《Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Back to Thirteen Years Old ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Back to Thirteen Years Old Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Back to Thirteen Years Old Chiang Xiao had another nightmare, dreaming of those in white coats pouncing on her like starving wolves upon a little lamb, their faces filled with viciousness. In panic and fear, she struggled desperately, retreating step by step. Then, someone pushed her violently, and she fell from the ninth floor, her brain splattering and her body a twisted, bloody mess. That was her, her thirty-year-old self. With such a brutal death, she ended a life of being deceived, used, framed, harming others and herself, living like a fool. Unable to help herself, Chiang Xiao burst into tears. She hated, hated those people, but hated her own stupidity even more. The plain printed door curtain was hurriedly flung open, and someone strode in, repeatedly asking, ¡°Little, what¡¯s wrong, what¡¯s wrong? Did you have a nightmare again?¡± Chiang Xiao felt her flailing hands being grasped by another¡¯s, hands bearing calluses yet incredibly warm. She opened her eyes, blurred with tears, and saw a familiar face fraught with concern and heartache. Thin eyebrows, long eyes, and ear-length short hair held by three black hairpins, her eyes always seemed to bear a touch of subtle sorrow. Tremblingly, Chiang Xiao called out, ¡°Grandma?¡± Grandma sat down by the bed, looking at her with tenderness, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Grandma is here. Go back to sleep, my little girl.¡± What¡¯s going on? Hadn¡¯t Grandma died of a heart attack at the end of that summer when she was thirteen? At that moment, Chiang Xiao looked at her own hands. They were slender, with pearly white skin, so delicate that veins could be seen, and there were some dark traces under her fingernails, seeming a bit dirty. No matter what, these couldn¡¯t be the hands that had later drawn such beautiful paintings, these were the hands from her memory. Chiang Xiao was dazed. Hadn¡¯t she already died? Fallen from the ninth floor, her body mangled beyond recognition, how could she still be alive? ¡°Grandma,¡± she mumbled, her voice hoarse, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you first after dying. Grandma, my death was so ugly, but thankfully, I didn¡¯t come to see you looking like that; it would have scared you to death.¡± At these words, Grandma Chiang Ge Liutao was startled, fear filling her eyes as she watched Chiang Xiao fall back into a deep sleep, her heart pounding with anxiety. She sat for a while longer, then tucked Chiang Xiao¡¯s hands under the blanket and quietly slipped out. The Chiang family had three rooms, one main hall, and stepping out of the main hall, there was a not-so-large courtyard with walls 1.2 meters high made of yellow earth. The courtyard was squarely shaped, with the gate facing directly opposite the main hall. On the left was a wampee tree, surrounded by slabs of stone, and in the corner lay a pile of neatly chopped firewood. On the right, a chicken coop had been built. That side of the courtyard wall was shared with the Old Chiang family. Grandpa Chiang¡¯s eldest brother and his family lived next door. It was early afternoon, and Chiang Xiao¡¯s grandfather, Chiang Songhai, was squatting in the courtyard, turning over the medicinal herbs to continue drying them under the sun. Early spring, the sun was not too harsh, and these herbs had only about two hours at midday for drying. If they rotted, they wouldn¡¯t fetch any money. Ge Liutao stood under the eaves of the main hall and softly called out to him. ¡°Uncle Hai, come here quick.¡± Here, the ranking of succession was recited, ¡°Yi Hua Shan Bo Guo Shu,¡± and in the village, Chiang Songhai was of significant standing, part of the Hua (»ª) generation. Many older than him had to call him uncle. Ge Liutao was of a younger generation, part of the Bo (²®) generation, and had called him Uncle Hai even before they were married. The name stuck even after marriage and remained unchanged with age. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡± Chiang Songhai didn¡¯t even turn his head, continuing with his work. ¡°Little¡­¡± The moment he heard ¡®Little,¡¯ Chiang Songhai stood up immediately and turned towards the house, asking anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Little? Fever again? I¡¯ll go check.¡± Ge Liutao pulled him back, glanced over at the neighbors, and asked in a low voice, ¡°The elders say there¡¯s a ghost down by the stream, is it true?¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Songhai was taken aback, and replied irritably, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Chapter 2 - 2 2 Compensation ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Compensation Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Compensation Their generation had lived through those turbulent years, when even mentioning feudal superstition would invite disaster, so a sense of fear still lingered in their hearts. Even though it was already the 1980s. Ge Liutao thought of what Chiang Xiao had just said and felt a chill in her limbs. ¡°Little just woke up and said something that scared me to death.¡± ¡°What did Little say? Did she tell you who pushed her into the creek?¡± Chiang Songhai frowned heavily, ¡°We can¡¯t let this matter go.¡± Chiang Xiao had always been frail; that someone could be so cruel to push her into the creek was unthinkable. In this weather, the mountain water was still bone-chillingly cold. After Chiang Xiao was rescued, she developed a high fever, which had lasted for two days now. Chiang Songhai had been waiting for her to regain consciousness and reveal who had pushed her into the creek, ready to go to that person¡¯s house and settle the score. He was convinced that his child wouldn¡¯t be so careless, still out playing at dusk, especially since Little had always been afraid of water and wouldn¡¯t get close to the creek. ¡°No! She wasn¡¯t fully awake, just mumbling something,¡± Ge Liutao repeated what Chiang Xiao had said, stammering with fear. But at least Chiang Songhai heard it clearly. He frowned as well. No wonder his wife was scared; indeed, the words spoken were very eerie. However, one shouldn¡¯t become paranoid over a single sentence. ¡°It¡¯s just a nightmare she had; don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± he said. Ge Liutao wanted to say something else, she opened her mouth, but upon seeing her husband¡¯s gaunt face and his worried brows, she ultimately didn¡¯t say anything more. She sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go brew another bowl of medicine for her.¡± When Chiang Xiao awoke again, it was already dusk. She smelled the fragrance of food and her stomach growled loudly. It was this very real hunger that made her unable to continue treating all of this as just a dream. She was lying in an old-fashioned canopy bed, with four pillars at the corners supporting four beams, and railings on three sides adorned with paintings symbolizing wealth and good fortune. Above her, the bed curtains, which were not let down, were hooked up on either side with two golden iron hooks. Turning her head to look outside the bed, there were the concrete walls, the concrete floor, the tiled roof, the raw tree trunks that made up the horizontal beams, and the dusty bare light bulb hanging down from one of the beams¡­ A large calendar poster was stuck on the wall, featuring a beautiful stage actress in a red dance costume, cradling a pipa in her arms, exuding a strong sense of nostalgia. Chiang Xiao caught sight of the numbers beneath the poster. 1980. Chiang Xiao felt her whole body break out in goosebumps. She couldn¡¯t help but pinch her own face sharply. ¡°Ouch!¡± The pain made her scrunch up her face. She looked at her slender hand, unable to believe she had returned to being thirteen years old. Returned to her home in Siyang Village. Chiang Xiao covered her eyes with her hands as tears once again overflowed. That¡¯s when she heard voices coming from outside. ¡°Aunt Tao, hasn¡¯t that girl Chiang Xiao gotten up yet? Tsk tsk, she really lives like a pampered young lady! I¡¯ll call her up!¡± The voice of her grandmother quickly followed: ¡°Guiying, don¡¯t go in there; our Little is still running a fever!¡± It seemed as though she had been held back, as the voice of the visitor became annoyed. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Running a fever, what fever? I¡¯m just asking a question! How did Da Ni¡¯s clothes get torn? I need to get to the bottom of this! It was no easy task to obtain that dacron fabric, and I spent several nights by candlelight sewing that new dress! Da Ni said it was Chiang Xiao who tore it, you owe us compensation!¡± Chapter 3 - 3 3 Distorting Facts ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Distorting Facts Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Distorting Facts ¡°How could Little Little tear Da Ni¡¯s clothes? They were indeed very sturdy; Little Little couldn¡¯t possibly have torn them.¡± Upon hearing this voice, Chiang Xiao¡¯s tears once again surged out. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± The one who loved her the most in this world, who treated her the best, was her grandpa. Yet she had believed the words of that bastard Uncle Deng Qingjiang, thinking it was grandpa who drove her dad away, forced her mom to leave Siyang Village without a trace, leaving her to become a poor creature abandoned by her parents. Later, under the incitement of Deng Qingjiang and others, she almost completely severed her relationship with her grandpa. Not long before she died, she found out that when grandpa was critically ill, he had been calling out her nickname all along, yet that day she hung up the hospital¡¯s phone call without listening to the end, letting grandpa pass away with regrets. Thinking of this, Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but slap herself. With this slap, she wanted to awaken herself. In this life, she must ensure her grandparents were well and lived long lives. ¡°Uncle Songhai, that¡¯s a funny thing for you to say. You don¡¯t know how fierce Chiang Xiao, that wretched girl, can be. She¡¯s only docile in front of you, right? It¡¯s also because she has no father or mother, probably doesn¡¯t have many thoughts, and doesn¡¯t even know if she¡¯ll have food to eat¡­¡± Outside there was a sharp slap. But the loud-voiced woman¡¯s words were just interrupted for a moment before she raised her voice again and started shouting, ¡°Uncle Songhai, what¡¯s the big deal about slapping the table? Am I wrong? That wretched girl Chiang Xiao fell into the creek, and Da Ni kindly tried to pull her out, but she ended up tearing Da Ni¡¯s clothes! This is biting the hand that feeds her! I don¡¯t care; you¡¯ve got to compensate for the clothes, whether you like it or not!¡± Her loud voice completely drowned out grandma¡¯s voice, preventing Chiang Xiao from hearing clearly what else they were saying. But she had already remembered. The woman with the formidable fighting spirit was named Guiying, a neighbor, and wife to Ding Daqiang from the Ding Family. The Chiang Family¡¯s house was less than thirty meters from the Ding Family¡¯s. The Da Ni she mentioned was their eldest daughter, the same age as Chiang Xiao, and they had always been classmates. Only now did Chiang Xiao remember when this was and what had happened. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Indeed, it could be said that this incident was a fuse for the tragedy of her life. Because of it, she saw the evil side of the villagers, developed an extreme hatred for the village, and that¡¯s why she was so eager to leave the mountain village for the big city later on. That year, she was pushed into the creek by Ding Dani, where the water was deep and icy. After being rescued, she had a persistent fever. Febrile and confused, she did not know that after Ding Dani went home, she told her parents that she saw Chiang Xiao accidentally fall into the creek and hurried to rescue her, only to get her clothes torn in the process. In recent years, durable Poplin had become popular throughout the country. Owning a sturdy poplin shirt was a matter of pride, and it was said that many people in town were already wearing them, but in this poor and backward mountain village, only a few people could afford them, countable on one hand. Ding Dani had a cousin in town who brought her some fabric, from which she made a shirt. That day was the first time she wore the shirt to show off to Chiang Xiao. About how the clothes got torn, they were indeed torn by Chiang Xiao! Ding Dani was really good at distorting the truth. At that time, she violently pushed Chiang Xiao, and in the moment of nearly falling into the creek, Chiang Xiao instinctively grabbed her clothes and ripped the shirt with a tearing sound. Chapter 4 - 4 4 Harassing and Entangling ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Harassing and Entangling Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Harassing and Entangling In her previous life, Guiying had caused trouble several times, but at that time, Chiang Xiao was so delirious with fever that she hadn¡¯t paid any attention to it. By the time she had recovered, her grandparents had already been hounded into submission. They had compensated the Ding Family with a piece of fine cloth and had also given away a basket of saved-up chicken eggs. At the same time, a rumor about her was spreading like wildfire. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just thinking about that gossip and what followed, Chiang Xiao felt a rage boiling inside her. She propped herself up, got out of bed, and walked towards the door. At this moment, another person entered the Chiang Family¡¯s main hall¡ªit was Song Xiyun, the daughter-in-law of Chiang Songhai¡¯s nephew, from the neighboring Old Chiang Family. As soon as she stepped in, she glanced around and then her eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Oh, I was wondering, Sister Guiying, what brings you here? Shouldn¡¯t you be cooking by now? Da Qiang might be getting impatient for his meal when he comes back from the fields.¡± Village meal times are early, with dinner preparations typically starting around five o¡¯clock. Song Xiyun had a habit of being lazy and often came by around this time to visit, meanwhile checking out what her second uncle and aunt were having. If there was something tasty, she¡¯d find a way to scrounge some for herself. Her mother-in-law knew about her habit and chose to turn a blind eye. ¡°None of your damned business!¡± Guiying, already fuming, rolled her eyes and retaliated mercilessly. What did it matter to Song Xiyun whether her man had his dinner or not? Song Xiyun pursed her lips but didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, her eyes roamed around before she headed to the stove area. ¡°Auntie, let me check on the fire for you.¡± Ge Liutao was too busy to pay attention to her, seeing that Guiying was about to barge into Chiang Xiao¡¯s inner room, she quickly blocked her path again. ¡°Guiying, whatever the issue is, let¡¯s wait until Little is better, shall we?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Guiying¡¯s eyes bulged with anger. She pushed with her hand. ¡°It¡¯s been two days already, who knows how long that damned girl will lie there? I am telling you, don¡¯t think you can escape compensation by feigning illness! My Da Ni has to go to town the day after tomorrow, and she needs that new dress!¡± She was robust with considerable strength, and with that push, Ge Liutao stumbled backward. Chiang Songhai was quick to catch her, breaking into a cold sweat. A fall like that could lead to a nasty injury¡ªit wasn¡¯t a joking matter. He lashed out at Guiying, ¡°Hey, Da Qiang¡¯s wife, talk things out. Why resort to pushing around?¡± ¡°What¡¯s stopping her?¡± Guiying, who was feeling a bit guilty, realized that the woman had been caught and hadn¡¯t actually fallen, and her confidence surged again. She puffed out her chest and challenged Chiang Songhai, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try pushing back?¡± She began wailing, ¡°I want everyone to see just how heartless the Chiang Family is! My Da Ni kindly went to save someone, her clothes got torn to shreds, and the Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady refuses to compensate while pretending to be sick! Had I known, I would have told my Da Ni not to bother and let her get dragged away by the Water Ghost in the stream¡­¡± These last words struck a nerve in Chiang Songhai, and he immediately raised his hand, teeth clenched, ready to slap her. That was cursing his daughter to drown! As Guiying saw him raise his hand, she immediately pushed her chest forward aggressively, still berating, ¡°What, you want to hit me now? I¡¯ve laid down the gauntlet today; we¡¯re far from done if you don¡¯t compensate for my family¡¯s clothing! You want to get physical, do you? Come on then, come on! Hit me!¡± Given her natural endowment, particularly her ample bosom, with such a posture it seemed almost as though she was offering herself up to Chiang Songhai¡¯s hands. Song Xiyun, who had just lifted the lid off the pot, turned her head at the commotion and said, ¡°Second uncle, you can¡¯t hit her. A man who hits a woman will be spat upon and drowned by the villagers!¡± Chiang Xiao caught sight of Guiying, chin lifted in brazen defiance, approaching her grandfather, whose face was flushed with anger, as he was tightly held back by her grandmother, just as she was lifting the door curtain. Chiang Xiao felt a surge of emotion, and with a burst of energy, she charged at Guiying, ramming her shoulder hard against Guiying¡¯s bulging chest. Chapter 5 - 5 5 Splashing Dirty Water ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Splashing Dirty Water Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Splashing Dirty Water Guiying suffered from premenstrual pain, her chest swelling and aching unbearably in the days leading up to her period. She never kept this private, often discussing it openly with the neighborhood women while chatting in the alleyways. Chiang Xiao remembered that now were those few days. Because a few days later Guiying had shamelessly used her period to disgust Chiang Songhai in the most vile way. Chiang Xiao¡¯s bump was delivered with vicious intent. Guiying screamed in pain, her face twisted with agony as she clutched her chest, nearly unable to stand upright. Sucking in breaths, her voice quivered, ¡°Chiang Xiao, you, you dog spawn raised without parents¡­¡± Such words were truly venomous when directed at a thirteen-year-old girl. If Ge Liutao hadn¡¯t been holding him back, Chiang Songhai really would have lost control and struck her. His daughter Little appeared stubborn, but she was incredibly sensitive at heart. She couldn¡¯t bear to hear someone say she lacked parents, and yet Guiying purposely jabbed at her sorest spot! Chiang Songhai was worried that Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t handle hearing such words, but then he saw her grab a nearby broom and strike Guiying with it again. ¡°My parents will come back sooner or later, and if they know how you cursed me, they¡¯d surely tear your filthy mouth apart and dunk you in a cesspit, to match the stench of your mouth! It¡¯s Ding Dani from your family who¡¯s the dog spawn, with a heart so black it¡¯s charred, and you still have the audacity to come to my place asking for compensation? I¡¯m going to sue her! Ding Dani pushed me into the creek, that¡¯s attempted murder! How could some ordinary cloth suffice as compensation? I want her to soak in the water for half an hour, to suffer with burns for days! Otherwise, I won¡¯t let this pass, neither with her nor with your family!¡± Still feverish, Chiang Xiao¡¯s complexion was flushed. She cursed while gasping for air, yet her words stunned the few people inside the house. Guiying, while fending off the blows and dodging, seized the broom after hearing Chiang Xiao¡¯s retort, glaring at her with fiery eyes. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? How could Da Ni push you down? She was trying to save you! You little wretch, how dare you slander my Da Ni¡­¡± ¡°Let Ding Dani confront me! We¡¯ll take it to Secretary Uncle! If she doesn¡¯t dare to go, it means she has a guilty conscience!¡± Chiang Xiao declared loudly, staring back at Guiying with eyes just as fiery. To go to Secretary¡¯s place? The Secretary of Siyang Village, Yao Jubin, was a man who could not tolerate even a speck of sand in his eyes and he loathed anyone who disturbed the peace and unity of Siyang Village. Moreover, he was known for his fairness, and everyone in the village was rather intimidated by him. Guiying and her husband Ding Daqiang had previously gotten into fights with others and were on Secretary Yao¡¯s blacklist, deserving closer observation. He held high expectations for the village youths, demanding much from them, especially those in middle and high school. To his eyes, they were the seeds that could bring honor to Siyang Village. Should any of them stray from studying well, they would inevitably receive a severe scolding from him. During meetings, he would even call out individuals for criticism, scolding with a face as stern as Justice Bao. Therefore, these children feared him the most, referring to him behind his back as Black Yao. The moment Guihua heard Chiang Xiao suggest going to Secretary Yao, she instinctively believed her a little, immediately feeling conflicted. Could it really be that Da Ni pushed her? No, she had to go home and ask that wretched girl properly. Though doubt had crept into her mind, she still yelled fiercely, ¡°How busy do you think Secretary Yao is? Do you think you can bother him with just any little issue? Do you intend to go there and play the victim? I¡¯ll tell you, Chiang Xiao, I¡¯ve seen how you latch onto Desheng¡¯s hand, sobbing, then you make Desheng buy you treats! And Old Li from the front alley, every time you go to buy soy sauce, you smile like a blooming flower. Old Li, who has been widowed and yearning for years, has had his soul bewitched by you. Either he pours you an extra spoonful of soy sauce or he gives you a couple of sweets, hoping with these trifles to coax you into letting him touch your body to satisfy his cravings. Pah! They¡¯ve all been fooled by your little act, but you can¡¯t fool me!¡± Chapter 6 - 6 6 A Different Person ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6 A Different Person Chapter 6: Chapter 6 A Different Person What kind of nonsense is this? Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were so angry they could barely catch their breath. The child is only thirteen years old¡ªthis is slinging mud at her! How despicable are these words! Who is Old Li from the front alley? A widower in his forties, his wife died over ten years ago and he has no children. Nearly as old as Chiang Songhai, Guihua truly lacks morals, how dark must one¡¯s heart be to sling such mud on a thirteen-year-old child? As for Desheng, he is the son of the village¡¯s charming widow, three years her senior, and looks like his handsome mother. Even though he is just a sixteen-year-old boy, he is very good-looking, and many young girls in the village blush when they see him. By the words of Guiying, is Chiang Xiao hooking up both the young and the old? ¡°Guiying, you¡¯re going too far!¡± Ge Liutao is usually gentle and soft-spoken, unused to confrontation, and those harsh words from Guiying made her chest feel tight, squeezing out just this one sentence. Chiang Songhai raised his hand but ultimately did not dare to slap her. Against someone like Guiying who throws tantrums and acts maliciously, what can an older man do to her? Could he really lay a hand on her? Chiang Xiao, seeing her grandparents so infuriated their faces turned crimson, felt even more resentful and, gripping the broom tightly, jumped up furiously to hit Guiying¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to spew filth! I¡¯ll teach you to sully my reputation with rumors and speculations!¡± Guiying, clutching her head, hopped around on one foot. Previously, Chiang Xiao, considering herself educated, had always carried herself with a certain dignity, as if she looked down on these villagers as being beneath her. And now, she¡¯s acting like a common shrew! Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be sick and burning up with fever? Yet she still has enough energy to hit people! Chiang Xiao gritted her teeth, yelling, ¡°Grandma, go bring some boiling water, I want to douse this foul woman who tarnished my reputation!¡± What? To douse with boiling water? Seeing her like this, she seems truly capable of dousing her with boiling water! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Guiying was genuinely frightened and darted toward the door to run outside. ¡°You just wait! I¡¯ll get Da Qiang from my house! If you don¡¯t compensate me for my innocence, this isn¡¯t over!¡± Her shouts carried a tone mixed with bluster and a hidden panic. No sooner had she crossed the threshold than Chiang Xiao fiercely threw the broom at her, brushing past her body to slam onto the ground, making Guiying scream in shock and run faster than ever. Song Xiyun had watched the entire scene unfold, and was astounded. Was Chiang Xiao ever like this? Chiang Xiao, who did well in school and read many books, always believed she would eventually get into university, leave the poor mountain village behind, and become an urbanite, a cultured person. She, therefore, always carried herself with a certain aloofness towards her fellow villagers. Usually, even helping Chiang Songhai a little with the herbs was something she was reluctant to do, though she had no choice but to comply. Song Xiyun had once seen Chiang Xiao¡¯s nails stained with medicine that she couldn¡¯t immediately wash off, and noticed her sitting quietly under the tree in the courtyard, silently shedding tears for a long time. Furthermore, with her naturally fair skin, she didn¡¯t resemble the other village kids or women who were all tanned and rough; she was beautiful, with big watery eyes and a small mouth red and pouty, and she spoke in a gentle, whispered tone, pampered by Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao like a delicate little lady. In Song Xiyun¡¯s opinion, which other child in the village was as delicate as Chiang Xiao? Feeding chickens and pigs, chopping wood, planting vegetables, carrying water, cooking, cleaning the house, washing clothes¡ªwhat girl her age in the village hadn¡¯t done these things? So it¡¯s clear, Chiang Xiao usually behaved just like a dainty little miss from the city. But just now, Chiang Xiao seemed like a completely different person! Not only did she lash out at Guiying, wielding a broom to strike, she even said she¡¯d douse that foul woman with boiling water, and used such foul language as ¡®spewing filth¡¯? When had the Chiang Xiao of the past ever said such things? Chapter 7 - 7 7 Stealing White Sugar ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Stealing White Sugar Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Stealing White Sugar ¡°Ah, my dear Second Uncle and Aunt, what¡¯s the matter with Chiang Xiao? Should we ask the Buddha for a look?