Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The Beginning of a Top Students Cultivation Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The Beginning of a Top Student¡¯s Cultivation Meanwhile, the principal and the other two teachers, either standing or sitting in the office, quietly watched her answer the questions. Jiang Mianmian initially felt nervous under the scorching gaze of three pairs of eyes. After all, in her previous life she had been academically poor, never having gained such attention from teachers. However, as she began to answer the questions and gradually immersed herself in the task, she ignored everything else around her. Sitting upright in her chair, she carefully considered each question, and her writing was fluent and confident while she worked, already resembling the poise of a top student. Of course, Jiang Mianmian was oblivious to all this. The system, watching everything, felt a deep satisfaction, having finally steered a former underachiever onto the path toward academic excellence. The principal and teachers, seeing Jiang Mianmian¡¯s focused demeanor, nodded to themselves in approval, evidently very pleased with her. After roughly half an hour, Jiang Mianmian put down her pen, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Mathematics was easy to grade, and Teacher Liu quickly finished marking her paper, writing a bright red one hundred percent at the top of the exam. At this moment, Teacher Liu¡¯s gaze upon Jiang Mianmian was even more fervent. The questions in this test were quite challenging, yet Jiang Mianmian had not only answered them all correctly, but she had also done so in just over forty minutes! What did this mean? Go to ????????????????????.co It meant that this math exam was far too simple for her, not even requiring her to ponder the problems for any length of time. Teacher Meng took a bit longer and even reviewed Jiang Mianmian¡¯s essay twice before confidently giving her another hundred percent. He also didn¡¯t skimp on praise, saying, ¡°Classmate Jiang Mianmian, your essay is very well-written. At such a young age, not only is your handwriting attractive, but your writing is also quite literary.¡± Listenting to the teacher¡¯s compliments, Jiang Mianmian felt secretly delighted. It wasn¡¯t a waste that she had spent time reading articles and poems in the system. Upon hearing this assessment, the principal took the test paper and carefully read over the essay, also nodding in satisfaction, ¡°Good job, Jiang Mianmian. Your efforts are seen by both your teachers and the principal! It¡¯s so wonderful that someone as smart as you can also self-learn with such dedication. We¡¯ve decided to implement a tailored education model for you.¡± ¡°A tailored education model?¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s heart immediately felt a jolt, with a bad premonition surfacing. Had she overplayed her hand, unable to maintain the facade? She didn¡¯t want to be subjected to tailored education. Was it too late to back out now? Still clinging to a sliver of hope, she asked, ¡°Principal, what kind of tailored education are you referring to?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll continue to learn in your own way from now on. Whenever you encounter anything you don¡¯t understand, feel free to ask Teacher Liu and Teacher Meng. We¡¯ll also provide you with some more typical knowledge that isn¡¯t covered in textbooks,¡± the principal explained. Upon learning what the targeted education entailed, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s expression turned to one of utter despondence, ¡°Ah, thank you, Principal. I¡¯m so thrilled.¡± The principal patted her head, speaking kindly, ¡°Don¡¯t be too excited; it¡¯s our duty to do this.¡± Jiang Mianmian nearly burst into tears, wishing she could shake the principal¡¯s shoulders and loudly ask him: Which of your eyes see¡¯s that I¡¯m too excited? Huh? But she could only rage inwardly, while outwardly looking politely at the three individuals, ¡°Principal, Teacher Liu, Teacher Meng, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back to the classroom now.¡± She feared that if she stayed any longer, she might just burst into tears right there and then. Once out of the office, Jiang Mianmian ruffled her hair with an agitated expression, silently screaming in her mind! Aaaah! Had she known, she would have waited a few more days before speaking to the teachers! Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 99 The Looks of a Good-for-Nothing Chapter 99: Chapter 99 The Looks of a Good-for-Nothing Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a regret medicine in this world. Jiang Mianmian could only swallow her tears and absorb this lesson, admonishing herself never to do such foolish things that set traps for herself again! After school in the afternoon, as she was packing up her things, Teacher Liu came over with two thick books in her arms, ¡°Jiang Mianmian, these are reference books I bought in town a few days ago. I was planning to use them myself, but I¡¯m not in a hurry. You can use them first.¡± ¡°How could I, Teacher Liu? You should keep them for yourself, I¡¯ll buy them if I need them,¡± Jiang Mianmian repeatedly waved her hands to refuse. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just take them. I think you need these books more than I do. Take them and have a good look.¡± Seeing Teacher Liu¡¯s earnest and encouraging face, Jiang Mianmian could only reach out and accept the books, ¡°Thank you, Teacher Liu.¡± So, Jiang Changhai saw his glum little girl, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, daughter? Why aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Jiang Mianmian told her father about the day¡¯s events and, after finishing, her father took her little face in his hands and gave it a gentle rub, ¡°Oh, my daughter, you are so amazing; how you make your father proud! Let¡¯s hurry back home and tell your grandparents the good news.¡± Seeing her father so happy, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s gloom dissipated greatly in an instant. After all, her father was so good to her; studying a couple of extra books harder seemed worth the effort. As soon as they got home, Jiang Changhai stood in the yard and shouted loudly, ¡°Dad, Mom, come out quickly, I have some great news to share with you!¡± Zhang Guihua came out with a stern face to scold, ¡°You¡¯re over thirty and still so loudly excitable. What¡¯s the good news?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s dad?¡± Jiang Changhai craned his neck to look inside the house. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Jiang Dashan, holding his old tobacco pipe, walked out, ¡°I¡¯m here, tell me, what is it?¡± ¡°Dad, look at the books in Mianmian¡¯s hands, do you know where they come from?¡± Jiang Changhai, who wanted to play coy, immediately changed his tune after a heavy glance from his father. He spoke animatedly, ¡°These were given to Mianmian by her homeroom teacher, for free! And Mianmian has now finished the fourth-grade curriculum! The principal said that from now on, the teachers will give Mianmian special attention, and she can go and ask the teachers anything whenever she needs to.¡± At this news, Jiang Dashan¡¯s gaze fell on his pale-skinned granddaughter, ¡°Does the principal treat San Ya with such importance?¡± ¡°Absolutely, Dad, not only does the principal value her, but the school¡¯s teachers do too! Today, just for Mianmian, they prepared a special exam, and Mianmian got full marks. The teachers were so pleased, they even gave her the new books they¡¯d bought.¡± ¡°Each of these books costs quite a few pennies, you see? Hasn¡¯t Mianmian earned some money for our family?¡± Jiang Changhai flaunted the books in Jiang Mianmian¡¯s hands in front of his parents. Zhang Guihua squinted at the books in Jiang Changhai¡¯s hands, her mouth twisted into a sneer, ¡°It¡¯s just two books, they¡¯re neither edible nor drinkable, are they worth your excitement? Look at your hapless expression.¡± Jiang Changhai, seeing his mother¡¯s indifferent attitude, quickly retorted, ¡°Mom, are these ordinary books? This represents the school and the teachers¡¯ recognition of Mianmian, which is far more important than food and drink.¡± Jiang Dashan, however, looked at his promising granddaughter with a face full of satisfaction and gently advised, ¡°San Ya, you must study hard in the future and not let down the teachers and the principal¡¯s expectations of you, understand?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand, Grandpa,¡± Jiang Mianmian puffed out her little chest, her voice crisp in response. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100: No Success Without Hardship Chapter 100: Chapter 100: No Success Without Hardship Sun Lixia hid in her room, listening to Jiang Changhai¡¯s boasting outside, seething with such hatred that she clenched her teeth. Beside her, Jiang Changtao¡¯s face turned incredibly grim. He understood all too well that the more his niece San Ya achieved, the higher the status of the first branch would be in his father¡¯s heart. This wouldn¡¯t do! He couldn¡¯t let his big brother be so smug! So, right after dinner, he called his two sons back to the room to do their homework. But both boys were restless, constantly fidgeting, hitting each other one moment and pinching the next. Already in a bad mood, Jiang Changtao¡¯s anger flared instantly. He picked up the broom from the floor and started beating his sons. ¡°What are you doing, husband? Can¡¯t we talk this out nicely?¡± Sun Lixia hastily grabbed Jiang Changtao, who was intent on hitting someone, and tried to reason with him. ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t hit us anymore. We¡¯ll do our homework right now, we won¡¯t play again,¡± the brothers pleaded through tears. Jiang Changtao shook off Sun Lixia, who was grabbing hold of him, and pointed at his sons, scolding them, ¡°How many times have you said this? When have you ever followed through? What did I tell you before?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it to study hard and go to high school later on? If you don¡¯t study hard now, do you want to end up like me, returning home to farm the land, and being a mud-legged peasant your entire life, huh?!¡± Sun Lixia had initially wanted to stop him from beating their sons. But hearing these words, she hesitated. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? She knew all too well how tough farming was and did not want her sons to come back as mud-legged peasants. Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Jiang Changtao went up to the boys and hit them even harder than before. Sun Lixia, seeing her sons being beaten, felt her heart wrenching painfully. But if she didn¡¯t discipline them now, what would become of them later? Seeing that their biological mother could not save them, the two boys wailed and called out for their grandmother, ¡°Wah, Grandma, Grandma, Dad is going to beat us to death!¡± Unfortunately, their grandma was held back by their grandpa, ¡°Don¡¯t you go.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear our grandsons crying? I need to go talk to Changtao, he shouldn¡¯t be beating the children like this,¡± Zhang Guihua said, her face full of distress. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Changtao said? These two have been idle for so long after dinner, and their homework isn¡¯t done yet. They¡¯ve never even passed an exam! Changtao is right to beat them; sparing the rod spoils the child. Don¡¯t you interfere,¡± Jiang Dashan said with a frown. To tell the truth, he hoped more for his grandsons to succeed than his granddaughter. ¡°But¡­¡± Zhang Guihua¡¯s heart ached as she listened to her grandsons¡¯ cries. ¡°But what? If Zhiwen and Zhiwu don¡¯t study hard, do you want them to end up farming the land in the future?¡± Jiang Dashan¡¯s face was stern, and his tone was serious as he continued, ¡°In any case, you are not to go, and from now on, you are not to interfere with their education.¡± He rarely spoke to his wife with such severity; Zhang Guihua realized immediately that she truly couldn¡¯t manage this affair. All she could do was sit anxiously on the kang bed, her heart aching, as she thought of steaming an egg the next day to comfort her two unfortunate grandsons. The commotion from the Third Branch had grown so loud that even the Second Branch had heard it. Zhaodi remarked softly upon hearing the noises from the Third Branch, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard Uncle Changtao beat Zhiwen and Zhiwu so mercilessly.¡± ¡°Yes, Zhiwen and Zhiwu are the cherished children of our family. They have been naughty and mischievous since they were young, and besides Uncle Changtao, only Uncle has ever hit them a few times,¡± Da Ya nodded in agreement. Er Ya listened to her older sister and Zhaodi¡¯s conversation without commenting. But she clenched her fists tightly, thinking to herself that she too did not want to be a mud-legged peasant, toiling in the fields and still going hungry. Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Intimate Cotton-padded Coat Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Intimate Cotton-padded Coat At this moment, Jiang Mianmian was in the system space, thinking about how to allocate the intelligence points she had earned today. The system helpfully suggested, ¡°Host, I recommend you add them to your attention. Inability to concentrate deeply will greatly affect the efficiency of learning.¡± ¡°It seems like it.¡± Through her studies during this period, Jiang Mianmian also felt that her attention was not very focused. Perhaps it was because of her young physical age. Even though inside she was an adult in thought, she still couldn¡¯t help but let her mind wander from time to time. So she decided to add all ten intelligence points to her attention. Memory (200): 147 Observation (200): 104 Attention (200): 110 Thinking (200): 109 Imagination (200): 102 Average intelligence value: 114.4 (Higher intelligence 110-120) Although her intelligence level hadn¡¯t increased, Jiang Mianmian was already very content. After all, she had been a poor student in her previous life. She glanced at the detector¡¯s remaining usage time in the bottom left corner. She had finished two books this time, and the system rewarded her with six minutes. Now, the detector had 9 minutes of use left. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï With careful use, it could last her several more times, and now her dad had money and they weren¡¯t lacking meat. Seeing how easily satisfied she was, the system felt quite helpless. The speed of her intelligence enhancement was too slow. But the Host had a salted fish attribute, currently very satisfied with her life. Without pressure, there was no motivation. No matter how much the system pushed her to strive for better, it would be useless. Forget it, let her be leisurely for a few days. An opportunity will present itself eventually. * Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month passed. During this period, a sales clerk from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative really did manage to get Jiang Changhai a second-hand sewing machine. Although it was a bit worn, all its functions were intact, but it was too big and easy to draw attention, so they hid the sewing machine at the entrance of the village. He only moved it into his house after everyone at home had fallen asleep at night. Su Wanyu hugged the sewing machine, utterly delighted. Now making clothes would be a breeze. She was the type who would lie down rather than stand if she could, and if she weren¡¯t worried that her man and child would run out of clothes to wear, she would hardly bother making them. With the sewing machine, she finally felt liberated. The temperature had dropped sharply these days, and Jiang Changhai went to the black market again to find Old Niu and exchanged for some cloth tickets, bringing back ten pounds of cotton that was stored at Old Niu¡¯s. Seeing Jiang Changhai hauling big and small packages home, Su Wanyu smiled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you planning to hibernate too?¡± ¡°If only I could hibernate. No need to eat, no need to drink, no need to work, just sleep on the kang all day,¡± Jiang Changhai said, growing envious of the little animals that could hibernate. ¡°Wake up, stop dreaming,¡± Su Wanyu said, laughing as she burst his bubble. Jiang Changhai laid out the things in his hands on the kang one by one: ¡°Wife, it¡¯s getting colder day by day. Now that we have cotton and I¡¯ve bought cloth, you can use the sewing machine to make our cotton-padded clothes when there¡¯s no one at home.¡± Su Wanyu picked out two pieces of brightly colored cloth and measured them up and down: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make Mianmian¡¯s first. Sitting in the classroom all day in this weather is just too much to bear.¡± ¡°Right, then make a cotton pad for our girl too, so she won¡¯t have to sit on a cold stool,¡± Jiang Changhai considerately suggested. ¡°I think you¡¯re the cotton-padded jacket of our daughter¡¯s heart,¡± Su Wanyu joked, seeing how thoughtfully a big man like Jiang Changhai was considering things. Jiang Changhai, seeing his wife acting jealous, approached her to coax her, saying, ¡°I am also your heartwarming big cotton-padded jacket.¡± Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 102 No Other Thoughts Chapter 102: Chapter 102 No Other Thoughts ¡°My dear big padded jacket, could you move a bit? You¡¯re pressing down on my fabric,¡± Su Wanyu said smilingly as she pushed him. ¡°Right, wife, there are two pieces of dark-colored fabric here. When you get a chance, make cotton shawls for mom and dad; it can be our little token of affection.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± With the sewing machine, Su Wanyu spent less than a week making cotton clothes for the entire family. After dinner, Jiang Changhai, holding two new shawls, handed them over to Zhang Guihua in front of the whole family. ¡°Dad, mom, these are the cotton shawls your son and daughter-in-law offer to you with respect; they¡¯re made from new cotton, both light and soft. Try them on, see if they fit well.¡± Zhang Guihua, smiling until her eyes nearly disappeared, took the cotton shawls and held them, looking and feeling them: ¡°You, my boy, do have a conscience, knowing how to honor your mom and dad.¡± After finishing her words, Zhang Guihua tried on the shawls and found them fitting just right; indeed, they were both light and warm. In her mind, she planned to definitely wear the shawl around the village for a stroll to show the gossipmongers. Her eldest son might not be great at working, but his filial piety was second to none in the village. Who else could make such fine cotton shawls for their parents? Jiang Dashan also set down the pipe he was holding and touched the shawls a couple of times, his eyes and brows revealing some satisfaction. Jiang Changhe bowed his head, trying hard to diminish his presence. As a fellow son, even though his older brother could make shawls from new cotton for their parents, he felt embarrassed that he could offer his parents nothing at all, his face flushing with shame. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã0 Sun Lixia stared intensely at the new cotton clothes on Su Wanyu, her jealousy almost bursting through her throat and rushing out. She suppressed her jealousy and asked sarcastically, ¡°Big brother, you must still have quite a bit of money, right? Making clothes for your wife and daughter, and also shawls for our parents.¡± Jiang Changhai grinned and asked, ¡°Why? Are you thinking of helping to share the cost a bit?¡± Hearing this, Sun Lixia almost choked, quickly replying: ¡°Big brother, what are you joking about? Changtao and I spend all our strength working the fields, turning our labor into the grain for our family; where would we get money to share with you?¡± ¡°Unlike big brother, who uses all his strength on hunting. Big brother, ideally, the money you earn from hunting in the mountains should be given to our parents, just like the work points our family earns. It should all belong to everyone in our family.¡± Upon hearing Sun Lixia¡¯s words, Jiang Changhai laughed and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s only just gotten dark, why are you already dreaming?¡± Sun Lixia¡¯s face darkened as she asked, ¡°Big brother, what do you mean? Am I wrong? We haven¡¯t divided the family assets yet, have we?¡± Jiang Changhai, unwilling to indulge his trouble-making, advantage-seeking sister-in-law, clarified directly, ¡°What do I mean? In the summer, you complained that Wanyu and I earned too little, fussing and insisting on consuming your own work points, afraid that we¡¯d take a bit of advantage of you! Now that you see I¡¯m making money, you want to put things together again? Why is it that all the good things must belong to someone named Sun?¡± ¡°You, you, I, I was also considering our family¡¯s well-being, I was trying to motivate you to be more ambitious,¡± Sun Lixia stumbled to find excuses. Jiang Changhai looked at her disdainfully: ¡°For the family¡¯s well-being? Dad and mom are still here; our family hasn¡¯t come to a point where you need to take charge.¡± ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t falsely accuse me like this; I have no other intentions,¡± Sun Lixia hurriedly explained. She couldn¡¯t afford to be reckless with her words; even if she had such intentions, she didn¡¯t have the courage. Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Give a Brother a Hand Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Give a Brother a Hand Jiang Mianmian kept her head down, sitting obediently on the stool, but the little voice inside her heart was vigorously applauding her dad. So cool, true to be her dad, nobody could get a single penny from him, such combat strength! Sun Lixia was left speechless by the retort but, feeling envious and unwilling to let it go, she forced a smile and said, ¡°Eldest brother, you make so much money from hunting now, don¡¯t forget to help out your brothers too. Next time you go into the mountains, take our Changtao with you.¡± At these words, Jiang Changtao¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he followed up, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous in the mountains, and we brothers can look out for each other.¡± Seeing the eldest brother making good money from hunting game had made him very eager to join. But knowing his big brother¡¯s stingy nature, he felt too embarrassed to ask. Now that his wife had spoken for him, and in front of their parents, the eldest brother would at least have to consider brotherly emotions. Jiang Changhai raised his eyebrows but didn¡¯t outright refuse. Instead, he asked, ¡°Laosan, do you know how to track a pig¡¯s trotters?¡± Jiang Changtao shook his head, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then do you know how to find a rabbit¡¯s burrow?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Can you set traps?¡± By the time Jiang Changhai got to this question, Jiang Changtao¡¯s face had become very unpleasant. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 He stopped answering and countered, ¡°Eldest brother, what¡¯s the meaning of these questions? If you don¡¯t want to take me with you, just say it.¡± ¡°I indeed don¡¯t want to take you,¡± Jiang Changhai said bluntly, not caring about his brother¡¯s upset face. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, why should I take you along like a burden?¡± ¡°Changtao may not know, but you do, right? As long as you know, that¡¯s enough,¡± Sun Lixia, angered by his humiliating scorn, blurted out what was on her mind without thinking. Jiang Changhai¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold as he said icily, ¡°I know how to do everything by myself, what¡¯s the use of taking him with me? To wait for me to catch the prey and then to have him clap and cheer on the sidelines?¡± Jiang Mianmian almost couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter. She just couldn¡¯t help it; her dad was just too incisive with his words. The always silent second branch of the family felt that the eldest¡¯s words were a bit too blunt and hurtful but acknowledged they were the truth. Laosan knew nothing, and bringing him along would only benefit the main branch. The other small things might be fine; after all, they were biological brothers, but that was meat! Meat that could be exchanged for money and fabric in town! It was something that never crossed their minds to take advantage of because they knew they didn¡¯t have the skills to do it and could only admire it from afar. ¡°Eldest brother you don¡¯t¡ª¡± Sun Lixia, hearing the cutting words, wanted to retort. But Jiang Changtao abruptly stood up, grabbing her and heading out, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s go back to our room.¡± Zhang Guihua, watching her youngest son leave in a huff, turned to her eldest and said, ¡°Eldest, that¡¯s your biological brother, don¡¯t speak so unpleasantly.¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m speaking unpleasantly. You tell me, if Changtao understands nothing and I take him into the forest, and we encounter a wild beast, do you expect me to run or to go back and save him?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Zhang Guihua was left speechless by Jiang Changhai¡¯s question; both the palm and back of her hand were her flesh, and she would be heartbroken if anything happened to either! However, before she could answer, Jiang Changhai told her plainly, ¡°Anyway, I wouldn¡¯t go back to save him.¡± ¡°You, well, forget it. If you don¡¯t want to take him, then don¡¯t,¡± Zhang Guihua conceded, as she could never really do anything about her eldest son. Once back in their room, Jiang Changtao, still fuming, pointed at Sun Lixia and said, ¡°From now on, no matter how much money Eldest makes, stay away from him! Even if I have to die poor and starve, I won¡¯t mix with him! I don¡¯t believe that I, someone who works hard and earnestly, can¡¯t surpass someone who¡¯s cunning and deceitful.¡± Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104: No Different from the New One Chapter 104: Chapter 104: No Different from the New One Seeing his face so dark it was frightening, Sun Lixia repeatedly nodded her head to reassure him, ¡°Okay, okay, I got it, I won¡¯t talk about it anymore. Don¡¯t be mad, it¡¯s not worth harming your health.¡± In the next room, Jiang Mianmian was ecstatic as she slipped on her new pink cotton-padded jacket, standing in front of the mirror, looking at herself from the left and then the right, utterly charmed. During this period, as Jiang Changhai often took his wife and children to the state-owned restaurant for a meal or brought home meat buns to indulge in, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s little face had grown chubbier, making her look even more lovely and delicate. As a result, every day when Jiang Changhai saw his daughter, he couldn¡¯t help but reach out to pinch her round, tender cheeks. Seeing Jiang Mianmian preening, he teased with a smile, ¡°Oh my, my little girl is so pretty; who does she look like?¡± ¡°Of course, I look like my dad,¡± Jiang Mianmian flattered with full confidence. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Su Wanyu sat on the kang coughed lightly. Jiang Mianmian, ever so astute, quickly corrected herself, ¡°But the one I resemble most is still my mom. My mom and I are practically carved from the same mold.¡± Jiang Changhai playfully scratched his daughter¡¯s nose, ¡°You little slicker.¡± ¡°Mianmian, give your old cotton jacket that¡¯s too small for you to Zhaodi. I¡¯ve seen that child still wearing single-layer clothing; don¡¯t let her freeze in this cold weather,¡± Su Wanyu folded her daughter¡¯s old jacket. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it right now,¡± Jiang Mianmian said as she hugged the jacket and scuttled away on her little short legs, running towards the second room in a flash. She stood outside and knocked gently, ¡°Uncle, Auntie, have you gone to bed?¡± Da Ya opened the door, and upon seeing Jiang Mianmian in the pink cotton jacket, couldn¡¯t hide her envy, ¡°San Ya, you¡¯ve got a new outfit again?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï ¡°Yep, big sister, my mom just made it for me. Is Zhaodi around? I¡¯m looking for Zhaodi.¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± The bright color of Jiang Mianmian¡¯s pink cotton jacket immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention in the room. Jiang Mianmian felt slightly uncomfortable under their envious and intense gazes, knowing full well that her sisters had never worn a new piece of clothing. ¡°Auntie, my mom asked me to bring the jacket I¡¯ve outgrown for Zhaodi,¡± she said, placing the jacket on the kang and speaking to Zhao Xiaojuan. Zhaodi, hearing it was for her, quickly crawled over from the edge of the kang and tentatively touched the old jacket, asking, ¡°Third Sister, is this for me?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s for you,¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded and added, ¡°Although it¡¯s a bit old, it¡¯s still very warm.¡± Upon receiving confirmation, Zhaodi clutched the jacket to her chest and rubbed her face against it vigorously, smiling and saying, ¡°Thank you, Third Sister, this jacket isn¡¯t old at all!¡± In her eyes, a jacket without a single patch was as good as new. After all, making clothes nowadays not only cost money but also required cloth tickets, and rural people were allocated just six or seven yards per person per year¡ªnot even enough for an adult to make one outfit. Thus, except for the two boys and Jiang Mianmian, the girls in the second room had to wear hand-me-downs. Da Ya wore clothes that were retailed from their parents¡¯ older garments and then passed them down to her younger sisters. Zhaodi was the third child in the second room, so by the time cotton jackets got to her, they were not only old and full of patches, but the cotton inside was also hard and lumpy. They were not warm, let alone comfortable; they were so stiff and heavy that, to put it bluntly, if you set the jacket down on the kang, it could stand up on its own. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Go Back to School After the Snow Melts Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Go Back to School After the Snow Melts Although the cotton-padded coat Jiang Mianmian brought over was old, she was the only child in the main branch of the Jiang Family. Even a worn cotton-padded coat was much better than what Zhaodi was currently wearing, which was why Zhaodi was so happy. The five-year-old Laidi, biting her finger, gazed longingly, her sallow and gaunt little face full of desire. She also wanted a piece of clothing without patches. Zhao Xiaojuan, feeling a pang of heartache, stroked her dry and yellowish hair soothingly, ¡°Wait until your sister Zhaodi has worn it for a couple of years; then it will be your turn.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Laidi immediately showed off her small, sparse teeth like grains of rice in a cheerful smile. Seeing her two younger sisters so happy over an old cotton coat, Er Ya felt an indescribable discomfort in her heart. She glanced again at Jiang Mianmian, who, dressed in a new cotton coat, revealed a small, rosy face. The hand that lay on the kang slowly clenched. She couldn¡¯t understand why, when they were all girls from the Jiang family, she and her sisters had to go up the mountain to chop wood, collect pigweed, and work the fields for labor points every day before dawn! While San Ya could go to school, wear new clothes, leather shoes, eat eggs, and drink milk essence. All of them were girls! Jiang Mianmian, sensing the oppressive mood, quickly excused herself, ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room to sleep.¡± The next morning, when she opened her eyes and sat up, she saw nothing but a vast expanse of white outside the window. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã0 After a moment, she exclaimed happily, ¡°Dad, Mom, it¡¯s snowing outside.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s snowing. Come on, get up. The roads are not easy to travel today. We need to head to school early,¡± said Jiang Changhai as he walked in from outside, wearing a new cotton coat and covered in snow. ¡°Dad, why are you out so early?¡± Shivering from the chill he brought inside, Jiang Mianmian quickly burrowed back under the covers, leaving just her little head exposed. Jiang Changhai chuckled, ¡°Your grandpa made me go out to clear the snow, but I called your second and third uncles to do it instead.¡± Jiang Mianmian stayed in bed a little longer, but realizing she could not delay any further, she finally emerged from under the covers. Jiang Changhai then took the pre-warmed cotton coat and held it up for her to get into. Clad in the warm cotton coat, Jiang Mianmian let out a contented sigh, ¡°So cozy.¡± After breakfast, it was time to go to school. With the snow falling heavily outside, Jiang Changhai squatted down, ready to carry his daughter on his back. But Jiang Mianmian shook her head, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve grown up now. I can walk by myself. With so much snow, carrying me would be too tiring for you.¡± Jiang Changhai pinched her soft little cheek and revealed her little secret, ¡°I think you¡¯re just afraid I might slip and throw you into the snow, right?¡± Her little scheme uncovered, Jiang Mianmian wasn¡¯t annoyed. She sweetly retorted, ¡°Not at all. I just feel for you.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, my girl worries about me.¡± The father and daughter shared jokes and laughter on their way to school. Originally, it was expected that the snow would cease after a day, but unexpectedly, it continued to fall for two consecutive days without any sign of stopping. The school, seeing the severity of the snow and fearing that the slippery roads might lead to accidents for the children, made a sweeping decision to give the students a holiday. School would resume once the snow melted and the roads were clear. After all, not every child was like Jiang Mianmian, with parents to take them to and from school every day. Most of the children made their way to and from school on their own. For some, home was so far away that they had to leave before dawn and wouldn¡¯t return until after dark. If they were to fall on the road, there¡¯d be no one to notice. When Jiang Changhai arrived to pick up his daughter, he saw the children running out of the school like they were crazy, their faces radiant with joy. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Someone Fell into the Water Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Someone Fell into the Water After Jiang Mianmian came out, she asked, ¡°Sweetie, what¡¯s with the students at your school today? They all look as happy as if they just found money.¡± Jiang Mianmian, smiling wide, replied, ¡°Dad, our school has closed. The teacher said we¡¯ll go back when the snow melts and the roads are clear.¡± But Jiang Changhai, who had never experienced the struggles of studying, said nonchalantly, ¡°Hmph, I thought it was something serious. So it¡¯s just a holiday, look how happy it makes you all.¡± ¡°Dad, isn¡¯t that something to be happy about? Think about it, if I don¡¯t go to school, you won¡¯t have to wake up so early every day to take me, and we can both sleep in at home.¡± Imagining several days of sleeping in, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. Jiang Changhai was essentially a lazy man who would lie down rather than sit if he could; if not for his daughter, he would definitely sleep till noon even in severe winter. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right, winter is perfect for staying home and sleeping, doing nothing else.¡± The father and daughter immediately agreed and happily walked home. As they were walking, the system suddenly spoke up with a reminder, ¡°Host, host, there¡¯s something in the river next to you.¡± ¡°Hmm? Something?¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened. Could it be a big fish? Thinking of delicious fish soup, Jiang Mianmian swallowed hard and turned on the detector to scan. Wow, such a big cluster of gold, and it¡¯s constantly churning. How many fish could that be? Hmm? Something doesn¡¯t feel right. That doesn¡¯t look like fish. Jiang Mianmian took a closer look and was immediately shocked. My God, that¡¯s actually a person. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï So she quickly shouted, ¡°Dad, Dad, there¡¯s someone in the river.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Jiang Changhai also became nervous when he heard this, knowing such weather could be deadly. ¡°Dad¡¯s going to check it out.¡± Jiang Changhai put his daughter down on the ground and ran towards the river, stripping off his cotton jacket and hat as he ran. Upon closer inspection, he saw someone in the ice river struggling up and down incessantly. The situation was urgent, and without a second thought, he dove in directly, grabbed the young boy in the river, and lifted him. ¡­He couldn¡¯t lift him! Quite heavy!! So he changed tactics, using one arm to hold the boy and the other arm to frantically swim towards the shore. ¡°Dad!¡± Jiang Mianmian, holding the cotton clothes and hat, looked on anxiously. The moment she saw her dad jump into the icy river, her heart stopped beating for a few seconds. Jiang Changhai pulled the young boy to the shore, and seeing his daughter¡¯s worried and anxious expression, he quickly smiled at her, ¡°Dad¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry, Mianmian.¡± It¡¯s just really freaking cold! ¡°Let¡¯s hurry home!¡± Jiang Changhai shivered violently, with his teeth chattering so much that it was hard to speak, and he struggled to carry the young boy. In his semi-conscious state, the young boy also saw Jiang Mianmian¡¯s worried, caring eyes and thought how bright this little sister¡¯s eyes were! But having struggled in the icy river for too long, his oxygen-deprived brain felt mushy, and his eyes closed as he passed out. ¡°Okay!¡± Seeing his pale face and purple lips, Jiang Mianmian knew this was no time to delay and followed Jiang Changhai as they ran home. Fortunately, the village wasn¡¯t far, otherwise Jiang Changhai might not have lasted much longer. As soon as Jiang Changhai entered the door, he alarmed everyone in the Jiang Family. Zhang Guihua was startled when she saw her son coming back in the winter, soaked and wearing just a thin sweater, holding an unconscious child. ¡°Oh dear, Eldest, what have you done to yourself? And why are you bringing a child home?¡± Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Your Mans Capabilities Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Your Man¡¯s Capabilities Sun Lixia was also full of panic, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that Eldest Brother caused someone¡¯s child to fall into the water, right?¡± Hope they don¡¯t drag my whole family into this! When Jiang Dashan heard this, he immediately gave her a cold look and warned her sternly, ¡°If you can¡¯t speak properly, then shut your mouth.¡± Following behind, Jiang Mianmian explained, ¡°My dad and I, on our way back, saw someone who had fallen into the water, so my dad jumped in and rescued him.¡± Upon hearing that it was a courageous act, Sun Lixia was relieved but also a bit skeptical; she didn¡¯t believe that Eldest, that scoundrel, would have such good intentions. ¡°Is it easy to do such a good deed, huh? What if something had happened to him?¡± Zhang Guihua was somewhat scared as she retorted. At the critical moment, it was Jiang Dashan, the head of the family, who was reliable, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this. Go and make some ginger tea for Changhai and the boy to ward off the chill, with this weather, we can¡¯t let them catch a cold.¡± Hearing this, Zhang Guihua also realized, ¡°Right, right, Laosan¡¯s Wife, go make the ginger tea.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The called-upon Sun Lixia reluctantly walked to the kitchen, why should she have to serve them. It would be best if you quickly catch a cold and burn to death! The cursed Jiang Changhai placed the boy on the kang bed and then felt the piercing cold, trembling violently. He had carried such a big person all the way back, solely driven by sheer willpower; now that the rush was over, he felt completely drained. Zhang Guihua, seeing her eldest son¡¯s lips turning blue, was painfully worried, ¡°Eldest, you hurry and change out of your wet clothes, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï By this time, Su Wanyu had already found his dry clothes, ¡°Here, Brother Hai, go change next door.¡± Jiang Changhai nodded, ¡°Mom, also help this boy out of his clothes.¡± ¡°I know, just go and change your clothes, take care of yourself,¡± Zhang Guihua rebuked him, but her heart was filled with concern for her eldest son. Seeing the pale face of the young boy lying on the bed, Jiang Dashan, fearing something might happen, instructed, ¡°Second, go quickly and fetch Doctor Wang from the village.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Changhe immediately ran to fetch the doctor. As Jiang Changhai went to the adjacent room to change, Zhang Guihua finally relaxed and went to help the boy lying on the kang out of his clothes. Winter clothes are already thick, and now, wet, they were even heavier, clinging to the body, making them difficult to remove. Seeing this, Zhao Xiaojuan also stepped forward to help. Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law worked together to strip the boy¡¯s clothes off and tucked him into a warm blanket. Zhang Guihua, examining the boy¡¯s stripped clothes, felt them quite novel; she hadn¡¯t paid attention while they were being removed. Now that the clothes were on the kang, she noticed that their style and material were unfamiliar to her, appearing fashionable and valuable. Turning her head and seeing several children crammed in the doorway peeking inside, she waved them away, ¡°Go on, get, why are you all crowding the doorway.¡± And Su Wanyu, seeing the ginger tea wasn¡¯t ready after so long, got a bit anxious and went to the kitchen to fetch a bowl of hot water first, encouraging her husband to drink it and warm up. She spoke with a fearful and distressed expression, ¡°Brother Hai, you are too bold. It¡¯s so cold today, yet you dared to jump into the icy river, what if something had happened to you, how would Mianmian and I cope?¡± Seeing her eyes reddening, Jiang Changhai quickly wrapped his arms around her shoulders, comforting her, ¡°Wife, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t you know your man¡¯s abilities? How could anything go wrong?¡± Seeing him joking with her, Su Wanyu, annoyed, sharply pinched his waist. Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Young Man, Let Go Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Young Man, Let Go ¡°I was wrong, I was wrong, wife, I won¡¯t dare to do it again next time.¡± Jiang Changhai, tormented by the pinch, grimaced and begged for mercy until Su Wanyu finally let go of his hand, ¡°Hurry up and warm up in the bed.¡± Then she turned to her daughter, ¡°You go sit on the bed too.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jiang Mianmian, having just run back with her father, had swallowed a belly full of wind, and her hands and feet were all numb from the cold. Seeing there was still so much room on the bed, she also climbed up, grabbing a blanket to cover her legs, ¡°Ah, indeed, under the covers is truly the place for me!¡± ¡°Cold, cold¡­¡± The boy lying next to her shivered slightly, constantly mumbling about the cold, looking quite pitiable. Jiang Mianmian, acting on her naturally kind disposition, scooted closer, pulling up the blanket over his shoulders. She hadn¡¯t had a chance to look closely earlier due to the emergency, but now upon closer inspection, she realized the boy was exceptionally handsome. Although his face was pale and his brow furrowed, he was truly good-looking! His features were sharp and distinct, even more handsome than the high school heartthrob during her school days. The boy, perhaps feeling the warmth, subconsciously moved towards the source of the heat. Seeing how handsome he was, Jiang Mianmian did not push him away. Soon after, Jiang Changhe walked in with a middle-aged man carrying a medical bag, ¡°Here we are, the doctor has arrived.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Upon hearing the noise, Jiang Changhai sat up, ¡°Doctor Wang, please check this child quickly, he just fell into the icy river, and I¡¯ve just pulled him out.¡± Doctor Wang, surprised by his words, gave him a look. That look seemed to say, who would have thought the village¡¯s notorious slacker, would actually perform a heroic deed? How bizarre! ¡°Why are you looking at me? I told you to check on him,¡± Jiang Changhai obviously noticed the surprise in his eyes, but didn¡¯t care, as carefree as ever. Doctor Wang glared at him, ¡°Of course I know. Didn¡¯t you say you jumped in to save him? Let me see if you¡¯re all right, you seem lively enough, so it seems you¡¯re fine.¡± That Jiang Changhai could jump into an icy river in the dead of winter to save someone and come out without a scratch, still able to argue back, truly lived up to the old saying, ¡°A scourge lasts a thousand years.¡± While internally complaining, he reached out to touch the boy¡¯s forehead on the bed, then pulled up his eyelid to check. ¡°No fever for now, just a bit shocked and frozen, I¡¯ll give him an injection first. Keep an eye on him tonight, and if he develops a fever by midnight, you¡¯ll need to go to the commune clinic or the town hospital.¡± The Jiang family members breathed a sigh of relief. Although the eldest had good intentions in saving him, having someone die in their house, especially a young man, would be upsetting. After administering the injection, Doctor Wang left, and the boy¡¯s previously furrowed brows gradually relaxed. ¡°Mianmian, time to eat,¡± Su Wanyu called from the door. ¡°Coming.¡± Jiang Mianmian responded and was about to get off the bed when her hand was grabbed by the boy, trapped in his grip. She tried hard but couldn¡¯t pull free, wondering how much meat this person must eat to have such strength! Jiang Mianmian became anxious, ¡°Dude, let go quickly, I need to go eat.¡± If she was late, the meat would all be gone! Finally, she used all her strength to pry his fingers open one by one. The boy, deeply asleep, was not awakened by her actions. At the dinner table, Zhang Guihua asked curiously, ¡°Eldest, who is the boy you rescued? He looks unfamiliar, not like someone from around here.¡± Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Scavenging Some Good Stuff Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Scavenging Some Good Stuff ¡°I don¡¯t know either. When I saw him fall into the river, I just fished him out directly. Once he wakes up, we can ask him and find out then,¡± Jiang Changhai dug into his meal without pausing in the conversation. ¡°I think the clothes the child is wearing seem quite new, and the style is rather stylish. He looks fair-skinned and delicate, clearly not like a child from our village. Perhaps he¡¯s a city kid who came to visit relatives and accidentally fell into the river while playing,¡± Zhang Guihua shared her guess. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s possible,¡± Jiang Changhai nodded, showing agreement. Everyone in their area knew not to play on the ice-covered river in winter, as it was easy for accidents to occur. Upon hearing this, Sun Lixia recalled the scene she had seen earlier. She hadn¡¯t seen the like of the clothes the child was wearing, but they looked expensive. Once the child¡¯s parents came to pick him up, knowing that they had saved him, they would surely offer them a reward. If she moved the child into her own house to take care of him, then when the time came, wouldn¡¯t all that they gave belong to her Third Branch? With such calculations on her mind, she put on an amiable face and said, ¡°Big brother, since the child you rescued must be over ten years old, and San Ya is not young either, it¡¯s not appropriate for her to sleep with a teenage boy. We have plenty of space in our room. You can send him over to sleep with Zhiwen and Zhiwu. They¡¯re all kids, so it should be fine.¡± Jiang Changhai sneered, ¡°I¡¯m the one who rescued the child, so of course I should take care of him myself. You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself. If you have the time, you¡¯d better see to Zhiwen and Zhiwu¡¯s studies, that¡¯s what truly matters.¡± He was well aware of what his sister-in-law was scheming. She just saw the boy¡¯s fine clothes and wanted to benefit from them. Pah, she can dream on! He risked his life to save the child and was determined not to let anyone else enjoy the benefits. He wasn¡¯t foolish! Upon hearing their uncle mention them again, Zhiwen and Zhiwu hurriedly lowered their heads and continued eating, not daring to make a sound. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Sun Lixia¡¯s plan had fallen through, leaving her feeling quite disgruntled. Don¡¯t think she couldn¡¯t see that Eldest brother had only jumped into the river to save the child because he was a city kid. As if a troublemaker and hoodlum like him would ever be that good-hearted¡ªit was laughable! Even the second branch¡¯s couple and the old lady harbored such thoughts, but it wasn¡¯t the case at all! At the very beginning, when Jiang Changhai first saw the child in the icy river, he jumped in without a second thought. After all, he couldn¡¯t just watch a life disappear before his eyes. However, after saving the youngster and seeing the leather jacket he was wearing, Jiang Changhai¡¯s mind started working. Such a leather jacket was on display at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative priced at quite a few dozen yuan! It had been hanging there for a long time without anyone buying it. Even for the people in the town, a jacket that cost dozens of yuan was far too expensive. After dinner, Jiang Mianmian and Su Wanyu slept on one side while Jiang Changhai and the youngster slept on the other. In the middle of the night, Jiang Changhai felt as if he was lying beside a small, hot stove. He stretched out his hand in a daze and touched a scorching body, which startled him awake. ¡°This is bad, he¡¯s running a fever,¡± Jiang Changhai quickly got up and lit the kerosene lamp, frowning at the young boy¡¯s feverishly red face. ¡°Brother Hai, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The noise of him getting up and lighting the lamp woke up Jiang Mianmian and Su Wanyu. Jiang Mianmian rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep and not fully awake. ¡°The kid has a fever, and his body is burning hot. We¡¯ll probably need to take him to the commune¡¯s clinic,¡± he said. Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Becoming a Grandmother Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Becoming a Grandmother Jiang Changhai calculated the money at home and wasn¡¯t sure if it was enough, as going to the hospital could be quite expensive. Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu also came over to check the young boy¡¯s condition. She glanced outside and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Brother Hai, let¡¯s wait and see. If the fever doesn¡¯t go down in two hours, we¡¯ll take him to the commune clinic. The clinic is so far from our home, and it¡¯s pitch dark outside now, not to mention the roads are bad.¡± Jiang Changhai also looked outside, nodded, and said, ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go wash a towel and put it on his forehead to see if it helps lower his temperature. Brother Hai, you go to dad¡¯s room and get some alcohol. Later we can rub it on his body,¡± Su Wanyu organized efficiently. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll go now.¡± With the parents busy, the finally awake Mianmian saw the youth¡¯s face flushed from the fever, mumbling something softly. She curiously leaned closer to listen; it seemed like he was calling for his mom. Unexpectedly, the boy stretched out his hot hand and firmly grasped hers again. Mianmian, startled by his action, instinctively wanted to pull away, ¡°I¡¯m not your mom!¡± ¡°Mom, mom, don¡¯t leave me. I feel so bad,¡± the boy said with his eyes closed, gripping Mianmian¡¯s hand and whispering softly. Seeing him like this, Mianmian couldn¡¯t help but feel pity and let him hold her hand. However, he still looked in pain, his voice plaintive and his cheeks flushed bright red, his expression as pitiful as an abandoned puppy. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here,¡± Mianmian sighed, and like Su Wanyu used to comfort her to sleep, she started gently patting his belly. Under her comforting, the boy¡¯s furrowed brows relaxed. Su Wanyu came in with a wet towel. Seeing the boy gripping her daughter¡¯s hand, she smiled and asked, ¡°How come you¡¯ve started holding hands?¡± Mianmian, feeling resigned, said, ¡°He thinks I¡¯m his mom.¡± ¡°Haha, then I guess I am not a grandmother!¡± Su Wanyu laughingly joked. Mianmian, her face full of exasperation, really couldn¡¯t deal with her mom¡¯s silly antics. Su Wanyu placed the wet towel on the boy¡¯s forehead, trying to cool him down physically. Sometime later, Jiang Changhai also came back holding a bowl of white alcohol. Seeing his precious daughter¡¯s hand being held by the boy, he immediately went over and roughly pulled the boy¡¯s hand away. And fiercely warned, ¡°Young punk, even in your sleep you think of taking advantage of my daughter. Be careful or I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m only eight years old,¡± Mianmian looked at her father, a bit amused yet exasperated. Her father was really overthinking. ¡°Go back to bed now. Your mom and I will take care of him,¡± Jiang Changhai tucked his thinly clad daughter back into the covers, saying softly. Lying in bed, Mianmian said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not even sleepy. I¡¯ll stay up with you guys.¡± ¡°Alright, if you get sleepy, just go to sleep,¡± agreed Su Wanyu as she nodded, instructing Jiang Changhai to rub alcohol on the boy¡¯s neck and armpits. Then the whole family lay on the kang, watching over the boy, occasionally reaching out to check his temperature. About half an hour later, the boy¡¯s temperature finally dropped, and the family felt relieved. ¡°Exhausted, time to sleep,¡± Jiang Changhai closed his eyes and almost instantly fell asleep. The next morning, when Mianmian woke up well-rested, her parents were not in the room. She went over and touched the boy¡¯s forehead; it was cool and not feverish anymore. Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 111: The Gaze is Somewhat Sharp Chapter 111: Chapter 111: The Gaze is Somewhat Sharp Yu Cheng opened his eyes and saw a little girl, about eight or nine years old with rosy lips and white teeth, sitting in front of him. He was startled for a moment, then he remembered that he fell into the water yesterday and it was this little girl¡¯s father who had saved him. Jiang Mianmian was also taken aback¡ªthis handsome young man¡¯s gaze was quite sharp! It was like a sword just unsheathed, revealing its edge, wild and unrestrained, yet unaware of how to moderate its force. Fortunately, he was indeed good-looking, and Jiang Mianmian, being an adult, would not bother arguing with a teenager going through an adolescent phase. She quickly showed a friendly smile, ¡°You¡¯re awake? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?¡± Yu Cheng replied indifferently, ¡°No.¡± Perhaps due to the fever from yesterday, his voice was a bit hoarse and fragile, but he looked rather well. Seeing him prop himself up on his arms trying to sit up, Jiang Mianmian quickly handed him his clothes, ¡°Wait a moment, put on your clothes first.¡± Yesterday afternoon, her mother had already washed Yu Cheng¡¯s clothes and trousers and dried them by the stove. Only then did Yu Cheng realize that he was actually lying naked under the covers. Even though he was usually a carefree person, he felt somewhat embarrassed at that moment. But the young master maintained a calm demeanor, ¡°You go out first, I¡¯ll change.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jiang Mianmian cooperated and stepped out, not at all interested in the boy¡¯s physique. After Yu Cheng changed his clothes and went out, he saw the little girl still waiting for him at the door. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï Jiang Mianmian blinked her moist, large eyes and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Cheng followed her, watching her hop and skip ahead. His previously gloomy and disappointed mood suddenly improved a bit. As long as he was alive, he would find it one day! The members of the Jiang Family were all surprised when they saw Yu Cheng coming, commenting on how incredibly handsome the child was, tall with long legs. Now dressed in a leather outfit and standing inside the house, his demeanor and every movement showed that he was not a child from an ordinary family. Jiang Dashan put down the old tobacco pipe in his hand and said, ¡°Come and eat.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandfather,¡± Yu Cheng thanked him very politely. That morning, the three children had egg custard to eat, and Yu Cheng, being sick, also benefitted from this. Indeed, he was very hungry, having not eaten for over a dozen hours from yesterday afternoon till now. Thus, even though the food from the Jiang Family was mostly coarse grains, he did not mind and ate several bowls of it. Zhang Guihua watched worriedly as the eldest, who was supposed to have saved a child, was instead like a starving ghost, eating even more than an adult! The others didn¡¯t think so, after all, the child had just fallen into the icy river yesterday, so it was good for him to eat something wholesome to calm his nerves. Several children occasionally stole glances at Yu Cheng, feeling he was different from anyone they had seen before, not only in looks but also in some other indescribable way. After eating his fill, Yu Cheng suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Jiang Changhai, ¡°Thank you for rescuing me from the icy river.¡± ¡°I just happened to be there, I couldn¡¯t just watch someone die,¡± Jiang Changhai first waved his hand dismissively and then clicked his tongue, ¡°But I must say, you are quite lucky. If it weren¡¯t for my daughter, you might have really ended up staying in that river.¡± Yu Cheng then turned to the little girl next to him and thanked her sincerely, not superficial because of her young age, ¡°Thank you, you saved my life.¡± Being stared at so intently and earnestly by the handsome young man, Jiang Mianmian couldn¡¯t help her young heart fluttering slightly, yet her face remained serious as she responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks, our teacher said helping others is a traditional virtue of our Chinese nation.¡± Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Sounds Somewhat Familiar Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Sounds Somewhat Familiar Yu Cheng slightly raised his eyebrows. He was still a well-behaved student. Jiang Dashan, seeing that his manners were thorough and proper, had an even better impression of him. ¡°Kid, what¡¯s your name? How did you fall into the icy river?¡± ¡°Grandpa, my name is Yu Cheng. I didn¡¯t know the river wasn¡¯t frozen solid, so when I walked halfway across, the ice cracked and I fell in,¡± Yu Cheng answered each question. Sun Lixia, who had found it difficult to interject, immediately showed concern upon hearing this. ¡°Then you mustn¡¯t be so reckless in the future. Even if the rivers here are frozen solid, they can¡¯t bear the weight of a person.¡± Yu Cheng responded with a faint ¡°Hmm,¡± not fond of this kind of calculating concern. Jiang Mianmian, however, tilted her head slightly, finding the name ¡°Yu Cheng¡± somewhat familiar. She should have heard it somewhere since there aren¡¯t many with the surname ¡°Yu,¡± but she just couldn¡¯t remember. At this moment, Jiang Changhai, while picking his teeth, said, ¡°Kid, our family name is Jiang. You can just call me Uncle Jiang. Where do you live? I¡¯ll send you back later.