¡± Song Xiyun grew more and more uneasy as she thought about it, standing at a distance, casting a suspicious glance at Chiang Xiao continuously. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Chiang Songhai was already seething with anger, and hearing her say this, his face darkened further. Song Xiyun pursed her lips and said, ¡°Second Uncle, I¡¯m only thinking of Little Little¡¯s well-being! The creek Little Little fell into is no ordinary stream, it¡¯s that one at the foot of the mountain! Second Uncle, have you forgotten how many people that creek has drowned?¡± When it comes to Siyang Village, there are indeed a few places that the villagers unanimously stay away from, one of them being Bai Gu Mountain to the west, and also the Nameless Creek at the base of the mountain. Though it¡¯s called a creek, in reality, that waterway is quite significant, and the water is pretty deep, too. Apart from the Water Ghost that the older generation whispers about in secret, in truth, Nameless Creek has indeed claimed the lives of several people in the past two decades. That¡¯s also why, despite the beautiful scenery and the abundant and delicious fish, few dare to approach the creek as darkness falls. It was a place the villagers avoided. Song Xiyun continued, ¡°Also, I¡¯ve heard that everyone who fell into the creek before had drowned, so why did Little Little come back to life, huh?¡± Her gaze flickered, and she shuddered, fearfully moving a few steps towards the door, and then cautiously glanced at Chiang Xiao again, saying, ¡°Second Uncle and Aunt, you really should give it some thought.¡± Chiang Xiao could tell that Song Xiyun was suspecting her of being possessed by a ghost! She let out a cold laugh and walked towards Song Xiyun. Seeing her like this, Song Xiyun truly felt scared, inching toward the door as she couldn¡¯t help but retreat, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t come any closer!¡± Chiang Xiao quickly approached her, grabbed the hand she had hidden behind her back, and with a jolt of force, pulled it to the front, hissing through clenched teeth, ¡°Song Xiyun, why don¡¯t you think carefully about whether I can let you off for coming to steal our sugar again?¡± In Song Xiyun¡¯s hand, there indeed was a small package wrapped in oil paper. This wasn¡¯t her first time doing this. White sugar was considered a luxury in poor families. Ge Liutao had placed a glass jar containing slightly yellowish white sugar on the stove. Song Xiyun couldn¡¯t possibly take the entire glass sugar jar, so each time she would bring a piece of oil paper, sneakily scoop a bit to wrap up, and quietly take it away. Ge Liutao wasn¡¯t unaware, but she always felt that they were all family, and fighting over a bit of sugar would leave no one with any dignity; she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do such a thing, so she would always pretend not to know. In the past, Chiang Xiao was also aware. She thought that fighting over a bit of sugar would seem crude. She was someone who would leave the village for the city one day and couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk too much with these people. But now, she no longer wished to endure it. Not just a small packet of sugar, even if Song Xiyun just stole a sip of soup from her family, she wouldn¡¯t bear it! After all, in her previous life, following the incident with her falling into the creek, Song Xiyun had maliciously trampled on her and her grandparents, who were already under immense pressure from gossip, adding insult to injury! If not for Song Xiyun, how could her grandparents have been forced to compensate the Ding Family with a bolt of fine cloth? For that bolt of fine cloth, how much hardship and toil did her grandfather endure? This time, she was determined to reclaim everything from them, one by one! Song Xiyun had stolen sugar numerous times, and each time no one confronted her; but this time, Chiang Xiao caught her all at once, staring at her with such a fierce look. This shocked and angered Song Xiyun. This Chiang Xiao¡ªshe really had changed! She yelled loudly and violently broke free from Chiang Xiao¡¯s grasp, hurling the white sugar package at Chiang Xiao¡¯s face. Chapter 8 - 8 8 Cant Take It Anymore ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Can¡¯t Take It Anymore Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Can¡¯t Take It Anymore Chiang Xiao thought she could dodge, but forgot she was sick with a fever, weak and powerless, so the bag of white sugar simply struck her face, scattering the oil-paper wrapper, and the sugar spilled all over the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll go home and ask Mother to call for the Fairy! Little has been possessed by the Water Ghost!¡± Song Xiyun screamed and fled. Chiang Xiao swayed and fell to the ground. ¡°Little!¡± ¡°Oh dear heavens, Little!¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were so frightened that they both rushed over and narrowly caught her. Chiang Xiao was helped back to her room and lay down on the bed once more. Ge Liutao brought in a copper basin and used a towel to wipe the white sugar off her face. As she wiped, her eyes reddened. ¡°Little, how could you fight with Guiying? And your aunt¡­ just give her the sugar if she wants it¡­¡± Chiang Xiao felt waves of dizziness. She could tell her grandmother was worried about and cared for her, fearing that she would be at a disadvantage in conflicts with them. She had always been used to enduring, but she just couldn¡¯t bear it. She definitely didn¡¯t want to repeat the same mistakes. In her past life, she endured everything, even though they were all as kind as doormat buns, soft lotus paste buns, yet wasn¡¯t the outcome still death and injury, with no one in the family ending well? Being kind didn¡¯t mean one had to be bullied. Having the chance to start over, she would not let herself or her grandparents be bullied again. She didn¡¯t regret fighting with Guiying and Song Xiyun today, but Song Xiyun¡¯s bag of sugar had awoken her to the fact that she needed to always remember she was thirteen, not thirty. Moreover, by the age of thirty in her previous life, she had been plagued with various ailments: anemia, stomach problems, malnutrition, chronic headaches, and rheumatism. What should have been a bright age was spent like an older person nearing the end of life. Her anemia had begun during these years. The house should have already had a basket of eggs saved up, which would have been perfect for nourishing her. But in her previous life, because the Old Chiang Family sided with Ding Daqiang¡¯s family in a dispute, that basket of eggs ultimately had to be compensated to Guiying, and the little money the family had saved up wasn¡¯t enough to buy even a bolt of cloth. So in the following days, her grandfather went up the mountains every day, early until late, to gather herbs, hoping to fill a sack and sell it in town for a few extra dollars. Due to excessive fatigue, on the way home after selling the herbs and buying cloth, he spaced out, twisted his ankle, and fell into a ditch, passing out. No one discovered him all night long. The grandmother had to take care of her at home and couldn¡¯t search for him alone. When they sought help from the Old Chiang Family, those people merely went around the village in a cursory search and did nothing more. The grandfather froze in the ditch all night and was not found until the next day, when someone carried him back. At that time, the family had completely run out of money, with only a little rice left and no eggs. With two sick members at home and the grandmother taking care of them while also handling all the household chores, she endured until she couldn¡¯t take the shock of the news any longer and had a heart attack. All their family¡¯s sufferings and the biggest upheaval started from that moment. Now she had been reborn at this most special and critical time, and she simply couldn¡¯t rush too much, nor could she allow history to repeat itself. No matter how angry or pained, she had to act carefully. After all, she was only thirteen years old now. ¡°Grandmother, it¡¯s not the first or second time that Song Xiyun has stolen our white sugar. If we give it to her this time, she will come to steal again,¡± Chiang Xiao said to her grandmother. Despite feeling weak, she spoke firmly, ¡°From now on, we won¡¯t give her even a grain of sugar.¡± ¡°She¡¯s your aunt¡­¡± Ge Liutao sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯ll say next door.¡± Her words had barely faded when they heard someone bellowing in the courtyard, ¡°Uncle He! Has that foolish girl Little gotten herself into some dirty trouble?¡± Chapter 9 - 9 9 Its Clear We Are Separated ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9 It¡¯s Clear We Are Separated Chapter 9: Chapter 9 It¡¯s Clear We Are Separated Ge Liutao¡¯s face turned pale in an instant, her hand unable to hold the towel, which fell to the ground. It had been many years since Chiang Xiao had heard that voice, but now, hearing it again, she still found it painfully familiar. An excruciatingly familiar kind of pain. The visitor was Ho Laidi, from the Old Chiang Family, Chiang Songhai¡¯s older sister-in-law, and Song Xiyun¡¯s mother-in-law. She was also the person from the two Chiang households whom Ge Liutao feared the most. Ho Laidi had married into the Chiang Family several years before Ge Liutao did, and as the eldest daughter-in-law, she was particularly capable. She managed the household and farm work with ease, and she could also bear children. Giving birth to a son within a year made her quite influential in the Chiang Family. When Ge Liutao married Chiang Songhai, the Chiang Family had not yet split, and due to her overly gentle nature, she was always suppressed by Ho Laidi. Although they were supposed to be sisters-in-law, Ho Laidi treated her more like a maid these past few years. Back in the day, Chiang Xiao¡¯s uncle Deng Qingjiang was abandoned outside the Chiang Family¡¯s gate. At that time, Old Master Chiang was still alive and, on a whim of compassion, fearing the child would freeze to death, he decided to take in Deng Qingjiang. Ho Laidi, having given birth to a son, was unwilling to adopt Deng Qingjiang under any circumstances, thus she forced Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao to take him in. Later, Ge Liutao bore only Chiang Xiao¡¯s mother, a daughter, and Ho Laidi taunted her daily with bitter and sarcastic comments about her inability to bear a son. This left Ge Liutao feeling deeply oppressed, making the sight of Ho Laidi instill fear in her. Chiang Songhai saw what was happening and could no longer bear it, insisting on splitting the family. That¡¯s how there came to be the Old Chiang Family and the Chiang Family. Originally, the two were one large household. When it came to dividing the property, Ho Laidi argued and fussed, arrogantly allotting them just a few old houses and a yard merely one-third the size of the Old Chiang Family¡¯s. Ho Laidi wouldn¡¯t normally visit, but whenever she did, Ge Liutao subconsciously felt as if she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°What should we do? Xiyun really did go and tell your maternal great-aunt about calling for the Fairy!¡± Ge Liutao panicked at once. Chiang Xiao struggled to sit up, saying, ¡°Grandma, do you also think I am possessed by a ghost?¡± She remembered that she had awoken in a daze before, and it seemed she had said something inappropriate, which must have frightened Grandma. But at that time, she wasn¡¯t lucid, and had thought she actually died, murmuring those words to herself. Chiang Songhai, standing by the door, furrowed his brows, ¡°Little, don¡¯t talk nonsense. You are our family¡¯s Little, isn¡¯t it so hard for us to recognize our own granddaughter?¡± Although she was a granddaughter from outside the immediate family, there was no difference in their hearts. ¡°I will go out and stop your sister-in-law. Child, you need to rest some more,¡± said Chiang Songhai as he walked out, lifting the curtain. Ge Liutao nodded quickly, gently touching her forehead and said, ¡°You are our Little.¡± Chiang Xiao leaned her head on her grandma¡¯s shoulder and said softly, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be afraid of her. We¡¯ve already split the family; she can¡¯t interfere with our home.¡± She needed to recover quickly, to strengthen her body¡ªready for battle! Perhaps sensing her fighting spirit, her stomach growled. ¡°Grandma, I want to eat.¡± Ge Liutao was stunned for a moment, surprised that at this time, eating was what she thought about. ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll go out and stir-fry some dishes and bring them in to you shortly.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for Guiying and Song Xiyun causing such a fuss, they would have already eaten by now. Ge Liutao hurriedly left. Chiang Xiao also intended to follow and listen to what Ho Laidi had to say, but as she prepared to get up, she became dizzy and had to lie down again. She planned to prop herself up with her hand, but her arm was weak, and failing to support her, she pressed down on her own fingers with a slap. It was then that she suddenly remembered what should have been the most important thing. Heavens, she had almost forgotten! The pen¡ªhad it come back with her? S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 10 - 10 10 Possessing an Exotic Treasure ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Possessing an Exotic Treasure Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Possessing an Exotic Treasure That pen was given to her by her grandfather. When she was very young. She couldn¡¯t quite remember whether it was when she was four or five, or six or seven years old. All she remembered was a gloomy evening, right before a storm was about to hit, when her grandfather returned home covered in dirt. He often went into the mountains to gather herbs, but he had never been so disheveled before. Moreover, on that day, Deng Qingjiang also returned to Siyang Village, apparently for something to do with a marriage proposal, and had a big fight with her grandfather, so Chiang Xiao remembered that day quite clearly. After returning home, her grandfather quietly took out a pen from his herb bag and gave it to her. ¡°Our Little Little is destined to study and enjoy a life of privilege in the city, so this pen is most fitting for you,¡± her grandfather said as he patted her head. That evening, she played with the pen until she fell asleep in a daze, only to wake up the next day and discover that the pen was gone. Since she was still so young and the pen was neither edible nor a toy, she quickly forgot about it. When her grandfather asked, she casually mentioned that it was lost. It was only when she began to learn painting that one day, the pen suddenly reappeared in her hand, and the paintings she created with it possessed magical qualities. Only then did she realize that her grandfather had given her an Exotic Treasure. At first, she was very careful when Deng Qingjiang asked her to paint, using the pen sparingly and keeping the secret well guarded. But then, Deng Qingjiang deceived her by feigning concern for her aunt¡¯s poor health, coaxing her into gradually lowering her guard and revealing more and more until he finally learned the truth about the Exotic Treasure in her possession. After using her to the point of exhaustion, he heartlessly sold her to a secret civilian research facility, where they experimented on her. When those people came to catch her, she fled to the top floor, where they cornered her, and in the struggle, she was pushed off the rooftop. Now that she had been reborn, had the pen also returned with her? If she truly still possessed that pen, could she use it now? Or would she have to wait until she was seventeen and started painting again for it to reemerge? But she already knew how to paint now. In her past life, her paintings were internationally famous¡ª even though the fame was all usurped by that woman, Ye Wanqing. If she had that pen, she would be even more powerful! If she had that pen, perhaps her grandmother wouldn¡¯t have had to die! The thought incited such unrest within her that Chiang Xiao struggled to sit up again, raised her right hand, spread her palm open, and the shape of the pen flashed through her mind. After so many years, she had practiced the act of producing the pen until it became second nature. In truth, it was just a matter of thought. In her delicate palm, a black pen suddenly appeared. It was the size of a pencil but enveloped in a deep black, within which seemed to flow faint starlight, subtly flickering. The tip of the pen was slightly bent, able to be firm or flexible at her will. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Holding the pen, Chiang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it was still here! In her previous life, she had been tricked by Deng Qingjiang, who dictated the content of her later works with the pen to sell at high prices. In reality, she never fully understood the pen¡¯s use. Fortunately, with her second chance, she would not allow those scoundrels to benefit from the pen ever again in this life! She would make good use of the pen and would not reveal its secret so easily anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t block my way, I¡¯m going to check on Little Little. If she really came into contact with something dirty, I¡¯ll invite the Fairy to come tomorrow! Otherwise, what if she brings disaster upon the Chiang Family?¡± Ho Laidi¡¯s voice was drawing near. It seemed that her grandparents couldn¡¯t stop her after all. Chiang Xiao suddenly came up with an idea and was about to start drawing something in haste with the pen when her hand began to tremble, holding the pen, and with a whoosh, the pen vanished into her palm again. Chapter 11 - 11 11 Fond of Touching a Sore Spot ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Fond of Touching a Sore Spot Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Fond of Touching a Sore Spot Chiang Xiao felt a wave of intense disappointment. It seemed that although the pen had returned with her, it might be because the time for it to be normally activated had not yet come or because she had just been reborn and coincidentally was in her weakest state. She could summon the Magic Brush, but she was still unable to wield it freely. She had wanted to draw something to punish Ho Laidi, but now it looked like she would have to endure it for a while. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Chiang Xiao¡¯s disappointment was only momentary. Once she recovered her health, she naturally would be able to use the pen. There was no need to rush. In the meantime, Ho Laidi had already barged in. Chiang Xiao¡¯s gaze grew cold. One thing she hated most about the people of Old Chiang Family was that no matter what the time or the situation, they always did this, barging into her room without restraint. In their eyes, Chiang Xiao had no semblance of privacy. The door curtain was violently flung open, then dropped with a whoosh, striking Grandma Ge Liutao, who followed through the door, in the face. Anger was mounting inside Chiang Xiao. Ho Laidi, in her fifties, had hair that could barely be tied back with a black hairband, strands escaping and held in place behind her ears with plain black hair clips. Dressed in coarse blue-grey clothes and wearing brown plastic slippers, she stood around one meter sixty-eight. In the village, women as tall as her were rather rare. Moreover, with her dense eyebrows and sharp gaze, thin lips, and a face that suggested she wasn¡¯t easy to get along with, she¡¯d been controlling the Chiang Family for more than two decades, and was seen as a figure of great authority in the eyes of the Family members. Ge Liutao, petite and delicate, would subconsciously cower in her presence. So, even when struck by the door curtain flung by Ho Laidi, she didn¡¯t dare to express her dissatisfaction or make a sound. Chiang Songhai also came in, concerned that Little might faint again as she had nearly done so earlier. He truly feared another altercation with his sister-in-law. He couldn¡¯t understand why the once silent Little had now become so sharp-tongued. ¡°Sister-in-law, Little is still sick¡­¡± Chiang Songhai¡¯s words were cut off as Ho Laidi strode over to the bed, looming over Chiang Xiao with a scrutinizing gaze. Those eyes, although the lids drooped slightly with age, were always penetrating, filled with judgment and disdain¡ªlooks that Chiang Xiao knew all too well. Previously, she had also been somewhat afraid of this uncle¡¯s wife. ¡®Uncle¡¯s wife¡¯ is the local dialect for an elder brother¡¯s wife; it might be incomprehensible to those in the city. ¡°Little, get out of bed and stand up,¡± she commanded coldly. Hearing this, Chiang Songhai¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Sister-in-law, Little has a fever and no strength. She needs to rest in bed.¡± ¡°Rest my ass!¡± Ho Laidi suddenly flared up in anger, turning to glare fiercely at Ge Liutao, ¡°Aunt, every single one in the Chiang Family is hardworking in the home and fields. Yet you, you gave birth to Qingzhu, treating her like a precious gem, and she disgraced herself at 17 by getting involved with some ruffian and then had a child without a father. And now you¡¯ve surpassed yourself, treating her like the daughter of a wealthy family. In these eight villages around us, I¡¯ve never heard of any girl in her teens not doing chores. Does she have the heart of a lady, or the life of one? Pretending to be fragile all the time¡ªwhom is she trying to impress?¡± Ho Laidi¡¯s voice was so loud that it made Chiang Xiao¡¯s head spin even more. But she knew she couldn¡¯t afford to pass out. If she did, history would repeat itself; during her unconsciousness, the basket of eggs would have to be compensated to Guiying, and her grandfather would go up the mountain to gather herbs. Chiang Xiao mustered her strength to sit up, ignoring Ho Laidi, and said to Ge Liutao, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m so hungry. Could you go stir-fry some dishes for me?¡± After hearing Ho Laidi¡¯s words, Ge Liutao¡¯s face turned pale. Her daughter¡¯s affair had always been a sore point for her, and Ho Laidi, seizing any opportunity, never hesitated to jab at her most painful spot. Chapter 12 - 12 12 Swollen Hand ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Swollen Hand Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Swollen Hand It was for this reason that Chiang Xiao had her leave first. Her pale face also successfully diverted Ge Liutao¡¯s attention somewhat. Without thinking, she nodded and turned to busy herself in the kitchen. There had truly been some complications with their family¡¯s dinner that evening. ¡°Eat? I¡¯m surprised you still have the stomach for it!¡± Ho Laidi glared at her and said angrily, ¡°Your aunt said you¡¯ve been possessed by filthy things?¡± She paused, then added, ¡°No, that¡¯s not right¡ªif that were the case, asking you would be a pointless waste of breath.¡± She lifted her foot and slipped off one slipper, grasping it in her hand, and stared at Chiang Xiao, ¡°Stretch out your hand.¡± ¡°Auntie, what are you planning to do?¡± Chiang Xiao was sitting on the bed, glancing at the dirty slipper in her hand. ¡°When I say stretch out your hand, you stretch out your hand!¡± Ho Laidi said with a stern face. Chiang Songhai really couldn¡¯t stand by any longer, he stepped forward, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯ll scare Little Little.¡± ¡°Scare her my ass! Uncle, haven¡¯t the older generation told you? If someone in the family is plagued by filthy things, hitting the palm three times hard with a worn slipper can test for it! If there¡¯s something filthy, her palm will turn black! I¡¯m doing this for Little Little¡¯s own good!¡± What? Hit the palm hard three times with a slipper? Chiang Xiao glared furiously. ¡°Look, just look, Uncle!¡± As soon as she saw her glare, Ho Laidi narrowed her eyes, ¡°Those wolf-like eyes! Little Little was never like this before! Move aside!¡± After speaking, she forcefully pushed Chiang Songhai aside, reached out to grab Chiang Xiao¡¯s hand¡ªhow could Chiang Xiao allow her to hit her palms with the slipper? But she was indeed too weak now, and Ho Laidi, who was used to physical labor, had much more strength. She grabbed her hand and raised the slipper to strike her palm hard three times. The force she used was tremendous, she even gritted her teeth as she hit, and after only three blows, Chiang Xiao¡¯s palm was instantly swollen and so painful that her eyes reddened. At the same time, a surge of humiliation and indignation roared turbulently in her chest. ¡°Sister-in-law! You!¡± Chiang Songhai had not anticipated that Ho Laidi¡¯s notion of force would be so cruel. Little Little¡¯s hand was delicate; was she trying to ruin her hand? He couldn¡¯t worry about propriety; he pulled Chiang Xiao¡¯s hand from hers, pain and regret mixing with rage as he saw her suddenly swollen palm. ¡°Uncle, get out of the way. I still need to hit the other hand!¡± Ho Laidi called out sternly. ¡°Try hitting Little Little one more time!¡± Chiang Songhai shouted back at her, furious. Ho Laidi was taken aback. As the eldest sister-in-law was like a mother, and over the years, Chiang Songhai had always shown her the utmost respect. After all, before they divided the family property, it was under her management that the Chiang Family had such a large courtyard and houses. Otherwise, could Chiang Songhai have received these three rooms when they divided the property? Now, for Chiang Xiao¡¯s sake, he actually raised his voice at her? Chiang Xiao was also stunned. Her grandfather had indeed always shown great respect for Ho Laidi. Of course, this also involved tolerating her, largely because both he and Ge Liutao valued respect for elders and care for the younger ones, preferring harmony and prosperity in the family. They would rather suffer some injustice themselves than quarrel with family members. Another reason was that when he was young, his elder brother had saved his life. Therefore, unwilling to make it hard for his brother by putting him in the middle, he had long ago gotten used to yielding to his sister-in-law in every matter. ¡°Oh my,¡± Ho Laidi exclaimed dramatically, ¡°are you trying to fight me to the death or what?