¡± ¡°I came from the Capital City to find relatives,¡± Yu Cheng said in a low voice. From the Capital City?! That sentence got all the Jiang family members collectively excited, their gazes turning fervent as they looked at him. Jiang Dashan reassessed Yu Cheng, no wonder his manners and actions were so proper. Such a child clearly could not be raised by just any ordinary family. Sun Lixia was internally frustrated, wondering why it wasn¡¯t her family who had saved him! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï What kind of dumb luck had this lazy Jiang Changhai stumbled on? No, she couldn¡¯t let this opportunity slip by. A person from the Capital City, even just a bit of association, would surely benefit them for quite some time! She must treat him better, hopefully, allowing Zhiwen and Zhiwu to become good friends with him, so they could always bask in his reflected glory. Zhang Guihua wasn¡¯t as upset anymore about the food Yu Cheng had eaten, as he was a compatriot from the Capital City and deserved a proper welcome. Meanwhile, Jiang Changhe and Zhao Xiaojuan had no other ulterior motives, simply curious about a fellow from the Capital City, wondering if they got to eat meat and rice every day. Jiang Changhai was very pleased with himself, feeling that his daughter had great fortune. To randomly come across a young master from the Capital City who had fallen into the water was just incredibly lucky. So, in high spirits, he asked, ¡°Where are your relatives? I¡¯ll take you to them later.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t found them yet,¡± Yu Cheng pursed his lips, his gaze showing a barely noticeable trace of desolation. The straight-talking Jiang Changhai, of course, failed to notice and asked again, ¡°What about the people who came with you? Where are they?¡± ¡°I came by myself; there¡¯s nobody else.¡± Yu Cheng spoke lightly, but he shocked Jiang Changhai, ¡°You came here from the Capital City all by yourself? You¡¯re really brave, how old are you? Do your parents know?¡± The Jiang family was equally incredulous; even taking a train from the Capital City here would probably take several days! Hearing Jiang Changhai mention his family, Yu Cheng sneered inwardly, but outwardly remained as calm as a gentle breeze. ¡°I¡¯m twelve years old. My family knows I¡¯ve come.¡± ¡°Twelve years old?¡± The eyes of the Jiang family members widened even more. Such a young child, what were his family thinking?! To let him travel such a long distance all by himself! And he must be close to 1.7 meters tall, right? Especially the old lady and Zhao Xiaojuan, who had helped change his clothes yesterday, knew that although the boy was thin, he was very sturdy. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Dark and Rustic Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Dark and Rustic I thought he must be about fifteen or sixteen years old, but it turns out he¡¯s only twelve. These kids from the Capital City are unlike our rural ones, to be so tall at the age of twelve, they must eat pork at every meal! Just look at Zhiwen, who¡¯s only a year younger yet a full head shorter than him! And when it comes to looks and temperament, he¡¯s even more evidently darker and more rustic by comparison. Only the fair and lovely Jiang Mianmian, sitting beside the boy, does not seem out of place at all. Sun Lixia was watching all this with a feeling of gloom swelling inside her. So she made a secret resolution to make sure her two sons didn¡¯t spend their entire days in the sun next summer! Yu Cheng noticed the strange looks from everyone and thought to himself, what¡¯s wrong? Do I not look like a twelve-year-old? Jiang Changhai stroked his chin and said, ¡°Kid, where does your uncle live? I can take you to find him later.¡± ¡°Uncle Jiang, my uncle is at Central China Farm. I only know that the farm is around here, but I¡¯m not sure exactly where. Uncle Jiang, do you know where this farm is?¡± Yu Cheng asked with hope in his eyes, only now looking like a twelve-year-old boy. ¡°Central China Farm?¡± Jiang Changhai thought for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of it. Dad, do you know it?¡± Jiang Dashan asked, ¡°Kid, are you sure it¡¯s called Central China Farm?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± Yu Cheng said with a firm tone, the information gleaned from his thorough inquiries. However, Jiang Dashan said, ¡°I have lived here for so many years and have never heard of Central China Farm.¡± Yu Cheng looked to the other members of the Jiang Family, and seeing them all shaking their heads, it was impossible for him not to feel disappointed. After coming all this way, only to find out that there¡¯s no Central China Farm around, even a mature youngster like Yu Cheng couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of loss and discomfort. Seeing this, Jiang Changhai casually consoled, ¡°Maybe the farm isn¡¯t on this side of Stone Bridge Village. When the snow outside melts, I¡¯ll go out and make some inquiries for you. Someone might know about the farm.¡± At these words, Yu Cheng¡¯s eyes showed gratitude as he said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Jiang.¡± Being unfamiliar with the place, it was difficult for him to gather information. With Uncle Jiang as a local, he would have much more convenience with his help. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a matter of asking around,¡± Jiang Changhai waved his hand, indicating it was no big deal. Now that the important questions had been asked, Zhang Guihua¡¯s curiosity came forth as she asked, ¡°Yu Cheng, what do you People from Capital eat every day? How come you have grown so tall?¡± If there was something that could make her grandsons grow taller, she wanted to get some for them to eat. Of course, if it was too expensive, then never mind. Rural people like them don¡¯t make much money all year round. Yu Cheng replied, ¡°Grandma, we eat the same things as you, mostly rice and steamed buns.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and she asked, ¡°Rice and steamed buns, you eat these every day? Do you, do you also get to eat meat with every meal?!¡± The others were also looking intently at Yu Cheng, eagerly waiting to hear about the splendid life of the People from Capital. Yu Cheng, who was not so out of touch as to be ignorant of humble circumstances, thought about the living conditions of most people in the Capital City and said, ¡°Not every meal includes meat, maybe seven or eight times a month.¡± As for himself, not only did he eat meat with every meal, but he often had various additional snacks because he burned a lot of calories from his physical workouts. Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114: What a Little Bookworm Chapter 114: Chapter 114: What a Little Bookworm Yet the Jiang family members¡¯ faces couldn¡¯t help but reveal an envious tint, ¡°Eating meat seven or eight times a month, people from Capital really live a blessed life!¡± In their rural areas, they can¡¯t even expect to enjoy a meat meal once a month! No wonder they grow so tall; eating those precious, refined grains and meat every day, how could they not grow well? Sun Lixia¡¯s heart tightened even more with discomfort at the thought of sending the child to his uncle¡¯s, where they would have given him who knows how many nice things to thank him! Why can¡¯t such good fortune ever fall upon their Third Branch? Although Yu Cheng¡¯s arrival had provided the Jiang family with plenty to talk about, their curiosity couldn¡¯t keep them from their work. The remaining children of the Jiang family surrounded Yu Cheng, bombarding him with questions, the girls even more so, both shy and unable to stop themselves from staring at him. They had never seen such a handsome boy before! The village boys, one by one, were dark from the sun, unhygienic, and liked to pull on their hair; they were fed up with the boys in the village. Now, suddenly seeing a boy who was clean and spoke in a calm and deliberate manner, they found it extremely novel. Er Ya, looking at Yu Cheng, mustered her courage and asked, ¡°Big Brother, do you also go to school in the Capital?¡± ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± Yu Cheng answered briefly. Having just been interrogated by the Jiang family¡¯s adults for a good while, and now surrounded by a bunch of little kids, his patience was nearly at its limit. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.?¦Ï If this had been in the Capital, he would have already lost his temper and sent people away, but since the Jiang family had saved his life, he could only forcefully suppress his irritability. Er Ya asked another question: ¡°Are there many girls at your school who study?¡± ¡°Quite a few,¡± he replied. Yu Cheng, thinking about whether he should go outside to seek a quiet spot, saw the little girl who looked like a ball of dough walking toward the inner room. Zhaodi, noticing him watching Jiang Mianmian, whispered a warning, ¡°Big Brother, don¡¯t go in and disturb Third Sister while she¡¯s studying, or Uncle will scold you.¡± Hearing this, Yu Cheng stood up and followed her in. Noticing his entrance, Jiang Mianmian looked at him with confusion, ¡°Why did you come in?¡± Yu Cheng shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t want to play with the kids.¡± Remembering his ordeal just now, Jiang Mianmian nodded in understanding, ¡°You can sit on the kang.¡± She then took out her homework, which her teacher had left for her, moved a small table onto the kang, and began writing quietly. Yu Cheng glanced over and quickly lost interest, settling down on the kang with his legs stretched out, seemingly daydreaming. Of course, it only looked like daydreaming; in reality, he was thinking to himself about his decision to run away from home, how his stepmother was probably delighted to death, probably hoping he¡¯d never come back. His father probably thought the same way, considering his favorite was the obedient and sensible younger son, not himself, the rebellious, confrontational eldest. Without him, the three of them would have such a happy and perfect life! Hmph, wishful thinking¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t let their dreams come true! Once he found his uncle, he was going to first apologize to the old man, then beg him to bring his uncle back to the Capital¡­ Yu Cheng, having gone through these thoughts, came back to his senses and saw Jiang Mianmian still intently doing her homework. He hadn¡¯t expected this little girl to be so young, yet so patient. All this time, her hand had been moving, never showing a hint of distraction; she really was a little bookworm. So, somewhat bored, Yu Cheng reached out and waved his hand in front of her eyes, successfully catching her attention. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jiang Mianmian asked, looking at him with her clear, large black and white eyes, showing no irritation at being disturbed. Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Just Want to Play with You Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Just Want to Play with You ¡°Little girl, now that you know my name, you have to tell me yours. It¡¯s called reciprocity, and I¡¯m teaching you this ahead of your teacher,¡± Young Master Yu said, bored and looking to tease her for fun. Jiang Mianmian, being an adult, could see he was treating her like a child, but she still said, ¡°I¡¯m Jiang Mianmian, you can call me Mianmian.¡± ¡°Mianmian?¡± Looking at her tender and puffy little face, along with her slightly messy hair, Yu Cheng raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Nice name, from now on I¡¯ll call you Little Lamb. Come on, Little Lamb, call me Brother Yu and let me hear it.¡± Little Lamb? What the hell? Jiang Mianmian frowned slightly upon hearing him assign her such a bizarre nickname, saying with dissatisfaction, ¡°I¡¯m not Little Lamb, I¡¯m Jiang Mianmian.¡± And Brother Yu! Yikes, she could almost feel goosebumps forming. ¡°What, Little Lamb doesn¡¯t sound good? Lambs are so white and cute. And both our names have the character ¡®Mian¡¯,¡± Yu Cheng found her serious little expression amusing and wanted to tease her even more. Jiang Mianmian glared at the childish Yu Cheng and, not wanting to acknowledge him, turned her attention back to her homework. All she wanted was to finish her homework quickly and then lie in her warm bed, being a happy salted fish. Yu Cheng saw she was ignoring him and didn¡¯t get annoyed; he quietly sat for a while. Seeing that she kept on doing her homework, finishing one book and then starting on another, he wondered when it would ever end. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? Yu Cheng was extremely bored, resting his head on the desk and watching her with a tilted face, ¡°Little Lamb, aren¡¯t you tired from doing homework for so long?¡± Jiang Mianmian sighed helplessly and said, ¡°A bit tired, but there¡¯s still a lot more to do.¡± The school break these past few days wasn¡¯t given out for nothing. Because the snow on the roads might not clear for days, the teachers had assigned a week¡¯s worth of homework. To avoid the situation where the snow cleared and she still hadn¡¯t finished her homework, potentially ruining her image as a genius, she had to try to get ahead on her work as much as possible. Upon hearing this, Yu Cheng moved closer to her and coaxed, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, then take a break from writing. Look how thick the snow is outside. Let¡¯s go play in the snow.¡± Jiang Mianmian felt tempted after listening to him, glanced at the snow outside, then back at the homework on the desk. She had already begun to form a good habit of playing only after finishing her homework. Seeing the hesitation on her face, Yu Cheng directly grabbed her wrist and started to lead her outside, ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate anymore. You can always do your homework, but if we don¡¯t play in the snow now, it will melt.¡± Jiang Mianmian allowed herself to be led away without hesitation, choosing to play in the snow. After all, it wasn¡¯t often that they had such heavy snowfall, and it would be such a waste not to play in it. As they walked, Yu Cheng asked, ¡°Little Lamb, do you have any taller hills around here?¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s one behind the hill, why? What do you need a hill for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking you skiing, but first we need to find a couple of wooden boards.¡± ¡°Skiing? No, I¡¯m not going,¡± Jiang Mianmian quickly expressed her refusal. Skiing was physically demanding and had a high risk factor. ¡°Kids need to exercise more so they can grow tall. I¡¯m the perfect example for you.¡± Yu Cheng held on to her wrist and wouldn¡¯t let go, while Jiang Mianmian struggled in vain, almost on the verge of tears, ¡°I¡¯ve just been writing homework for a long time. I¡¯m a bit tired, and I want to rest at home. You find someone else to go with.¡± ¡°I just want to play with you,¡± Yu Cheng insisted, holding onto her with one hand while he found two wooden boards in the yard and put them on his shoulder. Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Its Very Easy to Overturn Chapter 116: Chapter 116 It¡¯s Very Easy to Overturn Zhaodi, who originally wanted to join in the fun, suddenly stopped in her tracks upon hearing this, silently watching them leave. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go, let me go,¡± Jiang Mianmian continued her last-ditch struggle. Regrettably, her struggles were useless against Yu Cheng¡¯s grasp, resembling a little white rabbit in the jaws of a big grey wolf. Once Yu Cheng had led her to the top of the mountain, Jiang Mianmian stood at the summit and looked down at the snowy expanse of Stone Bridge Village below. Her view suddenly became wide and novel. Well, since she was brought out anyway, she might as well make do and play along to give him face. ¡°How do we play?¡± she asked. ¡°Like this,¡± Yu Cheng, without saying much, placed the board on the snow and with a push, sat down on it. The board ¡°swooshed¡± down the slope. Jiang Mianmian was startled by Yu Cheng¡¯s dangerous move and couldn¡¯t help but curse, ¡°Fuck, using the board as a sled, that¡¯s quite the stunt.¡± ¡°Little Lamb, quickly sit on the board like I did and slide down, I¡¯ll catch you here,¡± Yu Cheng called out from the bottom of the hill, full of vigor. Jiang Mianmian was a bit scared. Even though she was an adult inside, she still dared not slide down such a steep slope on a board. That¡¯s a recipe for disaster, bro! ¡°I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Jiang Mianmian said, shaking her head firmly. If she wasn¡¯t careful, she could hurt an arm or leg, which would totally not be worth it! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Seeing her refusal, Yu Cheng clicked his tongue, thinking that girls are always squeamish and timid. So, he picked up the board and climbed back up, approaching Jiang Mianmian and saying, ¡°I¡¯m at the bottom to catch you, what are you afraid of? Am I going to let you fall?¡± No matter what he said, Jiang Mianmian shook her head resolutely. Seeing this, Yu Cheng could only take a step back and suggest, ¡°Then I¡¯ll hold you from behind, and we¡¯ll slide down together; if there¡¯s any danger, I¡¯ll be the one to take the fall, not you.¡± The latter half of the sentence inexplicably stirred something in Jiang Mianmian, and hesitating, she asked with her clear and moist eyes blinking, ¡°Is it really safe?¡± ¡°It is, you have to trust your brother¡¯s superb skills,¡± Yu Cheng assured confidently, his youthful arrogance brimming. Seeing his confidence, Jiang Mianmian chose to trust him this time but still reminded him cautiously, ¡°Then you have to protect me well later.¡± In other words, if they really did crash, he was expected to safeguard her first. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen.¡± Yu Cheng had Jiang Mianmian sit in front, while he sat behind her, stretching his long legs and securely shielding the young girl in the middle. Then, without giving her any chance to rethink, he lifted his leg that was braced against the ground, and the two of them quickly slid down the slope. ¡°Ah!!!!¡± Jiang Mianmian let out a cry of terror; she wasn¡¯t ready yet!! But as she screamed, her fear dissipated, because the sensation of speeding like lightning was exhilarating! Hearing her screams, Yu Cheng slightly regretted his decision, as she was quite noisy. Safely arriving at the foot of the mountain, Jiang Mianmian raised her little head, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Yu Cheng and said, ¡°That was fun, let¡¯s do it again!¡± ¡°Not scared anymore?¡± Yu Cheng asked, half expecting her to be bashful and awkward like other girls. However, Jiang Mianmian replied with full trust, ¡°With you protecting me, I¡¯m not afraid.¡± At her words, Yu Cheng was taken aback. They had known each other for less than a day; did she really trust him this much? Meanwhile, Jiang Mianmian had already picked up the board and was excitedly running back up the slope. Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Taking Advantage of Someones Peril Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Taking Advantage of Someone¡¯s Peril Watching her joyful little figure, Yu Cheng lifted his foot and followed her, since he had brought her out, he had to make sure she enjoyed herself. After playing a couple more times, Jiang Mianmian was feeling confident; snowboarding seemed simple. Clutching the board, she declared eagerly, ¡°I¡¯m not scared anymore, I want to try it on my own.¡± ¡°Alright, just sit tight and don¡¯t move around,¡± Yu Cheng didn¡¯t stop her, since the slope wasn¡¯t too high anyway. ¡°Mhm mhm,¡± Jiang Mianmian confidently sat on the board and smoothly slid downhill. However, due to lack of experience, she didn¡¯t control the direction well and by the time she was almost at the foothill, the board skewed and hit a rock. Jiang Mianmian tumbled twice down the snowy slope and finally plopped down into a snowdrift. ¡°Little Lamb!!¡± Yu Cheng, standing at the base of the hill, saw Jiang Mianmian crash and immediately slid down on his board. Once there, he saw Jiang Mianmian floundering with her little legs and hands, desperately trying to get out of the snowdrift, but couldn¡¯t. It was hard for her to get out by herself since most of her body was buried. Yu Cheng couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips upward; she looked like a turtle flipped on its back. Seeing him appear, Jiang Mianmian called out in surprise for help, ¡°Yu Cheng, Yu Cheng, come pull me out!¡± Yu Cheng reached out his hand, but suddenly, as if he thought of something, pulled it back. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Jiang Mianmian: ¡°??? Pull me out!!¡± Yu Cheng, unruffled, said, ¡°Call me Brother Yu, and I¡¯ll pull you out.¡± Jiang Mianmian stared in disbelief before accusing him angrily, ¡°You¡¯re taking advantage of me.¡± However, far from being ashamed, Yu Cheng applauded her, ¡°Well done, Little Lamb, you¡¯ve learned your idioms well to use them so flexibly.¡± Frustrated, Jiang Mianmian struggled even more, flailing her limbs and simultaneously calling in her mind, ¡°System, system, find a way to get me out!¡± The system responded helplessly, ¡°Sorry, Host, the system cannot help you. However, if the Host had resisted the temptation and focused on her homework to begin with, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Humph, serves you right for being reckless, hahaha! Hearing this, Jiang Mianmian became even more infuriated, stupid system!! But she exerted all her strength and still couldn¡¯t get out, so she compromised with Yu Cheng, ¡°Brother Yu, please come help me.¡± They are shrewd creatures, capable of being flexible when necessary! ¡°Okay,¡± Yu Cheng, enjoying her vexed and enduring little appearance, easily pulled her out of the snow. He even brushed the snow off her head casually¡ªnow she really looked like a little lamb. Then he asked, ¡°Want to play more?¡± ¡°Play!!¡± Jiang Mianmian dusted off the snow from her body and stamped determinedly uphill. She wouldn¡¯t let her nickname be in vain! This time, she reached the base of the mountain smoothly, experienced the joy of snowboarding, and even started racing with Yu Cheng after a couple more tries. After playing for a good half hour and seeing her undiminished enthusiasm, Yu Cheng worried about her swallowing too much cold air and getting a stomach ache later. Because every time they slid down, Jiang Mianmian couldn¡¯t help but shout excitedly. So, when she grabbed the board to climb the hill again, Yu Cheng stopped her, ¡°Little Lamb, we can¡¯t keep playing the same game, it will get boring if we do it too much, let¡¯s try something else.¡± ¡°What should we play?¡± Jiang Mianmian looked at the hillside, slightly reluctant, but she was curious to hear about any new games Yu Cheng had in mind. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 118 Seems Not Too Bad Chapter 118: Chapter 118 Seems Not Too Bad Yu Cheng raised his eyebrows, ¡°Let¡¯s go back and have a snowball fight with your brothers and sisters, it¡¯s more fun with more people.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Mianmian immediately became interested, ¡°A snowball fight? Great, let¡¯s hurry back then.¡± Zhaodi, who was clearing snow in the courtyard, saw the two returning with a board and came up to them immediately, ¡°Big brother, Third Sister, what were you doing just now?¡± Dressed in the cotton clothes given by Jiang Mianmian, she was cheerful all day and grew even fonder of Jiang Mianmian as a sister. She also liked this particularly handsome big brother. Jiang Mianmian, animated, said, ¡°We went skiing outside, and now let¡¯s all have a snowball fight together.¡± ¡°They are outside, wait a moment, I¡¯ll call them back,¡± Zhaodi said and was about to run outside. But Yu Cheng said, ¡°Let¡¯s go with you, and play outside.¡± The Jiang Family¡¯s courtyard was too small, not suitable for unfolding action, and playing there could easily result in hitting the windows. The three hadn¡¯t been out long before they found the brothers Jiang Zhiwen and Zhiwu, along with a few of their friends. ¡°We have eleven people in total, how should we split the teams?¡± All the children looked up at Yu Cheng unanimously, waiting for him to decide. As he was the tallest among the children and from the city, naturally, he had become their leader. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? ¡°Third Sister, Big Brother, I want to be on the same team as you,¡± Zhaodi approached the two, whispering with a hopeful face. ¡°No, girls with girls, boys with boys,¡± Zhiwen loudly objected. Yu Cheng was tall and strong, so being on his team would definitely guarantee a win. Yu Cheng said indifferently, ¡°You can group yourselves however you want, Mianmian and I will be on the same team.¡± He had never liked playing with girls since he was young, finding them bothersome. But Jiang Mianmian was different, she was his lifesaver. ¡°Oh.¡± Zhaodi went off a bit dejectedly to find others to team up with. Soon, the children had split into teams, each consisting of two or three children. At Yu Cheng¡¯s command, the snowballs began to fly in the air. Yu Cheng tossed a big snowball accurately, hitting Jiang Zhiwen right on top of his head. Jiang Zhiwen immediately started yelling and shaking off the snow on him, almost like he was performing a ritual dance, which made Jiang Mianmian laugh out loud. Soon, the other team began their counterattack, but with Yu Cheng¡¯s agile moves and quick dodging, they stood little chance. Having swift and accurate throws, he hardly ever missed. Unable to do anything to him, they started targeting Jiang Mianmian, who was grouped with him. Jiang Mianmian was quite quick too, but she couldn¡¯t dodge everyone at once, and just as a snowball was about to hit her face, she quickly covered it with her hands. ¡°I forgot to say, no hitting the face!¡± But the anticipated cold impact never came, because Yu Cheng stood in front of her and retaliated with a snowball in the opponent¡¯s face. Cool! Honestly, being protected by a twelve-year-old boy at that moment, Jiang Mianmian felt quite touched and thought that calling him ¡°brother¡± wasn¡¯t too bad. Yu Cheng didn¡¯t hit girls, only boys, and soon had the boys crying for their moms. Seeing that he didn¡¯t target them, the girls gradually and consciously joined Yu Cheng in hitting the boys, who couldn¡¯t hold on for long and soon raised their hands in surrender. Under Yu Cheng¡¯s protection, Jiang Mianmian was not only barely hit but also had a great time. The group of children played wildly outside all morning and were ravenously hungry by lunchtime, eating fiercely. Zhang Guihua watched as Jiang Mianmian and Yu Cheng devoured bowl after bowl of rice, feeling extremely heartbroken. But there was nothing she could do about Jiang Mianmian, and as Yu Cheng was a guest from the Capital City, she couldn¡¯t possibly stop him from eating either. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Finally Inquired Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Finally Inquired Forget it, forget it, let him stay another day. Once daylight breaks tomorrow, have Eldest quickly go out to find out where Central China Farm is, and send this little master from the Capital City away. If we keep him a few more days, our own food supply won¡¯t last until the end of the year! But the next day, the snow was still falling, and even though Zhang Guihua wanted to send Yu Cheng away as soon as possible, it was impossible to let her eldest son go out to gather information in the heavy snow. There was no choice; she had to endure a few more days. Ever since Jiang Mianmian and Yu Cheng went out to play once, she had adopted the habit of doing homework in the morning and playing in the afternoon. Zhiwen and Zhiwu liked this little brother from the Capital City very much, who knew how to play all sorts of games, and happily followed him around every day like little tails. The several girls from the second branch played with the two every day as well, having never been so relaxed and happy. With the snow outside, there was not much work to do in the fields or at home, and both adults and children had some rare free time. After a few days of snow, they played together for several days. After spending these days together, Yu Cheng still felt that Little Lamb appealed to him the most. Although a bit of a bookworm, she wasn¡¯t like other girls who were delicate, always complaining of being tired or crying. She was just a bit fond of sleeping and liked to lie on the bed and sleep when not studying. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï These last few days, however, Zhang Guihua¡¯s eyes had turned red with worry; if the snow didn¡¯t stop soon, she was thinking of sending Yu Cheng away. At twelve years old, the child could eat far too much! He was eating as much as a strong laborer, and in these two days the food supply in the house visibly declined. Perhaps Heaven heard her prayers, for the continuous heavy snow finally stopped. After the heavy snow, the weather became even colder, and Jiang Changhai thought of the cotton he had stored before, realizing that now was the best time to sell it. ¡°Yu Cheng, I¡¯m going to sell cotton today, and I¡¯ll also find out about Central China Farm for you, so wait at home for news,¡± he said. Upon hearing this, Yu Cheng volunteered, ¡°Uncle Jiang, let me go with you. I can help you with work, I¡¯m very strong.¡± Jiang Changhai pinched Yu Cheng¡¯s arm, teasing with a smile, ¡°How strong can a kid who hasn¡¯t even grown a full set of hair be?¡± Without saying much more, Yu Cheng walked out of the room and lifted a large stone from outside the Jiang Family house, making Jiang Changhai¡¯s eyes nearly pop out. What had this child been eating to grow so strong? Even though he seemed to be tender and delicate, he wasn¡¯t like the frail children from the city, not bad at all. After putting down the stone, Yu Cheng asked with a smile, ¡°Uncle Jiang, how¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Good boy, you¡¯ve got spirit! Come on, I¡¯ll take you with me,¡± Jiang Changhai laughed, patting the youth¡¯s not-so-broad shoulders, and took him to meet Old Niu, Old Niu, wearing a thick cotton-padded jacket, was shivering with cold in the alley. Seeing Jiang Changhai leading a child over, he asked with a smile, ¡°Changhai, why did you bring a kid over?¡± ¡°This is a distant nephew of mine, named Yu Cheng.¡± Jiang Changhai responded casually, then got straight to the point, ¡°Old brother, I want to ask you something, have you heard of Central China Farm?¡± ¡°Central China Farm? I¡¯ve heard of it, yeah. What do you need it for?¡± Old Niu looked at him puzzledly; that was a place where people who had gotten into trouble stayed. Hearing that Old Niu knew information about Central China Farm, Yu Cheng was extremely excited, and with a slight excitement in his voice, he asked, ¡°Tell me the exact location quickly!!¡± Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Business Comes Knocking Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Business Comes Knocking Seeing this, Old Niu became even more curious, ¡°You must be looking for someone, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit of business, old brother, don¡¯t ask too much, just tell us the way to go.¡± Fortunately, Old Niu wasn¡¯t the type to dig too deeply. ¡°Central China Farm is in a depression behind Nanwan Village, the road there is not easy to travel, especially after this snowfall, it¡¯s even more difficult. If you¡¯re heading there, it¡¯s best to wait until the snow has cleared before you go.¡± After saying this, he kindly added another word of advice, ¡°Changhai, that¡¯s really not a good place, try not to go there if you can avoid it.¡± This sentence hit Yu Cheng like a bucket of cold water, instantly cooling his excited emotions. Even the villagers, living in poverty, say it¡¯s not a good place, one can imagine how hard his uncle¡¯s life had been these past years. ¡°Alright, I got it, thanks a lot,¡± Jiang Changhai patted Old Niu¡¯s shoulder, ¡°We were just asking, today we¡¯re mainly here to pick up the cotton.¡± After retrieving the cotton stored at Old Niu¡¯s, Jiang Changhai and Yu Cheng each carried two large bags of cotton, heading for the nearest production brigade. Halfway there, Jiang Changhai stopped to catch his breath, carrying all that cotton, walking so far in one go, it had really exhausted him. Now he was very thankful that he had brought Yu Cheng along. Looking at Yu Cheng who didn¡¯t seem to be panting or flushed, he asked, ¡°Yu Cheng, aren¡¯t you tired? Put down the stuff, take a break.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Uncle Jiang, if you¡¯re tired, just give me the stuff, I¡¯ll carry it.¡± As Yu Cheng spoke, he picked up the two large bags of cotton he had set on the ground. Seeing him carry a hundred pounds of cotton with such an ease on his face, Jiang Changhai watched for a while before lightly punching him on the shoulder and praised, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯re pretty strong, kid.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Yu Cheng didn¡¯t say he often did frog jumps and sprints with a hundred-pound load. And the more Jiang Changhai looked at him, the more he liked him, strong and willing to work hard with a very steady personality; his family had raised him right! Seeing that he didn¡¯t look any happier even after being praised, Jiang Changhai consoled, ¡°Yu Cheng, don¡¯t worry, that farm where your uncle is, it¡¯s too far from here, a round trip would take almost a whole day. Today we¡¯ll sell off the cotton, and first thing tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle Jiang.¡± Yu Cheng forced a smile; he really couldn¡¯t muster a genuine one at the moment. At the first production brigade, a woman sweeping snow outside spotted the bit of cotton peeking out from the men¡¯s bags and quickly called out to them. ¡°Hey, lads, hold up, is that cotton you¡¯re carrying?¡± ¡°Yes, big sister, are you looking to buy some? I don¡¯t need tickets for my cotton.¡± Jiang Changhai saw a business opportunity walking up to him and quickly jogged over to pull in the sale. On hearing that no coupons were needed, the woman¡¯s eyes lit up, eagerly asking, ¡°No coupons needed? How much per pound?¡± Jiang Changhai gestured a ¡®nine¡¯ with his hand and whispered, ¡°0.9 yuan, big sister, the Supply and Marketing Cooperative is selling cotton with coupons for 0.6 yuan a pound. Mine might be a bit more expensive, but I don¡¯t need coupons, you can buy as much as you want, and all my cotton is new, soft, light, and warm¡ªyou¡¯ll see when you check.¡± As he spoke, Jiang Changhai took out a handful of cotton from the bag for the woman to see. The woman felt the cotton and found it really nice. Even though it was a bit pricey, the fact that it didn¡¯t require any coupons was a plus; their family truly couldn¡¯t get their hands on cotton coupons. Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 121: The Brat is Just Unlovable Chapter 121: Chapter 121: The Brat is Just Unlovable Now that the weather is so cold, the elderly and children at home are all wearing cotton-padded clothes from years before, which are not warm at all. If they catch a cold, we¡¯ll have to spend even more money on medicine and seeing the doctor. But the woman still tried to haggle, ¡°Comrade, it¡¯s not easy for us rural people to earn money. Can you give me a discount if I buy more?¡± ¡°Big sister, my price is really not expensive. Look at this freezing weather, we walked all the way here to sell, and this cotton doesn¡¯t even require coupons. I dare say, apart from what I offer, you won¡¯t find it anywhere else.¡± Jiang Changhai boasted with absolute certainty. In reality, it wasn¡¯t entirely boasting; Old Niu was also selling at the same price, and in the whole town, just the two of them didn¡¯t have any competition. He had hoarded the goods for so long, just to sell at a higher price! After another glance at the cotton, the woman gritted her teeth and said firmly, ¡°Alright, then weigh five jin for me.¡± ¡°Okay, just a moment.¡± Having made the first deal, Jiang Changhai happily brought out the scale he had prepared in advance and weighed out five jin of cotton. The woman took the cotton and said, ¡°Wait here for a moment; I¡¯ll go inside to get the money.¡± She had come outside to sweep the snow and hadn¡¯t expected to buy anything; she didn¡¯t have a cent in her pocket. ¡°Alright, go ahead, we¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Since it was right in front of her house, Jiang Changhai wasn¡¯t afraid that she would run off. The woman returned in just a few minutes with the money in hand. After giving him four and fifty cents, she was about to go inside when Jiang Changhai quickly called out to her. ¡°Big sister, wait a moment.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong? I didn¡¯t give the wrong amount, did I?¡± The woman looked back at Jiang Changhai, puzzled. Jiang Changhai said with a smile, ¡°No, no, you didn¡¯t give the wrong amount. I just wanted to ask if you could help me go around the village and ask who needs cotton. Tell them to come to me to buy, and I will give you twenty cents as a reward.¡± Upon hearing this, the woman¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. Were there such good deals? People in their village were often anxious because they didn¡¯t have cotton coupons and couldn¡¯t buy cotton. If she told them someone was selling cotton, they would definitely be grateful to her. Plus, there would be an extra reward. This was truly killing two birds with one stone, but she couldn¡¯t let the man selling the cotton know that. She quickly agreed, ¡°Okay, then you wait here for a while, I¡¯ll go ask if anyone needs cotton.¡± She then took off in a hurry, as if afraid that if she delayed even a second longer, the other party might change his mind. Jiang Changhai watched as, with just one jin of cotton, he had managed to find someone to run errands and drum up business for him, and he felt quite proud of himself. He even took on a superior tone to teach Yu Cheng a lesson, ¡°Buddy Yu, did you see that? Your Uncle Jiang is smart, isn¡¯t he? Now we just wait here, no need to go wandering around or worry about being reported. People will come to us to buy.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± Yu Cheng nodded, although not comparable with the people around him, he was pretty astute, and good at dealing with situations. It seems Little Lamb¡¯s smartness and quick-wittedness come from her father. Seeing his nonchalant reaction, Jiang Changhai pursed his lips, thinking the kid was just not endearing. His own sweet and soft little daughter was better; whatever he did, she would look at him with adoring eyes and sincerely praise him with her sweet little voice. Thinking of his sweet and well-behaved daughter, Jiang Changhai couldn¡¯t help but smile with the foolishness of a doting father. ¡°Uncle Jiang, someone¡¯s coming.¡± Hearing Yu Cheng¡¯s reminder, Jiang Changhai turned his head to see two women hurrying towards them. Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 122: They All Transformed Chapter 122: Chapter 122: They All Transformed Their aggressive demeanor almost made one think they were here to settle scores. It seemed that the elder sister had already spread the word to them; the two women came over and started feeling the cotton without any idle chatter. Seeing it was indeed new cotton, one of them took three pounds, and the other took five pounds. No sooner had they left, than several more groups of people arrived, all wanting to buy cotton. Jiang Changhai was busy for a while, weighing the cotton they wanted, and collecting the money. After waiting a while and seeing that no more people were coming, he knew that this production brigade probably comprised all the people who wanted to buy cotton. Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before the elder sister who helped him drum up business came back. ¡°Little brother, I¡¯ve informed everyone in our village who wants to buy cotton,¡± the woman said breathlessly, apparently having walked quite a bit. Jiang Changhai smiled as he handed over twenty cents, ¡°Thanks a lot, Sister Zou. If I come again to sell things, I¡¯ll be sure to find you.¡± The woman, upon hearing Jiang Changhai¡¯s words, could barely suppress her smile as she took the money, ¡°Sure thing! Big brother, I live right here, my surname is Zou, just call me Sister Zou. If you have more deals like this, feel free to find me! If I¡¯m not home, you can tell my husband as well.¡± Jiang Changhai readily agreed, ¡°Alright, Sister, don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t forget you. We still have quite a bit of cotton left to sell, but we¡¯ll be heading off now.¡± Then he set off for the second production brigade with Yu Cheng. In this brigade, they sold a total of twenty-six pounds of cotton. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?? He had initially stored a hundred pounds, took ten pounds back home to make cotton clothes, and now he still had sixty-four pounds left. He hurried to the next two brigades, which should just about wrap it up. The two of them visited two more production brigades and finally sold off all the cotton. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Buddy Yu, let¡¯s head home!¡± Jiang Changhai, with a pocket full of money and humming a tune, walked home with a spring in his step. They made eighty yuan in half a day. After deducting the cost and the ten pounds used at home, that was a clear profit of thirty yuan. It should make for a good New Year¡¯s! Yet Yu Cheng still seemed dejected, his mind lingering on his suffering uncle. The two had sold quickly and it was still quite early when they returned home. Jiang Mianmian was doing homework inside the house; seeing them return, she immediately greeted them, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re back!¡± Jiang Changhai squatted down, picked up his daughter, and twirled her around twice, ¡°My girl, Dad made a lot of money today. Later, I¡¯ll take you all out for a good meal at the state-owned restaurant!¡± Then he held her face and gave her a big kiss, which nearly squished her chubby cheeks out of shape. Puh¡ªYu Cheng, who had been gloomy all day, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight. Su Wanyu came back from the restroom and, seeing that both Jiang Changhai and Yu Cheng had returned, asked somewhat surprised, ¡°Brother Hai, you¡¯ve sold all the cotton?¡± Jiang Changhai took out the money from his pocket and put it on the kang, proudly saying, ¡°All sold, this is the money I earned today. How about that, am I awesome or what?¡± ¡°Brother Hai, you¡¯re really something, earning so much money. Come sit down, you must be exhausted. Here, let me give you a shoulder rub.¡± Su Wanyu had wanted to kiss Jiang Changhai as a form of encouragement. But since Yu Cheng was still in the room, she felt it inappropriate and chose another way. Jiang Mianmian also immediately grabbed a small stool, very urgently gave her dad a leg massage, ¡°Dad, let me give you a leg rub, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Jiang Changhai simply scooped her up with a big hand and placed her on his lap, ¡°Dad¡¯s not tired, just a bit cold, you warm me up.¡± Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Order Whatever You Like, Make Yourself at Home Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Order Whatever You Like, Make Yourself at Home He wouldn¡¯t have the heart to let his precious daughter massage his legs! Besides, with her little strength, even if she did, he wouldn¡¯t feel a thing. ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Cheng looked at the happy family of three before him, feeling somewhat envious of such familial warmth. At this moment, he heard Jiang Changhai praising him, ¡°We really owe it to Yu Cheng today. If it weren¡¯t for him, I couldn¡¯t have managed to carry so much cotton for such a long distance, nor could I have returned so early.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Mianmian squirmed out of her father¡¯s arms and tugged on Yu Cheng¡¯s hand, saying sweetly, ¡°Brother Yu, you¡¯ve also had a hard day. Please sit down and rest your feet, I¡¯ll go get you some water to drink.¡± Having said that, she scurried outside, intending to bring in the kettle from the kitchen to secretly make some honey water to drink inside. ¡°Uncle Jiang, you¡¯re too kind, it was just a little help,¡± Yu Cheng responded politely, his eyes, however, remained fixed on the cheerful figure of Jiang Mianmian as she left the room. ¡°It¡¯s not a small favor at all, it¡¯s a big help to me,¡± Jiang Changhai said earnestly. If it had been only him today, who knows how exhausting it would have been. ¡°You¡¯ve had a tough day following Uncle Jiang around. You haven¡¯t done such work at home before, have you? Ha-ha, Uncle Jiang can¡¯t let you work for nothing. Here¡¯s two yuan for your troubles.¡± As he spoke, he pulled out two yuan from a wad of money and handed it over. Yu Cheng didn¡¯t accept it: ¡°Uncle Jiang, I can¡¯t take this money. If you hadn¡¯t risked your life to save me from the frozen river, I wouldn¡¯t even know what would have become of me by now. You also helped me inquire about my uncle¡¯s whereabouts. You are the one who really helped me a lot.¡± Seeing him insist, Jiang Changhai felt that the boy was truly grateful and couldn¡¯t help feeling even more satisfied with him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï So, he waved his hand grandiosely, ¡°Alright, since you put it that way, Uncle Jiang won¡¯t insist. Let me treat you all to a nice meal at the state-owned restaurant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, going to the state-owned restaurant!¡± Jiang Mianmian, who was bringing in the hot water kettle, excitedly set down her things and joyfully hopped around the room. Seeing her so happy, Yu Cheng cracked a smile too, ¡°Okay.¡± He was getting a bit greedy himself. Although he had been prepared to rough it on this trip, almost every meal at the Jiang Family had been simple coarse grains and vegetables. The Young Master Yu, who was used to feasting on meat and fish, was really craving some meat now. Su Wanyu smiled warmly and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s still early, let¡¯s drink some honey water and rest a bit before heading out.¡± After resting at home for about an hour, the four of them slowly made their way out. Sun Lixia, who was working in the fields, spotted the Jiang Family heading towards the village entrance from a distance and immediately started to grumble to herself. It wasn¡¯t enough that the Eldest was constantly running around; now he was taking his whole family out, leaving their work undone. When they run out of food, they can go eat the wind from the northwest! Anyway, no matter how much the Eldest fusses and throws tantrums in the future, she won¡¯t spare them even a bit of grain! * The group first went to see Old Niu to exchange some tickets, and then they entered the state-owned restaurant with high spirits. Jiang Mianmian ordered a braised fish. During this weather, it was particularly difficult to get fish. Now that they finally had a chance to eat out, she definitely wanted something she couldn¡¯t usually have. Su Wanyu ordered pork stewed with glass noodles, four-joy meatballs, and seeing that lamb was available, she also ordered a lamb pot. After mother and daughter had finished ordering, Jiang Changhai and Yu Cheng said, ¡°Buddy Yu, what would you like to eat? Feel free to choose anything, don¡¯t be shy with Uncle.¡± Yu Cheng replied, ¡°I¡¯m not picky, whatever you order is fine.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll order two more dishes,¡± Jiang Changhai said, and then he ordered stir-fried cabbage and cold mixed radish. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Like a Little Madman Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Like a Little Madman It wasn¡¯t that he was reluctant to spend money, it¡¯s just that his wife and daughter had ordered all meat dishes, and having only meat dishes was too greasy. This year, the quality and quantity of meat and vegetables were excellent. Four people indulged and had a great meal with five dishes; they all ate until they were stuffed. Yu Cheng even ate four bowls of rice, one more than Jiang Changhai. Su Wanyu, holding her belly contentedly, sighed, ¡°I have no other wishes in life. To be able to eat meat like this at every meal would be enough.¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded in agreement; she too just wanted to be a well-fed and well-dressed ¡°salty fish.¡± ¡°Wife, let¡¯s come and eat here again tomorrow.¡± Jiang Changhai, with a substantial amount of money in hand, spoke with confidence. Su Wanyu nodded happily and agreed. However, when it came time to pay, seeing that a meal cost almost three dollars¡ªwhich could buy several pounds of pork¡ªshe changed her mind. With her husband earning eighty dollars, that was only enough for about twenty meals! So she quickly changed her mind, ¡°Let¡¯s come eat here every few days instead; I¡¯m too lazy to come often. It¡¯s good enough if you just bring me a meat bun to taste some meat during usual days.¡± Actually, it was still more cost-effective to buy meat and cook it at home. But cooking at home meant smoke would billow out, and the villagers had sharp noses; they could smell even a hint of meat. Otherwise, they couldn¡¯t have everyone at home eat together. After they finished eating and came out, it was not yet dark. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Jiang Changhai thought it rare for the family to be out together, so he took everyone to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. ¡°Wife, I saw your hands are cracked from handwashing clothes. Let¡¯s go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and buy some cream for your hands; you can apply more when you get home.¡± Jiang Changhai touched Su Wanyu¡¯s hand, his face full of pity. Su Wanyu didn¡¯t like doing chores, but she had to wash clothes for the three of them. Washing clothes in cold water for long periods during the winter was too much for her hands. A couple of days ago, Jiang Changhai had touched his wife¡¯s hand and found it was no longer smooth, which pained his heart. Su Wanyu looked at him with curved eyes and said, ¡°Dad, you are so good to me. Buy me another lipstick too; the one I bought before is almost finished.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll buy! Whatever you want, I¡¯ll buy for you,¡± Jiang Changhai said with a pampering smile. Walking behind their parents, Jiang Mianmian rubbed her arms and whispered to Yu Cheng, ¡°Brother Yu, this is just how my parents are; just pretend you didn¡¯t see or hear anything.¡± Watching the little girl try to act grown-up and explain to him, Yu Cheng couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. He gently rubbed Jiang Mianmian¡¯s little head and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s great how your parents are. Having such loving parents is your fortune. You should cherish them, understand?¡± He didn¡¯t use much strength, but due to the dry winter, Jiang Mianmian¡¯s hair, which was a bit frizzy, started standing up after a few rubs. ¡°Don¡¯t mess up my hair!¡± Jiang Mianmian quickly tried to fix her frizzy hair, while Yu Cheng unkindly pointed and laughed at her, ¡°Haha¡­ You look like a little madwoman.¡± This was the first time Jiang Mianmian had seen him laugh so joyfully. He usually liked to act cool, aloof, and profound, but now his smile was quite, brilliant and good-looking. So Jiang Mianmian just glared at him and didn¡¯t bother with him anymore, hurrying to catch up with her parents ahead. Yu Cheng slowly followed behind, his smile lingering on his lips, and the irritation that had been bothering him all day had disappeared. When they reached the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, the salesperson saw Jiang Changhai leading his wife and daughter again and was about to greet them when she noticed Yu Cheng who was further behind. She took one surprised look at Yu Cheng. The young man was incredibly handsome. Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 125 A Mouthful of Dog Food Chapter 125: Chapter 125 A Mouthful of Dog Food He was like a glowing object in the crowd, immediately catching the eye, and you could tell from his leather jacket that his family was well-off. Upon closer inspection, the craftsmanship and material of the young man¡¯s leather jacket were even better than the ones she had hanging up here. ¡°Hey, miss, what are you looking at?¡± Jiang Changhai noticed the sales clerk staring unblinkingly at Yu Cheng and waved his hand in front of her eyes. The sales clerk snapped out of it and asked softly, a bit embarrassed, ¡°Oh, Comrade Jiang, is he your relative?¡± In rural areas, boys around the age of sixteen or seventeen could already be in relationships. Jiang Changhai saw right through her little crush and said with a smile, ¡°Yes, a child from my relative¡¯s family, only twelve years old but looking good, right?¡± ¡°Ah, only twelve years old?¡± The sales clerk¡¯s face lost its flush of red the moment she heard Jiang Changhai¡¯s words. To be so tall and yet only twelve years old. Jiang Changhai mused, ¡°Yes, kids from the city are just different from ours.¡± He also needed to give his daughter better food, trying to ensure she grew tall and beautiful so she wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage in height if she ever had to fight someone. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s really true.¡± The sales clerk nodded, knowing from his clothing that this child could not be from an ordinary family. After calming her spring emotions, the sales clerk finally remembered her duty: ¡°Comrade Jiang, what did you come here to buy this time?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°I need to buy some Snowflake Cream; just give me two boxes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As the sales clerk went to fetch the items, she thought to herself what a good man Jiang Comrade was. Spending a good fifty or so every month in her shop, and it was all for his wife and daughter, having never seen him buy anything for himself. Meanwhile, Su Wanyu tugged at her husband¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Brother Hai, one box of Snowflake Cream should be enough.¡± Jiang Changhai grandly declared, ¡°One box is not enough for you two ladies to share. One each, to avoid any fights.¡± ¡°Cut it out, what kind of person do you take me for?¡± Su Wanyu glared at him playfully and chided. While the two were talking, the sales clerk returned with the Snowflake Cream: ¡°Comrade Jiang, two boxes of Snowflake Cream.¡± Jiang Changhai did not rush to pay but reminded, ¡°Wife, didn¡¯t you want to buy some lipstick just now?¡± ¡°Right, I almost forgot.¡± Su Wanyu nodded and asked the sales clerk, ¡°Do you have lipstick here?¡± The sales clerk looked at her surprisingly, ¡°Yes, we just got a new batch of lipsticks two days ago, all from Shanghai City, it¡¯s right over here, come take a look.¡± After all, many rural people didn¡¯t even know what lipstick was for. A tiny tube costing five or six dollars! Back then, lipsticks didn¡¯t have as many colors as later on, and the Supply and Marketing Cooperative didn¡¯t dare to stock too much, fearing they wouldn¡¯t sell. They only picked two or three colors to keep. Su Wanyu looked for a while and chose a water-red color, which was neither as conspicuous as red nor could brighten her complexion. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°Comrade, your taste is really good, this is our best seller here.¡± The sales clerk casually complimented, but Jiang Changhai was visibly proud: ¡°Miss, you¡¯re absolutely right, my wife has the best taste, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have chosen me as her man. Of course, my taste is also the best, having married such a beautiful and gentle wife.¡± The suddenly fed sales clerk: ¡­Why must she, a single woman, suffer this kind of harm? Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Warm Little Hands Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Warm Little Hands Jiang Mianmian was completely numb, having long grown accustomed to their lovey-dovey talk. Su Wanyu patted Jiang Changhai on the shoulder, signaling him to stop running his mouth outside. Jiang Changhai got the hint from his wife and promptly got back to the point, ¡°Hehe, kid, get me two more Clam Oil. In this severe winter, the wind feels as if it¡¯s slicing my face raw.¡± Hearing this, Su Wanyu felt a bit of pity and said, ¡°Brother Hai, don¡¯t buy Clam Oil anymore. You can use Snow Cream with me.¡± Jiang Changhai shook his head without a second thought and refused, ¡°I really don¡¯t like that stuff. It¡¯s too fragrant, not suitable for a manly man like me. Buddy Yu, am I right?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yu Cheng nodded, as he also disliked applying such things. He would rather go without anything than to smell as fragrant as a woman. Jiang Changhai spread his hands, ¡°See, us men don¡¯t like that.¡± Seeing his genuine dislike, Su Wanyu didn¡¯t stop him from buying Clam Oil anymore. Jiang Changhai was about to leave with the items he had bought, but when he looked down, he saw his daughter¡¯s face and ears red with cold. So he bought hats and scarves for his wife and daughter, wrapping up both mother and daughter snugly. This shopping spree cost him over ten yuan, but Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t mind at all. As long as it was spent on his wife and daughter, even if it meant spending all eighty yuan he had earned that day, he was happy to do it. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï As the four came out of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, they noticed many people heading west, saying that the cinema had a new movie showing. Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu tugged at her husband¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Brother Hai, let¡¯s go watch a movie. I haven¡¯t watched one in so long, and since it¡¯s still early, we have nothing else to do. Let¡¯s just go watch a movie.¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡± With money in his pocket, Jiang Changhai was eager to please, and took his wife¡¯s hand as they joined the crowd. The forgotten Jiang Mianmian: ¡­You still have such a big daughter to bring along! This was not the first time they had forgotten her, but fortunately, this time she had company, ¡°Brother Yu, we¡¯re going to see a movie.¡± She then took the initiative to grab Yu Cheng¡¯s hand. Yu Cheng only felt a soft, warm little hand slip into his own. He instinctively gripped her hand, but didn¡¯t dare apply too much pressure, for fear that he might hurt the little girl¡¯s hand. Yet his face coolly ¡°hmm¡¯ed¡± in response. Jiang Changhai, walking ahead, didn¡¯t notice their actions, or else he would definitely have pulled his daughter¡¯s hand away. He would also have sternly warned Yu Cheng to keep away from his precious daughter. Despite the cold weather, there were still many people braving the chill to see a movie, leaving only a few rows at the back available. Jiang Changhai bought four tickets and led them into the cinema, picking a spot with a good view. Yu Cheng had noticed on his way in that there were no vendors selling sunflower seeds or drinks outside the cinema. Seeing that most of the movie-goers were young couples, he was struck by a quick-money-making idea. That was to sell snacks like sunflower seeds and peanuts outside the cinema. In Capital City, almost everyone going to the movies would buy some sunflower seeds to snack on. And as munching on seeds would make people thirsty after a while, beverages would sell well too. After watching a not-so-interesting movie, Yu Cheng shared his idea with Jiang Changhai, ¡°Uncle Jiang, I¡¯ve thought of a way to make money¡­¡± Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Where are the living geniuses? Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Where are the living geniuses? Jiang Changhai¡¯s eyes lit up immediately after hearing the idea, ¡°This is a good idea!