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 13 - 13 13 Take the Opportunity to Distract ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Take the Opportunity to Distract Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Take the Opportunity to Distract Chiang Xiao suddenly felt that being hit these three times wasn¡¯t entirely bad. She had been worrying that if she really had a complete fallout with the Old Chiang Family, it wouldn¡¯t sit well with her great-grandfather, and seeing him distressed, her grandfather, who valued brotherly affection, would definitely feel awful too. She could quarrel with her uncles and aunts, but when it came to Ho Laidi, it was impossible to take a tough stance right from the start. After all, she was the eldest sister-in-law that her grandfather had respected and yielded to for half his life. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She would definitely break with the Old Chiang Family, but she couldn¡¯t rush things. Not to mention that with her current physical condition and abilities she couldn¡¯t do it, even if she could, she would still have to consider her grandfather. There were so many despicable members in the Old Chiang Family, so many stabs in the back, but many things were unknown to her grandfather. In his heart, although they had split up, they were still one family, those people were his brothers and sisters-in-law, his nieces and nephews. No matter what, he didn¡¯t want to see the family fall apart. It was best to plan slowly and carefully. Gradually erode her grandfather¡¯s affection for the Old Chiang Family, making it easier to act when the time comes. And this time, Ho Laidi had hit her, which just happened to mark the beginning. As long as it could achieve her goal, taking those three hits was worth it. Faced with Ho Laidi¡¯s retort, Chiang Songhai indeed hesitated. He doted on his granddaughter, but how could he possibly attack his eldest sister-in-law fiercely? Even if he doted on Little, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to really hit his elder sister-in-law, and he even regretted having yelled at her just now. Seeing his gentle nature resurfacing, Chiang Xiao immediately cradled her swollen hand and let out a whimper with a cry in her voice, ¡°Grandfather, my hand, my hand hurts so much¡­¡± As she spoke, teardrops rolled down from her eyes and dropped onto the blanket. Such a pitiful cry, such tears, instantly suppressed the regret that had just surfaced in Chiang Songhai. He kept a stern face and spoke harshly to Ho Laidi, ¡°My Little is already suffering a lot from falling into the creek and catching a fever, and then my elder sister-in-law comes in without discerning right from wrong and hits her hand like this. Should I be thanking you for it?¡± ¡°This is like the dog that bit Lu Dongbin and didn¡¯t recognize the kind-hearted person!¡± Ho Laidi¡¯s gaze was deep and resentful, and Chiang Xiao knew she was truly angry now. She shrunk her hand back, sobbed once, and leaned closer to her grandfather. Chiang Songhai duly felt even more distressed, gave a snort, and said, ¡°We don¡¯t need my elder sister-in-law¡¯s kindness! It¡¯s better if you go back. We will let today¡¯s incident slide for now!¡± What, he really was keeping it in mind? Ho Laidi felt a surge of fury in her heart. In the past, when she disciplined Chiang Xiao, even though Chiang Songhai was distressed, he still urged Chiang Xiao to listen to her, not be rebellious. What was going on today? She wanted to say more, but then the voice of Song Xiyun came from outside the house, ¡°Mother, father asks you to hurry back for the meal.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Ho Laidi slipped on her shoes in a huff, gave Chiang Xiao a sharp look, ¡°If Da Qiang¡¯s family causes trouble tomorrow, don¡¯t come to the Old Chiang Family looking for help!¡± With those words, she flung out of the door. Chiang Songhai carefully cradled Chiang Xiao¡¯s hand, his heart aching for her, ¡°Little, does it hurt?¡± Holding back tears to avoid worrying him too much was something Chiang Xiao should have done, but to stir up his disapproval of Ho Laidi, her tears fell like rain. ¡°Grandfather, it hurts so much¡­¡± Ge Liutao came in with porridge and dishes, and upon seeing her swollen hand, her eyes instantly turned red too. ¡°What did my elder sister-in-law do? Little is already sick, how could she lay her hands on her.¡± Chiang Songhai stood up in frustration, ¡°You feed Little. I¡¯ll go make some medicinal herbs to reduce the swelling.¡± Chiang Xiao hurriedly stopped him, ¡°Grandfather, you eat first. After the meal, carry me on your back to Secretary Uncle¡¯s house.¡± Chapter 14 - 14 14 Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand Chiang Xiao knew that Guiying would come to cause trouble early tomorrow morning, and indeed, Ho Laidi would go to ask the Fairy for help. In the previous life, it was on this early morning, when she was still sleepily burning with fever, that her grandparents were compelled, with no other choice, to make a compromise. This time, she must take the initiative. Although she was still weak and couldn¡¯t do anything herself, she could seek help from others. And the upright Secretary Yao was the most suitable candidate. Both Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were startled. Chiang Xiao had been shouting about going to see Secretary Yao earlier, but they hadn¡¯t taken her seriously. Now, from what she was saying, was she really going to seek him out? ¡°Little, what do you want to find Secretary Yao for?¡± Chiang Songhai asked worriedly, ¡°We¡¯re neighbors with Da Ni¡¯s family; it won¡¯t look good if we make too big a fuss, and the Secretary really doesn¡¯t like those who disrupt unity¡­¡± Chiang Xiao replied, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be reckless. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± She was starving, okay? And now, it seems everything had to be predicated on her own health, even her physical strength. Being so weak, she had no qualification to discuss anything else. She certainly didn¡¯t want her hand to be swollen from being hit with a slipper again! A cold glint flashed in Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes. All those who bullied her, who owed her¡ªthey would all have to wait. The Chiang Family¡¯s dinner was unusually silent and gloomy. Chiang Xiao¡¯s left hand was still swollen, but she resolutely refused to let her grandma feed her. She held a bowl in one hand, sipping the porridge. There were two dishes today: stir-fried sweet potato leaves and garlic-stir-fried watermelon rind, along with a small dish of pickled vegetables. The pickled vegetables were made by her grandmother herself, and looking at them, Chiang Xiao felt a great nostalgia. After leaving the mountain village, she had never tasted pickled vegetables as delicious as these. Chiang Xiao suddenly remembered something about these pickled vegetables. Because actually, she was already seventeen years away from thirteen years old. And during her time in Siyang Village, she really didn¡¯t fit in with the others, spending a lot of time lost in her own world, so many memories had blurred and would probably need to be slowly recalled, or they might come back in the moment. Her grandmother¡¯s pickled vegetables were extremely well-made. Later, when Song Xiyun¡¯s family wanted to open a small restaurant, Song Xiyun suddenly was very nice to them. She stopped stealing sugar and even gave them two pounds of it, persistently asking her grandma to teach her how to make pickled vegetables. They never took it seriously, but many years later, she accidentally heard Auntie Deng mention that the Song Family¡¯s food factory was doing really well and making a lot of money. Then, Deng Qingjiang scoffed and said, ¡°It¡¯s because my godmother was foolish to teach others how to make a profitable item.¡± Thinking about it now, was this referring to the pickled vegetables? Chiang Xiao made a mental note of this matter. After dinner, at Chiang Xiao¡¯s request, Chiang Songhai carried her to Secretary Yao¡¯s house. Leaning against her grandfather¡¯s back, Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes turned red, and tears rolled down. She knew she was too old to let her grandpa carry her. But firstly, she was still completely weak at the moment, and secondly, she wanted to take this opportunity to lie on her grandpa¡¯s back and truly feel that he was still alive. Chiang Songhai felt something drop onto his shoulders, hot and searing. ¡°Little, are you crying?¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m happy,¡± Chiang Xiao said, wiping the tears with the back of her hand. The village was just that small, and they quickly arrived at Secretary Yao¡¯s house. Standing outside the courtyard, Chiang Songhai called out, ¡°Is the Secretary in?¡± Someone came out to open the door shortly after. A black dog lying in the yard suddenly got up and barked at them. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Chiang Family was always modest and low-key, and they had never been to the Secretary¡¯s house before. ¡°Heizi, behave!¡± The person who opened the door shouted at the dog, then turned his head and looked over, pausing for a moment. Chapter 15 - 15 15 Stepping Stone ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Stepping Stone Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Stepping Stone ¡°Uncle Songhai?¡± The person who came to open the door was none other than Secretary Yao himself. Chiang Songhai had a higher status within the village, but his presence was really low. He usually just worked the fields, gathered herbs in the mountains, and didn¡¯t join others in killing time playing cards and chatting at the village entrance like others. He had never been to Secretary Yao¡¯s house before, so seeing him show up late at night startled Secretary Yao as well. Upon taking a closer look, ¡°Why did you bring Chiang Xiao over too?¡± Secretary Yao had a vivid impression of Chiang Xiao. Firstly, because she was the child with the best academic performance in the village, and there was a possibility she could get into a good university and bring glory to the village, and secondly because she was different from the other village children. It was probably impossible to find another girl in the village as fair-skinned and pretty as her. In a poor and backward mountain village like Siyang Village, which half-grown girl wasn¡¯t wearing drab clothes, had slightly dark skin, and coarse hands? They had no shortage of household chores and farm work, and the villagers tended to have many children, so the older sisters almost always had to help take care of their younger siblings. But Chiang Xiao was always dressed very neatly every day, her hair long and soft, plaited into two braids. Apart from weekends, she wore her school uniform every day, which was also clean and washed, her skin was white, delicate like porcelain. In short, she was very conspicuous in the mountain village. ¡°Grandpa, put me down,¡± Chiang Xiao said after getting down. She almost lost her balance, her body swaying, and Chiang Songhai quickly steadied her. Secretary Yao seemed to realize something. ¡°Good evening, Secretary Uncle,¡± Chiang Xiao said, looking up to greet him. It was then that Secretary Yao noticed her pale complexion and frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± The Secretary¡¯s house and courtyard were bigger than the Chiang family¡¯s, and they were covered with cement, scraped with lime, and the main room even had fluorescent light tubes installed, which were much brighter than the dim little light bulbs in their house. The room was also very neat and tidy. In the main room, to the left there was a dining table covered with a plastic mosquito protector. To the right against the wall, there were two wooden single sofas with a small coffee table in between. Several wooden stools were placed to the side. On the coffee table there was a stack of materials with both text and images, and a fountain pen on top of them. It seemed that Secretary Yao was still working before they arrived. After sitting down, Secretary Yao got straight to the point, ¡°Uncle Songhai, do you have some kind of issue?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Songhai looked at his granddaughter. The fact was, he also didn¡¯t know exactly why Chiang Xiao had wanted to come; could she be coming to complain to Secretary Yao? Chiang Xiao¡¯s gaze, however, landed on that stack of materials on the coffee table. The top sheet with its scribbles and drawings suddenly reminded her of something. ¡°Secretary Uncle, were you drawing?¡± ¡°Drawing? I¡¯m not good at that,¡± Secretary Yao replied with a laugh while picking up the piece of paper, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the row of old houses in front of our village primary school? The wall facing the school is so dirty, and some naughty kids have written and drawn all over it. I was just figuring out whether to give it a new coat of paint.¡± It was just a minor issue, but something sparked in Chiang Xiao¡¯s mind. Later on, that wall was indeed whitewashed, but because Siyang Village couldn¡¯t find anyone who could paint a large promotional mural, they just added a few large characters. The white lime at the base of the wall got dirty again within a few days. Since it faced the school gate directly, it was quite an eyesore to see as soon as you walked out. Later, the leaders from the town¡¯s education office visited Siyang Village Primary School, including one school principal who was very concerned about the school environment and even criticized Secretary Yao a bit, leaving him quite embarrassed. Although it was a small matter, it¡­ Could also serve as a conversation starter. Chapter 16 - 16 16 Remarkable Artistry ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Remarkable Artistry Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Remarkable Artistry ¡°Secretary Uncle, you¡¯re absolutely right, that wall has become dirtier and dirtier. When we leave school, it¡¯s the first thing we see and it¡¯s a real eyesore,¡± Chiang Xiao said. ¡°But if it¡¯s just whitewashed, wouldn¡¯t it get dirty again very quickly?¡± Chiang Songhai took another look at her. Was this child here just to chat with Secretary Yao? S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yeah, maybe paint it with some colors instead,¡± Secretary Yao didn¡¯t mind chatting with Chiang Xiao, and actually seemed quite interested. Because of his imposing appearance and constant stern expression, almost all the children in the village were scared of him, and some of the naughtier ones even nicknamed him Black Yao without thinking he didn¡¯t know. Black was the name of his dog. Could he be happy being called Black Yao? But as much as he disliked it, he couldn¡¯t exactly take issue with those children. Even his own daughter, Yao Chengshan, had been afraid of him since she was little and rarely initiated conversation. Now here sat Chiang Xiao, casually chatting with him. The feeling was certainly novel. Chiang Xiao smiled and said, ¡°Just painting it with colors won¡¯t stop those kids from scribbling all over it. It wouldn¡¯t be long before it¡¯s just as dirty.¡± The wall really was huge. A row of old houses stood there, impossible to demolish. Yet, from the school gate, it was such a dark and vast blot. Secretary Yao grunted and asked her, ¡°Chiang Xiao, do you have a solution?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually quite simple: we could paint a large propaganda mural on it. Clear away the weeds at the base of the wall, lay down some fine gravel, and the whole area could become an educational corridor,¡± she explained. Secretary Yao¡¯s eyes lit up, but after thinking for a moment, he sighed and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s a good idea, but our village doesn¡¯t have such talent.¡± Perhaps art teachers from the town or the county could do it, but Siyang Village didn¡¯t have any. The only art teacher in their school could only teach the basics. That long wall required a large painting; it couldn¡¯t be done in a day or two. Should he really bother hiring an art teacher from town to stay in the village for such a trivial matter? Chiang Xiao said, ¡°Secretary Uncle, leave it to me, I¡¯ll do the painting.¡± At these words, both Chiang Songhai and Yao Jubin were shocked. ¡°Little, we mustn¡¯t¡­¡± speak without thinking. Chiang Songhai was about to say that, but when Chiang Xiao winked at him, he swallowed half of his words. ¡°You can paint?¡± Chiang Xiao knew that Secretary Yao wouldn¡¯t take her word for it. She thus picked up a pen and paper in front of her and swiftly sketched a teacup. The teacup she drew had a 3D effect, complete with shadows and lighting, looking very realistic as if an actual teacup was set on the paper. If Secretary Yao hadn¡¯t watched her draw it, he might have actually reached out to pick up the cup. Moreover, she drew it so quickly, producing the drawing in an instant. For Chiang Xiao, this was basic skill, and she wasn¡¯t satisfied with the result. Besides, she felt so weak due to her illness that her hand trembled just from drawing the cup. No wonder she could summon the Magic Brush but couldn¡¯t use it to paint. As Chiang Xiao was inwardly sighing, Secretary Yao was genuinely amazed. ¡°Incredible, truly incredible! I¡¯ve never seen such artistry before! Our village has a little Painter!¡± Secretary Yao exclaimed as he held the paper up in admiration. Suddenly, noticing something amiss, he quickly turned to look at her left hand that had strained to hold down the paper, furrowing his brow, ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± He had only just realized that the girl¡¯s left hand was swollen and red! Chapter 17 - 17 17 Im Going to Sue You ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17 I¡¯m Going to Sue You Chapter 17: Chapter 17 I¡¯m Going to Sue You He used to think that Chiang Xiao, the little girl, was indeed too spoiled. If the Chiang Family were a Family of Scholars or a rich family, that would be understandable. But the family was clearly so poor that they could barely make ends meet, yet they raised this girl like a precious daughter. Wasn¡¯t that harming her? However, after witnessing the artistry Chiang Xiao had just displayed, he immediately felt that she deserved to be pampered. No wonder she was pampered like that! After all, at such a young age, her artistry was so exceptional! This might mean that in the future, she could become an art teacher at a school, or even more impressive, a Painter. But Secretary Yao had scarcely time to be amazed by Chiang Xiao¡¯s artistic skills before he was startled by the swelling on her hand. Chiang Xiao had initially thought of playing the pity card to win some sympathy. Later, she decided that she would never take the path of looking pitiful. If anyone bullied her, she would surely fight back fiercely. So why put on an act in front of Secretary Uncle? It would only make it awkward if he remembered this night when he saw her ferocious side later on and thought her hypocritical. So she did not conceal her hand any further and instead directly lifted it in front of Secretary Yao, looking at him with clear eyes, and asked, ¡°Secretary Uncle, do you think I look like I¡¯ve become a different person, as if possessed by a ghost?¡± Chiang Songhai had certainly not anticipated that she would ask such a question from the get-go and was startled once again. He thought such matters were best avoided; why would Little bring it up herself? The older generation feared ghosts and deities, but even though Chiang Xiao had been reborn and carried an Exotic Treasure, she still did not believe in supernatural beings or ghosts. Besides, she had conducted herself with integrity and sat upright; even in her past life, she was the one who was too kind and was harmed. At most, she was foolish; what was there to fear? Possessed by a ghost? Secretary Yao immediately scolded in a deep voice, ¡°Nonsense! We now promote science, reason, and clarity; where¡¯s all this talk of ghosts and spirits coming from?¡± Chiang Xiao nodded along with his words, ¡°That¡¯s what I think too. However, after I fell into Nameless Creek, my aunt insisted I had caught something dirty. My grandma came straight into my room, dragged me up from the bed, took off her slipper, and hit the palm of my hand hard several times, saying that if I really was possessed by a ghost, the palm of my hand would turn black.¡± Pausing, Chiang Xiao extended her hand again towards Secretary Yao. Her originally delicate and fragile hand was red and swollen, but there was no sign of blackening. She glanced at Secretary Yao and continued, ¡°My grandma also said that tomorrow morning she would invite a Fairy to come to my room to perform rituals to exorcise the ghost. Secretary Uncle, I still have a fever now, my head is very dizzy, I felt a bit nauseous just now and also can¡¯t walk. I¡¯m really afraid I¡¯ll be beaten to death by them tomorrow.¡± Chiang Songhai tried to interrupt her multiple times, but Chiang Xiao¡¯s words flowed smoothly and steadily, not giving him a chance to interject. Originally, he did not want to bring the Chiang family¡¯s affairs in front of Secretary Uncle, as it would surely end in embarrassment, but with Chiang Xiao¡¯s hand held up before his eyes, its red and blistering swell hurt his eyes to look at, and he sighed, no longer wanting to interrupt her. After hearing Chiang Xiao¡¯s words and seeing her hand as well as her pale face, Secretary Yao felt a surge of anger. Had it truly been only a domestic issue of the Chiang family and not made public, he could have completely ignored it. But when those women insisted on saying that falling into Nameless Creek meant being possessed by a Water Ghost, he could not tolerate it. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Furthermore, what if something were to truly happen to Chiang Xiao? Wouldn¡¯t the village lose a promising young talent in painting? Before he could express his stance, he heard Chiang Xiao say another sentence, ¡°Secretary Uncle, there¡¯s another thing. I want to accuse Ding Dani of murder!¡± Chapter 18 - 18 18 Where Does the Magic Brush Come From ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Where Does the Magic Brush Come From Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Where Does the Magic Brush Come From On the way back, Chiang Songhai was silent for a long time, and Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t speak either. She had said too much at Secretary Yao¡¯s house and was a bit tired. People in the mountain village went to bed early; by eight-thirty, not even nine, most of the household lights were already out. At that time, the village had not yet installed street lights, and every family had a flashlight, which they brought with them when they went out. Chiang Songhai carried Chiang Xiao on his back, and she held a flashlight to light the way. Many alleys in the village still hadn¡¯t been paved with cement; they were gravel and dirt roads, which was fortunate as it hadn¡¯t rained; otherwise, the mire would have made the night walk very difficult. The wind was cold, which somewhat cleared the grogginess from Chiang Xiao¡¯s mind. Ge Liutao was waiting for them with the gate open. ¡°Why did you take so long to come back? Did Secretary Yao get angry?¡± Ge Liutao first sighed in relief at their return, but then her concern flared up again. Chiang Xiao had insisted on going to the Secretary¡¯s house, making her anxious at home. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, let¡¯s go in and talk,¡± said Chiang Songhai as he carried Chiang Xiao into the house. Ge Liutao hurried to lock the courtyard door, entered the main room, and closed the door behind them. Chiang Xiao was still not accustomed to the dim, yellowish light bulb, but looking at her grandparents sitting in front of her, she felt immensely grateful to be able to live again. Ge Liutao brought over two cups of hot water for the pair. After drinking, they both felt warmer and involuntarily let out a sigh of relief. Without waiting for Ge Liutao to ask whether Secretary Yao had been angry, Chiang Songhai was already looking at Chiang Xiao with a solemn expression, ¡°Little, tell Grandpa, when did you learn how to paint?¡± This question had been weighing on him heavily. When Chiang Xiao sketched that lifelike teacup, he had struggled hard to contain his shock. Chiang Xiao was raised by them, but they had never known she possessed such a skill! The art teacher at Siyang Village Primary School, whom Chiang Songhai knew, was just someone who had learned for half a year from an educated youth sent to the countryside; he could teach the village kids some basics, but his own drawing skills were not as good as Chiang Xiao¡¯s. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, to say that Chiang Xiao learned from him, Chiang Songhai would never believe it in a thousand years. Revealing her ability to paint was a decision Chiang Xiao made on the spot when she saw Secretary Yao preparing to decorate that old wall. However, she didn¡¯t regret it because once she had recovered, she was definitely going to paint regularly, which she couldn¡¯t possibly hide from her grandparents. On the way back, she had already thought about how to answer this question. Moreover, she wanted to take the opportunity to find out about the Magic Brush; where exactly did Grandpa get it from all those years ago. In her previous life, she had never known about this. And it was because Deng Qingjiang had guessed she had a treasure on her that he coaxed her out of the village. She needed to figure it out so she could be prepared when Deng Qingjiang came back. Chiang Xiao put down the cup and asked Chiang Songhai in return, ¡°Grandpa, do you remember the pen you gave me when I was little?¡± Chiang Songhai was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes filled with a flicker of surprise and uncertainty. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that pen got lost?¡± Chiang Xiao shook her head, ¡°At first it was lost, but later I found it again.¡± ¡°Does your ability to paint have something to do with that pen?¡± Chiang Songhai asked in a lowered voice. Chiang Xiao had already decided that in this life, she would tell no one about the existence of that pen, including her grandparents. Otherwise, they would just worry about her. ¡°To say it has nothing to do with it wouldn¡¯t be true. Grandpa, Grandma, do you remember Uncle Min?¡± ¡°Do you mean Doctor Min?¡± Chiang Xiao nodded, ¡°Yes, him.¡± Speaking of Doctor Min, he had some acquaintance with Chiang Songhai, but they weren¡¯t close. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t shown up for many years. Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao didn¡¯t know the reason, but Chiang Xiao knew that Doctor Min had already passed away from illness. Chapter 19 - 19 19 The Genius ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The Genius Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The Genius Chiang Songhai knew quite a few medicinal herbs, and sometimes when he gathered more than usual, he would dry and save them to sell at the town market during market days. A few years ago, he happened to save a child suffering from heatstroke at the marketplace using a flask of herbal tea he had brought with him, The child¡¯s grandfather was very grateful to him and, seeing that he had some rare herbs, proposed that for several future market days, Chiang Songhai wouldn¡¯t need to set up a stall; they could simply meet at a designated place and sell the herbs directly to him. The price offered was fair, and it saved Chiang Songhai the time he would¡¯ve spent sitting in the marketplace, so naturally, he was happy to agree. That person was Doctor Min. Doctor Min kept his word and bought herbs from Chiang Songhai several times. On two of those occasions, Chiang Songhai took Chiang Xiao with him. Doctor Min took a liking to Chiang Xiao, and one time, after Chiang Songhai had sold the herbs and was about to go shopping, Doctor Min even volunteered to take Chiang Xiao with his grandson Xiao Sun to eat steamed buns. ¡°Does Doctor Min have something to do with that brush?¡± Chiang Songhai thought to himself, his expression turning slightly strange, his eyes revealing a hint of unease. Chiang Xiao shook her head, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Grandfather. I¡¯m saying, that time when I went with Uncle Min to eat steamed buns, he saw that brush you gave me, and then he said, ¡®This brush looks very suitable for painting.''¡± Oh? ¡°Uncle Min can not only treat illnesses but also paint,¡± Chiang Xiao continued. ¡°At that time, he taught me how to study painting and even gave me a book on how to paint. With that book, I¡¯ve been continuously learning.¡± That year, Ge Liutao also came to know about Doctor Min. She even remembered the book that Chiang Xiao mentioned. With that mention, Chiang Songhai also remembered, ¡°Is that the little drawing book you¡¯ve always been looking at?¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Most of what Chiang Xiao said was true. Doctor Min did indeed like her back then, took her to eat steamed buns once, and even to a bookstore. However, having seen that brush was false, and naturally, teaching her to paint was false as well. That little drawing book was actually a comic book about an ancient legend, not a book about learning to paint at all. However, she remembered that no one had ever looked through her comic book back then, and later, Ho Laidi accidentally burned it. As for how she learned to paint, Chiang Xiao also spent a long time contemplating before dredging up these memories from the depths of her mind. As for the painting practice, that was even easier to explain. She always disliked socializing with others, often staying alone and frequently using a small stick to doodle on the ground, claiming she was practicing secretly. Doctor Min had passed away and couldn¡¯t suddenly appear to expose her. Upon hearing what she said, Chiang Songhai believed her mostly. But he was still surprised, ¡°Little could learn so much just from that drawing book?¡± Chiang Xiao playfully winked at him, ¡°That¡¯s right, Grandfather, I am a genius, you know.¡± Chiang Songhai couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her playfulness, and at the same time, he felt very joyful inside. In the past, Chiang Xiao had never had such mischievous moments; she was always quiet and would occasionally retreat into her own world and shed tears. ¡°Grandfather, can you now tell me where that brush came from?¡± Chiang Xiao brought the topic back. Hearing her question, Chiang Songhai seemed a bit nervous and uneasy. He sighed softly, lowering his voice, ¡°You didn¡¯t mention it, but I really didn¡¯t want to remember this. That brush, I got it from an ancient tomb.¡± What?! Chapter 20 - 20 20 The Objects of Bai Gu Mountain ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 The Objects of Bai Gu Mountain Chapter 20: Chapter 20 The Objects of Bai Gu Mountain Chiang Xiao had never imagined that the pen actually came from an ancient tomb! Chiang Songhai explained their experience that day very simply. It was really simple; he finished in just a few sentences. It happened on the day he went up the mountain to gather herbs and ended up on Bai Gu Mountain. As the name suggests, Bai Gu Mountain was once a burial ground for countless remains and served as an ancient battlefield. Chiang Xiao had nearly drowned in that Nameless Creek at the foot of Bai Gu Mountain. Very few people from Siyang Village dared to venture up Bai Gu Mountain because the older generation often said it was filled with the spirits of wrongfully dead, and it had a heavy aura of Yin. People with weak fortunes who went up the mountain could easily become affected by those things. But there were one or two who boasted strong life energy, brimming with Yang, who occasionally went up to look for game or dig for valuable herbs. Chiang Songhai was one of them. However, even they didn¡¯t dare to venture too deep, they would usually just roam around the waist of the mountain. But that time, for some reason, Chiang Songhai ventured further, and then he discovered an old medicinal herb. While digging, he accidentally fell into a deep pit. ¡°I wandered around in there for a long time, saw some funeral vases and stuff, and realized it was a tomb. The pen was obtained from inside there,¡± Chiang Songhai said. This was the first time Ge Liutao had heard of this, and she couldn¡¯t help expressing her disbelief, ¡°Uncle Hai, how could you dare to take things from inside a tomb? And you even gave it to Little, what if¡­¡± How could anything from a tomb be taken! ¡°You ask Little, that pen was beautiful,¡± Chiang Songhai looked towards Chiang Xiao and sighed, ¡°It didn¡¯t look like the owner of the tomb¡¯s possession, rather like something someone else had dropped there.¡± Although the pen was completely black, the black was truly beautiful, glimmering with starlight, possessing a mysterious and aesthetic sense. She couldn¡¯t imagine it belonging to a tomb because when it was first brought back, the pen was just like that, without even a speck of dust or dirt. Untouched. Thinking back, Chiang Songhai realized he must have been like someone possessed, intent on giving that pen to his granddaughter. But this was something he dared not to admit, for fear of scaring his wife. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, since that¡¯s the case, we must keep tight-lipped about that pen. After all, if word gets out that it¡¯s from a tomb, it could be dangerous!¡± Chiang Xiao spoke with a pale face, her expression quite solemn. Chiang Songhai and Chiang Liutao naturally nodded vigorously in agreement. ¡°When I finally struggled out, the hole collapsed in an instant,¡± Chiang Songhai always felt his memory was fuzzy, as if that brief segment of time wasn¡¯t very clear anymore. In any case, whether he picked up the pen from the ground or saw it somewhere and inexplicably brought it back; what exactly the inside of the tomb was like, he simply couldn¡¯t remember. Having come to understand the origin of the pen, Chiang Xiao promptly changed the subject. Hopefully, no one else had noticed the pen, including Grandpa and Grandma. ¡°There¡¯s also the matter with Ding Dani.¡± Indeed, the attraction of that pen couldn¡¯t compare to the situation with Ding Dani. ¡°Little, tell Grandpa what you said to the village secretary just now. Was it true?¡± Chiang Songhai asked. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao nodded resolutely, ¡°True!¡± ¡°What did Little say to Secretary Yao?¡± Ge Liutao asked anxiously. ¡°I want to accuse Ding Dani of murder!¡± Ge Liutao gasped in shock. In their close-knit community, any issues were usually settled with a quarrel; she had never heard of anyone taking legal action. Chiang Xiao took a hand of each, holding onto her grandparents, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie; it really was Ding Dani who intentionally pushed me into the creek.¡± Chapter 21 - 21 21 The Handsomest Young Man in the Village ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21 The Handsomest Young Man in the Village Chapter 21: Chapter 21 The Handsomest Young Man in the Village ¡°Little, what exactly happened yesterday? You can tell Grandpa later, but let¡¯s get the medicine on first,¡± Chiang Songhai said, looking at her swollen hand and turning to his wife, ¡°Did you prepare the herbal medicine I asked for before I left the house?¡± Ge Liutao hurriedly brought over a bowl, inside which was half a bowl of dark green herbal juice and some already mashed herbal residue. ¡°Get some gauze as well.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Songhai took a medicine spoon and first wiped Chiang Xiao¡¯s hand with the herbal juice, then filtered out the smashed herbs and applied them to her hand, gently wrapping it with the gauze. Such swelling, had it been someone else¡¯s child, would have at most been treated with cold water and some ointment, waiting for it to heal on its own. But, Chiang Songhai was indeed extremely protective towards his granddaughter. Plus, he knew about herbal medicine, and he naturally used whatever was available at home. Chiang Xiao felt a cool sensation on her swollen palm and, looking at the carefully wrapped gauze, her eyes reddened again. With her hand wrapped up like this, it meant she wouldn¡¯t have to do any work tomorrow. Seeing her eyes turn red, Chiang Songhai softly said, ¡°Little, bear with it for a while, it will stop hurting soon. I will go up the mountain tomorrow to look for a beehive. I¡¯ll get some wild honey for you to drink with water.¡± Grandpa was indeed just like she remembered, the kindest person to her. But thinking about the hurt she had caused him in her past life, and the death of her grandfather, Chiang Xiao felt an extreme sourness in her nose and a severe pain in her chest. She once again strengthened her resolve to take good care of her grandparents and lead them out of the mountain village. Suppressing her tears, Chiang Xiao looked at him and said, ¡°Grandpa, you can¡¯t go up the mountain tomorrow.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t go up the mountain?¡± Chiang Songhai was puzzled. It had rained a week ago, and after a few more days, it was the prime time for the abundant growth of medicinal herbs. With Chiang Xiao sick, he wanted to dig up more herbs to sell at the market the day after tomorrow, to earn some extra money to buy her some meat. ¡°Grandpa, I wasn¡¯t joking when I said I would sue Ding Dani. I need to talk to you and Grandma about this,¡± Chiang Xiao said. Surprise showed on Ge Liutao¡¯s face, ¡°Little, you said earlier that it was Da Ni who pushed you down. Why would she do something so cruel?¡± ¡°Yes, it was her who pushed me into the water,¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes flashed with anger, ¡°Yesterday I felt stuffy inside and wandered around, accidentally walking to Nameless Creek. That¡¯s when I met Ji Desheng.¡± ¡°Desheng?¡± Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao exchanged a glance, both feeling a bit uneasy. Could it be that Guiying¡¯s nonsensical talk was true, that Little had entangled herself with Desheng in such a secluded place? Of course, they trusted their granddaughter¡¯s morals, but that young man named Desheng was indeed very handsome, and it wasn¡¯t unthinkable for a thirteen-year-old girl to have a crush on a good-looking boy. In Siyang Village there were several young girls who had a fancy for that young man. They were well aware of this. Ge Liutao immediately became somewhat impatient, asking anxiously, ¡°Little, you and Desheng¡­¡± ¡°Grandma!¡± Chiang Xiao interrupted her, ¡°I have nothing to do with Ji Desheng. He actually came over out of concern, telling me it was getting dark and that I should head home quickly.¡± Ji Desheng had indeed come with good intentions. ¡°Then I don¡¯t know why Ding Dani was also there. She suddenly came running over, insisting that I was seducing Ji Desheng for a secret rendezvous by the creek!¡± As she spoke, Chiang Xiao was also recalling the events. After all, this had happened to the real her seventeen years ago. Chapter 22 - 22 22 The Truth about Falling into the Water ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Truth about Falling into the Water Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Truth about Falling into the Water Nameless Creek was somewhat terrifying to most villagers in Siyang Village, and young girls were especially afraid to get close as soon as the sky darkened. Yet, the spot was picturesque, exceptionally serene and quiet. Perhaps because Chiang Songhai was a brave man who often went up Bai Gu Mountain to gather herbs, and had spoken of the mountain¡¯s wild fruits, wildflowers, spring water, and the tranquility of Nameless Creek since Chiang Xiao was little, Chiang Xiao did not harbor the same fears as others did. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao¡¯s mother, Chiang Qingzhu, was the only daughter of Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao and was renowned for her beauty throughout the neighboring villages. In that era, not having a male in the family was cause for gossip and disdain, and daughters had very low status at home, yet Chiang Songhai still doted on Chiang Qingzhu like a precious gem. No one had ever imagined that at eighteen, Chiang Qingzhu would be shrouded in scandal¡ªan unwed pregnancy that resulted in the birth of Chiang Xiao. This incident caused a sensation back then in Siyang Village, and the amount of gossip and finger-pointing that the Chiang Family had to endure was unimaginable to anyone who hadn¡¯t experienced it. Yet, Chiang Qingzhu stubbornly refused to reveal the identity of the child¡¯s father. What¡¯s more, when Chiang Xiao was only two years old, she ran away from home and had been unheard of ever since. In truth, no one in the Chiang Family believed that Chiang Qingzhu was still alive. In those turbulent years, the chances of a beautiful young girl who had run away surviving were practically nonexistent. Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao almost couldn¡¯t withstand the series of devastating blows, and both nearly ended their lives with a bottle of rat poison. But Chiang Xiao was still young. What would she do if they were gone? It was precisely because they couldn¡¯t bear to leave such a tender and delicate granddaughter behind that the couple persevered and raised Chiang Xiao. But even with their protection and affection, Chiang Xiao¡¯s childhood was difficult. Her mother had given birth out of wedlock, her father was unknown, and her mother had abandoned her. Many in the village pitied her, but even more despised her and harbored ill-will toward her. As a child, the village bullies would often make up insulting rhymes about her, band together to pick on her, and play mean pranks on her. As a result, Chiang Xiao disliked playing with others, was always by herself, and became somewhat introverted. To avoid those children, she would often hide near Nameless Creek, sometimes staying for half a day at a time. Yesterday, feeling somewhat stifled, she went to Nameless Creek again; indeed, it was rather late. She didn¡¯t know why Ji Desheng was there, but when he saw her, he ran over to persuade her to go home quickly. Not wanting to get too close to Ji Desheng, she stepped back and then stumbled over a stone, nearly falling. Ji Desheng¡¯s quick reflexes saved her. It was this scene that Ding Dani witnessed. After she avoided Ji Desheng, Ding Dani ran up to her, hurling insults without rhyme or reason, calling her a Little Vixen and accusing her of clinging to Ji Desheng and arranging to meet him in such a secluded place. While spouting these accusations, Ding Dani even started pushing her. At that moment, trying to avoid the spit flying from Ding Dani¡¯s mouth, she kept backing up until she was close to the stream. With that push, she fell down. But then, her instinct was to grab onto Ding Dani, which unexpectedly ripped Ding Dani¡¯s shirt, yet she fell nevertheless. After falling, she felt panicked, frantic, and scared, splashing around, begging Ding Dani to save her. But Ding Dani, trembling, just watched her then turned and ran away. If she hadn¡¯t clung to a clump of long water plants while flailing, she might have been swept downstream and drowned. Chapter 23 - 23 23 Make her family peel off a layer ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Make her family peel off a layer Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Make her family peel off a layer Having heard Chiang Xiao¡¯s words, Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were so angry that they shook all over. ¡°This Ding Dani, so young yet so wicked at heart,¡± Chiang Songhai said in both anger and distress, reaching out to touch Chiang Xiao¡¯s head. ¡°Exactly, how can she have the face to claim that she saved our Little?¡± Ge Liutao¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°If she hadn¡¯t bumped into your Uncle Canyuan in such a panic, who knows if she would have even mentioned your falling into the water! If there had been any more delay, Little right now¡­¡± The sentence wasn¡¯t finished, but Chiang Xiao understood her meaning. After she had fallen into the water, Ding Dani, out of fear, ran away immediately, and then at the entrance of the village, she ran into Xu Canyuan who had just returned from visiting relatives. Xu Canyuan, seeing her in utter panic and pale as death, grabbed her and asked a few more questions before Ding Dani revealed that she had fallen into the creek. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without a second¡¯s delay, Xu Canyuan sprinted to Nameless Creek and barely managed to save her. What if Ding Dani hadn¡¯t run into Xu Canyuan at that time? What if Xu Canyuan hadn¡¯t grabbed her and asked those extra questions? Would Ding Dani have run home out of fear and not told anyone? Had that happened, she would surely have been dead by now. Thus, Chiang Xiao would absolutely never forgive Ding Dani. As for Xu Canyuan, he was indeed her lifesaver. ¡°Grandpa and Grandma, I will go to thank Uncle Canyuan tomorrow,¡± Chiang Xiao said, then felt a pang of guilt in her heart. After these events in her previous life, their family had been mired in such troubles, one thing after another, and they had never properly thanked Xu Canyuan for saving her life. Later, when she and Grandpa were slandered like that, Uncle Canyuan had spoken up for them, but it wasn¡¯t long before his own family faced trouble, and no one had the spare energy to care for others. This time around, she couldn¡¯t live like that. She had to repay enmity with vengeance and gratitude with kindness. ¡°You¡¯re still sick, Grandpa has already thanked your Uncle Canyuan on your behalf. Wait until you¡¯re better, then go and thank him in person,¡± Ge Liutao said. ¡°I will get better tomorrow, I¡¯m already feeling much better today. Grandma, don¡¯t we have a basket of eggs saved up? Take out a dozen, tomorrow I want to bring them to Uncle Canyuan,¡± Chiang Xiao said. Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were both surprised to hear such a suggestion from Chiang Xiao, as she had never taken such initiative before. ¡°Our Little is really growing up, becoming sensible,¡± Songhai said after a pause, his voice full of relief. ¡°Grandpa and Grandma, I was immature before. From now on, I will be good,¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes welled up. Chiang Songhai stroked her head again. Then he asked, ¡°Do you really intend to sue Ding Dani?¡± The conversation among the three had come full circle, finally returning to this point. ¡°Didn¡¯t I speak to Secretary Uncle tonight? If the Ding Family still comes to make trouble tomorrow, I¡¯ll sue her! But if Ding Dani can recognize her mistake and sincerely apologise to me, I will be magnanimous! So, it all depends on their attitude.¡± If possible, Chiang Xiao really did want to sue Ding Dani and make her pay a heavy price. But she knew that she didn¡¯t have the ability to do so at the moment. Guiying¡¯s older brother was quite influential in the town, and Guiying¡¯s family didn¡¯t have any major conflicts with the villagers in Siyang Village. If they made reckless accusations, her family didn¡¯t care, but if she really tried to sue Ding Dani for murder, Guiying would surely turn to her older brother for help. By then, Chiang Xiao¡¯s own situation would become very difficult. She could meticulously plot it if necessary, but she simply couldn¡¯t wait for such an elaborate revenge; she needed to act tomorrow. She couldn¡¯t sue Ding Dani, but she could still make the Ding Family shed a layer of skin! Chapter 24 - 24 24 Stupid Before ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Stupid Before Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Stupid Before ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, you shouldn¡¯t worry too much,¡± Chiang Xiao sighed lightly and said, ¡°I nearly died after falling into Nameless Creek this time, but suddenly I¡¯ve come to understand a lot. I know what I should do and what I shouldn¡¯t do, and I have a sense of measure in my heart, so you don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± In the past, Chiang Xiao held some grudges toward her grandparents, grudges buried so deep she might not have been aware of them herself. Being a child born to a mother who was unmarried and pregnant and having no idea who her father was, she had been accustomed to being hurt by village gossip; subconsciously, she felt her grandparents were to blame for not teaching her mother well or taking good care of her. How else could they have allowed her mother to commit such a scandalous act in that era? Moreover, they even allowed her mother to run away afterward. Thus, the previous Chiang Xiao had grievances against her grandparents, and even though they were very good to her, deep down, she was not very close to them and never really opened her heart to them. Whether at home or in the village, Chiang Xiao was a very silent and taciturn child, always as if living in her own world. Now that Chiang Xiao had said these words to them, her grandparents felt a pang of sorrow, but even more so, they were happy. ¡°Our Little Little has really grown up,¡± Ge Liutao said, wiping away tears. Chiang Songhai touched her head, ¡°Alright, whatever Little Little decides to do, Grandpa will always stand by your side.¡± Chiang Xiao smiled faintly, thinking to herself, Grandpa, when I truly start a fuss with the Old Chiang Family, you must remember this sentence you said tonight. Before going to sleep, Chiang Songhai brewed another bowl of medicine for Chiang Xiao to drink. In her previous life, Chiang Xiao was burning with fever and loathed the herbal medicine her grandpa made for being both smelly and bitter; she refused to drink it no matter what. Her grandparents were too reluctant to scold her or force her, so the fever never subsided. It was only after a few days of her grandmother¡¯s tireless nursing that she pulled through. This time, she wouldn¡¯t make the same foolish mistake. Without needing anyone to persuade her, she took the medicine her grandpa made and drank it down without a grimace, not leaving a single drop. She had to get better as soon as possible and take good care of herself so she could use the Magic Brush. She still needed to thoroughly explore that brush. Chiang Xiao always felt that in her previous life, she never truly discovered the Magic Brush¡¯s correct use. She only knew how to keep drawing with it and knew that the paintings it produced were exquisite and a pleasure to behold, making her feel uplifted when she looked at them. But, the brush must be more than that. One could say, in her previous life, she not only lived in vain but also wasted the Exotic Treasure. To have such an item in her grasp and still end up with such a tragic fate was foolish. In the end, it was stupidity. In this life, she definitely could not continue on so foolishly; furthermore, she clearly knew how unpredictable and vicious human nature could be, yet she trusted others too easily, squandering her intellect. In the future, she must guard her true self, understand people with her heart, and not solely with her eyes. With this decision, Chiang Xiao henceforth developed a somewhat ¡°aloof¡± and ¡°eccentric¡± nature, becoming indifferent and not easily letting people into her heart. Having drunk the medicine and made plans for tomorrow, she slept particularly well that night. When she woke up the next day, she found her fever had completely subsided, and the strength had returned to her body¡ªno longer feeling limp and listless. She got up, tidied the bed, opened the chipped wooden wardrobe, and took out a set of clothes to change into. The wardrobe was actually quite empty; she didn¡¯t have many clothes. Just as she was about to go out to wash up, she heard Guiying¡¯s voice starting to resonate in the courtyard. Chiang Xiao¡¯s expression sharpened. It had begun. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 25 - 25 25 How Thick-Skinned ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 How Thick-Skinned Chapter 25: Chapter 25 How Thick-Skinned Mingtian was set to head into town tomorrow afternoon. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had told her cousin early on that she would wear her new dress, and now that it was torn and unwearable, she still needed to get the compensation quickly so that her cousin wouldn¡¯t scold her too harshly. So, they went to the Chiang family¡¯s home early in the morning. In fact, people in the countryside get up early, and for Chiang Xiao to be sleeping at this time was quite unusual. It was only about half past seven in the morning, but the diligent ones had already fetched water and gone to water the fields and returned. Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t want to waste too much time with the Ding family, so she didn¡¯t hide and came straight out from behind the curtain. As soon as she stepped out of the main hall, she saw what was happening in the courtyard. Despite being mentally prepared, Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t help the anger rising in her heart. Guiying seemed well-prepared for this visit. It wasn¡¯t just her. Ding Dani, Ding Daqiang, and the whole line of ¡°little radishes¡± from Ding Dani¡¯s family were there. Ding Daqiang and Guiying were both under forty but had already given birth to five children, with Ding Dani, thirteen, the same age as Chiang Xiao. Below her were four sisters, with the youngest, Ding Xiaoni, being only four years old. In that era, male offspring were highly valued, and a family without a male heir was seen as lacking in future prospects. In the countryside especially, not being able to produce a son could make one feel inferior, as though unable to lift one¡¯s head in the village. So Ding Daqiang and Guiying kept having children, and hadn¡¯t given up on the idea of having a son yet. In rural families, the status of girls was truly low. Take for instance Ding Dani¡¯s four sisters who cried and made noise all day at home. Although they weren¡¯t deprived of food or warmth, the seven-year-old Ding Sini was already responsible for taking care of Xiao Ni, feeding chickens and pigs, and constantly being ordered about and sometimes beaten or scolded by Ding Daqiang. It was strange, logically speaking, as the eldest at home, Ding Dani should be the one to do the most work and endure the most beatings and scoldings, but Ding Daqiang and Guiying, who favored sons over daughters, somehow spoiled and indulged her the most, scrimping and saving to send her to school. Now the whole family had surged into their courtyard, and right after entering, Ding Sini was already leading Xiao Ni around, peeping into the chicken coop. Ding Daqiang was carrying a hoe in his hand. What was he planning to do? Chiang Xiao¡¯s gaze darkened. In her previous life, at this time, she had been groggy and had not witnessed the commotion with her own eyes. Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were already standing in the courtyard, purposefully blocking the entrance to the main hall to prevent Guiying from rushing in and starting another argument with Chiang Xiao. Seeing their frail silhouettes, Chiang Xiao felt a warmth in her heart. ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s up, the precious daughter of the Chiang family!¡± As soon as Guiying saw Chiang Xiao, she curled her lip, looking at her askance and said in a mocking tone. Ding Dani was next to her, and when she saw Chiang Xiao looking over, she instinctively shrank behind Guiying. Feeling guilty, are we? Chiang Xiao sneered. ¡°Da Qiang, family of Da Qiang, what are you planning this early in the morning?¡± Chiang Songhai asked coldly. Ever since he learned that Ding Dani had pushed his Little into the creek, he didn¡¯t want to be pleasant to these people. Guiying nudged her husband in the lower back with her hand. Ding Daqiang then stomped his hoe on the ground and said with a stern face, ¡°Uncle Songhai, we¡¯re here for the compensation. Da Ni¡¯s mother already talked about it yesterday; you should have prepared it, right? I need to collect the money and then get back to work in the fields, so don¡¯t waste time.¡± Upon hearing this, Chiang Xiao really wanted to laugh. How thick could their faces possibly be? Before her grandfather could speak, Chiang Xiao asked, ¡°We didn¡¯t really settle on anything yesterday, so I¡¯m curious to know how much compensation your family is seeking?¡± Chapter 26 - 26 26 A Lions Mouth Wide Open ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26: A Lion¡¯s Mouth Wide Open Chapter 26: Chapter 26: A Lion¡¯s Mouth Wide Open Hearing this, Guiying felt like she had seen a ghost. Just yesterday, Chiang Xiao was as if she was fighting for her life¡ªhow come her attitude had changed so suddenly? Was she willing to compensate? Ding Daqiang, a stout and tall man with dark skin, had a hint of imperceptible ferocity in his eyes. Chiang Xiao could tell from the way he had slammed the hoe on the ground just now, that he had brought it with him as a threat. When Guiying returned home yesterday and said that Chiang Xiao had become fierce, Ding Daqiang didn¡¯t believe it but felt inspired. Chiang Songhai¡¯s family was known for their honesty and simplicity. As long as he carried a hoe with a stern attitude, he was sure he could scare them and getting money out of them wouldn¡¯t be hard. This was exactly what Chiang Xiao had spotted, which is why she didn¡¯t start quarreling with them from the get-go. She wanted to buy some time, waiting for the village secretary to arrive. She had asked the secretary to come over early in the morning, but Ding Daqiang¡¯s family had arrived earlier than she had anticipated. If a conflict were to arise now, she was worried that her grandparents would get hurt. Although they were from the same village and Ding Daqiang might not dare to swing the hoe, if the situation got out of hand, who could say for sure? Upon hearing that Chiang Xiao seemed intended to compensate, Guiying was overjoyed and immediately spoke up before her husband could. ¡°Although Da Ni¡¯s shirt was made by me, the fabric wasn¡¯t cheap, and my craftsmanship is also good. You can¡¯t just compensate for the fabric, you need to include my labor cost. Plus, I also used two candles while making the shirt. Moreover, this was a gift from my nephew, and Da Ni was supposed to wear it to town tomorrow, but now that¡¯s not possible¡ªall of these should be included in the compensation,¡± she said. Tsk tsk, Guihua would be an absolute sharp dealer if she went into business. Without a response from the others, Guiying continued, ¡°So adding all this up, just compensate us with a piece of fabric. Thinking about how it¡¯s not easy to buy fabric these days, let¡¯s say ten feet of fabric upfront, with the rest converted into cash. We¡¯re all villagers here, and in consideration of Uncle Songhai¡¯s face, we can¡¯t ask for too much, so let¡¯s just take an additional thirty yuan.¡± Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao gasped in shock, stunned by Guiying¡¯s audacious demand. Chiang Xiao wasn¡¯t quite clear about the prices of the era, but if she remembered correctly, a shirt would use just a few feet of fabric, and a decent ready-made shirt would probably cost around a dozen yuan at this time. She had thought Guiying would at most ask for twenty yuan in compensation, never expecting her to be so bold and act as if she was doing them a favor! Ten feet of fabric plus thirty yuan! As for her memories from a previous life, she wasn¡¯t clear on whether it was a piece of fabric and some money and a basket of eggs, as villagers tended to casually refer to over ten feet of fabric as a ¡°piece,¡± without any standard. While she was still calculating in her head, she heard Guiying add, ¡°Besides, Da Ni did save Little, after all, and that¡¯s out of goodwill. To talk about money undermines the sentiment, so just give thirty eggs as a gesture of goodwill and call it even.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Pfft. So that¡¯s how the matter of the basket of eggs came about. A shirt worth about a dozen yuan, and they¡¯re asking for compensation of ten feet of fabric plus thirty yuan and a basket of eggs! All added up, it would cost nearly seventy yuan. Keep in mind, seventy yuan in the year 1980 had a very different value. To put things in perspective, pork was only six jiao per pound in town, and an ordinary worker¡¯s monthly salary was only around twenty to thirty yuan. Seventy yuan¡ªChiang Songhai could barely save that much selling herbal medicine for a whole year! And that¡¯s if they didn¡¯t spend money on anything else. Chapter 27 - 27 27 How do you say ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27 How do you say Chapter 27: Chapter 27 How do you say Siyang Village was originally a very poor and backward little mountain village, and when Chiang Songhai split from the family years ago, Ho Laidi caused such a fuss that he almost left with his wife without a penny to his name. Ge Liutao was frail, and it had cost a lot of money when she had a difficult childbirth with Chiang Qingzhu, as she had also been frail since childhood and was constantly coddled. It was almost a repeat of Ge Liutao¡¯s old path when Chiang Qingzhu gave birth to Chiang Xiao, mother and daughter both being frail and exhausting all the family¡¯s money. When Chiang Qingzhu ran away from home that year, she took away most of the family¡¯s silver. Afterward, Chiang Songhai continued to pamper Chiang Xiao, so now, the Chiang family could barely scrape together fifty silver pieces. But if they gave the entire sum to the Ding family, the three of them would really not be able to get by. Moreover, Guiying demanded more than just fifty pieces. ¡°Guiying, one should be fair and just!¡± Chiang Songhai took a deep breath, his heart boiling with rage, but he really wasn¡¯t good at quarreling and only managed to choke out this sentence. ¡°Who is being unfair?¡± Guiying¡¯s eyes slanted as she said, ¡°If I were unfair, I would have asked you to pay a hundred!¡± Chiang Xiao stood on the threshold of the main house, slightly higher, and could just see outside the courtyard wall where Secretary Yao was coming their way with two others. She pursed her lips slightly. It was only when the people arrived that she could do something. Seeing that Secretary Yao and his company were getting close, she raised her voice a little, completely ignoring Guiying, and said directly to Ding Dani, ¡°Ding Dani, did you say you wanted to save me, and in turn, I tore your clothes, is that right?¡± Ding Dani was feeling somewhat guilty, but having seen her parents apparently intimidate Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao, she regained her confidence. Indeed, by that time Ji Desheng had already left, and apart from her and Chiang Xiao, no one had seen what happened; as long as she stuck to this story, who could say otherwise? With that in mind, she straightened her chest, lifted her chin, and said loudly, ¡°That¡¯s right! You tore my clothes, of course, I want you to compensate!¡± Finally, someone from the Old Chiang family next door came out. Ho Laidi and Song Xiyun opened the courtyard gate to join the excitement and saw that Secretary Yao had also arrived, promptly greeting him. Yao Jubin glanced at Ho Laidi and ignored both of them, leading his people into the Chiang family¡¯s yard. Ho Laidi was momentarily stumped. Why did she feel Secretary Yao¡¯s glance at her was odd? It seemed a bit annoyed. She certainly hadn¡¯t done anything to offend him or damage the collective! ¡°Mom, why did Secretary Yao come to Second Uncle¡¯s house so early?¡± whispered Song Xiyun. Ho Laidi glared at her, ¡°Just watch and you¡¯ll find out!¡± Guiying, however, jumped in fright at the sight of Secretary Yao, instinctively shrinking back. That damn girl Chiang Xiao, she really was going to complain? But the two young men who came with Secretary Yao were from the village brigade, one named Yao Cong, who was Secretary Yao¡¯s cousin, and the other named Cong Weimin. ¡°Secretary Uncle, I appreciate you making the trip here,¡± said Chiang Xiao, greeting Yao Cong and Cong Weimin with a nod. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t greet them; in the past, she really hadn¡¯t had any contact with these two and didn¡¯t even know what to call them. As members of the village brigade were generally in charge of public order and tended to seem fierce, ordinary children were a bit afraid of them. Yao Cong and Cong Weimin didn¡¯t expect a young girl to be unafraid of them and to nod to them as if she were an adult. The two exchanged looks, both finding it somewhat novel. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± said Secretary Yao, looking toward Ding Daqiang with a frown. ¡°Brother Daqiang, what are you doing bringing a hoe?¡± Not waiting for his reply, he then turned toward Ding Dani and asked directly, ¡°Da Ni, Chiang Xiao is accusing you of attempted murder, what do you say?¡± At these words, the Ding family members all showed shocked expressions. Chapter 28 - 28 28 Case Reenactment ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Case Reenactment Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Case Reenactment Ding Dani instinctively screamed in rebuke, ¡°I didn¡¯t! She¡¯s falsely accusing me; I was trying to save her!¡± Although Guiying was still somewhat afraid of Secretary Yao, the matter involved more than seventy dollars¡ªgreed overcame fear. She immediately puffed up her chest and began shouting, ¡°Secretary Yao, you must be fair. It was clearly our Da Ni who kindly tried to save Chiang Xiao, but instead, she ended up with her clothes torn. Those were genuine Liang fabric clothes, made by my own hands, quite expensive! If Chiang Xiao doesn¡¯t compensate us today, we definitely won¡¯t let her off the hook!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Secretary Yao, you can¡¯t favor the Chiang Family! If Chiang Xiao doesn¡¯t pay us money and fabric, I, Ding Daqiang, will never let her get away with it!¡± As he spoke, Ding Daqiang stomped on the hoe, glaring viciously at Chiang Xiao. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Secretary Yao¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Who are you being aggressive to? Are you trying to intimidate here?¡± Guiying felt indignant at the bottom of her heart. Although Secretary Yao hadn¡¯t said anything yet, she could tell that he clearly wanted to take Chiang Xiao¡¯s side! Looking again at Chiang Xiao, standing there with her little face so fair, with large eyes and a slightly pointy chin, she looked just like a freshly watered little bok choy. Dark thoughts surged up in her heart once more. This little vixen was too pretty, naturally possessing a look that ensnares men. Could it be that she had even captivated Yao Jubin? She immediately slapped Ding Sanni¡¯s back beside her and then shouted loudly, ¡°Secretary Yao is truly unjust! Our Da Ni kindly and generously saved this wretched girl Chiang Xiao, and her clothes got torn. Now we can¡¯t even ask for a little compensation! Da Ni¡¯s clothes were a gift from her cousin. If she goes to town tomorrow, her cousin will be furious to learn that they¡¯re torn! Our Ding Family has so many mouths to feed and drink, and if my nephew gets so angry he doesn¡¯t lend us money, our whole family will starve to death!¡± The slap that Guiying gave to Ding Sanni¡¯s back was really forceful; being only nine years old, when Ding Sanni got slapped and heard the shouting, she immediately burst into loud crying. With mother and daughter crying like this, the rest of the girls also started crying. For a moment, the Chiang household¡¯s courtyard was filled with the sound of their wailing. ¡°My poor girls, your parents can¡¯t afford to keep you anymore, better to sell all of you off to someone! The Chiang family is taking our lives here!¡± Guiying cried out loud, slapping her thighs as she wailed. Everyone: ¡­ So early in the morning, with a crowd wailing in her house, Chiang Xiao¡¯s face turned dark. Guiying was still wailing loudly, ¡°Chiang Xiao, you black-hearted and rotten belly little wretch, you clearly seduced Ji Desheng to do unspeakable things, and when my Da Ni saw it, you bit back and accused my Da Ni of trying to kill you. Had we known, we should have just watched you get dragged down by the Water Ghost, it would be better than having you come out and cause trouble¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Guiying, who was in the midst of her loud wailing, suddenly was silenced by a sharp rebuke. The sharpness in the tone caused her wails to stop abruptly, only then did she realize that it was Chiang Xiao who had silenced her. ¡°Secretary Uncle, Ding Dani insists that she was trying to grab hold of me, while I say that she pushed me into the water. It must be difficult for you to judge in this moment,¡± Chiang Xiao looked at Secretary Yao. ¡°How about this, we go to Nameless Creek and re-enact the incident!¡± ¡°What?¡± Secretary Yao and the others were stunned. What does she mean? Chiang Xiao took a few steps forward and clearly stated again, ¡°That means re-enacting what happened that evening all over again!¡± Having said that, her gaze fell upon Ding Dani¡¯s face. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ding Dani met her gaze and, inexplicably, felt a sudden chill in her heart. Chapter 29 - 29 29 Take it step by step ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Take it step by step Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Take it step by step They reenacted the events of that evening. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The request was simple enough to understand, but doing it was far from easy. For starters, Ding Dani refused point-blank. ¡°Chiang Xiao, do you really want to rip another one of my dresses? You have such a black heart!¡± ¡°No, no, no, this time it¡¯ll be you tearing my dress, how about that?¡± Chiang Xiao looked at her, her expression faint, only her large, bright eyes gleaming as if still holding starlight. Yao Cong, watching Chiang Xiao like this, felt a ticklish sensation in his heart. Everyone said she was the prettiest girl in the village, and indeed she was. It was a pity she was still too young; a girl ought to be at least eighteen before she could marry and have children. He was already twenty, and if he waited for her, it would be another five years. By then, he¡¯d be twenty-five, and his parents would certainly not agree. Besides, he wouldn¡¯t be able to endure so many years without a wife. What a pity, truly a pity. Chiang Xiao had no idea that in this brief moment, Yao Cong had entertained such a thought. ¡°You and your mother insist that Ji Desheng and I had a secret rendezvous there. I¡¯m still young and don¡¯t understand what a rendezvous entails, but if you want my family to compensate, you must at least let my grandparents understand the matter clearly. Otherwise, just because you show up at my door with a hoe, you could extort seventy or eighty yuan, and if the villagers followed suit, who knows what the village¡¯s morals would turn into? Although Siyang Village is poor, under the leadership of Secretary Uncle, it is still a place of compassion, propriety, courtesy, and love of family and friends.¡± Chiang Xiao looked towards Secretary Yao and asked, ¡°Secretary Uncle, am I right?¡± Secretary Yao nodded eagerly, ¡°Exactly, those are the values! Just do as Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady says! I won¡¯t just listen to one side; we must clarify the matters. If the Chiang Family is truly at fault, you won¡¯t need to tell me; I, Yao Jubin, will make them compensate.¡± So, were they really going to reenact the case! Ding Dani stared at Chiang Xiao with wide eyes, as if she didn¡¯t recognize her. Since when could Chiang Xiao speak such a lengthy speech? Even on the day when she had pushed and questioned her, Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t even muster a complete sentence! Song Xiyun also watched Chiang Xiao and whispered to her mother-in-law, Ho Laidi, ¡°Mom, see, I told you, didn¡¯t I? Little Xiao has changed!¡± ¡°She has changed, our house is right next door. If this girl turns into a calamity, our family won¡¯t escape its effects. Let¡¯s wait and see if anything is wrong; if there is, I¡¯ll call in the Fairy.¡± A gloomy flash crossed Ho Laidi¡¯s eyes; she was very superstitious. A group of people made their way to the Nameless Creek behind the village. The place wasn¡¯t far per se, separated by a stretch of dry land, and after crossing a patch of wild woods, the continuous mountains came into view. The nearest was Bai Gu Mountain, tall and covered with dense forests, very steep, with a small creek winding below. The creek¡¯s banks rose over one meter high, the stream itself at least two meters wide, but the water was deep, making it resemble more of a river. Because of the legends surrounding Bai Gu Mountain and Nameless Creek, the people subconsciously felt a chill about the place. Ho Laidi and Song Xiyun came along too but didn¡¯t dare to get too close. Their group also attracted many villagers, those courageous enough also came to witness the excitement, uncertain of what was intended. Upon arrival, Chiang Xiao looked around. Being here made her memory even clearer, and she could remember every detail of what had transpired that day. She approached Yao Cong. ¡°Yao Cong Brother, would you mind playing the role of Ji Desheng?¡± Though Yao Cong regretted her being too young to be his wife, he couldn¡¯t help but feel affection when he looked at her fair, pretty face and sparkling eyes. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Then please stand over there.¡± Chiang Xiao pointed to a spot and said, ¡°Look, there should still be a stone there.¡± Chapter 30 - 30 30 The Most Malicious Human Heart ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Most Malicious Human Heart Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Most Malicious Human Heart Yao Cong went to look and indeed there was a baby fist-sized stone. Chiang Xiao also walked over, squatted down, and pointing at the mark on the ground said, ¡°This is from when I trod on the stone,¡± she stood up and demonstrated, ¡°At that time, I almost twisted my ankle, and then Ji Desheng caught me. Don¡¯t ask me why he was standing here, he ran over after seeing me, he wanted to tell me it was getting late and I should head home.¡± She stepped on the stone, teetered as if she was about to fall backward, and Yao Cong instinctively reached out to grasp her arm. ¡°Ding Dani, is this not what you saw at that time?¡± Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t let Yao Cong let go, turning her head to look at Ding Dani. ¡°You were already grabbing and pulling at each other!¡± Ding Dani yelled. Chiang Xiao snorted, ¡°Just say whether it was or wasn¡¯t.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ding Dani replied reluctantly, ¡°It was.¡± At that, Chiang Xiao hastily shook off Ji Desheng¡¯s hand and then turned and ran towards the creek. ¡°Yong Cong Brother, you don¡¯t have to follow me. At that time, Ji Desheng suddenly heard someone calling him from afar, he looked at me once more, didn¡¯t say another word, and ran in that direction. Ding Dani, isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ding Dani felt these were all trivial matters, there was no need for lies, she was focused on what happened afterward, so she didn¡¯t hesitate and just affirmed whatever Chiang Xiao said. Chiang Xiao glanced at Guiying. No one knew why she had to prove all these details again, only she knew, these details were more important than the incident where she was later pushed into the water. In her past life, she hadn¡¯t paid attention to these details and timings; therefore, when the rumors engulfed her, she had no witness and was utterly incapable of rebuttal. Later, the owner of the sweet potato field found out that someone was performing shameful acts there, ruining half a row of sweet potatoes, and furiously searched the entire village for the shameless pair. That despicable woman Guiying immediately pushed her forward, also claiming that the man rolling around with her in the sweet potato field was Ji Desheng. Back then, Ding Dani actually wanted to defend Ji Desheng. She didn¡¯t know what Guiying said to her, but she immediately changed her story, claiming she saw Chiang Xiao and Ji Desheng coming to the creek to wash their hands and faces after engaging in indecent acts in the sweet potato field and was going to accidentally fall in when she rescued them. In the 80s, issues of propriety between men and women were taken very seriously, especially when they were all so young? The thirteen-year-old Chiang Xiao and her grandparents were almost drowned in malicious verbal abuse, powerless to defend themselves. Within a few days, Ji Desheng¡¯s mother Widow Liu came with ten eggs to ask for a marriage, saying her house was small, and after their families were connected through marriage, she would move in with the Chiang family along with her son. At that time, Ho Laidi could be heard shouting over the wall, implying in her loud tirade that Widow Liu was too desperate for a man after being untouched for so long, and she was setting her sights on the Chiang men. In just two days, rumors in the village became more unbearable, alleging that Widow Liu had taken a liking to Chiang Songhai and wanted to become sisters with Ge Liutao, living under the same roof, and serve as Chiang Xiao¡¯s Second Grandmother. The gossipy women and lazy men in the village would, upon seeing Chiang Xiao, ask her sleazily if she was going to call Widow Liu grandmother or Second Grandmother. Ge Liutao nearly went insane from the rumors. This was the darkest period Chiang Xiao had ever endured and the most venomous, ugly side of human nature she had witnessed. From then on, she had been afraid of rumors. It was because of this that in her past life she was desperate to leave Siyang Village and those terrifying people. When Deng Qingjiang offered to send her to the city for education, she agreed without a second thought. This life, she was going to twist everything back into place, step by step. Chapter 31 - 31 31 Her Clothes are Torn Too ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Her Clothes are Torn Too Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Her Clothes are Torn Too As she thought back to the events of her past life, Chiang Xiao still seethed with hatred. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All she wanted was to grab a stick right now and beat the mouths of Guiying, Ding Dani, Ho Laidi, Song Xiyun, and others until they swelled, then push them all into Nameless Creek. Chiang Xiao took a deep breath and suppressed the malice within her. Then glancing at the sky, she asked Ding Dani, ¡°After Ji Desheng left, he never came back, right? I stood here and looked at the sky too, the time should have been around six o¡¯clock, right?