¡± As someone who had been through it all, he was well aware that men are always more generous when dating than at any other time since you can¡¯t get a wife if you are unwilling to spend money. Jiang Mianmian¡¯s mouth had already formed an ¡°O¡± as she thought to herself, how come I didn¡¯t think of that?! In the past life, everyone bought popcorn and Coke at the cinema and didn¡¯t care about the higher price compared to outside. ¡°Because Yu Cheng¡¯s average intelligence value is 146, which is much higher than yours, he is a real genius,¡± Scholar Tyrant System popped up to strike at its own host. Jiang Mianmian¡¯s mouth became even rounder, ¡°146?! That¡¯s so high!!¡± ¡°Yes, host. Please don¡¯t put on a face as if you¡¯ve never seen the world. Not to mention others, even among your peers, thirty percent have a higher IQ than you currently do. So the host can¡¯t be complacent just because of a little progress, you must continue to strive and move forward bravely¡­¡± The system preached in her mind, but Jiang Mianmian habitually let it go in one ear and out the other. She looked at Yu Cheng with both surprise and admiration ¡ª my goodness, a living genius! Feeling her admiring gaze, Yu Cheng kept a calm face and coolly slipped his hands into his pockets. Under normal circumstances, Young Master Yu wouldn¡¯t care about such small deals, but he urgently needed money now. The day he fell into the water, in order to lighten his weight, he quickly threw off the cotton-padded jacket he was wearing. All the money and tickets he had brought from the Capital City were in the pockets of that jacket; now he was penniless and had to temporarily leech off the Jiang family. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï But he had sneaked out from home, so even though he had no money now, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t bow his head and ask his family for money. But without money, he couldn¡¯t do anything, and he had never been this embarrassed throughout his life. Moreover, his uncle had been sent down to the farm, and life there definitely wasn¡¯t easy; he needed to buy some nice stuff to visit his uncle. ¡°Yu Cheng, you are really smart!¡± Su Wanyu was also thrilled; this idea was definitely feasible! Every time she went to the movies, she thought it would be nice to munch on something, sometimes even bringing her own dried sweet potatoes to nibble on. But after the excitement, the couple realized a serious problem. Although the policies had relaxed now, no one dared to openly engage in speculative business. Thinking of this, Jiang Changhai said with a troubled expression, ¡°Buddy Yu, your method is good, but it¡¯s a bit risky. Look at me selling cotton secretly in the countryside, I don¡¯t even dare to shout about it, just afraid of being reported.¡± Not to mention selling seeds in town, the supervision team was nearby! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Jiang, people in the Capital City are already setting up stalls on the streets, and the authorities are turning a blind eye. It probably won¡¯t be long before they issue a document allowing private trading,¡± Yu Cheng sounded very confident. His grandfather had mentioned it, so it must be right. Seeing that Jiang Changhai was still hesitant, he added, ¡°Uncle Jiang, if you¡¯re really worried, we can cover our faces with scarves. That way, no one can see our faces, and they won¡¯t know who we are. If someone does come to arrest us, we just have to run fast and not get caught.¡± Actually, he could have handled this business by himself, but the Jiang family had saved his life, and now that he had thought of a way to make money, of course, he would include them as well. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 128 Happy Days Are Always Short Chapter 128: Chapter 128 Happy Days Are Always Short Jiang Changhai thought about it, realizing that what he had done in the past was also speculating and profiteering, wasn¡¯t it? He knew too well how lucrative this business could be. If Yu Cheng, just a teenager, was not afraid, why should he, a grown man, be fearful! After seeing the light, Jiang Changhai slapped his hand decisively and said, ¡°Alright, Buddy Yu, I¡¯m in.¡± Better to die from bravery than starve from cowardice! ¡°Brother Hai, I support you!¡± Su Wanyu was also brimming with enthusiasm. She believed her man would have no problems. It was Jiang Mianmian who remembered something else, ¡°Brother Yu, are you still going to see your uncle tomorrow?¡± Yu Cheng lowered his eyelids slightly and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll go after I¡¯ve sold all the sunflower seeds.¡± * By the time they came back from the movie, it was already past nine o¡¯clock. The Jiang family members had gone to bed early, so nobody knew they had brought back more things, avoiding a potential conflict. The next day, when Jiang Changhai woke up and saw that the snow outside had been cleared away, he quickly went back to his room to wake up Jiang Mianmian. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s happening? I haven¡¯t slept enough yet.¡± Jiang Mianmian was groggy, barely able to open her eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? ¡°My girl, hurry up. The snow outside has all melted; it¡¯s time for school,¡± Jiang Changhai said, grabbing clothes for his daughter. The sudden bad news jolted Jiang Mianmian awake, ¡°What?! It¡¯s cleared already? My vacation was so short.¡± She had hoped to play at home for a few more days, woefully wondering why happy days always flew by so quickly! But, reluctant as she was, she had to crawl out of the warm kang and go to school, backpack in tow. After delivering her to school, the action-oriented Jiang Changhai and Yu Cheng took their bags and started collecting sunflower seeds from other villagers¡¯ houses. The collection went very smoothly since their commune would buy a batch of sunflower seeds every year. Many villagers, wishing to earn a little extra, would plant sunflowers on their private plots of land. Changhai offered the same price as the Supply and Marketing Cooperative¡ªtwo jiao per jin¡ªwhich was the reason many were willing to sell directly to him: it saved them the trouble of taking the seeds to the Cooperative. However, since it was their first time engaging in this business, Jiang Changhai did not dare to collect too much. He stopped after a little more than fifty jins and said, ¡°Buddy Yu, let¡¯s just take this much for now and see how the market goes tonight. If we sell well, we can collect more tomorrow. What do you think?¡± Jiang Changhai earnestly sought Yu Cheng¡¯s opinion, already treating him as a partner. While Yu Cheng did not care who was the leader in this venture, Jiang Changhai¡¯s attitude made him feel at ease. He smiled and said, ¡°Sounds good, Uncle Jiang, I also think that¡¯s enough for now.¡± ¡°Great, then our next step is to roast the sunflower seeds. But definitely, we can¡¯t do it at my house. Let me think about where we can borrow a cauldron to roast them.¡± After pondering for a moment, Jiang Changhai came up with an idea, ¡°Got it! We can go to Old Uncle Ge¡¯s house to do it. He¡¯s a widower from the next village, his wife passed away early, and he has neither children nor grandchildren, always living alone. This way we won¡¯t have to worry about a crowd and gossip, letting word get out.¡± Yu Cheng agreed, finding it a suitable arrangement, ¡°Alright, Uncle Jiang, let¡¯s go then.¡± ¡°Not so fast, we need salt to roast the seeds. Let¡¯s head to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy a bag of salt first.¡± Salt was not cheap those days, and it wouldn¡¯t be right to use someone else¡¯s. The two hurried to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, purchasing what they needed, and then, with the sunflower seeds in tow, they knocked on the door of Old Uncle Ge¡¯s house. When Old Man Ge heard the knocking, he was somewhat startled. With no close relatives in the village, who could be looking for him? Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Understanding Etiquette Better Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Understanding Etiquette Better Opening the door and seeing Jiang Changhai, he was even more surprised, ¡°Changhai, what brings you here? And who is this little kid?¡± ¡°A relative¡¯s child,¡± Jiang Changhai stuck to the same explanation to avoid complications. Yu Cheng greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Grandpa Ge.¡± ¡°Oh, hello, hello.¡± Although Old Man Ge was puzzled about when the Old Jiang Family had gotten relatives from the city, he happily agreed, ¡°What¡¯s brought you two over?¡± Jiang Changhai went straight to the point, ¡°Old Uncle Ge, we came to borrow your pot for a bit.¡± ¡°Borrow my pot?¡± Old Man Ge showed a confused expression¡ªthe Jiang Family had pots too, didn¡¯t they? Without hesitation, Jiang Changhai said, ¡°Yes, our pot is currently in use, not very convenient. Could you please lend us one or not?¡± ¡°Of course, come on in,¡± Old Uncle Ge nodded, inviting them into his house. He lived alone all year round, feeling very lonely, so he was very happy to have someone to talk to. Once inside, Jiang Changhai took out some Changbai cakes he had incidentally bought at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and handed them to Old Man Ge, ¡°Old Uncle Ge, this is my token of respect for you. Thank you for lending us the pot and the firewood.¡± Old Man Ge stared blankly at the Changbai cakes for a good while before laughing and taking them, ¡°Go ahead, use them.¡± He hadn¡¯t interacted much with Jiang Changhai before, but after spending some time together now, he felt Changhai wasn¡¯t as reckless as people in the village said. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Bringing a gift when borrowing something showed better manners than some others. Jiang Changhai first scrubbed the pot clean, then gathered firewood to light a fire, because Young Master Yu, who had never cooked for himself, didn¡¯t know how to do anything. After lighting the fire, he poured three to four pounds of sunflower seeds into the pot, ready to start frying. Seeing that Changhai was both tending the fire and frying the seeds, Old Uncle Ge offered his help, ¡°Changhai, let me tend to the fire while you focus on frying the seeds.¡± ¡°I must thank you in advance then, Grandpa Ge. Once the seeds are ready, you¡¯ll get the first taste,¡± Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t hesitate to accept, as he indeed couldn¡¯t manage it all alone. Yu Cheng also felt awkward just standing by, ¡°Uncle Jiang, I¡¯ll fry with you.¡± Although he had never done it, he could learn. ¡°Sure, first watch how I do it, and once you¡¯ve learned, we¡¯ll take turns frying,¡± Jiang Changhai replied. Naturally, Jiang Changhai wouldn¡¯t refuse the help; otherwise, after frying so many seeds, he would barely be able to lift his arms. He had never fried sunflower seeds before, but having watched his mother do it, he imitated her actions and kept stirring continuously. In the end, whether the fire was too strong or he fried them for too long, he ended up scorching the seeds and had to sadly discard the batch in the pot. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Uncle Jiang, it¡¯s our first time frying, and we lack experience. It¡¯ll be better next time,¡± Yu Cheng consoled Jiang Changhai, who was wistfully looking at the discarded seeds. Jiang Changhai nodded, and when he fried for the second time, with the experience from before, he used a low flame the entire time. He was also tasting as he went along. When he felt the roasting was about right, he immediately took the seeds out. After the sunflower seeds had cooled, he tried some and found them to be quite good, very fragrant. He then had Yu Cheng and Old Man Ge give them a try, and seeing that both of them nodded in approval, he suddenly felt much more confident. By the next batch, he was already able to teach Yu Cheng how to do it. After an entire afternoon of work, the two of them together had fried three batches, amounting to roughly twenty pounds. He took out a cloth bag he had prepared earlier and poured the seeds into it. ¡°Old Uncle Ge, I¡¯ll leave the rest of my sunflower seeds here, and I¡¯ll come back tomorrow to continue frying,¡± Jiang Changhai said. ¡°Sure,¡± was the simple reply. Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 130 Her Little Movement Chapter 130: Chapter 130 Her Little Movement After resting at Old Uncle Ge¡¯s house for a good while and seeing that it was about time, the two went to the school to pick up Jiang Mianmian and together they went to eat at the state-owned restaurant. Since they were preoccupied with doing business, the three of them ordered the quickest bowl of sauce noodles to fill their stomachs before heading straight to the movie theater. At the movie theater, Jiang Changhai put down the bag of melon seeds and grabbed a big handful for Jiang Mianmian, ¡°My girl, see if these are fragrant.¡± After eating one, Jiang Mianmian gave her dad a thumbs-up and flattered, ¡°Fragrant! Dad, you¡¯re amazing, you¡¯re good at everything!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Jiang Changhai never knew modesty, and said with a beaming smile, ¡°If they¡¯re tasty, let¡¯s save some to bring back for your mom to try.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded and then asked curiously, ¡°Dad, how are we going to sell these melon seeds?¡± ¡°Ten cents a bowl,¡± answered Jiang Changhai as he took out a small bowl from the bag, which he had borrowed from Old Uncle Ge¡¯s house. Although he felt that ten cents a bowl for melon seeds was a bit expensive, Yu Cheng was confident they could sell them. Considering that Yu Cheng was, after all, a young master from the Capital City who likely knew more than he did, Jiang Changhai didn¡¯t object. Worst comes to worst, if people found it too expensive, he would just sell them for less. Then the three of them stood there, starting blankly at each other in the cold breeze, because nobody was coming to take even a glance. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï There were quite a few people coming and going at the entrance of the movie theater, but it was dark and nobody knew what they were doing. Seeing no one coming to buy, Jiang Mianmian felt a bit anxious; it was no good for business if they didn¡¯t call out for customers! She looked at her father, Jiang Changhai, whose face was so covered that only a pair of eyes showed, making him look hardly reputable at all. Then she glanced at Yu Cheng, tall and cold, his whole being screamed ¡°keep away from me.¡± Finally, she turned towards the crowd, took a deep breath, and suddenly started crying out loudly, ¡°Selling melon seeds! Tasty, fragrant melon seeds, the perfect match for watching a movie, only ten cents a bowl!¡± Her crisp and pleasant voice immediately drew the attention of several people, who looked over in their direction. Having called out for the first time, Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t feel embarrassed anymore and even started to attract customers, ¡°Big brother, buy a bowl of melon seeds for the pretty lady.¡± She was wearing a red cotton-padded jacket, with a hat and scarf, wrapped up tightly, revealing only a pair of big watery eyes. Calling out in a crisp and tender voice, she seemed extremely adorable, and indeed, a couple of couples came over to buy melon seeds. ¡°Little sister, how do you sell these seeds?¡± Jiang Mianmian sweetly replied, ¡°Ten cents a bowl, I¡¯ll fill it up for the pretty sister.¡± ¡°All right then, I¡¯ll take a bowl.¡± The people in town who could come to watch a movie were workers who were not short of money; ten cents a bowl for seeds was not considered expensive if bought occasionally and also allowed them to show off a bit in front of their dates. ¡°All right,¡± said Jiang Changhai as he deftly filled the bowl with seeds. ¡°Here you go.¡± With one customer came the next, and others followed suit to buy melon seeds. Yu Cheng took care of collecting the money and casually maintained order to prevent anyone from bumping into Little Lamb. While selling seeds, Jiang Changhai casually noticed his daughter¡¯s little hands were red from the cold and asked Yu Cheng to hold his girl while collecting the money. Two people are certainly warmer than one. Jiang Mianmian, being held by someone other than an elder for the first time, felt a bit awkward. But once she felt Yu Cheng¡¯s burning warmth, she stopped worrying about that and even sneakily slipped her hands into his pockets to warm up. Perceiving her little movement, Yu Cheng looked down, said nothing. Many people were buying seeds, and some who had already entered the movie theater were waving at the entrance to buy; Jiang Changhai went over to deliver the seeds. In that moment, Yu Cheng, holding Jiang Mianmian, suddenly said in a low voice, ¡°I helped Uncle Jiang roast these seeds.¡± Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 131 Brother Yu is so Amazing Chapter 131: Chapter 131 Brother Yu is so Amazing Jiang Mianmian: ??? She stared in disbelief, unable to conceive that Yu Cheng would actually be seeking praise from her. Seeing her gaze at him dumbly, clearly not as sharp as when facing Uncle Jiang, Yu Cheng gently pinched her cheeks with his fingers and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you praising me for being awesome?¡± He had long wanted to do this, and it felt even better than he had imagined. Soft and squishy, tenderer than tofu, he dared not squeeze too hard. ¡°Fantastic, fantastic, you¡¯re really fantastic!¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s words came out a bit slurred, ¡°Let go of me now.¡± Ahhhh, this mischievous brat! Yu Cheng, rather than pinching, now gently massaged her cheeks: ¡°Who¡¯s fantastic, say it clearly.¡± After unsuccessfully trying to pry his hands off, Jiang Mianmian could only submit to his dominance: ¡°Brother Yu is fantastic, Brother Yu is the most incredibly awesome in the universe!¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Yu Cheng then released her, satisfied. Good girl my foot! Once free, Jiang Mianmian glared at him fiercely, attempted to hop off him but was instead held tight by Yu Cheng: ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore.¡± Jiang Mianmian instantly widened her eyes again, silently rebuking him: So you do know that you were just playing! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï But Jiang Changhai had no idea, holding the thick stack of money from selling all the sunflower seeds, his mouth so wide with joy that he couldn¡¯t close it. In just about ten minutes, twenty pounds of sunflower seeds were sold out, the money was too easy to make. However, it was indeed cold standing in the chilly evening breeze, he decided not to let his precious daughter join them in selling seeds the next day. His pampered and delicate daughter should be warming by the fire at home, tomorrow night he would let her wait at Old Man Zheng¡¯s place for them. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s head back home!¡± Meanwhile, Sun Lixia rushed back to the Jiang Family home from her parents¡¯ house after dinner, yelling as soon as she entered the front yard: ¡°Mom, do you know what Eldest is doing outside?¡± She had been visiting her parents today and heard an earth-shattering piece of news from them¡ªEldest had secretly been trading cotton without the family¡¯s knowledge! She knew something was off about Eldest¡¯s family, always running around, constantly buying new things, from leather shoes to clothes. So he had actually been engaging in speculative dealings behind everyone¡¯s back! Zhang Guihua, who was feeding the chickens in the yard, responded indifferently: ¡°What can he be up to? Nothing but wandering around, idling about.¡± Sun Lixia approached with a serious tone: ¡°Eldest is outside engaging in speculative business!¡± Su Wanyu, who had sharp ears inside the house, was instantly alarmed: Oh no, how did Laosan¡¯s Wife find out?! Upon hearing her words, Zhang Guihua was first startled out of her wits. How could Eldest dare to do such a thing? Getting caught in speculative trade meant jail time. Then she doubted Sun Lixia, fixing her with a skeptical eye and questioning: ¡°Laosan¡¯s Wife, how did you find out?¡± ¡°It was my sister-in-law¡¯s second sister who personally saw Eldest selling cotton in their village, I¡¯m not lying to you, you can ask anyone around to confirm if it¡¯s true or false,¡± Sun Lixia stated, sounding almost ready to swear on it. Seeing she didn¡¯t appear to be lying, Zhang Guihua immediately felt panicked: ¡°Old man, what are we going to do? Eldest isn¡¯t going to be arrested and put in jail, is he?¡± Jiang Dashan put down his smoking pipe and glanced warningly at Sun Lixia, who was visibly agitated: ¡°We¡¯ll take care of this matter, you¡¯re not to go spreading rumors. When Eldest comes back, we will ask him.¡± Sun Lixia looked at her father-in-law in shock. That was it? Eldest had engaged in speculative trading behind the family¡¯s back, risking their entire household, and all that was going to happen was a ¡°we will ask¡±? Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Cotton Resale Discovered Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Cotton Resale Discovered Father-in-law¡¯s favoritism knows no bounds! Zhao Xiaojuan had listened to the whole thing in the main hall, so shocked that she forgot to put down the beans in her hands, unable to believe that Eldest had dared to do such a thing! My God, if they were really caught and criticized, how could they ever go out again? Not to mention the daughters are still so young, their prospects of marriage might be affected. Why would Eldest do this? Didn¡¯t he consider the family at all before acting? Jiang Changhe was also stunned. Known as an honest and simple man who only knew hard work, he found Eldest¡¯s actions utterly excessive. Seeing Sun Lixia¡¯s displeasure, Zhang Guihua immediately put on a stern face and asked harshly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you dissatisfied with what your dad said?¡± Indeed! Sun Lixia had been discontent for a long time. Now, with her in-laws in charge, she could only grit her teeth and deny it, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Why are you still stupidly standing here? Hurry up and sweep the floor.¡± After scolding her away, Zhang Guihua stormed into the main house, still furious, ¡°Eldest¡¯s wife, do you know about the scandalous things Eldest has done?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Brother Hai never tells me what he does outside,¡± Su Wanyu said with a panic-stricken and innocent expression. In her mind, though, she figured she¡¯d better slip out soon and tip off Eldest. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï But then, Jiang Dashan suddenly appeared at the door, squashing her hope, ¡°Eldest¡¯s wife, you stay inside and don¡¯t go out.¡± Su Wanyu: ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Brother Hai, good luck to you. So when Jiang Changhai came home happily with his daughters and Yu Cheng, he was greeted by his parents displaying a grave and tribunal-like seriousness. His wife was in the corner, frantically signaling him with her eyes, and Jiang Changhai immediately sensed trouble, yet he replied with a grin, ¡°Haha, Mom, are you guys waiting for me to come home for dinner?¡± Jiang Mianmian also sensed the menace and quickly pulled Yu Cheng towards the corner to hide. However, her movement drew Zhang Guihua¡¯s attention. The already anxious and furious Zhang Guihua erupted upon seeing her new hat and scarf. She slammed her hand on the table and demanded of Jiang Changhai, ¡°Eldest, tell me, have you been secretly engaging in those speculative activities?!¡± At this, Jiang Changhai merely paused for a moment, showing not a hint of panic at being exposed. After all, walls have ears, and he had suspected this day would come. He first asked his daughter to fetch the clam oil they had bought earlier; then he calmly inquired, ¡°Mom, who told you about this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who told me, just answer if you did it or not? The leather shoes you bought for San Ya, and this hat, scarf, did you buy them with that dirty money?¡± Zhang Guihua, pointing at Jiang Mianmian¡¯s new items, grew more enraged as she spoke. Before Jiang Changhai could respond, Sun Lixia couldn¡¯t hold back and jumped in to fan the flames, ¡°Eldest, a real man owns up to what he does, even your young nephew knows to admit his mistakes when he¡¯s done wrong! My sister-in-law¡¯s sister saw you selling the cotton; there¡¯s no denying it!¡± Jiang Changhai glanced at her, realizing she was the one who had informed the family. He looked at Zhang Guihua, who was gasping for breath in anger, and at Jiang Dashan, who was smoking silently, and nodded openly, ¡°Yes, I admit, I sold cotton. But I was selling it for someone else, not for myself, and I only took five yuan for my troubles. I bought a hat and a scarf with it, and with the remaining two yuan, I bought you a jar of clam oil, Mom.¡± Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Reporting to the Village Chief Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Reporting to the Village Chief While speaking, he took out the Clam Oil and a dollar and handed them to Zhang Guihua. Zhang Guihua had been furious just a moment ago, but upon seeing the Clam Oil and a dollar her eldest son handed her, she looked as though someone had hit the pause button on her. She didn¡¯t know whether to be angry or to laugh. The Eldest, you could call him good-for-nothing, but he knew to buy things for his mother with the money he made. If you said he was filial, he¡¯d do something reckless and stupid behind their backs, the kind of thing that, with one slip, could drag the whole family down with him! She couldn¡¯t let out the breath she was holding, but swallowing it back down made her choke. Seeing his spouse seemingly taken down by their eldest son¡¯s few words, Jiang Dashan finally put down his old tobacco pipe, his face stern as he said in a deep voice, ¡°Eldest, selling a few game animals was one thing; getting caught would¡¯ve meant just a few days in detention. But trafficking controlled items like cotton? If you¡¯re caught, you could be shot!¡± Jiang Changhai, eyebrows raised, replied with smug assurance, ¡°Dad, I know all that, which is why I didn¡¯t sell it in town. I sold it to a few of the production teams below.¡± ¡°You know shit!¡± Zhang Guihua, having collected herself, resumed her colorful language. ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t caught on the spot, you can¡¯t escape if someone reports you!¡± Jiang Changhai nonchalantly shrugged, ¡°Then I¡¯ll deny it till I die. Anyway, I¡¯ve sold everything; with no evidence, they can only detain me for a few days, and they have to provide food and drink in there.¡± ¡°Smack!¡± With a heavy slap on his arm, Zhang Guihua glared and scolded, ¡°Stop talking nonsense, or you¡¯re not eating tomorrow!¡± Seeing him still acting carefree, Jiang Dashan furrowed his brows and said in a serious tone, ¡°This cotton-selling business, let¡¯s consider it water under the bridge. But from now on, you can¡¯t engage in any more speculative trading, understand? If you do get caught, consider not just us, but also your wife and daughter.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Jiang Dashan was aware of his eldest son¡¯s boldness, but also what he cared about most, so he went straight for his Achilles¡¯ heel. Sure enough, Jiang Changhai appeared startled for a moment before pledging earnestly, ¡°You¡¯re right, I promise I won¡¯t do it again!¡± After all, when they sold the sunflower seeds, they all covered their faces. No one would know who they were. Sun Lixia, seeing the matter dismissed so lightly and the eldest¡¯s house suffering no loss, felt outrageously aggrieved but also knew she had no say in the family. She could only vent to her husband after returning to their room, ¡°Can you believe how biased mom and dad are? Look at how much the Eldest has bought for his wife and daughter recently, yet he brings out a single dollar and mom and dad drop the matter. I worked for nothing and got nothing out of it.¡± She had thought that by telling her parents about this, even if they wouldn¡¯t turn against the Eldest right away, they¡¯d at least make the eldest son turn over the money earned from selling the cotton. Knowing how the old lady doted on her two sons, if they had money, she would certainly not let them suffer. Jiang Changtao was also in a sour mood, and consoled her half-heartedly, ¡°Didn¡¯t big brother just say? He was selling on behalf of others, he only made five bucks as a service fee.¡± ¡°You believe that? Look at what he¡¯s bought. What can you get for five dollars? Not enough for a pair of leather shoes! No, I can¡¯t accept this, he must have more money. I¡¯m going to the village chief to report him.¡± Sun Lixia said, standing up and walking out. Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Glistening Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Glistening ¡°Come back here,¡± Jiang Changtao suddenly raised his voice. Startled, Sun Lixia patted her chest with residual fear and said, ¡°Changtao, why are you yelling like that?¡± Jiang Changtao, with a darkened face, spoke in a low voice, ¡°No matter how much of a mess the Eldest is, he¡¯s still my biological brother. Aren¡¯t we a family tied by blood and bone? You going to report him, do you want the people of the Old Jiang Family to be pointed at and talked about behind their backs when we go out?¡± ¡°You think of him as a brother, but he doesn¡¯t consider you a brother! We work from dawn to dusk in the fields every day, and when it comes time to divide grain at the end of the year, he stashes the money he makes right into his own pocket. Why should we be bullied like this?!¡± Sun Lixia was becoming more agitated as she spoke, ¡°Just look at how much money he has made recently. Has he ever thought about helping his biological brother out?¡± Of course, she was just saying this; she didn¡¯t really want her husband to get involved in speculative dealings. In fact, without her saying it, Jiang Changtao felt resentful towards Jiang Changhai in his heart. How could his brother not know that he was short on money? His two sons would need money for their education and marriages in the future. Clearly, the Eldest had such a good way of making money, but he had never thought to get him involved! But resentment aside, when it came down to stabbing his brother in the back, he truly couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. His face, however, showed a disdainful expression as he said, ¡°What he does is his business, but we can¡¯t engage in speculative business! Such things are dishonorable, and you shouldn¡¯t talk about them outside, either. If word gets out, it would bring shame to the Jiang Family. And if the kids at school find out that Zhiwen and Zhiwu have an uncle who speculates, they will surely look down on them. So keep this matter to yourself, got it?¡± Thinking of her two sons, Sun Lixia agreed reluctantly with a nod, ¡°I won¡¯t talk about it, then.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï Meanwhile, in the adjacent main house, the mood was light and cheerful. ¡°Brother Hai, how did the sales go today?¡± The recent incident didn¡¯t dampen Jiang Changhai¡¯s good mood in the least. With a grin, he pulled out the money from his pocket, ¡°With your man and me in charge, what can¡¯t we sell? Look, all this money is from selling pumpkin seeds today.¡± ¡°Brother Hai, you guys are amazing, earning so much money today,¡± Su Wanyu always had generous praise for her husband. While praising, she counted the money, totaling sixteen yuan and fifty cents. ¡°Brother Hai, how many catties of pumpkin seeds did you sell today?¡± Jiang Changhai spread out casually on the bed, ¡°We fried twenty catties, but we scorched three or four catties at the start, so we used up about twenty-five catties in all today.¡± ¡°Twenty-five catties, that¡¯s a little over five yuan in costs. My goodness, we made nearly eleven yuan in just one evening, which is more than a month¡¯s worth of labor in the fields,¡± Su Wanyu figured out the tally, excitement coloring her cheeks a soft, rosy hue, as her beautiful features glowed with a certain delicacy. Jiang Changhai stared, entranced, and swallowed hard with a ¡°gulp¡± sound¡ªthey hadn¡¯t been intimate for quite some time. Jiang Mianmian: ¡­suddenly felt like she and Yu Cheng were shining brightly. Su Wanyu, feeling a bit embarrassed, nudged him, reminding him that the two children were still around. ¡°Ahem, we sure didn¡¯t earn a little,¡± he cleared his throat. Jiang Changhai spoke with seriousness, ¡°After subtracting costs, we have eleven left. Buddy Yu, we split it evenly, five yuan and fifty cents each. You don¡¯t have any objections, right?¡± Yu Cheng naturally had no objections. He provided the ideas and Jiang Changhai the capital; going into business together and splitting the profits evenly, neither of them would lose out. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Mom Will Keep It for You First Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Mom Will Keep It for You First Jiang Changhai counted out five yuan and fifty cents to give to him. Yu Cheng took the money and then pulled out two one-yuan bills and handed them to Jiang Mianmian, ¡°Little Lamb, this is your wage for today.¡± ¡°Really, for me?¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s face lit up with surprise. Two yuan was a huge amount of money for an eight-year-old, considering she only got twenty cents for New Year¡¯s money. Yu Cheng lifted his hand and ruffled her fluffy little head, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you calling out to attract customers, we couldn¡¯t have done this business tonight.¡± If it had been before, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about these few bills at all; he would have given them all away without a second thought. But now, every cent was hard to come by for the young master, who only had so little in his hands. ¡°Thank you, Brother Yu.¡± Only then did Jiang Mianmian happily take it, not minding that he had tousled her hair, her babyish voice sweeter than ever. When Jiang Changhai heard this, he immediately also pulled out two yuan, ¡°Dad will also give you two yuan.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± Holding the four yuan, Jiang Mianmian smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Su Wanyu, unaware of what her daughter had done, asked, ¡°What did Mianmian do today?¡± ¡°At the beginning when we were selling sunflower seeds, there was no shouting, so the people coming to the movies didn¡¯t know we were selling them, and no one was buying. Later, Mianmian started to shout, and eventually, customers began to come. To attract business, Mianmian shouted for a long while.¡± After Jiang Changhai explained, he gently asked, ¡°Daughter, does your throat hurt? Dad will make you a cup of honey water to drink, and tomorrow you don¡¯t have to come with Dad. If you damage your throat, Dad will be heartbroken.¡± Hearing what had happened, Su Wanyu immediately showered Jiang Mianmian with praise, ¡°So capable, our daughter has grown up, capable of helping to earn money.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï Rarely praised by her mom, Jiang Mianmian was relishing the moment when Su Wanyu suddenly reached out and took the money from her hand, ¡°Mom will keep the money for you. If you want something, Mom will buy it for you.¡± ¡°Mom, this is money I earned myself. I want to keep it myself.¡± Jiang Mianmian looked at the four yuan that hadn¡¯t even warmed in her hand before it changed ownership, and protested with a pout. With a serious face, Su Wanyu educated her, ¡°No way, children shouldn¡¯t carry so much money.¡± Jiang Mianmian wanted to say she wasn¡¯t really a little kid, but she couldn¡¯t say that, so she could only pout and sulk by herself. But she wasn¡¯t really angry; she just liked the feeling of having money in her own hands. After all, whatever she needed, her parents would buy for her, so she really didn¡¯t have much use for the money herself. Jiang Changhai had witnessed the entire rise and fall of his daughter¡¯s brief treasury and couldn¡¯t help but snicker ungenerously. Yu Cheng also curled his lips, finding her appearance cute. He restrained himself from poking her puffed-up cheeks in front of Jiang Changhai. After each of the four of them had drunk a cup of warm honey water, Yu Cheng started to talk business, ¡°Uncle Jiang, let¡¯s fry more sunflower seeds to sell tomorrow. We can only earn a bit more in these next two days.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why do you say that?¡± Jiang Changhai asked with a puzzled look. Yu Cheng explained, ¡°Anyone can fry sunflower seeds. As long as people have the guts, they can also sell them. So we must make quick money while they haven¡¯t caught on yet.¡± Jiang Changhai was initially stunned but quickly understood the intent, recognizing that everyone wants to make money if they can. Once he understood, he admired Yu Cheng even more, impressed that despite his young age, he was so thoughtful and meticulous ¨C truly worthy of a young master from the Capital City! Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Skip a Good Beating Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Skip a Good Beating So he nodded and said, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s fry more and sell more tomorrow.¡± Su Wanyu hesitated for a moment before volunteering, ¡°Brother Hai, I¡¯d like to go with you to sell seeds tomorrow. One more person means one more share of the earnings.¡± Jiang Mianmian saw her mother actually volunteering for work and couldn¡¯t help feeling emotional: Indeed, no matter the era, money is the driving force of human progress. * The girls from the second wife¡¯s room had not yet fallen asleep; the sisters were whispering to each other in their beds. ¡°Third Sister¡¯s hat and scarf are so pretty, and they keep the ears from freezing,¡± a voice murmured with envy, while reaching to scratch at the chilblains on the ears. Every winter, her hands and ears would develop chilblains because she couldn¡¯t stop scratching them until they bled from being so itchy. Noticing her action, Da Ya quickly admonished, ¡°Zhaodi, stop scratching; I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll make them bleed again.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so itchy!¡± Zhaodi struggled to resist, ¡°If only we had hats too.¡± The younger Laidi also whined childishly, ¡°Big Sister, my hands are itchy too.¡± Though she didn¡¯t have to wash clothes in the river during winter like her three older sisters, she had played in the snow recently and developed chilblains on her fingers. Da Ya said with sympathy, ¡°Let me rub them for you; that will ease the itchiness.¡± Er Ya had stayed quiet, but her mind too contemplated Jiang Mianmian¡¯s new scarf and hat, which looked not only beautiful but also very warm. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? But the sisters could only wear worn cotton-padded jackets, shivering with cold every day. How could she be content with that?! Someday, she was determined to live that way too! Zhao Xiaojuan half-asleep heard her daughters¡¯ conversation, and it drove away all her drowsiness, filling her heart with discomfort. It was the fault of them as parents who were useless, not as smart and bold as their big brother at making money, causing their daughters to suffer the cold and hardship. Meanwhile, Zhang Guihua was blissfully feeling the Clam Oil her eldest son had bought for her. She carefully scooped out a small piece and spread it on her hands, rubbing them together. As she spread it, she put on airs and murmured, ¡°Old man, can you believe how reckless Changhai is? He even dares to take risks with his quick schemes. What if he gets caught and sent to a farm for re-education? What then?¡± After finishing with her hands, she brought them to her nose to smell. Jiang Dashan, listening to her obviously happy tone, said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s all because you spoil him. He¡¯s done so many mischievous things since he was small, and every time he manages to make you laugh and avoids a good scolding.¡± Hearing this, Zhang Guihua gave him a sideways glance, ¡°Who can blame him when the Eldest has always been clever and obedient? Look at him, earning five dollars and still remembering to buy me Clam Oil. He must know my hands crack in winter; he keeps these little things in mind.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get some sleep. There¡¯s work to do tomorrow,¡± said Jiang Dashan, too tired to argue further, as he¡¯d never won an argument with her before. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t sleep yet. Let me rub some Clam Oil on you, your hands are cracked too, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it, don¡¯t smear it on me. It¡¯s greasy and gets everywhere; let¡¯s just turn off the light and go to bed.¡± Zhang Guihua pouted at him, muttering, ¡°As if I wanted to use it on you. This was a gift from my son.¡± She put away the Clam Oil, extinguished the kerosene lamp, and went to bed. The next morning at breakfast, Zhang Guihua showed off the hand she had rubbed with Clam Oil to the rest of the Jiang Family, ¡°This Clam Oil is really something. Every winter my hands develop chilblains, but after using the Clam Oil the Eldest bought me yesterday, today my hand is much better.¡± Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 137: If Only It Were a Boy Chapter 137: Chapter 137: If Only It Were a Boy Hearing this, Zhao Xiaojuan looked at her mother-in-law¡¯s hands, then at her daughters, opened her mouth to say something but then closed it, and opened and closed it again. Finally, with a hardened heart, she summoned the courage to say, ¡°Mom, the clam oil that big brother bought for you, can you let Da Ya and Er Ya use some? The children¡¯s hands are all covered with frostbite.¡± Zhang Guihua heard this and immediately retorted in a harsh tone, ¡°Look at the money-losing bunch you¡¯ve given birth to. Feeding them and keeping them alive is good enough, and now they also want my clam oil? Dream on!¡± Zhao Xiaojuan, scolded in front of everyone in the room, couldn¡¯t lift her head, did not retort, and simply had her eyes turn red in silence. Da Ya, who was sensible, didn¡¯t want to see her mother get scolded because of them, and quickly said, ¡°Grandma, please don¡¯t scold my mom. We don¡¯t need the clam oil.¡± However, Sun Lixia scoffed at Zhao Xiaojuan: ¡°The second sister-in-law is really stupid. Why care so much about these girls? What¡¯s crucial is to give birth to a healthy baby boy for the Old Jiang Family as soon as possible!¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t about to kindly remind her sister-in-law, as she didn¡¯t want another boy to compete with Zhiwen and Zhiwu for resources. But Jiang Changhai, seeing his nieces being scolded by his mother over a bottle of clam oil, felt that it was really unnecessary. So, he turned to Jiang Mianmian and said, ¡°Girl, go and get the clam oil from our room for your elder sisters to use.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Jiang Mianmian immediately sprung up from her stool and ran to fetch Jiang Changhai¡¯s clam oil for Da Ya, ¡°Sister, here you go.¡± Da Ya, somewhat overwhelmed by the favor, accepted it gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, San Ya.¡± During the exchange, it was very obvious to see one hand that was white and tender, and another that was covered with cracks and frostbite. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? This stark contrast caused Zhao Xiaojuan immense heartache. Both were daughters of the Jiang Family, yet the difference in treatment was like heaven and earth. How could she not be heartbroken? She felt useless, unable to even afford a jar of clam oil. Da Ya, unaware of Zhao Xiaojuan¡¯s inner turmoil and self-blame, carefully applied the clam oil, moving from one sister¡¯s hands to the others¡¯. Seeing that she only took a little each time, Jiang Mianmian took initiative to help, ¡°Sister, you need to apply more for it to be effective.¡± Er Ya, who also received a large chunk of clam oil, smeared it on while looking towards Jiang Changtao, who had been indifferent throughout the whole situation, and suddenly resentment surged within her. She couldn¡¯t understand why her father could pretend to hear nothing and not stand up to protect them when Grandma was scolding them and their mother. Just now, even the Uncle, who was always called good-for-nothing, couldn¡¯t bear to listen and spoke up in their defense, even sharing his clam oil with them. But her father, who was always praised for his honesty and simplicity, could act as if nothing had happened! She didn¡¯t expect her father to be like the Uncle, who unconditionally took the side of his wife and daughters, but couldn¡¯t he at least show a little bit of care for them? She knew that her father had always wanted a son to carry on the family business, but did that mean the girls were not his own children?! She also thought to herself that if only she had been born a boy. Then she wouldn¡¯t have to cut pigweed and pick up wheat ears in the sweltering summer fields. Nor wash clothes in the icy cold river water in winter. She could, like Zhiwen and Zhiwu, eat meat, wear new clothes, and go to school. Yu Cheng, who sat quietly beside Jiang Mianmian, keenly caught the fluctuation in her emotions and the resentment in her eyes, but he averted his gaze as if nothing had happened. Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Running Away with My Daughter Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Running Away with My Daughter He could certainly feel the Jiang family members¡¯ preference for sons over daughters, and he was not surprised by it. After all, even in the Capital City, many families around him valued sons more than daughters. Those people had all received higher education, and if they were like that, let alone these rural people who were closed off and not as well-educated. However, Uncle Jiang¡¯s degree of doting on his daughter caught his attention. Through several days of interaction, he naturally noticed how well Uncle Jiang treated Little Lamb, as if he were afraid of her falling out of his hands or melting in his mouth. Although Aunt Wan was stricter with Little Lamb on a daily basis, he could tell that she truly loved Little Lamb from the bottom of her heart. With parents who loved her so much, no wonder Little Lamb did not have the pettiness of other rural children but had a generous and cheerful personality, being both adorable and intelligent. Zhang Guihua, though displeased that her eldest son openly disagreed with her, also knew that she could not control him. His words always went in one ear and out the other, a complete waste of her saliva. Feeling annoyed, she glared at the girls from the second household and then turned her head to see Yu Cheng filling his bowl with another heaping serving of rice. Her heart suddenly ached at the thought¡ªthis young master was really too expensive for them to keep! So she hurriedly asked, ¡°Eldest, have you found out any news about Uncle Yu Cheng yet?¡± Jiang Changhai shook his head and lied without blushing or breaking his stride, ¡°Not yet, I¡¯ll ask around some more.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Just like his mother knew him, he knew her too. If she knew he had found news about Uncle Yu Cheng, she would definitely insist on sending people away immediately. Zhang Guihua sighed, thinking about how many days the grain in the storage jar could last¡­ Never mind, they had managed to get by for so long already, a couple more days wouldn¡¯t make much difference. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Wanyu out for a while today,¡± said Jiang Changhai after finishing his meal. Zhang Guihua frowned in displeasure, ¡°What for? Why don¡¯t you stay home and work instead of always running around outside?¡± ¡°Wanyu is bored staying at home every day, and if she gets sick from it, we¡¯ll have to spend money on medicine. I¡¯m taking her out to browse around, to clear her mind,¡± he replied. After saying that, Jiang Changhai pulled his wife away, leaving Zhang Guihua to curse alone in the room, though she did not stop them. After all, there wasn¡¯t much work to do in the fields during the cold winter days; she was just not used to the laziness of the first household and complained out of habit. Sun Lixia¡¯s thoughts, on the other hand, began to race. Taking that sickly child out for no reason, they must be up to something shady! Could they be engaging in some black-market deals again? The possibility excited Sun Lixia so much that she trembled all over. She had to follow them and see. If the Eldest really was doing such things, she would demand ¡®hush money¡¯ from him; otherwise, she would let everyone know! Thinking of the money that was about to enter her pocket, she clutched at her fiercely beating heart, took a few deep breaths, and stealthily followed behind the group. Yu Cheng, walking behind the two adults with Jiang Mianmian, suddenly furrowed his brow and, quickening his pace with Jiang Mianmian, caught up to them and whispered, ¡°Uncle Jiang, someone is following us.¡± Su Wanyu¡¯s first reaction was to fear that their speculative trading had attracted attention, and she became somewhat nervous as she pulled on Jiang Changhai¡¯s hand. Feeling her tension, Jiang Changhai squeezed her hand to comfort her, ¡°My dear, don¡¯t be nervous; we¡¯re just a family taking a walk.¡± ¡°Yes, we haven¡¯t done anything,¡± Su Wanyu relaxed slightly and took her daughter¡¯s small hand with her other hand. Thinking that if inspectors really did come out, she could grab her daughter and run away in time. Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 139: I Want to Go Back and Tell Mom Chapter 139: Chapter 139: I Want to Go Back and Tell Mom ¡°Let¡¯s keep walking and hide behind some bushes around the bend in front,¡± Mianmian said. Jiang Changhai, however, didn¡¯t think it was the patrol team. He wanted to see who was following him. Sun Lixia couldn¡¯t see anyone and was afraid she¡¯d lose them, so she hurried along and just as she rounded the corner, she was startled by Jiang Changhai who suddenly jumped out at her. ¡°Roar!¡± ¡°Ahhhh!!!¡± Caught off guard, Sun Lixia was so frightened that she sat down on the ground, buttocks first. As soon as she realized it was Sun Changhai, she cursed loudly, ¡°Big Brother, are you sick?! Don¡¯t you know you can scare someone to death?!¡± Jiang Changhai crossed his arms, ¡°Third Sister-in-law, what are you doing following us?¡± Sun Lixia¡¯s face flashed with guilt as she got caught red-handed: ¡°Who, who¡¯s following you? This road isn¡¯t dug by you; can¡¯t I take a stroll?¡± As she spoke, she grew emboldened, standing up with a disgruntled look and brushing off the dust on her clothes. Jiang Changhai found her thick-skinned response amusing, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say you were just taking a stroll. But broad daylight and you¡¯re not doing chores at home, sneaking around instead¡ªI should tell mom that you¡¯re slacking off and not doing your work.¡± Sun Lixia¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, ¡°You¡ªdon¡¯t, don¡¯t, don¡¯t, Big Brother, I¡¯m going back right now.¡± She had wanted to ask if he was man enough, but seeing him lift his foot to head back, and remembering the creative tongue-lashings her mother-in-law could dish out without repeating a word for half an hour, she had no choice but to compromise and back off. Jiang Changhai raised an eyebrow, saying unapologetically, ¡°Then get going already.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Forced by the tyranny of her mother-in-law, Sun Lixia could only grit her teeth and reluctantly turn to leave. Next time, she would definitely be more careful when following them! Watching her departing figure, Su Wanyu shook her head, ¡°Laosan¡¯s wife is really too cunning, always trying to take advantage of others.¡± The wife of the second brother was much easier to get along with, honest and kind-hearted. ¡°Never mind her, no one can take advantage of us anyway,¡± Jiang Changhai also didn¡¯t like the superficial Third Sister-in-law, wondering what on earth was in Laosan¡¯s mind when he married her. * After dropping Jiang Mianmian off at school, the three of them harvested over a hundred pounds of melon seeds in the morning and went to Old Man Ge¡¯s house. With the experience from the day before and one more person helping out, they worked much faster than yesterday. In just half a day, they had roasted over a hundred pounds of melon seeds. Looking at the three big bags of seeds, Su Wanyu asked with some worry, ¡°Are we roasting too many?¡± Jiang Changhai also slightly furrowed his brow, ¡°It does seem a bit much. With only so many people at the movie theater, we¡¯re afraid we can¡¯t sell this many.¡± Upon hearing this, Buddy Yu was about to speak when he heard Changhai continue, ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: I¡¯ll borrow a tricycle from Old Niu, and tonight Wanyu and I will go to the neighboring two towns to sell. Buddy Yu, you stay and sell in our town. Thirty to forty pounds per town¡ªsurely we can sell them all that way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Brother Hai, how come you¡¯re so smart!¡± Su Wanyu clapped her hands in approval upon hearing this, routinely praising her man. What Jiang Changhai proposed was exactly what Yu Cheng had in mind, so he didn¡¯t offer any further suggestions but just nodded in agreement. Jiang Changhai certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten his precious daughter, taking out two dollars, ¡°Buddy Yu, your aunt and I will come back late tonight. You go and pick up Mianmian from school, take her to the state-run restaurant for dinner, and then have her wait at Old Man Zheng¡¯s place at the gate. When we¡¯re done selling the seeds, we¡¯ll pick her up and take her home.¡± ¡°Uncle Jiang, I have money,¡± Yu Cheng said, refusing to take the money, as he had enough to afford a meal. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 140: What a Temper Chapter 140: Chapter 140: What a Temper ¡°` But Jiang Changhai still stuffed them into his hand. After resting sufficiently, the two sides shouldered their sunflower seeds and split up to go about their business. He first stopped by the commune primary school and, after waiting a few minutes, the students began to trickle out. Yu Cheng, tall and handsome, clad in a cool leather jacket and trendy sneakers, simply stood at the school gates and effortlessly attracted all the students¡¯ attention. Many students, instead of heading home after exiting the school, stayed around to steal glances at him. When Jiang Mianmian came out, she could tell something was off. Normally, the schoolkids, like birds released from their cages, would rush to fly home, but today, why couldn¡¯t they seem to leave the school gate? It wasn¡¯t until she passed through the gates that she realized why her classmates were behaving so oddly today; they were all sneakily watching Yu Cheng. ¡°Little Lamb, over here.¡± Yu Cheng spotted Jiang Mianmian at a glance; she was very noticeable in the crowd. Most of the other kids had dark, sallow skin and wore clothes made to withstand dirt, only she wore a soft pink cotton-padded jacket and revealed a tender little face. At Yu Cheng¡¯s call, Jiang Mianmian suddenly felt the gaze of all the students in the school falling on her. However, even if Yu Cheng hadn¡¯t called out to her, she would have spotted him right away. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï After all, he was tall and leggy, standing at the school entrance, standing out like a crane among chickens. Under the envious or jealous gazes of the many students, Jiang Mianmian quickly ran to Yu Cheng¡¯s side: ¡°Brother Yu, why are you alone? Where¡¯s my dad?¡± ¡°Uncle Jiang and your aunt went to the next town to sell sunflower seeds. They asked me to come and pick you up for dinner. Let¡¯s go,¡± Yu Cheng explained and then began to stride forward, not liking the feeling of being stared at by so many people. After walking for a while, however, he didn¡¯t hear any footsteps behind him, so he looked back to see the little girl struggling to keep up with him, vigorously pumping her short legs. Seeing her like this, the impatience Yu Cheng felt from being gazed at by everyone vanished instantly. He coolly stood with one hand in his pocket, waiting for Jiang Mianmian to catch up before speaking: ¡°If you can¡¯t keep up, why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± ¡°Who says I can¡¯t keep up? I can keep up,¡± Jiang Mianmian retorted, staring with her big watery eyes, quite unyielding. In her past life, she also had a pair of long legs, alright? ¡°Alright, you can keep up. Let¡¯s go,¡± Yu Cheng said, ruffling her hair, then naturally bent down and took her hand as they walked together. This time, they weren¡¯t in a rush, and upon arriving at the state-owned restaurant, Jiang Mianmian ordered a lion¡¯s head meatball, Yu Cheng ordered Beggar¡¯s Chicken, and they both enjoyed a fine meal. ¡°Are you full?¡± Yu Cheng asked. Jiang Mianmian nodded: ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m full; let¡¯s go to the cinema.¡± But Yu Cheng said, ¡°No rush, let¡¯s go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative first, I need to make a phone call.¡± He planned to call his buddies in Capital City. After all, it had been such a long time since he had left Capital City without having contacted them. At the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Jiang Mianmian conscientiously went off to the side to look at stuff, not disturbing him while he made the call. Yu Cheng got through to Cheng An¡¯s home; it took a while before someone on the other end picked up. It was the family¡¯s housekeeper who answered, and after he asked to speak with Cheng An, it took a moment before he heard his voice. ¡°Hello, is that Yu Cheng?¡± Cheng An¡¯s voice came through somewhat anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Yu Cheng replied with his usual cool indifference. But Cheng An was very excited: ¡°Hey, big brother, you finally remembered to call us. Do you have any idea how worried we were about you? You¡¯re so daring, to run away from home all by yourself? Your dad blew his top because you ran away; he must be worried sick about you!¡± ¡°` Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 141 I Want To Be With You Chapter 141: Chapter 141 I Want To Be With You Hearing that, Yu Cheng curled his lips in a rather mocking way. His dad¡¯s temper flared up not because he was worried about him, but because he felt he had embarrassed him. ¡°All of us brothers are really worried about you, afraid something might happen to you on the way blah blah blah¡­¡± Cheng An had been talking for a while and, when he didn¡¯t hear Yu Cheng¡¯s voice, he raised his volume and asked, ¡°Hey, Boss Yu, are you still listening to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Yu Cheng acknowledged, knowing that he cared and was patiently listening for once. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. I thought you had hung up.¡± Cheng An knew he was a bit of a chatterbox, but he couldn¡¯t help talking on, ¡°Boss Yu, is everything going smoothly over there? Is there anything that a brother can help you with?¡± Yu Cheng said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve lost my tickets and money. Send me some over, and I¡¯ll give you the address. But don¡¯t tell my dad about this, I¡¯ll pay you back when I return.¡± He didn¡¯t trust Cheng An¡¯s loose lips, so he made a point of warning him. ¡°Big guy, are you mocking me or what? With our relationship, why even talk about paying back or not,¡± Cheng An said, pretending to be upset because Yu Cheng was treating him like an outsider. ¡°I¡¯m not treating you like an outsider; it¡¯s just that Brother doesn¡¯t lack these little things. Send them as soon as you can. I¡¯m busy with something here and will call you later.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send it first thing tomorrow morning.