¡± She intended to make Ding Dani testify to each detail, one by one. With so many people listening now, Ding Dani wouldn¡¯t be able to recant her testimony later. At that moment, Ding Dani had no idea why she was wasting time and breath on such trivial matters and felt somewhat impatient, but Secretary Yao was watching, so she had to cooperate. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good, then you ran over from that direction,¡± Chiang Xiao narrowed her eyes and asked, ¡°You ran over from the sweet potato field, right?¡± Ding Dani replied with an unpleasant tone, ¡°Our vegetable garden is over there too. That day I went to pick a couple of eggplants, what¡¯s wrong with running over from there?¡± In fact, she hadn¡¯t even picked the eggplants, when she saw Ji Desheng running in this direction from afar. She liked Ji Desheng and impulsively followed him, hoping to speak with him. That¡¯s when she saw him grabbing Chiang Xiao, and she exploded with anger. That bitch Chiang Xiao, why is she asking these questions? Ever since Chiang Xiao started the reenactment, Secretary Yao stood by, simply watching and listening without saying a word. He still commanded great respect, and with him silent, the villagers who had come to watch the excitement didn¡¯t dare to make a sound either. ¡°Then, just like that day, run over here,¡± Chiang Xiao looked at Ding Dani. Ding Dani hesitated for a moment. What was she supposed to do later? She definitely couldn¡¯t push again, but she could firmly grasp Chiang Xiao¡¯s clothes! They couldn¡¯t possibly fall into the creek again, so she would just grab at the clothes for show. She would claim that she was trying to save Chiang Xiao by holding onto her clothes as she nearly fell, but in the end, she wasn¡¯t strong enough, and Chiang Xiao still fell. Of course, before falling, Chiang Xiao also ripped her clothes. With a plan in mind, Ding Dani started running toward her. Chiang Xiao was already standing by the creek. As Ding Dani ran up to her, ready to speak, Chiang Xiao took the initiative. ¡°From now on, you play me, and I play you!¡± What? Before she could react, Chiang Xiao forcefully shoved her shoulder and yelled, ¡°Chiang Xiao, you shameless!¡± Huh? The surrounding villagers were also taken aback. Secretary Yao had always been very serious, but at this moment, a hint of amusement could not help but flicker in his eyes. This girl didn¡¯t hold back at all when insulting herself. Ding Dani, stunned, took a step back instinctively. ¡°What are you doing?¡± At that moment, Chiang Xiao immediately asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this how it was between us at the time?¡± Ding Dani, also instinctively, nodded. By the time she realized something was amiss and wanted to deny it, Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t give her the chance. She immediately grabbed Ding Dani¡¯s hand, forcing her to clutch at the front of her own clothes, then shoved her hard, saying fiercely, ¡°You even dare to covet Desheng brother! He¡¯ll never fancy you! Just look at yourself, with your bean sprout figure, always stumbling around; I¡¯ve long detested your appearance!¡± After the tirade, she pushed again. Having been shoved twice, Ding Dani had retreated a step each time, and now she was on the edge. With this last push from Chiang Xiao, she retreated once more, finding nothing beneath her feet and fell. In that moment, the body reacts quicker than the mind. Instinctively, she clung tightly to Chiang Xiao¡¯s clothes, and with a ripping sound, Chiang Xiao¡¯s clothes tore. Chapter 32 - 32 32 Pushed into the Water ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Pushed into the Water Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Pushed into the Water The damage was indeed the same as on Ding Dani¡¯s dress. The extent of the tear was hardly any different. Ding Dani fell into the water. The cold water shocked her into awareness as she flailed about, looking up, her eyes met Chiang Xiao¡¯s. At that moment, Chiang Xiao¡¯s face was heavy with anger, her large pupils filled with a cold and mocking light that made Ding Dani¡¯s heart tremble with fear. She had never seen Chiang Xiao like this before! ¡°Da Ni, Da Ni!¡± Guiying hurriedly called out as she ran over and forcefully pushed Chiang Xiao, causing her to fall to the ground. Secretary Yao called out sternly, ¡°Ah Cong, Weimin, quick, save her!¡± Yao Cong and Cong Weimin didn¡¯t dare delay and jumped down in two to three leaps, rescuring Ding Dani. In Siyang Village, a mountain village like this, the temperature difference between day and night is quite significant. It¡¯s still early now, the sun hasn¡¯t risen to its full power, and the water of Nameless Creek is bone-chillingly cold. Ding Dani was soaked through, trembling from the cold, and in just a short amount of time, her face turned deathly pale. Of course, part of it was due to shock. ¡°Damn it, my poor Da Ni!¡± Guiying hugged her daughter and began to wail loudly again, ¡°Chiang Xiao, that vile young lady, did it on purpose, she did it for revenge!¡± ¡°Auntie Guiying, I¡¯m so sorry. I just wanted to reenact what happened that day. I didn¡¯t expect that Ding Dani would react just like I did back then¡­¡± Chiang Xiao sat on the ground, looking up pitifully, ¡°That¡¯s how it happened. Da Ni was just too honest¡ªwhy did she go along with reenacting the part where she gets pushed into the water? I thought she would dodge.¡± So, it wasn¡¯t me who deliberately pushed her in. I was just reenacting Ding Dani¡¯s actions from that day. So, Ding Dani also fell in because she wanted to do a realistic reenactment; it was her own doing. After all, she had said it before, that she would play Ding Dani, and Ding Dani would play her. But Ding Dani, I had said that I would get you in the water too, and I keep my word. Guiying, furious, let go of Ding Dani and lunged forward, attempting to slap Chiang Xiao, ¡°It was you who pushed her! You heartless little wretch, I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll make you pay for harming my Da Ni!¡± Her hand was blocked by Secretary Yao just before it could strike Chiang Xiao¡¯s face. ¡°Enough!¡± Secretary Yao shouted, ¡°If this goes on, you¡¯ll all be taken to the militia building!¡± Guiying immediately shrank back. Ding Daqiang glared bitterly at Chiang Xiao. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ge Liutao and Chiang Songhai also ran over, helping Chiang Xiao up from both sides. ¡°Little, are you okay? Did the fall hurt you?¡± Chiang Songhai glanced at her torn top, noting she was wearing another underneath, so there was no real harm. He glared furiously at Ding Dani, ¡°Now we finally understand what actually happened that day! Ding Dani, what do you have to say for yourself?¡± The truth was plainly evident. The villagers present all pointed and murmured about Ding Dani. Ding Dani was completely soaked, and the mountain breeze made her teeth chatter from the cold. Her clothes clung to her body, revealing her curves, which caused her great embarrassment. A thirteen-year-old girl who often did physical work was nearly grown, and this sight caught the attention of the loafers who had come to watch the commotion. These malicious gazes filled Ding Dani with humiliation and anger. She could only hug her chest tightly and hide behind Guiying, but this made Secretary Yao and the others think she was admitting guilt by acting so evasive. They were convinced that the events did indeed happen this way. ¡°This is outrageous! Ding Dani, how can a young girl like you be so calculating? Apologize to the Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady! And you, Ding Daqiang, Guiying, how dare you go to Uncle Songhai¡¯s house demanding compensation?¡± Secretary Yao was also very annoyed. Chapter 33 - 33 33 From Now On Revenge Will Be Sought ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33 From Now On, Revenge Will Be Sought Chapter 33: Chapter 33 From Now On, Revenge Will Be Sought ¡°Secretary Yao, we¡­¡± Ding Daqiang wanted to argue a few words but was cut off by a sharp glance from Secretary Yao, and he dared not continue. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Now that the Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady has been sick for a few days, you at least need to send over twelve eggs first, to nourish her! And don¡¯t bring up that damn Dacron matter again!¡± Secretary Yao swept another glance at Ding Dani and huffed, ¡°Now Chiang Xiao¡¯s clothes are also torn, this your family must compensate!¡± ¡°What? We have to compensate for her clothes?¡± Guiying burst out crying upon hearing this, ¡°What kind of logic is this? She tore up Da Ni¡¯s clothes and didn¡¯t compensate, why should my family compensate for hers?¡± ¡°You ask why? You ask why?¡± Secretary Yao shouted, ¡°It was your Da Ni who pushed her down! Otherwise, would she have been sick these past few days?¡± Guiying cried out, ¡°Da Ni didn¡¯t push her down on purpose!¡± Indeed, Ding Dani didn¡¯t push her into the water intentionally. Chiang Xiao¡¯s gaze flickered, but it was indeed because Ding Dani was always shoving her that she fell in. Intentional or not, the fact was she pushed her. Chiang Songhai was unwilling to let it go and, pointing at her, cursed, ¡°Intentional or not is one thing, Ding Dani pushed Little down and then ran off. If it hadn¡¯t been for running into Canyuan, who managed to rescue Little just in time, what then? If something happened to Little, I wouldn¡¯t care whether it was intentional or not; Ding Dani would have to pay with her life!¡± Chiang Songhai had never lost his temper this badly, nor had he ever said such a grave thing as ¡®paying with her life.¡¯ For a moment, even Ding Daqiang, who was about to act tough, was shocked. ¡°I¡¯m laying it out here. I, Chiang Songhai, may not have a son, and Little has no brothers to back her up, but she was raised and pampered by both of us as if she were our own life! From now on, whoever dares to bully her, I¡¯ll smash their house!¡± Before, he hadn¡¯t understood the whole situation. This time he saw clearly that his granddaughter was merely about to fall when Ji Desheng, that boy, gave her a tug, but Ding Dani cursed and pushed her viciously until she went into the water! Although it was a reenactment, it still turned his rage ablaze. In the past, he had always thought that since everyone was from the same hometown, issues could be resolved amicably. Now he was furious. No matter what, he had to protect his granddaughter! The young lady truly was wronged. Chiang Xiao felt a warmth in her eyes as she listened to her grandfather¡¯s words. In her previous life, she had a fever and refused the bitter medicine, remaining feverish and unaware of the trouble the Ding Family caused, so she missed the chance to defend herself. Her grandfather, not knowing the truth, couldn¡¯t stand up for her and thought only of calming the situation so she could see a doctor, thus he agreed to the compensation. But he didn¡¯t know about all that followed after the agreement. This lifetime was finally different. No one would bully her again, nor her grandparents. Chiang Xiao leaned against her grandmother and looked at Secretary Yao, saying, ¡°Secretary Uncle, actually, if the Ding Family hadn¡¯t forced my grandfather to pay up, I would¡¯ve let bygones be bygones. We really don¡¯t have money.¡± Hearing her words, Secretary Yao looked at the thin Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao, heaving a soft sigh. The old couple had also led a hard life. ¡°Chiang Xiao, how about you suggest how much the Ding Family should compensate you?¡± Chiang Xiao glanced at Guiying. She genuinely detested this woman, but if she really asked to drain the Ding Family¡¯s resources, not only would Ding Daqiang disagree, Secretary Yao would also think she was being greedy and pushy. She wasn¡¯t yet able to leave Siyang Village, so she had to live there peacefully, but from now on, she would take her revenge. ¡°Secretary Uncle, how about this, those twelve eggs you just mentioned, plus five yuan, to cover my clothes, and the rest for the medicine expenses. My grandfather was supposed to sell those herbs he dug up, but now I have consumed them.¡± Chapter 34 - 34 34 Chiang Xiao Knows the Big Picture ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Chiang Xiao Knows the Big Picture Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Chiang Xiao Knows the Big Picture Five Yuan was for clothes and herbal medicine. Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t aim too high. Compared to what Ding Daqiang¡¯s family had previously demanded¨Cten yards of fabric plus a basket of eggs and then thirty Yuan¨CChiang Xiao was practically saintly, so much so it made one¡¯s heart ache. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Secretary Yao breathed a slight sigh of relief. This child was sensible. In fact, Ding Dani had only accidentally pushed someone into the creek, and if he really were to punish Ding Dani, Guiying would fight tooth and nail with him. Not to mention Ding Daqiang, who was not the type to be trifled with. Moreover, if these two were locked up, what would happen to the younger Ding girls? Dealing with this would spark a chain of issues. If things got out of hand, it would affect the peace and unity of Siyang Village, and this was what he didn¡¯t want to see. Thankfully, Chiang Xiao was truly understanding and only asked for five Yuan and twelve eggs. In Secretary Yao¡¯s view, Chiang Xiao really had a sense of the larger picture and knew when to advance or retreat. His impression of her improved even more. If Ding Daqiang wouldn¡¯t even concede to that, even he, Yao Jubin, would be angered. Guiying was unaware of Secretary Yao¡¯s inner thoughts. Upon hearing that her family had to compensate, she instantly sat on the ground and started crying while slapping her thighs. ¡°This is outright bullying! Chiang Xiao, you black-hearted, conniving little harlot, shameless greed demon, asking for five Yuan right off the bat¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Secretary Yao¡¯s temples throbbed as he pointed at her and shouted angrily, ¡°For every extra cry, you¡¯ll pay one more Yuan! Keep crying, I dare you!¡± Do you have no shame? You yourself had initially asked for ten yards of fabric and thirty Yuan! He then glared at Ding Daqiang and said sternly, ¡°Brother Daqiang, admit your faults and correct them! If your family continues like this, when it¡¯s time to irrigate the fields, don¡¯t expect it to be your turn. You¡¯ll just have to dry out.¡± All of them had dry fields, and there was only one canal. When it came time to build the dam and divert water for irrigation, it had to be done in turns since the water flow wasn¡¯t great. If they couldn¡¯t get a turn, they wouldn¡¯t be able to water their crops, which would surely lead to their fields drying up. This was a matter concerning the food for an entire family, and Ding Daqiang immediately backed down. Under Secretary Yao¡¯s fierce gaze, he pulled out a handful of money and, with a dark face, threw it in front of Chiang Xiao, then yanked Ding Dani up. ¡°Get lost with me back home! You disgraceful thing! Once home, I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± Five Yuan was quite a sum for anyone in the village at that time. Keep in mind that back then, the tuition for one term in primary school was only three and a half Yuan. With these five Yuan, Chiang Xiao¡¯s tuition for the next term was now secured. And previously, Guiying¡¯s demand for ten yards of fabric and thirty Yuan was utterly fantastical. Even the wealthiest families in the village would find it difficult to fork out thirty Yuan without flinching to compensate someone, let alone a poor family like the Chiangs. ¡°Daqiang, you can¡¯t beat Da Ni, she needs to go up to town tomorrow¡­¡± Guiying scrambled up and ran back after them. The cries of Ding Dani and the shouts of Guiying grew fainter and fainter. Chiang Xiao picked up the money one bill at a time, seemingly unfazed. Among the cash were one and two jiao pieces, and mostly fen. In an era when a single fen could buy candy, seeing these old currency notes made her feel somewhat alienated. But money was always charming. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s all over! Everyone disperse, go about your business!¡± Secretary Yao glanced over the onlookers, and upon seeing Ho Laidi, he immediately remembered Chiang Xiao¡¯s swollen hand from the previous night and her words. ¡°Auntie Laidi!¡± Being called out by Secretary Yao, Ho Laidi stiffened and was a bit annoyed. With a stern face and in a not-so-friendly tone, she asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Others might fear Secretary Yao, but she certainly didn¡¯t. Her family was of a higher generation, after all; didn¡¯t Secretary Yao always call her auntie? ¡°Auntie Laidi, we now need to believe in science; we must no longer talk about exorcising evils or inviting the Fairy,¡± Secretary Yao bluntly said. Chapter 35 - 35 35 What is called Seduction ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35 What is called Seduction Chapter 35: Chapter 35 What is called Seduction Ho Laidi¡¯s face darkened as she turned and walked away. Song Xiyun quickly followed her, running. The crowd of villagers, seeing there was no more excitement to watch, also dispersed. ¡°Uncle, I have things to deal with at home too, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Cong Weimin, seeing nothing more was happening, greeted Secretary Yao and turned to leave. Yao Cong, however, remained standing there. Secretary Yao had just lost face due to Ho Laidi¡¯s attitude and was feeling a bit uncomfortable. When he turned and saw Chiang Xiao¡¯s grateful eyes, he immediately thought that this child was much clearer on the situation than Ho Laidi. ¡°Chiang Xiao, your performance today really impressed me.¡± Chiang Xiao said somewhat embarrassingly, ¡°Secretary Uncle, I was forced into a corner. Aunt Guihua insisted my family pay her compensation, but where would we get the money to pay her?¡± She emphasized again that if it weren¡¯t for Guiying and Ding Daqiang¡¯s excessive bullying, she really wouldn¡¯t have wanted to trouble Secretary Yao. ¡°I know, this isn¡¯t your fault,¡± Secretary Yao nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all because of Ding Dani, that girl. She¡¯s still so young, yet why is she so scheming? By the way, that Ji Desheng¡­¡± With such a commotion and so many villagers having come to watch, neither Ji Desheng nor his mother, Widow Liu, could be seen anywhere. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Secretary Yao brought up Ji Desheng while looking at Chiang Xiao. It was clear that Ding Dani had a thing for Ji Desheng, so what about Chiang Xiao? Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes remained clear and pure, ¡°Secretary Uncle, what does ¡®seduce¡¯ mean?¡± Cough, cough, cough! Secretary Yao almost choked on his own saliva. Chiang Xiao blinked her charmingly innocent large eyes, a bit puzzled as she said, ¡°Ding Dani and Aunt Guiying said I seduced Ji Desheng, but why would I seduce him? There¡¯s not even enough rice at home for my grandparents and me to be full, although Ji Desheng kindly helped me. I don¡¯t want to invite him to my house to fight over rice.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Yao Cong couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing at the side. Secretary Yao didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. Well, this girl was only thirteen after all, without parents to guide her and always keeping to herself. What did she know? It was the precocious girls like Ding Dani who were the shrewd ones. Chiang Xiao was definitely not like them. At this moment, in Secretary Yao¡¯s heart, there was no girl more naive and innocent than Chiang Xiao. ¡°Chiang Xiao, don¡¯t take their words to heart. Go home quickly. As for the favor you promised me, we can talk about that once you¡¯ve recovered.¡± Secretary Yao smiled and waved his hand, leaving with Yao Cong. By the banks of Nameless Creek, only the trio of grandparents and grandchild remained, and Ge Liutao finally breathed a sigh of relief. With so many people surrounding them and Ding Daqiang and Guiying being so unreasonable, she had been continuously anxious, fearing something else would happen to Chiang Xiao. ¡°Little, do we really not have to compensate Guiying¡¯s family with money and fabric?¡± Chiang Songhai snorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see? It¡¯s their family that owes Little a compensation! I think the amount we¡¯re asking for is too little!¡± They should demand at least twenty, so he could buy some nourishing goods from the town for Little to recuperate and get some nutrients. ¡°Grandpa and Grandma, having these five yuan is already good, plus the twelve eggs. Once we head back, we must remember to go to the Ding Family to collect the eggs.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go collect them,¡± Chiang Songhai said right away. ¡°At lunch, I¡¯ll ask your grandma to boil two eggs for you to nourish you.¡± ¡°Boil three, one for each of us!¡± Chiang Xiao immediately said. ¡°If you two don¡¯t eat, I won¡¯t eat either.¡± As the trio of grandparents and grandchild continued talking and walking away, two young men in military attire stood up from a patch of grass on the slope of Bai Gu Mountain, watching the departing figures across Nameless Creek. Chapter 36 - 36 36 Cant Be Your Daughter-in-Law ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Can¡¯t Be Your Daughter-in-Law Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Can¡¯t Be Your Daughter-in-Law Chapter 36: Can¡¯t Be Your Bride ¡°Captain, I never expected to find such a sprightly young girl in a small mountain village like this,¡± a team member with a round face and large eyes, who appeared to be only about seventeen, chuckled as he brushed grass clippings off his clothes. The young girl he referred to was naturally Chiang Xiao. The man called Captain was about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, very tall¡ªclose to one meter ninety¡ªand his physique was nearly perfect, tall and straight like a pine tree. Just one glance was enough to give people a sense of enormous security. His eyebrows were raised as if flying, his eyes dark and deep, and his thin lips tightly pressed together as he watched the figures of the grandchildren and their grandparent fade away. After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and glanced at the team member. ¡°No matter how sprightly, she¡¯s still just a child and can¡¯t be a bride.¡± ¡°Captain,¡± the team member jumped, hastily distancing himself, ¡°I only meant she was sprightly, I didn¡¯t mean in that way!¡± Although he had long harbored thoughts of taking a wife, that girl named Chiang Xiao looked to be only about twelve or thirteen. He wasn¡¯t such a beast! Would he still be human if he pinched such a bloom of the motherland? ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move on.¡± The team captain took the lead, heading toward a narrow path behind the mountain. They were just passing by this small mountain village called Siyang Village and had unexpectedly witnessed a rather exciting scene. That was all. Chiang Xiao and her grandparents returned home, their stomachs growling. But despite the problem having been resolved, the mood of the three was quite good. ¡°Little, why don¡¯t you sit down and rest for a bit, grandma will chop some green onions to mix into your porridge,¡± Ge Liutao hurried to the stove to get busy. She had gotten up early to cook a small pot of porridge, which also simmered an egg, prepared to nourish Chiang Xiao. However, plain porridge was tasteless, so they could only have it with some homemade pickles. Chiang Xiao liked green onions. Usually, she would chop up a couple of green onions and mix them into the porridge while it was still steaming hot, turning the plain porridge into a bowl of fragrant scallion porridge. The Chiang family was poor, and this was all they could afford for breakfast each day. ¡°You two eat first, I¡¯ll go to Ding Daqiang¡¯s house to get some eggs,¡± Chiang Songhai said, now knowing that Ding Dani had pushed Chiang Xiao into the creek and not wanting to be polite with them any longer. He had to get back what was owed to them. Worried that the Ding Family might not give him eggs, he also took a small bamboo basket with him. Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t stop him, nor did she plan to follow. The decision had been made by Secretary Yao. No matter how reluctant Ding Daqiang and Guiying were, they would have to hand over the eggs, otherwise, they would be crossing Secretary Yao. Sure enough, after a while, Chiang Songhai returned with a small basket of eggs. ¡°No more, no less, twelve eggs.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao glanced at the small basket of eggs. Each was very small, about half the size compared to the eggs from the poultry farms she would buy later. Although homegrown eggs tended to be smaller, Chiang Xiao guessed that Guiying must have carefully picked out the smallest ones to send to them. In fact, smaller eggs might taste better. Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t care to argue with that family over such matters. ¡°Grandma, starting tomorrow, let¡¯s cook three eggs every day, one for each of us!¡± Chiang Xiao emphasized again that each person should get one, fearing that her grandmother would cook only one again. All three members of their family had weak constitutions; they needed to nourish themselves properly. ¡°Alright, alright, whatever you say, Little,¡± Ge Liutao responded with a smile. After breakfast, both grandparents went off to water the vegetable garden. Grandpa would likely pick some herbs after that, leaving Chiang Xiao alone at home. Chiang Xiao closed the courtyard gate and sat down on the flagstones beneath the Chinese toon tree. With her grandparents not home, she had to be on guard against Song Xiyun. Sitting under the tree, Chiang Xiao sorted out her thoughts. She had managed to turn the most crucial step of this life around, but she had no idea in which direction her life would now head. Unconsciously, she reached out and picked up a medicinal herb her grandfather had stacked to the side. Suddenly, her consciousness rippled, and then she saw a small patch of dark soil. Chapter 37 - 37 37 Turns out Theres a Space ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Turns out There¡¯s a Space Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Turns out There¡¯s a Space It was quite small, roughly only as big as a ping-pong table; she could walk across it in just a few steps. The soil was black and looked very loose. There was nothing on the land, and the surroundings were vast and boundless. She felt as if she were standing on this land, but at the same time, she was acutely aware that she was still sitting under the yellow-skinned fruit tree in the courtyard. This sensation terrified Chiang Xiao. At that moment, she vaguely smelled a faint scent of medicinal herbs. Chiang Xiao looked down at the slightly wilted herb in her hand and suddenly remembered: it was right after she picked up this herb that she saw this piece of land. ¡°Hey, Little, you¡¯re amazing! You actually swindled Five Yuan and a basket of eggs from Guiying!¡± Song Xiyun¡¯s voice abruptly brought Chiang Xiao back to her senses. With a jolt, the land before her eyes vanished, and she was still sitting on the stone bench. Glancing up, she saw Song Xiyun standing on the other side of the courtyard wall, munching on sunflower seeds, spitting the shells into her courtyard. Chiang Xiao¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, suddenly feeling that, compared to other matters, there was something even more important at hand. That was to build the courtyard wall higher to keep the people from the Old Chiang Family from peeking over all the time, destroying any sense of privacy in her own yard, just like the one with Song Xiyun¡ªit was annoying. Seeing that she got no response, Song Xiyun pouted her lips, continued cracking seeds, and spat the shells into her side while saying, ¡°Little, now that you have money, go to the grocery store, weigh out some candy, and bring it back for Dongdong. He loves sweets.¡± Chiang Xiao immediately scoffed. She knew someone would be jealous of the Five Yuan. But really, where did Song Xiyun get the gall? She was pushed into the water by Ding Dani and only asked for Five Yuan as compensation; now her family was so poor they were clanging for cash. Let alone spending the Five Yuan in urgent needs, even if she wanted to buy snacks and gobble them all up herself, it wasn¡¯t the turn of the Old Chiang Family to benefit! The Dongdong that Song Xiyun mentioned, whose full name was Chiang Lidong, was the Old Chiang Family¡¯s first male grandchild, just six years old this year. The elderly couple, Chiang Songtao and Ho Laidi, doted on him like a precious gem. And it was precisely because Song Xiyun bore this favoured male child that Ho Laidi was extra tolerant of her. In the Old Chiang Family, Chiang Lidong¡¯s status was only slightly lower than that of Chiang Yuequn, just by a little bit. Chiang Yuequn, the youngest son of Chiang Songtao and Ho Laidi, was seventeen years old; Chiang Xiao even had to address him as her little uncle. ¡°Auntie, Dongdong is not my son; why should I buy him candy? Whoever gave birth to him should buy it.¡± As she spoke, Chiang Xiao stood up, took a broom from the corner of the wall and a dustpan, and quickly swept the sunflower seed shells off the ground into the dustpan. Then, she lifted it and poured the contents over towards the courtyard wall, causing dust to land on Song Xiyun¡¯s face and body. Song Xiyun started screaming and jumping, while Chiang Xiao had already dropped the broom and entered the main house. ¡°Chiang Xiao! You damned girl, what¡¯s with your attitude? Get out here!¡± Song Xiyun¡¯s angry voice came in, but Chiang Xiao simply locked the door of the main house. In the past, she had often played the maidservant for Dongdong, and whenever her grandparents had something tasty, Song Xiyun would often forcefully take it for her son, claiming that as the eldest grandchild of the Chiang Family, everyone should indulge and prioritize him. She would not be so foolish from now on. Chiang Xiao entered the inner room and thought again of the black land she had ¡°seen¡± with her consciousness. Her heart stirred, and suddenly the scenery in front of her changed, and she was standing on that black land once more. This time, she was truly standing on the black soil. Chiang Xiao was dumbfounded. In her previous life, she had never discovered this patch of Black Land. Could it be a space? A small space without anything? But, but, but what use could it be? Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 38 - 38 38 Plant a Blade of Grass ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Plant a Blade of Grass Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Plant a Blade of Grass Chiang Xiao had wandered around the Space for a long time, and the Black Soil was still just Black Soil, not a single new discovery. However, she had mastered the method of entering the Space; she needed only to will it. Whether she wished her consciousness or her physical body to enter, it was all but a thought away. The ruckus had started next door at the Old Chiang Family, with Dongdong clamoring for meat buns, Song Xiyun¡¯s tattle-telling, and Ho Laidi¡¯s cursing. The quarrel traveled over the walls, which were too low, making every word cariable. Chiang Xiao realized that even inside the Space, she could still clearly hear the outside noises. She really wanted to immediately raise the height of the courtyard wall! She fumed with the thought but also knew that it was not as simple as she imagined, not a small matter at all. First off, her family did not have the money to buy bricks; secondly, houses in Siyang Village were all like this, with neighboring courtyards separated by walls no taller than a person, nobody wanted to be the odd one out. And what¡¯s more, it was the Old Chiang Family? Her grandfather held Chiang Songtao in high regard. To raise the wall between the two families would be to clearly show they wanted to guard against the Old Chiang Family, drawing a line between them, which would be awkward. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Songhai definitely would not be pleased with that idea. Forget it, she¡¯d take it slow. But now, she just didn¡¯t feel like going out at all. Chiang Xiao simply moved a small stool over to sit on the Black Land, and she tossed the medicinal herb in her hand onto the Black Soil, thinking about things. After a while, her gaze returned to the herb; she blinked in surprise, even rubbing her eyes a few times for fear she was seeing things. She hadn¡¯t seen wrongly¡ªthe herb she had brought in, which had already lost its moisture and wilted, now appeared to have come back to life! The leaves were moist and spread out, just as if they had just been plucked from the soil. Chiang Xiao was very surprised. At the same time, she also smelled a very faint herbal fragrance in the Space. Could it be that this Black Soil was suitable for growing medicinal herbs? Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes lit up in an instant. She hurriedly planted the herb in a corner of the land and then sat on the stool, propping her cheeks in her hands, watching the herb with immense anticipation. This was a Fragrant Russian Knapweed that she had casually picked from the pile of herbs Chiang Songhai had in the yard. Having followed her grandfather in drying herbs for so many years, Chiang Xiao could recognize that this herb was used to treat colds and fevers. It wasn¡¯t rare, as it grew on the Back Mountain of Siyang Village. She remembered that in her childhood, during a disastrous year when they were too poor to have enough to eat, her grandfather collected the tender shoots and stir-fried them to eat. Many in the village followed his example back then. During that half-year, the villagers had eaten all the wild vegetables near the village. Now, one had to go higher up the mountain to pick Fragrant Russian Knapweed. Chiang Xiao was still staring at the Fragrant Russian Knapweed when she suddenly heard the courtyard door being violently kicked open. ¡°You little wretch, get out here quick! Hiding inside pretending to be dead, are you?¡± Upon hearing that voice, Chiang Xiao¡¯s scalp tingled instinctively. In her previous life before leaving Siyang Village, the person she had feared the most was this man. Even now, the sound of his voice immediately conjured up fear and dread in her heart. This person was the second son of Chiang Songtao and Ho Laidi, Chiang Baohe. Chiang Baohe was twenty-nine this year and still unmarried. He had been engaged once, but the engagement had fallen through due to an unforeseen incident. In that incident, Chiang Baohe even lost sight in one eye, and that had delayed things ever since. Over the years, Ho Laidi fretted over her son¡¯s marriage to the point of turning her hair white, but still, no family was willing to marry their daughter to Chiang Baohe. Chapter 39 - 39 39 Fear Like a Demon ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Fear Like a Demon Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Fear Like a Demon It wasn¡¯t just because he had lost an eye, but also because he was addicted to alcohol, often going mad when drunk, and moreover, his temper was strange, making him appear violent and gloomy. In the eighties, especially in a backward mountain village, it was quite shameful for a man over twenty-five to still be unmarried. If it wasn¡¯t because the family¡¯s conditions were too poor, then the person had some serious problems. Another situation was when parents were too overbearing and eccentric, to the point that girls from other families would avoid such in-laws and such a family as if fearing disaster. Chiang Baohe was twenty-nine, and villagers his age had children who could herd cattle and go to school, yet he was still single. Not only was Ho Laidi anxious, but Chiang Baohe himself was desperate. He dreamt of having a soft woman to hold in his sleep, to serve him and bear him sons. So, whenever he encountered the village¡¯s young ladies, he would stare at them intently with his remaining eye, his face always gloomy, as if he was about to pounce at any moment. As a result, Chiang Baohe¡¯s reputation in the village grew even worse, and the young maidens and married women would feel terrified and take detours upon seeing him. Siyang Village was small, with a known handful of people, all familiar with each other¡¯s backgrounds. Ho Laidi was well aware that her second son couldn¡¯t find a wife in the village, so she kept inquiring in other towns while also urging him to visit the town more often, in hopes that he might encounter a suitable marriage prospect. Chiang Xiao had been deeply afraid of this second uncle from the bottom of her heart, not just because of these issues, but more so because of what Chiang Baohe had done not long after. That incident made Chiang Xiao truly feel that Chiang Baohe was a demon; being targeted by him meant being dragged into hell, a fate worse than death. Chiang Baohe generally wouldn¡¯t bother her, as he was very annoyed by Chiang Xiao, even, it could be said, hateful. So whenever he called her, it was through gritted teeth that he called her ¡°little wretch.¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was because the girl he had been betrothed to had been promiscuous with another man. Just before the wedding, it was discovered that she was already pregnant. Chiang Xiao was Chiang Qingzhu¡¯s premarital fling, and in Chiang Baohe¡¯s eyes, was just like that shameless fianc¨¦e¡¯s child, a ¡°little wretch.¡± Amidst Chiang Baohe¡¯s cursing and swearing, Chiang Xiao finally remembered this event; she had forgotten about Chiang Baohe! In her previous life, Chiang Baohe had come to find her just a few days later. At that time, her grandfather had barred him, and she wasn¡¯t clear about the reason, but having lived again, she now connected all the events and understood why Chiang Baohe had come for her. During this time, Chiang Baohe had taken a fancy to Ji Desheng¡¯s mother, Widow Liu. Although Widow Liu was a few years older than him and had a sixteen-year-old son, she was irresistible with her good looks, attractive dress, and figure. Unfortunately, with Chiang Baohe¡¯s reputation, even Widow Liu was afraid to associate with him. When Chiang Baohe¡¯s pursuit became too much, Widow Liu started to fancy Chiang Songhai, hoping that by getting involved with his uncle, Chiang Baohe would no longer dare to fixate on her. But Chiang Xiao had never understood why Widow Liu would be interested in her grandfather; she didn¡¯t believe it was just to ward off Chiang Baohe. After all, Widow Liu was only thirty-five, while her grandfather was fifty-three and still had a wife. ¡°Little wretch, if you don¡¯t come out now, I will come in,¡± Chiang Baohe¡¯s voice had reached the main room. Fearing that he would truly enter her bedroom, Chiang Xiao quickly left the Space, lifted the door curtain, and stepped out. As soon as she entered the main room, she met a dead gray eye and a gloomy glare. Chiang Xiao took a deep breath and spoke first, her tone cold and hard. ¡°My surname is Chiang, yours is too. If you keep calling me a ¡®little wretch,¡¯ then what does that make you?¡± It seemed Chiang Baohe didn¡¯t expect Chiang Xiao to talk back so rudely right from the start, and he was momentarily stunned. Chapter 40 - 40 40 The Subtle Pleasure ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40: The Subtle Pleasure Chapter 40: Chapter 40: The Subtle Pleasure He then laughed contemptuously and looked at Chiang Xiao as if she were trash. ¡°Your last name is Chiang? Ha-ha, just as low and shameless as your mother. You have the surname Chiang because even Second Uncle doesn¡¯t know who your dad is! Who knows if your mom just picked up some random man in the ravines? Back in those chaotic times, when so many bad elements were sent here, some assholes being forced to eat shit during the day would turn around at night, eager to defile the village¡¯s young women. Maybe your mom got dragged into the fields and slept by one of those pricks, with the way she was back then¡­¡± Chiang Baohe hadn¡¯t planned to curse so much at first. But he didn¡¯t know why, it gave him a thrill and satisfaction akin to a sinister flame growing in the dark to curse at the young girl who looked like a delicate flower and to insult her mother with such indecent words. Chiang Qingzhu used to be the belle of Siyang Village, and there were many from the nearby villages who wanted to seek a marriage alliance. But no one expected her to suddenly turn up pregnant. Although Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao tried to keep the matter quiet, it was all in vain. Chiang Qingzhu should have been subjected to the Village Parade, her ruined reputation dragged through the streets. Even if she herself didn¡¯t die, the bastard child in her womb surely couldn¡¯t be saved. In those times, getting pregnant before marriage was tantamount to breaking all social norms. Yet, in the end, Chiang Songhai managed to protect both his daughter and granddaughter, an outcome which still astounds the villagers to this day. Part of Chiang Xiao¡¯s deep respect for her grandfather came from this. She believed that to have saved her and her mother in such tumultuous times was nothing short of incredible. She firmly believed her father could not be some vile old pervert, because she only looked like the Chiang family by one-third, while the other two-thirds of her features must resemble her father¡¯s. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao had always known she was beautiful and even felt a bit proud of her looks¡ªnot out of vanity, but because it allowed her to maintain the belief that her father was a handsome and gentle man. ¡°With Chiang Qingzhu being such a slut back then, the little wretch she gave birth to isn¡¯t any better,¡± found Chiang Baohe, gaining a perverse sense of pleasure from his stream of insults towards Chiang Xiao, unable to stop himself. ¡°Just a few years old and already knows how to seduce men by wiggling her butt! Let me tell you, little wretch, don¡¯t even think about Ji Desheng anymore. Keep your damn legs closed, and if you dare mess up my good thing with Ji Desheng, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± One of Chiang Baohe¡¯s eyes stared at Chiang Xiao like a venomous snake. No matter how much Chiang Xiao had mentally prepared herself, telling herself that she was young and frail and needed to hold back or else she would suffer greatly, Chiang Baohe¡¯s foul language instantly set her temper ablaze. Hold back my ass! If she held back any longer, would Chiang Baohe no longer be a twisted devil? Chiang Xiao kicked over a long bench with a fierce move and then, before Chiang Baohe could react, she suddenly dashed toward the door and out. While running, she screamed tragically, ¡°Second Uncle, don¡¯t hit me, I won¡¯t tell anyone, I won¡¯t tell, please, Second Uncle, spare me!¡± Chiang Baohe was already in pursuit when Chiang Xiao grabbed a strong bamboo pole from the yard and threw it at him. ¡°Little wretch, stop right there!¡± Chiang Baohe caught the bamboo pole with one hand and, without thinking, continued chasing with the pole in hand. Chiang Xiao had already run out the main gate and kept screaming terribly, ¡°Help! Second Uncle, please, let me go! I won¡¯t talk about what happened in the sweet potato field! I won¡¯t tell anyone if they ask!¡± While shouting, she ran into the alley. No one knew better than she did how cruel Chiang Baohe could be; she couldn¡¯t stay alone in the house with him. Chapter 41 - 41 41 Beat to Death ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Beat to Death Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Beat to Death Chiang Xiao had never thought about slandering Chiang Baohe, but since he had confronted her first, and had cursed her and her mother so nastily, how could she bear it? After her rebirth, she had vowed to seek revenge for grievances and make those responsible pay, no longer playing the kind-hearted and weak, especially towards those so-called relatives. The words she yelled out were naturally loaded with deep meaning. Indeed, the women in the village who hadn¡¯t gone to work in the fields heard her screams. Actually, the first to run out to witness the commotion were Song Xiyun and her son, Dongdong. However, when this mother and son saw Chiang Baohe chasing Chiang Xiao, they had no intention of stepping in to protect her. Gripping Chiang Lidong¡¯s hand, Song Xiyun watched with schadenfreude as Chiang Baohe chased the fleeing Chiang Xiao with a carrying pole and said, ¡°Oh dear Laosan, Little Little is still sick; you need to be careful. If something bad happens, watch out she might demand compensation or eggs from you. Our family has no money.¡± The Old Chiang Family had three sons and one daughter born to Ho Laidi; Song Xiyun¡¯s husband, Chiang Baoguo, was the eldest, Laosan was Chiang Baohe, the third was a daughter named Chiang Qingshui, and the youngest, Chiang Yuequn, was only seventeen, just four years older than Chiang Xiao. Both the eldest, Chiang Baoguo, and Laosan, Chiang Baohe, were not young anymore, but the Old Chiang Family had not yet split up the household. As the head of the family, Chiang Songtao, supporting such a big family was no easy task, so for many years, he had only focused on hard work. With a reserved and reticent nature, he never really took raising the children seriously. He managed farming and the field work, while Ho Laidi managed the household tasks, took care of pigs and chickens, and looked after a bunch of children. The Old Chiang Family, supporting so many people, could indeed only ensure everyone had enough to eat, without anything extra to spare. ¡°Beating her to death would be for nothing, she¡¯d dare to ask me for money?¡± Chiang Baohe gritted his teeth as he pursued Chiang Xiao. Chiang Xiao ran clumsily along the village paths, calling out as she went. Screaming pitifully. Although she was putting on an act, it was truly perilous. She had just recovered from a fever, her body was still weak, and she had worn herself out by taking so many people to Nameless Creek earlier that morning. Chiang Baohe, a strong and tall farmer used to working the land, quickly gained on her despite Chiang Xiao¡¯s initial head start. Several times, the carrying pole in Chiang Baohe¡¯s hand nearly struck her back. Chiang Xiao¡¯s face was pale; she ran for her life, while still crying out, ¡°Uncle Laosan, spare me! I won¡¯t mention the sweet potato field matter to anyone if you ask! Help, save me!¡± ¡°You keep wailing, and if I catch you, I¡¯ll beat you to death, you little wretch! Thinking you can trick me, and daring to run before I¡¯ve even made a move!¡± In reality, Chiang Baohe hadn¡¯t actually paid attention to why Chiang Xiao kept mentioning the sweet potato field. What made him angry was that he had warned Chiang Xiao not to get close to Ji Desheng, but she had not listened and had run away! Did that mean she was refusing him? Would she rather be beaten by him and continue to seduce Ji Desheng? Another point was, since she had run away, could he not chase her? This was almost an instinctual reflex; he hadn¡¯t intended to hit her, but with her running and wailing, Chiang Baohe, looking at Chiang Xiao like a little lamb, felt his already twisted psyche becoming more warped. Just beat her! Beat her to death! This also gave him a strange sense of pleasure. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± When the neighbors heard Chiang Xiao¡¯s dreadful screams, they couldn¡¯t help but walk to their doors, only to see a skinny young girl running desperately past, with Old Chiang¡¯s Laosan hot on her heels, swinging the carrying pole after her. ¡°Baohe, what are you doing?¡± someone shouted at Chiang Baohe. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 42 - 42 42 Very dangerous Foresight ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Very dangerous Foresight Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Very dangerous Foresight Chiang Baohe didn¡¯t pay any attention to anyone, as his blood had started to boil. All he wanted was to catch that little wretch who dared to disobey him and beat her to death. ¡°Second Uncle, please spare me!¡± Chiang Xiao continued to scream as she ran wildly. But she realized she couldn¡¯t keep going much longer; her legs felt as though they were filled with lead, incredibly heavy. Her heart was beating too fiercely, and her head had started to ache. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao felt she couldn¡¯t run anymore and decided it might be better to just get beaten a few times. With that thought, her steps slowed slightly. Just then, the sound of something cutting through the air at high speed came from behind; Chiang Baohe was already swinging the flattening stick mercilessly toward her back. A few of the village aunties watching the scene gasped in shock. ¡°He¡¯s going to kill someone!¡± ¡°Chiang Laoer, stop it right now!¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s delicate body could be easily broken if hit by the full force of the flattening stick from Chiang Baohe¡ªher spine might even break! Clearly, Chiang Laoer was indeed intent on delivering a deadly blow! All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Without looking back, Chiang Xiao could feel the ferocity of the incoming flattening stick. In that instant, the graphic image of her brains splattering and her flesh blurring flashed through her mind, and in a split second, she eerily confirmed something: if she was hit by that strike, her spine would break, and she would be paralyzed, condemned to a life confined to a bed. Chiang Xiao¡¯s original plan had been to take a couple of hits; with injuries, her act would appear more convincing. She thought that for the best outcome, enduring a few strikes would be worth it. But the eerie, yet crystal-clear premonition in that flash of lightning made her completely abandon that plan. No matter what she planned to do, she couldn¡¯t gamble with her life, her body. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t this unexpected second chance at life be wasted? As the thought passed, Chiang Baohe¡¯s flattening stick was indeed on its way down. Instantly, Chiang Xiao lunged forward. Right in front of her was a dirt slope leading down to Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang¡¯s small vegetable patch. She had tilled it herself, and beyond it lay a small pond. With her lunge, Chiang Xiao rolled down the slope, crushing the vegetable patch and rolling towards the pond. ¡°Oh heavens! Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady!¡± Just then, Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang, who happened to be picking beans in the vegetable patch, watched in horror as Chiang Xiao rolled past her, heading straight for the pond. She immediately dove to grab Chiang Xiao¡¯s clothing. Chiang Xiao kicked out her feet and frantically grasped at anything she could reach; she tore up a couple of vegetable plants and, at last, grabbed onto two bamboo stakes stuck in the ground for the gourd vines to climb with the help of Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang. By then, one of her legs was already dangling over the edge of the pond, her foot submerged in the water. ¡°Quick, I¡¯ll pull you up, but you need to push too!¡± Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang pulled hard at her. Chiang Xiao felt weak all over but still tried desperately to exert force. With Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang¡¯s help, she managed to climb up. Sitting in the vegetable patch, Chiang Xiao felt a wave of relief wash over her. If she hadn¡¯t made a split-second decision to lunge this way, she would have been crippled by the powerful Chiang Baohe. If she had fallen into the pond, her already fragile health would¡¯ve certainly protested yet again, and she guessed she would have fallen ill with fever once more. In the future, she would have to be exceedingly cautious, thinking things through thoroughly before acting. Of course, Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t regret causing a scene with Chiang Baohe, but she should have been more strategic and methodical in a way that would allow her to protect herself. ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang.¡± The village was small; everyone close to home knew each other. Gasping for breath, Chiang Xiao expressed her gratitude to Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang. Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang was about to respond when Chiang Baohe¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Run again, if you can! Show me how brave you are!