¡± After ending the call, Yu Cheng saw the little girl standing by the counter and walked over to ask, ¡°See anything you like? I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Clearly, his mood was quite good after the call. ¡°I didn¡¯t find anything,¡± Jiang Mianmian shook her head, as she was just looking around Even though she said that, Yu Cheng still bought her a stick of candied hawthorn fruit. ¡°Thank you, Brother Yu,¡± Jiang Mianmian said thanks, accepting the candied hawthorn fruit with a voice both soft and sweet. Then she bit into a piece, her eyes curving in bliss, finding the sour and sweet treat extremely delicious. Seeing her face light up with happiness from eating a candied hawthorn fruit, Yu Cheng curiously asked, ¡°Is it really that tasty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious! Brother Yu, do you want to try some?¡± Jiang Mianmian offered the candied hawthorn fruit politely, knowing it had been bought with his money. But that was just a courtesy; after all, Yu Cheng looking like a young master used to a life of luxury, probably wouldn¡¯t fancy these street snacks. Yu Cheng initially wasn¡¯t fond of such things, but noticing her insincerity, his mischievous streak kicked in. ¡°Alright, let me try,¡± Yu Cheng said, and then leaned down to bite into one. Not expecting him to actually eat it, Jiang Mianmian was momentarily stunned, then somewhat distressedly asked, ¡°How is it? Tasty, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yu Cheng chewed a couple of times, finding it just okay, but deliberately looked at the half-stick remaining in her hand and said, ¡°Hmm, tasty.¡± Jiang Mianmian: ¡°¡­Then have another piece?¡± A stick of candied hawthorn fruit only had four pieces, and she already got two for free, which was a gain in itself. Yu Cheng immediately smiled and said, ¡°Just teasing you, I don¡¯t like it. You eat.¡± After teasing the little girl, Yu Cheng used the remaining money to buy three pounds of pork. Having stayed at the Jiang family¡¯s house for so long without paying, now that he had some money, he of course wanted to buy something to repay the favor. When Cheng An sent over the tickets and money he had asked for, he gave it all to Uncle Jiang¡¯s family. Having bought the meat, Yu Cheng then said to Jiang Mianmian, ¡°Little Lamb, I¡¯m going to sell melon seeds later; I¡¯ll drop you off at Old Man Zheng¡¯s place first. Wait for me there, and I¡¯ll come to pick you up after I¡¯ve finished selling.¡± Nibbling on her candied hawthorn fruit, Jiang Mianmian said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to Uncle Zheng¡¯s house. I¡¯ll go sell melon seeds with you.¡± Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Everyone Says Its Good When the Object Eats Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Everyone Says It¡¯s Good When the Object Eats Seeing she didn¡¯t want to go, Yu Cheng didn¡¯t insist, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go then. The movie is about to start.¡± The two headed to the cinema and again went to the place where they had sold sunflower seeds before. While Yu Cheng was opening the bag of seeds, having gained some experience, Jiang Mianmian quickly started calling out to the passersby, ¡°Sunflower seeds for sale, fresh roasted tasty and affordable sunflower seeds, even your partners will love them!¡± Yu Cheng found it amusing, the little girl was quite cunning; he didn¡¯t know where she had learned that from. Several couples came over to ask about the price upon hearing her, and upon hearing that it wasn¡¯t expensive, almost all of them bought a bowl. Seeing others eating, the rest of the people also wanted some and the crowd buying the seeds became incessant. With the crowd growing, the two divided the work, Yu Cheng scooped the seeds, and Jiang Mianmian was in charge of collecting the money. At one point, a young man, seeing Jiang Mianmian was young and thinking she would be easy to fool, took a bowl of seeds and, after pretending to search his pockets, turned to leave. But Jiang Mianmian was watching closely; she remembered clearly who had paid and who had not, and who took the seeds without paying. Seeing the young man walking away with the seeds, she hurriedly called out to him, ¡°Hey, the big brother in the gray jacket, you forgot to pay!¡± Being young with a crisp voice, as soon as she spoke, everyone around buying seeds heard her. The young man, looking at her innocent and youthful face, smiled awkwardly, ¡°Sorry, the movie is about to start, I was in a hurry and forgot to pay. Here, little sister, here¡¯s the money.¡± Jiang Mianmian took the dime handed over by the young man, smiling brightly at him, ¡°I knew big brother just forgot. A dime isn¡¯t much, you wouldn¡¯t intentionally not pay, right, big brother?¡± ¡°Of course not, hehe, well, I should head in now,¡± the young man said, and dashed off into the cinema as if chased by a dog. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï But Yu Cheng said, ¡°Little Lamb, brother wants to tell you, that man was definitely trying to get away without paying. If you hadn¡¯t called him out, he would have definitely run off.¡± He thought the little girl was too naive and if she wasn¡¯t taught about the evils of human nature, she would be easily deceived in the future. Jiang Mianmian, however, leaned close to his ear and whispered, ¡°I know, but it¡¯s okay as long as we got the money back, and there¡¯s no need to offend him. If we had confronted him, and he had reported us in retaliation, wouldn¡¯t that have been a big loss?¡± Looking at her earnest little expression, Yu Cheng raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you, young as you are, to think so much.¡± Jiang Mianmian¡¯s expression became even more serious, and she pompously said, ¡°I learned it all from my dad. My dad says when doing business outside, the more friends you have, the better. It¡¯s best not to offend people unless absolutely necessary.¡± Seeing that such a tiny girl was acting like a little adult, Yu Cheng felt like laughing but also found it somewhat adorable. After selling all the seeds, fearing Uncle Jiang would not find them later, Yu Cheng didn¡¯t wander off but it was very cold outside, so he directly led Jiang Mianmian into the cinema. ¡°Little Lamb, Uncle Jiang and the others won¡¯t be back for a while, let¡¯s wait inside for them,¡± he said. ¡°Mhm,¡± Jiang Mianmian, with her nose turning red from the cold outside, would certainly not refuse a warm place to stay. And they had just made a few dozen dollars from selling the seeds! Since they entered late, the front rows were all full, only the last two rows had empty seats. Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 143 The Surveillance Team Comes to Arrest People Chapter 143: Chapter 143 The Surveillance Team Comes to Arrest People But Jiang Mianmian was small, and when she sat down, she was much shorter than the people around her. So, Yu Cheng directly stretched out his hand and lifted her onto his lap. ¡°Ah, what are you doing?¡± Jiang Mianmian, suddenly picked up, was startled. Yu Cheng was very calm, ¡°You were completely blocked by the people in front of you. Sitting there, you couldn¡¯t see anything.¡± Jiang Mianmian felt a bit awkward; after all, she was an adult on the inside, and sitting on the lap of a young man felt somewhat embarrassing. However, Yu Cheng¡¯s body temperature was much higher than hers, and sitting on him, her whole body felt warm. She looked up at Yu Cheng and saw his indifferent expression, which made her think she was probably overthinking it. After all, her current shell was just an eight-year-old child, and he surely was just treating her like a little sister and looking after her. With that thought, she also felt calm. After watching the movie, it was already past eight. After a short wait, Jiang Changhai and Su Wanyu came back, evidently in high spirits. It was clear from their looks that they must have sold all their sunflower seeds, and the family happily returned home. After calculating the day¡¯s earnings, Su Wanyu, divided the money, excitedly exclaimed, ¡°The sunflower seeds sold so well, we can fry more tomorrow.¡± Even after deducting costs and splitting with Yu Cheng, she still had nearly seventy dollars in her hand! But Yu Cheng did not agree with her idea, ¡°We can fry more for the next town, but we should fry less for our own town. We¡¯ve been selling there for two days already, and if nothing unexpected happens, someone will start copying us and sell sunflower seeds tomorrow.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï He had thought that people would have started selling tonight, but it seemed the locals here were not as bold as those from the Capital City, likely still in observation tonight. However, now that it was confirmed that selling sunflower seeds was profitable and no one was apprehended, surely others would start competing tomorrow. Hearing this, Jiang Changhai frowned skeptically, ¡°Buddy Yu, it can¡¯t be that quick, right? It¡¯s only been two days.¡± ¡°Yeah, Yu Cheng, I also think it won¡¯t be this quick. We sold so well today; if we prepare less tomorrow and run out, we¡¯ll really regret it.¡± The taste of success had given Su Wanyu an unusual boost of enthusiasm, especially since a day¡¯s earning from selling sunflower seeds was nearly more than what they made in a year working in the fields. However, Jiang Mianmian took Yu Cheng¡¯s side, ¡°Dad, Mom, I think Brother Yu is right. Now that our sales are hot, people will definitely be jealous and start selling too. Today, while selling sunflower seeds, I noticed several people watching us for quite a while.¡± Yu Cheng felt she was very insightful for supporting his idea and helping convince her parents. Also, the feeling of being admired and trusted felt quite good. Seeing both children say this, Jiang Changhai thought about it and decided to trust his daughter and Yu Cheng¡¯s judgment. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go with what you two suggest!¡± His daughter had always been his lucky star, bringing him good fortune every time. Yu Cheng was a well-experienced city kid, and his opinions definitely held some merit. * That evening, when Yu Cheng and Jiang Mianmian arrived at the movie theater, they indeed saw others selling sunflower seeds, and not just one seller. Fortunately, they were mentally prepared for this, so seeing the other sellers didn¡¯t upset them too much. However, selling the sunflower seeds tonight proved difficult, as even after the movie had started for several minutes, they hadn¡¯t sold all of their twenty pounds of seeds and still had quite a few left. Just then, suddenly, someone yelled, ¡°Inspectors are coming to arrest people!!!¡± Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 144: A Little Money-grubber Chapter 144: Chapter 144: A Little Money-grubber The person selling sunflower seeds at the movie theater entrance heard this and immediately picked up the bag of seeds and ran without daring to look back, fearful of being caught by the surveillance team and thrown into a big jail. Yu Cheng didn¡¯t even bother to take the seeds; he simply grabbed Jiang Mianmian and tucked her under his arm before taking off at a sprint. Although Yu Cheng ran swiftly, Jiang Mianmian knew her own weight was definitely a burden for him, so she said, ¡°Brother Yu, put me down, you can¡¯t run fast with me. If the people from the surveillance team catch up, neither of us will be able to escape, and besides, they probably won¡¯t give a child like me a hard time.¡± Because she was being squeezed, her voice came out in fits and starts. When Yu Cheng heard Jiang Mianmian¡¯s words, he didn¡¯t reply; he simply started running faster than before. Soon, Yu Cheng had shaken off the surveillance team and found a hidden place to put Jiang Mianmian down. Leaning against the wall, Yu Cheng slowly caught his breath; in fact, such exercise was barely anything to him. It was only because he was holding onto Jiang Mianmian that he was worried she would run out of breath if they took too long. Jiang Mianmian felt quite uncomfortable being clamped and running the entire way. Now, with her feet firmly on the ground, she straightened up and stretched her body. Only then did Yu Cheng notice the bag of sunflower seeds that Jiang Mianmian was clutching tightly in her arms and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Little Lamb, you¡¯re quite the little miser, huh? You still didn¡¯t forget to take the seeds even at a time like this.¡± Jiang Mianmian looked up at him seriously and said, ¡°Brother Yu, it¡¯s not easy making a bit of money selling sunflower seeds in the dead of winter outside, with so many seeds, we can¡¯t just throw them away.¡± Yu Cheng remembered how hoarse Jiang Mianmian¡¯s voice was after shouting to sell seeds on their first day, and today they were chased by the surveillance team; indeed, it had not been easy. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Yeah, it is not easy,¡± he agreed. The two hid in the alley for a while, waiting until things outside had calmed down before heading back to the movie theater. Jiang Mianmian, seeing the empty scene outside the movie theater, whispered, ¡°I wonder who reported us to the authorities, that was really close.¡± Yu Cheng wasn¡¯t surprised in the least, ¡°Although selling seeds is a small business, anyone with a mind to calculate can see the profit is substantial, so it¡¯s not strange that someone would be envious and report us.¡± Jiang Mianmian was well aware of this and wasn¡¯t angered, instead sighing with a touch of indignation, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s all poverty¡¯s fault.¡± When her parents returned, Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t bring up the matter of being reported. ¡°There were quite a few sellers at the movie theater today, Brother Yu and I didn¡¯t sell all our seeds.¡± Jiang Changhai, although regretful that such a profitable exclusive business lasted only three days, was always broad-minded, but Su Wanyu wore a look of disappointment; she had finally prepared to make a big move only for it to end prematurely. In the evening, when they all returned home, they took out the money they had made in the past two days, subtracted the costs, and Jiang Changhai handed Yu Cheng¡¯s share to him. They had earned over two hundred yuan selling seeds in three days; after deducting the costs, he had about one hundred yuan in his hand now, which should be enough. ¡°Uncle Jiang, now that others have started selling seeds as well, we won¡¯t make much more if we continue. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth wasting time to earn this bit of hard-earned money,¡± suggested Yu Cheng, leaving it to them to decide. Jiang Changhai had been making big money recently, and he had begun to lose interest in such small amounts. ¡°Alright, then we won¡¯t sell tomorrow. We¡¯ll just eat the remaining seeds ourselves,¡± he decided. Su Wanyu, though reluctant to let go of the money, was lazy; a small sum like that wasn¡¯t enough motivation for her, so she had no objections. Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Standard of a Son-in-law Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Standard of a Son-in-law ¡°Uncle Jiang, let¡¯s go find my uncle tomorrow,¡± Yu Cheng said, looking at Jiang Changhai. ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll go early tomorrow,¡± Jiang Changhai patted his shoulder and readily agreed. He now had a particularly good impression of Yu Cheng, not only because he was good-looking and strong, capable of enduring hardship, but he was also sharp-witted. He was planning to find a son-in-law for his daughter someday, and he would use the same criteria as for Yu Cheng! Of course, he had never considered Yu Cheng for that role, since he was from the Capital City, with a well-off family, surely not eager to come to the countryside to be a live-in son-in-law! Jiang Changhai saw that the light was still on in his mother¡¯s room, so he took a small bag, filled it with two pounds of sunflower seeds, and went to the main house. ¡°Eldest, why are you coming over so late, is there something wrong?¡± Zhang Guihua asked, wrapped in her clothes, sitting on the kang bed as she looked at her eldest son who had just entered. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here to honor you. I did a small favor for a friend today, and he gave me two pounds of sunflower seeds as thanks; it¡¯s all here, and it¡¯s all for you,¡± Jiang Changhai said with a grin. ¡°Still remember to bring good things for your mother, I didn¡¯t dote on you for nothing,¡± Zhang Guihua said with a chuckle as she took the sunflower seeds and, after grabbing a handful, locked the rest straight into the cabinet above the kang bed. Seeing this, Jiang Changhai reminded her, ¡°Mom, be careful not to let the sunflower seeds get damp; they won¡¯t taste good if they do.¡± ¡°I know, I know, it¡¯s late, go back to sleep,¡± said Zhang Guihua. After speaking, she split the sunflower seeds in her hand, giving half back to Jiang Changhai. * After breakfast the next day, Jiang Changhai thought he had to tell his parents that he would take Yu Cheng to find his uncle soon. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï ¡°Dad, Mom, I found out where Central China Farm is yesterday, so I¡¯ll take Yu Cheng to find his uncle in a bit.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua¡¯s face lit up with joy, ¡°Go ahead, Yu Cheng has stayed with us for so long, his uncle must be missing him too. Send him over early; the reunion of nephew and uncle is also a joyous occasion.¡± Oh Lord, surely you¡¯ve heard her prayers, she could finally send off this little master who could eat so much! Otherwise, their family¡¯s grain supply wouldn¡¯t last until the end-of-year distribution. Jiang Dashan nodded and looked at Yu Cheng, ¡°Kid, feel free to come over whenever you have time. Grandpa¡¯s house is always welcoming you.¡± Since the guest was from Capital City, building a good relationship could benefit his own grandchildren in the future. ¡°I will. Grandpa, Grandma, thank you all for taking care of me during this time,¡± Uncle and Aunties, Yu Cheng said politely and formally, clearly not as close to the other members of the Jiang family as he was to the main branch. The Jiang family¡¯s children were all very reluctant to see Yu Cheng leave. They had played together for so many days and regarded him as an older brother, and besides, he was good at every game. But they knew that Yu Cheng was here to find relatives and was just staying at their home temporarily; he couldn¡¯t stay here forever. When Jiang Changhai and Yu Cheng left the house, the kids even escorted them out of the village. Jiang Changhai joked when he saw this, ¡°Buddy Yu, I didn¡¯t realize you were so popular, considering how quiet you usually are; you don¡¯t talk much. Seeing how reluctant my kids are to let you go, it¡¯s like I¡¯m the bad guy here.¡± Yu Cheng looked back at the children following behind him and waved to Jiang Mianmian, ¡°Little Lamb, come here.¡± ¡°Why are you calling me? You¡¯re about to leave, and I¡¯m not going to fuss over you calling me like a pet,¡± Jiang Mianmian replied. Yu Cheng raised an eyebrow, ¡°Seeing that glum look on your face, could it be you¡¯re sad that Brother Yu is leaving?¡± Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Swap Brother for Sister Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Swap Brother for Sister Seeing him teasing her again, Jiang Mianmian really wanted to say she wasn¡¯t. But they had spent so much time together, playing in the snow, selling sunflower seeds, watching movies, and even being chased by the patrol team. She had even gotten used to Yu Cheng being by her side, and now that he was suddenly leaving, she truly felt reluctant to part with him. Moreover, in this era, unlike future generations with mobile phones and various social media apps that allow constant contact, once they parted, they might never see each other again. So Yu Cheng saw her fair little face change expressions several times, and finally, pinching a tiny bit of her fingertip, she said, ¡°I¡¯m only this little bit reluctant to let you go.¡± Yu Cheng¡¯s eyes showed a smile as he tousled her hair and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Brother will come back to see you.¡± He really liked this little girl who was sometimes quiet and well-behaved, and sometimes lively and clever. If it were possible, he would trade his idiotic younger brother to have her as his sister. ¡°Hmm.¡± * Jiang Mianmian had thought that after Yu Cheng left this time, it would be a while before they saw each other again. But to her surprise, Yu Cheng returned with her father in the afternoon. However, compared to his joyful anticipation when he left in the morning, his mood now was visibly downcast and gloomy. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 What happened? Could it be that he didn¡¯t find his uncle? Thinking this, she asked aloud, ¡°Brother Yu, did you not find your uncle?¡± Yu Cheng pursed his lips, his face expressionless as he said, ¡°I found him.¡± Then why the long face? Seeing his cold and displeased expression, obviously in a bad mood, Jiang Mianmian did not pursue the matter further. Back home, Yu Cheng entered the house and isolated himself without saying a word. In the courtyard, Zhang Guihua was grabbing her eldest son¡¯s arm, lowering her voice to ask, ¡°Eldest, weren¡¯t you going to find his uncle? Why has he come back?¡± Jiang Changhai also spoke softly, ¡°Mom, because of some reasons, Yu Cheng needs to stay at our house for a few more days.¡± Zhang Guihua immediately felt a darkness before her eyes. Stay a few more days?! If he stayed a few more days, their whole family wouldn¡¯t have enough to eat! ¡°No, our family can¡¯t afford this young master.¡± Zhang Guihua lifted her foot and headed towards the main room. Jiang Changhai quickly grabbed his mother and took out the money and Industrial Coupons from his pocket, ¡°Mom, look, this is the fifty yuan and Industrial Coupons that Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle gave me, thanking me for saving Yu Cheng.¡± Actually, Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle had given two hundred yuan, but that was for a life he had risked his own to save. He didn¡¯t want to give the money to his mom for her to secretly subsidize the Third Branch. Seeing the money and Industrial Coupons, Zhang Guihua¡¯s face instantly changed, her smile beaming, ¡°Oh, Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle really is a grateful person, and it wasn¡¯t in vain that Changhai you went into the icy river in the dead of winter to save someone.¡± As she said this, she reached out to take the money and coupons from Jiang Changhai¡¯s hands, but unexpectedly grabbed at air. Jiang Changhai only wanted to prevent his mother from driving Yu Cheng away, but he hadn¡¯t intended to give her all the money. Not getting the money, Zhang Guihua¡¯s face turned ugly again, ¡°Eldest, what do you mean by this?¡± ¡°Mom, you just said it yourself, this is a thank-you for me jumping into the icy river to save someone. So, I¡¯m keeping forty yuan, and the remaining ten yuan is to show my respect to you and dad,¡± Jiang Changhai said as he counted out ten yuan and handed it to his mom. Before Zhang Guihua could speak, Sun Lixia at the side sarcastically said, ¡°Big brother, no offense, but it¡¯s only fifty yuan in total, and you¡¯re just giving Mom ten yuan, that¡¯s pretty stingy. Not to mention, Yu Cheng has eaten how much of our food these past few days, this ten yuan isn¡¯t even enough to buy food.¡± Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Closer Than a Grandson Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Closer Than a Grandson When she first saw the money and coupons in Jiang Changhai¡¯s hands, she was so jealous that her eyes turned red. He even had coupons for bicycles, watches, and sewing machines! Anyone who could provide these scarce industrial coupons must be no ordinary person! Thinking of this, she once again regretted why it wasn¡¯t her family who had saved Yu Cheng. Then, all that fifty yuan and the coupons would have been theirs! Forget the money for now, even those few industrial coupons could be exchanged for at least a hundred or two hundred yuan. Since she couldn¡¯t get the money into her own hands, she thought the eldest should give the money to their parents for the whole family to spend together! Hearing this, Jiang Changhai rolled his eyes at her and said, ¡°Sun Lixia, have you lost your mind? Do you not know how much food this ten yuan can buy? How much food could Yu Cheng eat in the few days he stays with us? If you think I¡¯m stingy, why don¡¯t you let Changtao jump into the river and save someone, then give all the thank-you gifts to mom?¡± How could Sun Lixia not know how much food costs these days? She was just looking for an excuse to make the eldest hand over all the money to the old lady. Besides, if she could just randomly fish a person out of the river, especially a young master from the Capital City who could offer so much money as a thank-you gift, she would have done it long ago! ¡°Eldest, I don¡¯t agree with what Laosan¡¯s Wife said, and neither should you. You eat and drink at home all the time, why keep so much money for yourself?¡± Zhang Guihua said while glaring at Jiang Mianmian and Su Wanyu, her mother and daughter. She knew well enough that if she couldn¡¯t get the money now, the eldest would eventually squander it all on them. Jiang Changhai had anticipated his mother¡¯s reaction and calmly said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll use the money and the industrial coupons to buy a sewing machine from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative for our home, does that settle it?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? ¡°A sewing machine? Can you really get one?¡± Zhang Guihua asked in surprise. No wonder she asked; the supply of sewing machines at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative was limited, only a few each year. Sometimes, even with money and industrial coupons, people might not be able to get one. Many families planning to buy a sewing machine for a wedding had to pre-order and then wait in line for several months. Puffing out his chest, Jiang Changhai confidently promised, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about others, but I¡¯m certain I can get one. Though, right now, I first need to¡± ¡°Oh, that would be wonderful! If you really manage to bring a sewing machine home, I won¡¯t ask for the money,¡± said Zhang Guihua. Her mind had already calculated the costs: a sewing machine needed industrial coupons and also cost quite a bit of money. After buying it, there wouldn¡¯t be much left of the eldest¡¯s money. With the accounts settled, she looked at the ten yuan in her hand with a delighted expression and said cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯ll cook some extra rice tonight, steam some egg custard, and cut some cured meat to stir-fry with bamboo shoots. Our home might not have many fancy things, but we sure can feast!¡± At dinner, they treated Yu Cheng with utmost warmth. They placed the best dishes in front of him, showing a face of kindness and gentleness, even more so than to their own grandsons. ¡°You must be tired from being out all day. Eat more. This cured meat was specially fried for you by Grandma Jiang, and it¡¯s really delicious!¡± However, Yu Cheng, unusually, ate only one bowl of rice, then excused himself and left alone. A long while after the meal, there was still no sign of him returning, and no one knew where he had gone. Having exhausted himself today, Jiang Changhai went back to his room after dinner and lay down on the kang: ¡°Wife, can you massage my legs? I¡¯ve been walking all day and they¡¯re sore.¡± Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 148: If Theres a Stepmom, Theres a Stepdad Chapter 148: Chapter 148: If There¡¯s a Stepmom, There¡¯s a Stepdad ¡°Okay.¡± As Su Wanyu massaged his legs, she asked, ¡°What happened, Dad? Didn¡¯t he go to find his uncle? Why did he come back?¡± She also noticed that Yu Cheng was in a bad mood, knowing that the boy usually could eat three or four bowls of rice per meal. Once Jiang Changhai heard this, he perked up a bit and started complaining, ¡°Oh, you have no idea, Central China Farm is so remote! It¡¯s located deep in the recesses of the mountains, and not only does it take three to four hours to get there, we almost went in the wrong direction! If we hadn¡¯t later met a local who helped guide us, we probably would¡¯ve never found the place.¡± ¡°That remote!¡± Showing surprise, Su Wanyu wondered why Yu Cheng, a person from the Capital, would have such distant relatives. But since it was someone else¡¯s family matter, she didn¡¯t ask. Understanding the historical context, Jiang Mianmian formed a guess in her mind. If that was the case, Yu Cheng must have been really upset. ¡°Indeed, and the conditions there are very poor, they have nothing! Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle is so thin, he looks like a pole, and he even has a lame leg. Despite his poor living conditions, you can tell from the way he speaks and conducts himself that he¡¯s a highly educated intellectual¡ªhis demeanor is no less than any leader in our town.¡± After finishing, Jiang Changhai suddenly smiled mysteriously at the two of them and pulled out a thick stack of cash and tickets from another pocket: ¡°Look, what¡¯s this?¡± Su Wanyu immediately sat up, excitedly asking, ¡°Brother Hai, where did this money come from?¡± Jiang Changhai boasted proudly, ¡°This was all given by Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle, a whole two hundred yuan!¡± Then he sighed, ¡°You didn¡¯t see how Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle was living, his cotton coat is riddled with several holes. Yet, when he heard I had rescued Yu Cheng from the river, he didn¡¯t hesitate for a second before he took out all his belongings to thank me.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu, looking at the money in her hand, suddenly wasn¡¯t as excited as before. Jiang Changhai continued, ¡°Yu Cheng has also had a tough life. From their conversation, it seems that when Yu Cheng was very young, his Biological mother passed away and he had to struggle under his step-mother¡¯s care.¡± Hearing this, Su Wanyu could hardly believe it. Yu Cheng didn¡¯t seem like a child who had been mistreated by a step-mother! His mannerisms and the sophistication he displayed from a young age were clearly those of a child brought up in wealth. However, being a parent herself, she soon understood, any smart step-mother wouldn¡¯t overtly skimp on food or clothing. ¡°It¡¯s said where there¡¯s a step-mother, there¡¯s a step-father. A child¡¯s cold and reserved nature, surely, must be because he doesn¡¯t receive parental love, leading to such behavior.¡± Jiang Mianmian, who had been silently listening, pursed her lips, reflecting on her own past life. Her own parents had divorced when she was very young, and both quickly formed new families. From then on, wherever she was, she always felt like the odd one out. She no longer had parents of her own! Although they had left her plenty of real estate, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t worry about food or drink, the loneliness in her heart had always accompanied her. It was only when she found herself here, with loving parents, that she felt the long-absent warmth of family love, which filled her once lonely heart. So relating deeply to Yu Cheng¡¯s situation, she jumped down from the Kang: ¡°I¡¯ll go call him back inside.¡± Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 149 Hes Too Useless Chapter 149: Chapter 149 He¡¯s Too Useless Jiang Changhai and Su Wanyu didn¡¯t stop her, ¡°Put on some clothes, it¡¯s cold outside, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Jiang Mianmian obediently took out her thick cotton-padded coat and put it on, even donning a hat. She liked and enjoyed her parents¡¯ care for her. After thinking for a while, Su Wanyu added, ¡°Mianmian, when you see Yu Cheng, don¡¯t mention this matter, and don¡¯t feel that he pities you. Just interact with him as usual.¡± Although they hadn¡¯t spent much time together, it was clear that the child had strong self-esteem. ¡°Okay, I know,¡± Jiang Mianmian nodded. She, too, didn¡¯t like the gaze of sympathy and pity from others. After searching around the yard twice and not finding Yu Cheng, Jiang Mianmian began to worry. It was easy to catch a cold if one stayed out in the cold weather for too long. Yu Cheng only knew their family here. Not being at his own home, where could he go? At that very moment, Yu Cheng was actually less than three meters away from her, sitting on a haystack at the Jiang family¡¯s, thinking about his uncle. His uncle used to be a spirited and talented prodigy, completely unlike the desolate and haggard figure he had seen on the farm today. This made Yu Cheng¡¯s heart ache; on his mother¡¯s side, he only had this one relative left. Back then, his maternal grandparents were falsely accused and framed by a villain. Upon hearing the news, his mother worried incessantly about her family. Due to prolonged distress, his mother had a premature and difficult birth, leading to both her and the infant¡¯s death. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? When his grandfather learned that his most beloved daughter had died in childbirth, he was overwhelmed with grief and soon followed her in death, leaving only his uncle behind. But he was only four years old at the time and couldn¡¯t do anything! Over the years, he still felt just as useless, having spent considerable effort just to find out news of his uncle. After finally locating his uncle, he was unable to persuade him to return home with him, nor did he have the power to vindicate his maternal grandparents. He truly felt so useless! Engulfed in sadness and self-blame, Yu Cheng fell into a deep well of negative emotions. Just then, Jiang Mianmian, dressed up like a little pink dumpling, came out of the house and walked around under his gaze, looking left and right. Was she looking for him? Then, Yu Cheng, with his keen hearing developed from early exercise, heard her murmur to herself, ¡°Where has that guy Yu Cheng run off to? He couldn¡¯t have really gone out, could he?¡± But he just wanted to be alone and silent at the moment, not responding to her. After all, if she couldn¡¯t find him in the yard, the girl would obediently go back inside. Thinking this, Yu Cheng saw Jiang Mianmian suddenly leave the courtyard, apparently intending to go outside to look for him. She hadn¡¯t even brought a scarf. If the girl went out and spent a while in the cold wind, she¡¯d surely come back with a runny nose. So Yu Cheng couldn¡¯t afford to stay quiet any longer. He deliberately made a few movements in the haystack, rustling to attract her attention. Jiang Mianmian, who was heading outside, heard the noise and looked over, her eyes lighting up instantly, ¡°Brother Yu, how did you get up there?¡± No wonder she couldn¡¯t find anyone; he was sitting on top of a haystack. Since the Jiang family was large, they would prepare a lot of firewood each winter. The haystack where Yu Cheng sat was conservatively two meters high, so she had passed by twice without noticing him. ¡°The house is warm; I came out for some air,¡± Yu Cheng said with an unchanging expression, giving an excuse no one would believe. Seeing his slightly reddened eyes, Jiang Mianmian didn¡¯t expose him, ¡°Are you cool enough now? Spending too much time in the cold wind outside can cause a cold, and if you catch a cold, you¡¯ll have to take shots and bitter medicine.¡± Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Gradually Warming Heart Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Gradually Warming Heart Yu Cheng dismissed the notion, ¡°I¡¯m in good health, definitely not as frail as you, little girl.¡± Though he spoke dismissively, he stood up and easily leaped down from the two-meter-high haystack, landing solidly and steadily on the ground. Jiang Mianmian watched his suave and agile movements, then glanced at the tall haystack and finally at his long legs, feeling an intense envy in her heart. She too wanted a pair of such long legs! Seeing her gaze fixed on him, Yu Cheng felt flattered by her admiration and lightly patted her hat, ¡°Let¡¯s go, inside.¡± Once inside, Jiang Mianmian immediately shed her bulky cotton-padded jacket and flopped down onto the kang bed like a bird returning to its nest, sighing with a face full of bliss, ¡°So comfortable~¡± Yu Cheng also laid down in silence next to her, and the warm breath instantly enveloped his cold body. Jiang Changhai and Su Wanyu just glanced over before returning to their conversation, ¡°Brother Hai, are you really going to buy a sewing machine for the house?¡± Even the cheapest sewing machine cost over a hundred yuan, and only the village chief¡¯s family in their village had one. Leaning against the wall, Jiang Changhai spoke with laid-back confidence, ¡°Didn¡¯t I secretly bring one back before? Since that thing isn¡¯t used much throughout the year, we might as well just use it to make up the numbers.¡± The sewing machine he had purchased had only been used twice in these few months and was now collecting dust under the bed. ¡°Brother Hai, you¡¯re really clever, now we can use the sewing machine openly and honestly!¡± Su Wanyu, hearing that they wouldn¡¯t have to spend extra money and could legitimize the sewing machine, immediately hugged Jiang Changhai and gave him a kiss in her excitement. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï After the kiss, she remembered Yu Cheng was still there and, feeling embarrassed, tried to pull away, only to be embraced tightly by Jiang Changhai. Unfazed by any embarrassment and with his wife and daughter in his arms, he spoke with great magnanimity, ¡°Wife, daughter, our family has money now. Tell me whatever you want, and I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Su Wanyu cast aside her shyness and eagerly said, ¡°Brother Hai, let¡¯s buy a flashlight. Mom¡¯s reluctant to buy kerosene for the oil lamp. She only gives us a little each month; it¡¯s never enough. And for Mianmian, who reads books, the light from the flashlight would be much clearer.¡± Jiang Mianmian also clambered up from the kang bed, batting her big eyes coquettishly, ¡°Dad, buy another can of milk essence too, we¡¯re about to finish the one at home.¡± Jiang Changhai grandly waved his hand, ¡°Buy, buy everything! Next time I go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, I¡¯ll buy it all for you, and I¡¯ll also get a few pounds of snacks for you to stave off the hunger.¡± ¡°Heehee, Dad, you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Brother Hai, don¡¯t just think about us two, buy something for yourself too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything; if you all buy it, that¡¯s good enough.¡± Listening to the laughter and banter of the family of three, Yu Cheng¡¯s cold heart gradually warmed up along with his body. But he still had his uncle¡¯s leg injury on his mind, so after breakfast the next day, he headed to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. He dialed the familiar phone number, waiting for the other side to pick up, and soon the call was answered by a gentle female voice, ¡°Hello, this is Yu Residence, may I ask who you¡¯re looking for?¡± Yu Cheng, ¡°Aunt Sun, it¡¯s me.¡± The gentle voice instantly became excited, ¡°Is that you, young master? Where have you been all this time? Elder Yu has been so worried.¡± ¡°Aunt Sun, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. Is Grandpa at home?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, just a moment¡­¡± Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Uncle Came to Find You Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Uncle Came to Find You Soon, Yu Cheng heard his grandfather¡¯s voice, ¡°You finally decided to call home?¡± Although the old man¡¯s sternness was as unwavering as ever, Yu Cheng knew that his grandfather always cared for him and he bowed his head voluntarily and asked, ¡°Grandfather, how is your health?¡± The old man replied robustly, ¡°I¡¯m very well, don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t let your running away from home upset me.¡± Yu Cheng felt relieved and after a silence of two seconds, he suddenly admitted his fault, ¡°Grandfather, running away from home was my mistake, I apologize to you.¡± Upon hearing this, the old man, without hesitation, asked, ¡°What happened? Have you run into some trouble?¡± The old man knew his grandson the best. He wouldn¡¯t think leaving home was a mistake, and admitting to it out of the ordinary meant he surely needed something. Yu Cheng¡¯s grip on the phone tightened and he steadies his voice, ¡°I found uncle, his leg is injured, and I would like to ask you to have him transferred back to Capital Military Hospital for treatment. Once I¡¯m back, whatever punishment or penalty you impose, I¡¯ll accept it. Is that acceptable?¡± It took a while before the other side coolly replied, ¡°It can be done.¡± Then, the authoritative tone softened with concern, ¡°How about you? Are you alright there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me, Grandfather¡­¡± Yu Cheng simply recounted everything that had happened during this time to his grandfather. Even though his father had always ignored him and his stepmother and half-brother were always giving him trouble, his grandfather had always been good to him. Having been away from home for so long, he found himself worrying about his grandfather as well. The two chatted for a good while longer before ending the call. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 By making this call home, his stepmother and biological father naturally learned of his whereabouts, and his stepmother immediately made a call to a distant relative on her side of the family. * In the afternoon, as there was not much to do in the fields during the deep winter, the Jiang family members were all resting in their own houses. Zhang Guihua had just woken up when she heard someone outside calling loudly for her, ¡°Guihua, come out quick, you have guests!¡± ¡°Coming, coming,¡± Zhang Guihua mumbled as she walked outside, wondering which relatives might be visiting. But upon stepping out, she was stunned, ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± The man at the forefront looked to be in his thirties, with slicked-back hair, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, radiating an aura of leadership. He was pushing a bicycle with high-end gift boxes of various sizes hanging from the handlebar. Behind him followed a dozen or so villagers. The sight left her somewhat baffled, ¡°Comrade, who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for Yu Cheng,¡± the man scanned her with a glance, his attitude quite haughty. Hearing that he was looking for Yu Cheng and seeing the many items he held, Zhang Guihua¡¯s eyes lit up. Could it be this was Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle, coming to thank her family for saving Yu Cheng¡¯s life? With this thought, Zhang Guihua suddenly became enthusiastic, ¡°Oh, you must be Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he replied. However, the man was rather aloof, and asked with a condescending tone, ¡°Is Yu Cheng here?¡± In reality, he was just a distant cousin of Yu Cheng¡¯s stepmother, but he could pass as an ¡°uncle¡± to Yu Cheng, even though he didn¡¯t particularly like this nephew who vied for inheritance with his cousin¡¯s son. His visit today was on direct orders from his cousin, to ¡°properly¡± thank Yu Cheng¡¯s life-saver. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s here, I¡¯ll call him out for you,¡± she said, nodding like pounding garlic, and turning her head towards the house she shouted, ¡°Yu Cheng, your uncle is here looking for you.¡± Inside the house, Jiang Mianmian turned instinctively towards Yu Cheng when she heard this; wasn¡¯t his uncle supposed to have a lame leg? Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 152: The Director of the Clothing Factory Chapter 152: Chapter 152: The Director of the Clothing Factory Central China Farm was so far away, how had he managed to come here? Yu Cheng also frowned; he obviously didn¡¯t expect his uncle to come looking for him, but he still got up to go outside. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we should also go out and see,¡± Jiang Changhai pulled his wife and daughter along with him. The second and third branch of the Jiang Family also came out of their rooms, eager to join in on the excitement. Seizing the moment, Zhang Guihua was establishing relations with the man, her face full of smiles as she asked, ¡°Comrade, how may I address you?¡± The man lifted his chin arrogantly and said, ¡°My surname is Zhou, I¡¯m the director of our county¡¯s clothing factory, you can just call me Director Zhou.¡± These rural folks, who had never seen much of the world, were not worthy of calling him by his first name. Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua¡¯s mouth instantly formed an ¡°O¡± shape in surprise, ¡°You are the leader of the clothing factory?!¡± The people around them were also shocked: My goodness, he was actually the director of the county clothing factory! In the eyes of these rural people, being a worker in a factory was already impressive, let alone meeting someone who managed the workers! And he was even a leader from the county! The crowd felt both honored and excited, wondering if their children could work in the clothing factory if they contacted him. Thus, they all started chanting, ¡°Director Zhou, hello,¡± ¡°Director Zhou, hello.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï The man thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being admired and respected, his chin almost reaching the sky. At this moment, Yu Cheng, who had come out, said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t know this man.¡± ¡°What? He¡¯s not your uncle?¡± Upon hearing Director Zhou was not Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle, Zhang Guihua immediately looked sympathetically at what he was holding. If Director Zhou wasn¡¯t Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle, wouldn¡¯t that mean these things wouldn¡¯t be given to her family now?! ¡°You are Yu Cheng?¡± Director Zhou was surprised to see Yu Cheng, wondering how he had grown so tall? He had heard from his cousin that Yu Cheng was only twelve this year; he thought he would be a small child easy to manipulate. Who would have thought he would be such a tall and imposing youth, emitting an aura that typically only his superiors possessed? Seeing he didn¡¯t recognize Yu Cheng, Jiang Changhai immediately shouted: ¡°I¡¯ve seen Yu Cheng¡¯s uncle, and you are definitely not him!¡± Upon hearing this, the looks from the crowd towards Director Zhou instantly turned skeptical. Why would this man pretend to be someone else¡¯s uncle? Director Zhou hurriedly said, ¡°I really am his uncle!¡± Jiang Changhai assertively said, ¡°What kind of uncle doesn¡¯t recognize his own nephew? I think you¡¯re just a fraudster!¡± When Jiang Mianmian heard that the man might be a trafficker, she instinctively stood in front of Yu Cheng. ¡°What proof do you have that you are Brother Yu¡¯s uncle?¡± She completely forgot that she was just an eight-year-old little girl, hardly taller than Yu Cheng¡¯s thigh. Yet, looking at her fluffy head, Yu Cheng felt a warm sensation in his heart. ¡°Alright, daring to kidnap people in our village! Get out quickly, or we will beat you to a pulp!¡± The hot-blooded youngsters in the village were eager to kick him out. Director Zhou became desperate: ¡°I really am your uncle, I am your mother Zhou Yan¡¯s cousin, she asked me to come here to thank the family that saved you.¡± Jiang Mianmian and her parents: So he is a relative from Brother Yu¡¯s stepmother¡¯s side, no wonder he looks so unremarkable and despised. The rest of the Jiang Family, however, were confused¡ªstepmother, biological mother, what? Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Here for Revenge Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Here for Revenge ¡°My mom died early. And my mom only had one brother, not any other damned cousins,¡± Yu Cheng said with a cold tone brimming with disgust. ¡°Hey, how can you talk like that, kid?! I¡¯m your stepmother¡¯s cousin, by relation you should at least call me ¡®Uncle¡¯.¡± Although Zhou Min was angry, he didn¡¯t want the Jiang family members to mistake him for a swindler, get beaten up and kicked out, so he suppressed his discontent and said, ¡°You ran away from home for so long, she couldn¡¯t sleep at night because she was worried about you every day. Today, as soon as she got news about you, she immediately sent me over with a bunch of thank-you gifts to express gratitude to the Jiang family.¡± When the others heard his explanation and looked at the pile of gifts he brought, they immediately believed him. ¡°Yu Cheng, a stepmother is still a mother after all¡ª¡± Someone tried to play up to Director Zhou and smooth things over but was unceremoniously cut off by Jiang Changhai, ¡°Auntie, you can shut up now. It¡¯s none of your business to worry about other people¡¯s family matters.¡± Su Wanyu also said softly, ¡°Every household has its own difficulties, it¡¯s better for us outsiders not to speak without understanding the situation.¡± Jiang Mianmian, taking advantage of her status as a child, naively said, ¡°This uncle seems really fierce, he won¡¯t secretly hit Brother Yu, will he?¡± Director Zhou: ¡­What the hell, are these people blind and deaf?! Clearly it¡¯s that little brat who is cursing at him! Yu Cheng, however, took pleasure in the situation and said to Director Zhou with a very cold demeanor, ¡°Not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can be considered my uncle. You came to say thanks, right? Fine, leave the stuff and scram.¡± Director Zhou¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at Yu Cheng, astonished that he would be so brazen in front of so many people, not giving his cousin any respect at all! Seeing that he was so angry his face turned green, Zhang Guihua worried he might just pick up his stuff and leave, leaving her with a hollow joy. So she quickly stepped forward to mediate, ¡°Director Zhou, let¡¯s talk over any issues indoors.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Jiang Dashan also said slowly, ¡°Everyone, please come inside and take a seat. Second brother¡¯s wife, go make a pot of tea in the kitchen.¡± ¡°No, no, we¡¯ll be leaving after we have brought the person here, we still have work to do.¡± A village elder, who was both sensible and authoritative, waved his hand and led the onlookers away. Director Zhou really did want to storm off, as ever since he became the director of the clothing factory and with the name of being related to the Yu Family, it had been a long time since anyone had dared to make him uncomfortable. But remembering that he hadn¡¯t yet completed the task his cousin had given him, he could only suppress his anger and walk into the main house of the Jiang family. Seeing this, Zhang Guihua and Sun Lixia immediately walked over with big smiles, picking up the things from the bike and carrying them inside. Wrapped so stylishly and upscale, one could tell at a glance that they were quality items! ¡°Please take a seat. The house is quite simple; I hope Director Zhou won¡¯t mind,¡± said Jiang Dashan, who didn¡¯t have a high opinion of Director Zhou, but still spoke politely. After all, he was the director of the county clothing factory; you couldn¡¯t afford to offend such a person. Director Zhou glanced around the room and commented disdainfully, ¡°It really is quite simple.¡± The smile on Jiang Dashan¡¯s face instantly stiffened; he hadn¡¯t expected the man to be so rude. He didn¡¯t seem like he was here to express thanks at all, but rather like he was here to pick a fight. ¡°Here, Director Zhou, please have some tea,¡± said Sun Lixia, acting as if she hadn¡¯t heard his rude remark, her face full of earnestness as she presented the warm tea to Director Zhou. Ever since she entered the room, she had been busily cleaning tables and chairs, and serving tea and water, extremely attentive. But Jiang Changhai, who was short-tempered, directly snapped, ¡°If you want to stay, then stay; if not, then get the hell out. Who do you think is begging you to sit down?¡± Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Pouring Tea as an Apology Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Pouring Tea as an Apology Director Zhou¡¯s face grew even darker as he questioned them in a condescending tone, ¡°Is this how you people in the countryside treat guests?¡± He had always been flattered and pleased by others; when had anyone ever spoken to him this way?! Just within ten minutes of arriving at the Jiang Family¡¯s home, he had been verbally abused by two people, and it was enough to make smoke come out of his seven orifices. But Jiang Changhai was not intimidated by his stern look, and with raised eyebrows, he boldly responded, ¡°We country folks welcome guests who come to our door, not those who come to stir up trouble!¡± Well said! Jiang Mianmian silently clapped her hands in her heart, thinking her dad was utterly domineering at that moment. Flushed with anger, Director Zhou retorted, ¡°I am the director of the county¡¯s garment factory. By disrespecting me like this, I will report this matter to your town¡¯s leaders!¡± Hearing this, Zhang Guihua instantly became nervous and quickly said, ¡°Director Zhou, please don¡¯t be angry. My eldest son has always been a troublemaker, and he never went to school. Please don¡¯t stoop to his level.¡± She was terrified that he would actually go and complain, especially since her eldest son was known for being lazy and cunning, with plenty of misdeeds to his name. The couple from the second room also looked panicked, while also feeling a bit resentful towards their older brother for not controlling his temper in front of an official. Seeing how afraid they were, Director Zhou arrogantly said, ¡°I¡¯ll overlook it if he apologizes and serves me tea, and then¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Yu Cheng coldly interrupted him, ¡°Stop putting on airs, nothing more than a sack of rice and wine bags who climbed up by connections.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Director Zhou glared at him furiously. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 ¡°I said you are a useless person who climbed up by connections. Without that woman¡¯s coattail relationships, a fool like you would never become a director,¡± Yu Cheng slowly repeated with a tone and look of disdain and arrogance. Director Zhou was itching with rage as he had indeed climbed from a regular worker to director through his cousin¡¯s influence. But nobody dared to tear down his fa?ade to his face, except for this young rascal before him! And to make matters worse, his surname was Yu, from the prestigious Yu Family, so Director Zhou couldn¡¯t touch him at all! Grinding his teeth, Director Zhou said, ¡°Yu Cheng, don¡¯t go too far! Remember, I am still your elder.¡± Yu Cheng sneered, ¡°An elder? Go ask that woman if you qualify.¡± Seeing what Zhou Min was up to that day, he immediately understood the motives behind his stepmother¡¯s actions. Anyone so willingly cooperating with his stepmother wasn¡¯t likely to be a good person either. ¡°You, you¡­¡± Zhou Min, unable to hit or scold the esteemed young master, was almost unable to catch his breath. ¡°I won¡¯t stoop to arguing with an ignorant child like you.¡± Taking a deep breath to suppress his anger, he pointed at a pile of high-end gift boxes on the table and said to the Jiang family members, ¡°All these are gifts of thanks from my cousin.¡± At this, Zhang Guihua¡¯s face instantly lit up like a blooming chrysanthemum, and she offered a polite response, ¡°Oh my, how could we accept all this?¡± But her eyes were firmly glued to the items on the table, and she was internally overjoyed! Her eldest son had really outdone himself in value this time! The others also turned their gaze toward the gifts, marveling at such luxurious and fashionable items they were seeing for the first time. Jiang Mianmian¡¯s eyes sparkled: She thought she saw chocolate! Seeing their awe, Director Zhou¡¯s eyes held a hint of contempt: ¡°Besides these items, there¡¯s also five hundred yuan.¡± Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Humiliation with Money Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Humiliation with Money This sentence struck like a thunderclap in the heads of the Jiang family members, ¡°What? There¡¯s another five hundred yuan?!¡± A group of people all simultaneously turned their gazes again, looking at Director Zhou take out a leather pouch from his briefcase, and after opening it, revealing two thick stacks of ten-yuan notes inside! ¡°Gulp!¡± Zhang Guihua couldn¡¯t help swallowing her saliva. Changhai hadn¡¯t just saved a person; it was as if he had rescued a golden baby! Jiang Changhai was also somewhat dumbfounded; he originally thought that the two hundred yuan and Industrial Coupons Uncle Yu Cheng gave him were already quite generous, never expecting the bulk would come afterward. The couples from the second and third branches had eyes that seemed to have stopped moving, only fixated on the money in Zhou Min¡¯s hand, as they had never seen so much money in their lifetimes! Even the ordinarily composed Jiang Dashan found his breathing become irregular at the sight of so much money. On the contrary, Jiang Mianmian and the other children didn¡¯t feel too much; the former, after all, used to have tens of millions in her card, a little rich girl, and the latter were too young to fully understand the concept of money. Indeed, they were a bunch of country bumpkins who had never seen the world; they were stunned by five hundred yuan! Zhou Min observed everyone¡¯s reactions from the Jiang family, and the disdain and arrogance on his face grew more intense, saying pompously, ¡°This five hundred yuan is a reward for saving Yu Cheng. I¡¯ll count it for you right here, and after this, we¡¯ll be even. 1, 2, 3¡­¡± Seeing that he was really starting to count the bills one by one before slapping them on the table as if bestowing charity, Yu Cheng suddenly clenched his fists, growling in a fierce voice, ¡°Get lost!!¡± He knew that woman wanted to use money to humiliate the Jiang family members, make them feel awkward and embarrassed, and to sever ties with him completely, perhaps even regretting saving him. And by giving out so much money, she could also earn a good reputation for caring deeply for her stepson. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï This was that woman¡¯s usual tactic, and yet his dad was blind and gullible, only seeing the facade she put on, never willing to believe his own son! Seeing him clenching his fists with a face full of grimness and hostility, Director Zhou hurriedly stepped back two paces: ¡°What¡­ what do you want to do?¡± His cousin had warned him; this little creature had been training in boxing at a training base since he was young, capable of knocking down an adult with a single punch. The Jiang family members were also startled, and several children showed expressions of fear; their big brother looked so fierce and scary! Resentment raged in Yu Cheng¡¯s chest; he really wanted to hit someone, when a pair of warm, large hands gently landed on his shoulder. ¡°Buddy Yu, let him count carefully. If even one bill is missing, he¡¯ll have to reimburse us,¡± Uncle Jiang¡¯s tone was as nonchalant as ever. At the same time, a pair of soft, warm, small hands quietly held his ice-cold fingers, the big eyes looking towards him filled with concern and worry. It was Little Lamb. Aunt Wan also spoke softly, ¡°Yu Cheng, come, sit down and have some water. Standing is so tiring.¡± Without any comforting or advising, they magically smoothened the anger and violence in Yu Cheng¡¯s heart, who ended up sitting on a stool, holding Little Lamb¡¯s hand, and taking a sip of warm tea. Seeing how easily he was pacified, Director Zhou thought that this little creature wasn¡¯t as difficult to deal with as his cousin had said, at most like a dog cub that could only howl. So he cleared his throat, pretending he hadn¡¯t been scared, and continued counting the money, ¡°4, 5, 6¡­ 49, 50. Five hundred yuan, not a penny less, you all saw it clearly, right?¡± ¡°Saw it clearly, saw it clearly,¡± Zhang Guihua nodded like pounding garlic, not minding even if it was really short by two or three notes.