¡± Chapter 43 - 43 43 Diverting Trouble Eastward ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Diverting Trouble Eastward Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Diverting Trouble Eastward Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but tremble at the sound of Chiang Baohe¡¯s voice. The cruelty and violence in Chiang Baohe¡¯s blood were even more severe than she had imagined. Just now, she had almost been beaten to a cripple by him. The strength of a full-grown man who worked hard year-round, swinging a flail with all his might, was terrifying. Chiang Baohe had truly shown no restraint just moments before. Although he probably hadn¡¯t considered that he might actually beat her to death. Chiang Xiao only trembled slightly, but Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang noticed and immediately stood in front of her, glaring at Chiang Baohe. ¡°Chiang Baohe, are you even human? This is your niece!¡± Chiang Xiao was stunned by Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang¡¯s action. She had a plan in running this direction; just beyond the pond was the militia building. There would be militiamen there, the same ones who worked with Yao Cong and Cong Weimin. Her original plan had been to reach the militia building, take a few hits, and then the village militiamen would definitely come forward to stop Chiang Baohe, and she would be rescued. But she had overestimated her frail body and her stamina; by the time she reached Shi Zhuang¡¯s home, she could no longer run. Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang¡¯s protective stance surprised Chiang Xiao. Because all the young women in the village were afraid of him, and they would walk around him just to avoid him, who would dare to offend him? Being targeted by this kind of man was terrifying. Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang was named Xiang Mingying and had married into Siyang Village less than half a year ago. She was from Yangkeng Village. Chiang Xiao remembered that she was only twenty-one years old, with a strong physique, beautiful features, and only slightly dark skin, her hair tied in two long and thick braids. ¡°Knowing she¡¯s my niece, you still meddle in my affairs?¡± Chiang Baohe¡¯s one good eye scanned Xiang Mingying¡¯s chest with a gloomy look, ¡°Did Shi Zhuang not satisfy you last night?¡± Xiang Mingying¡¯s face instantly turned beet red, trembling with shame and anger. Women feared Chiang Baohe precisely because of his foul mouth; speaking to such a man, one could easily be insulted without care. ¡°You, you¡¯re shameless!¡± Despite her shame and anger, that was the only thing Xiang Mingying could manage to insult him with. Chiang Xiao had regained a bit of her strength and tried to stand up, pulling Xiang Mingying behind her, though her small frame couldn¡¯t possibly shield Xiang Mingying, who was over one meter sixty. She didn¡¯t want to drag others down. Especially not the first person who had stood in front of her to block Chiang Baohe. Seeing her stand up, Chiang Baohe lifted the flail again, revealing a vicious smile, ¡°Come here, or else¡­¡± But Chiang Xiao suddenly yelled towards his back, ¡°Aunt Caiyun!¡± Aunt Caiyun was none other than Widow Liu, Ji Desheng¡¯s mother. Chiang Baohe immediately turned his head and indeed saw Liu Caiyun, carrying a bamboo basket, attempting to sneak past the side of Shi Zhuang¡¯s home. His remaining eye then lit up instantly. ¡°Aunt Caiyun, my Second Uncle is trying to kill me!¡± Chiang Xiao shouted loudly again. These last few days, Chiang Baohe had been itched by Liu Caiyun. Believing there was a chance for him, even such a dark and fierce man wanted to behave a bit better in front of someone he fancied. Hearing Chiang Xiao¡¯s shout, he immediately dropped the flail and barked at her, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? I¡¯m your uncle; I couldn¡¯t possibly beat you to death!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to beat me any longer, Second Uncle?¡± Chiang Xiao immediately crawled forward, quickly picked up the flail, and while backing towards the way she came, asked, ¡°Are you going to help Aunt Caiyun build a pigsty now?¡± Previously, she had given the flail to Chiang Baohe as a weapon just to make her situation appear more perilous and tragic, and now she regretted it terribly, but how could she have known Chiang Baohe would be so brutal? ¡°What pigsty! My family doesn¡¯t need any help!¡± Liu Caiyun glared at Chiang Xiao, grinding her teeth in hatred. How had Chiang Xiao known she was getting ready to find someone to build a pigsty to raise pigs? sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 44 - 44 44 Framing is Effortless ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Framing is Effortless Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Framing is Effortless Liu Caiyun had thought about building a pigsty in her yard to raise two pigs, but she hadn¡¯t told anyone about it, not even her son, Ji Desheng. Being called out like this by Chiang Xiao, she was both shocked and angry. She was shocked because she really didn¡¯t understand how Chiang Xiao could know, and she was angry that Chiang Xiao had deliberately drawn Chiang Dumu to her. Chiang Dumu was the nickname of Chiang Baohe. These past few days, she¡¯d been avoiding Chiang Dumu to the point of feeling sick; in Siyang Village, the man she least wanted any association with was him! Although Liu Caiyun had been a widow for so many years and was now thirty-five, she was a good catch. She appeared to be only around thirty, and which wife in Siyang Village was prettier than her? If only her luck hadn¡¯t been so bad, marrying a man who died young¡­ Chiang Baohe was simply a toad lusting after swan meat! Naturally, Liu Caiyun looked down on Chiang Baohe! She felt her second marriage was her second stepping stone, and she should be able to marry even better than her first! Though she had a son, her son was also excellent. Firstly, he was handsome, and secondly, he was educated, so any man becoming his stepfather would be getting a bargain. He might even help their family produce a college graduate in the future. When Desheng graduated from university and had a bright future, he would be supporting the whole family. Whoever married her would be blessed with ancestral graves smoking green! Having just seen Chiang Baohe, Liu Caiyun wanted to slip away quietly, unseen, but who knew Chiang Xiao would shout it out, and even mention her plans for the pigsty! Wasn¡¯t this just giving Chiang Baohe an excuse to hang around her house? Liu Caiyun became both anxious and furious, not even stopping to scold Chiang Xiao before turning and running away in a hurry. Chiang Baohe watched her slim waist and full hips; even her running had flair, causing his heart to itch uncontrollably, paying no further heed to Chiang Xiao. ¡°Caiyun, wait for me, I¡¯ll come help at your house!¡± he called out, striding rapidly after Liu Caiyun. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Tsk tsk, has Chiang Dumu taken a fancy to Widow Liu?¡± The women present began their gossip session. ¡°It looks like it! Widow Liu has brought this upon herself, always dressing so provocatively and flirting around the village. Now she¡¯s attracted a poisonous bee, hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t let it sting her to death.¡± The group of women laughed heartily, but their laughter stalled midway as they saw Chiang Xiao returning, their expressions turning somewhat strange. After all, Chiang Baohe was one of the Old Chiang Family members, Chiang Xiao¡¯s uncle. Speaking of him like this¡­ However, considering how Chiang Baohe had just chased after Chiang Xiao, it could be that the uncle and nephew were at odds with each other. ¡°Chiang Xiao, what did you do to provoke your uncle?¡± an aunt shouted. Chiang Xiao¡¯s expression faltered, and she reflexively replied, ¡°I¡¯m not telling!¡± Someone quietly tugged at the aunt, whispering, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear just now? Maybe Chiang Baohe did something in the sweet potato field, and he made the girl see it, forcing her to keep it a secret.¡± ¡°What did Chiang Baohe do in the sweet potato field?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Chiang Xiao listened to the discussions of these gossipy women, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes. Now it was just about planting this seed, and when the incident in the sweet potato field came to light, they would naturally connect it to Chiang Baohe. And that woman, obviously, Liu Caiyun would definitely be regarded as the prime suspect. As for framing Chiang Baohe and Liu Caiyun, Chiang Xiao felt no guilt whatsoever. Chiang Baohe had insulted her and beaten her mercilessly, and in her past life, Liu Caiyun had come to harass her grandfather at her house¡ªthese two had wronged her. Chiang Xiao approached Xiang Mingying, glancing at the vegetable garden by the pond with some guilt. ¡°Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang, I¡¯ll compensate you for the vegetable garden.¡± Chapter 45 - 45 45 Who Let Your Mom Steal Sugar ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Who Let Your Mom Steal Sugar Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Who Let Your Mom Steal Sugar Actually, when she tumbled down, she only crushed about seven or eight heads of cabbage. If you tear off the damaged and rotten leaves on the outside, the inside is still edible. ¡°There¡¯s no need to compensate for this little bit of cabbage¡­¡± Xiang Mingying quickly waved her hand and glanced at Chiang Xiao, her eyes flashing with sympathy and pity. Poor child, wearing torn clothes and covered in mud. Having such an uncle is really bad luck. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Chiang Xiao, from now on, you should keep your distance from your Second Uncle. Make sure not to provoke him again.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao felt grateful to Xiang Mingying for stepping in to shield her without a second thought earlier, and upon hearing her sincere advice, she smiled faintly. Xiang Mingying was dazzled by that smile. This young girl might look disheveled and dirty, but she looks so beautiful when she smiles! Like a little white lotus. ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang.¡± Chiang Xiao thanked her and took out a one-yuan note from her pocket, stuffing it into her hand, ¡°Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang, consider this me buying these few cabbages. Later, I¡¯ll have grandma come and pick them up.¡± After saying this, she didn¡¯t give Xiang Mingying a chance to refuse and ran off. Reaching the entrance of her home, Ho Laidi was sweeping the yard, and Chiang Lidong was holding a porcelain bowl, eating something unknowable. Upon seeing her figure, he immediately called out. ¡°Chiang Xiaoxiao, you weren¡¯t killed by my Second Uncle, huh!¡± Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t bother with this gluttonous and ill-mannered brat, but the moment he called out and stared in the direction of her house, a bad feeling flashed through her heart. She immediately rushed into her house. There was noise by the stove! As expected! Chiang Xiao fumed inside, grabbed a carrying pole, and swung it toward the figure huddled by the stove. While shouting loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll beat you to death, you damn thief! How dare you sneak into my house to steal sugar and oil! Die, you big rat!¡± Of course, she wouldn¡¯t beat someone to death like Chiang Baohe, but swung the carrying pole aimed specifically at the person¡¯s backside. With two loud smacks, the person in pain hopped up. ¡°Chiang Xiao, you little devil! I¡¯m your Second Aunt-in-law! Who are you calling a thief, who are you calling a big rat!¡± She said, as her thigh also received a blow. Song Xiyun was in so much pain that she was close to tears. As if Chiang Xiao had only just seen clearly who it was, she propped the carrying pole on the ground and leaned back, looking at Song Xiyun, who was ceaselessly rubbing her buttocks and gritting her teeth in pain. ¡°Second Aunt-in-law, could you explain why you are in my house?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this ¡®your house, my house¡¯?¡± Song Xiyun glared at her, ¡°We¡¯re all the Chiang Family, my father-in-law and your grandfather are brothers! Can¡¯t I come into my own house?¡± Chiang Xiao laughed out of anger, seeing the sugar on the corner of her lips, only regretting not having hit her more times earlier. ¡°Get out!¡± Chiang Xiao grabbed her and forcefully pulled her toward the door, brandishing the carrying pole as she shoved her out. ¡°It¡¯s really topsy-turvy! Mother, look at that little devil Chiang Xiao¡­¡± Before Song Xiyun could finish her wail, Chiang Xiao had already slammed the yard door shut in front of her face and bolted it. In those days, how precious was white sugar? Because Chiang Xiao had poor health, Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao scrimped and saved to buy a small jar of white sugar every six months, occasionally making her a bowl of sweet soup to drink. Song Xiyun also had a sweet tooth and often eyed their sugar. Chiang Xiao picked up a pebble, stood on a stone slab in the yard, and aimed at Chiang Lidong next door¡ª The bowl in his hands. Thud! A direct hit! The porcelain bowl in Chiang Lidong¡¯s hand fell to the ground, the half-bowl of fried eggs that remained spilled onto the dirt. The little brat immediately let out an earth-shattering cry. Chiang Xiao dusted off her hands and ran inside the house. Yeah, there¡¯s no burden on her conscience for bullying such a little kid! If your mom steals sugar from my house, who can blame you? Chapter 46 - 46 46 This is a shortcut ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46 This is a shortcut Chapter 46: Chapter 46 This is a shortcut Outside the gate, Song Xiyun and Ho Laidi cursed and bellowed as they pounded on the door. Chiang Xiao made up her mind to ignore them. Just think of them as two vicious dogs barking, that¡¯s all. By ignoring them like this, she could infuriate them to death. After framing Chiang Baohe and Liu Caiyun, and taking a little revenge on Song Xiyun for stealing the white sugar, Chiang Xiao felt somewhat better. She lit the stove and boiled a pot of water. When the water reached a suitable temperature, she filled a wooden bucket with it and carried it to the bathhouse. She cleaned herself thoroughly. After putting on clean clothes and returning to the room, Chiang Xiao suddenly froze. She finally realized something was amiss. When Chiang Baohe arrived, she was exhausted. After he chased her the exhaustion made her legs weak, and she struggled to breathe. She was clearly dragging along a sick body. Yet after returning, she had the strength to lash out at Song Xiyun with a shoulder pole, drag her out, then heat up water for a bath, and even carried a bucket of water! Now, however, she felt completely relaxed, her spirits lifted, not a trace of fatigue remained. This was unscientific. After much thought, Chiang Xiao finally remembered the fragrant Russian knapweed she planted in the Black Soil that morning. With a thought, she flashed into the Space. She was astonished upon entering. The Space, once filled with a faint smell of earth, was now permeated with the fragrance of the fragrant Russian knapweed. The once withered and weak fragrant Russian knapweed had now grown into a lush, large clump and had even bloomed with delicate flowers. What in the world was going on? It had only been one morning! Chiang Xiao blinked disbelievingly, rubbing her eyes to make sure they weren¡¯t deceiving her. Seeing this, the patch of black soil appeared incredibly fertile. And could her body¡¯s strange recovery be related to this? The Space was now within her, and since she had planted medicine there, its properties could directly affect her body. At this realization, Chiang Xiao¡¯s heart suddenly blazed with excitement. All she had planted now was a very common fragrant Russian knapweed! What if she could plant Ganoderma, ginseng, Ho Shouwu, snow lotus, and the like? She had previously thought that she must strengthen herself in the future, not wanting to remain as frail as she had been in her current and past life. Building one¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t something that could be achieved overnight, it likely meant persevering over the course of many years. But now it seemed she had found an incredible shortcut. After the initial rush of excitement, Chiang Xiao calmed down. First things first, where could she easily find such good medicinal materials? If her family had Ganoderma ginseng and the like, would they be so poor? Her grandfather had been digging for herbs for decades and had never found a single ginseng. However, this was definitely an amazing cheat code, and Chiang Xiao was overjoyed. The best immediate use was that her cold and fever had completely cleared up, and in the future, when her grandfather went digging for herbs, she could follow and plant some in the Space. Then, after they grew abundant, she could dig them up to sell. From this clump of fragrant Russian knapweed, it was clear that the herbs grown in the Space were bound to be much better than those in the wild. Chiang Xiao exited the Space and, seeing that it was getting late, hurried to wash rice and start cooking porridge. Her family¡¯s rice jar was a terra cotta vessel that reached up to her waist, covered with a wooden lid. As she opened the lid, she paused in surprise. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In that large rice jar, there was only a bottom layer left. Just a thin layer of rice remained, possibly enough for five or six days of porridge. Siyang Village, located in one of the first provinces to experiment with the household responsibility system, saw farmers given autonomy over their own plots of land. But the Chiang Family had little labor force. Chapter 47 - 47 47 Definitely Going to Complain ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Definitely Going to Complain Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Definitely Going to Complain Why do rural people value boys over girls? Actually, in addition to the old thinking of carrying on the family line, it is also influenced by the larger environment. In the countryside, everyone has to farm the land and do agricultural labor, where having greater strength is certainly an advantage, and women definitely can¡¯t compete with men. Another point is that in an era where people can¡¯t get enough to eat or wear, conflicts often occur, even over a single grain of food, which can escalate into fights between families or villages. At such times, having more brothers and uncles in the family can be a powerful advantage. What good are the old folks and women in such situations? Women are inherently disadvantaged, so of course, farmers want more boys in the family to hold up the household. In a household like Chiang Xiao¡¯s, even if nobody looks down on them, they still seem very vulnerable. Chiang Liutao was frail and had a slender build, unable to do heavy labor, and these years also had to carefully look after Chiang Xiao, so most of the farm work fell on Chiang Songhai¡¯s shoulders. Chiang Songhai, suffering from long-term malnutrition, didn¡¯t have much strength either and couldn¡¯t farm much land. As for Chiang Xiao, let¡¯s not mention it, even having her help dry herbs could be a struggle for half a day. Therefore, the Chiang Family¡¯s meager one and a half patches of land, half of it was lent to the Old Chiang Family to grow rice, and they didn¡¯t dare to plant the remaining patch entirely with rice either, leaving a small part for sweet potatoes and green vegetables. Even so, Chiang Songhai still had to spend most of his time working in the fields every day. In short, their rice was never enough to eat. It wouldn¡¯t be until June or July that they would have new grain, so for these two months, their family would likely have to borrow some grain or buy rice. Chiang Xiao sighed, scooped less than half a bowl of rice, went to the water vat to rinse the rice. After rinsing, she poured it into the iron pot, added less than half a bowl of water, covered it with a lid, sat beside the stove, fed the firewood, and started cooking porridge. Grandma should be back soon, she¡¯d definitely bring back some sweet potato leaves to stir fry, along with some shredded radish, and that would settle one meal. Chiang Xiao planned to find a way to earn some money to improve her family¡¯s living conditions, ideally so that her grandparents wouldn¡¯t have to farm anymore. She wasn¡¯t good at farming, and did not want to spend her life working the fields. Besides, she had spent many years learning painting in her previous life, and although she was seriously injured because of a painting, she didn¡¯t want to give up on art. But who could she sell her paintings to here? People would probably think she was foolish, who nowadays would buy things that can neither be eaten nor worn. ¡°Little, open the door.¡± A knocking from outside came from the grandmother, Chiang Xiao hurried out to open the door and peeked out¡ªHo Laidi and Song Xiyun were nowhere to be seen, probably too tired from arguing and had to go back home to cook. Ge Liutao was carrying a load, pulling a coarse rope tied to a winnowing basket, with one side filled with sweet potato leaves and the other side holding a few sweet potatoes and a bunch of water spinach. As she set the winnowing basket on the ground, she didn¡¯t bother to wipe the thin sweat from her brow and looked at Chiang Xiao worriedly, saying in a low voice, ¡°Little, when I was coming back, I heard from the neighbors, did your Second Uncle hit you?¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao was definitely going to complain¡ªit wasn¡¯t to make her grandparents fight for her, but to make them distance themselves from Old Chiang¡¯s household in their hearts. ¡°Yes, if I hadn¡¯t rolled into Shi Zhuang¡¯s vegetable field, Second Uncle might have beaten me to death.¡± Ge Liutao gasped in shock, asking incredulously, ¡°What was your Second Uncle thinking? He¡¯s so ruthless!¡± Saying this, she hurried to check Chiang Xiao for injuries. At this moment, Chiang Songhai also came back, carrying a hoe on his shoulder and holding a bamboo basket in his hand, followed at a leisurely pace by an old man carrying a load walking towards them. Chiang Xiao thought to herself, she had finally seen the head of the Old Chiang Family. This slightly hunched and lean old man was none other than Chiang Songhai¡¯s older brother, Chiang Songtao. Given the short distance, Chiang Songtao definitely heard what Chiang Xiao had just said, but he just glanced over and walked past their door, entering the house next door. Chapter 48 - 48 48 Sneaking a Bite without Wiping Your Mouth ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Sneaking a Bite without Wiping Your Mouth Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Sneaking a Bite without Wiping Your Mouth Chiang Xiao had no hope for her Great-Uncle, but his indifference still made her feel stifled. His second son wanted to beat her to death, and as the head of the family, he didn¡¯t say a word. You could at least ask what happened. Before entering his house, Chiang Songhai couldn¡¯t help but glance at his eldest brother, and Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t tell whether he was disappointed or not. ¡°Little Little, are you okay?¡± He put down his hoe and half a bag of herbs, and quickly came over to check on Chiang Xiao. Over the not-so-high courtyard wall, you could still see Chiang Songtao carrying his burden to a corner of the yard. Chiang Xiao raised her voice a bit, ¡°I¡¯m fine, if not for Second Uncle chasing after Aunt Caiyun, I would have been beaten to death.¡± On the other side, Chiang Songtao paused, then finally turned his head. ¡°Little Little, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± He said to Chiang Xiao, then turned to Chiang Songhai, ¡°After dinner, bring Little Little over to sit for a while.¡± Chiang Xiao sneered inwardly. She could guess what Great-Uncle was going to say later. ¡°Ah, okay.¡± Chiang Songhai always listened to his older brother. Chiang Songtao asking him to bring Chiang Xiao over made him happy. After all, a big family should be lively and bustling. As for what Chiang Xiao said, he actually didn¡¯t take it to heart. In the past, even when Chiang Baohe really disliked Chiang Xiao, he never hit her. He thought it was just a gesture, to scare her. Chiang Xiao pursed her lips and closed the courtyard door. If someone was at home, they usually didn¡¯t lock the outside courtyard door. In the small mountain village of the 1980s, although there were many scoundrels, there were very few who dared to sneak into someone¡¯s house to steal. During the day, with people coming and going, it was inconvenient to always keep the door closed. This could be described as a place where lost items on the road are not picked up by passersby, and houses are not locked at night. Unfortunately, this did not prevent the filthiness and evil of people¡¯s hearts. ¡°Little Little, why are you locking the door?¡± Ge Liutao asked, holding her hand. When she came back just now, the courtyard door was still locked. Chiang Xiao made her complaint without any courtesy. ¡°Great Aunt came to steal sugar again, and she even scooped it out of the sugar jar to eat,¡± said Chiang Xiao. ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re not at home in the future, I¡¯ll definitely lock the door.¡± Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao exchanged glances, both seeing the helplessness in each other¡¯s eyes. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao was about to tell her grandmother that she was heading to Shi Zhuang¡¯s home to get some cabbage when Ho Laidi came running out with a pot spatula in hand, glared at Chiang Xiao through the courtyard wall, and then turned to Ge Liutao. ¡°Bring four eggs over.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ge Liutao thought she had heard wrong. Chiang Songhai was also stupefied for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, bring four eggs over!¡± Ho Laidi glared at Ge Liutao, her tone very harsh and cold, ¡°Chiang Xiao just now knocked over Dongdong¡¯s bowl of scrambled eggs, and Dongdong is still crying.¡± Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao looked at Chiang Xiao. ¡°Little Little, is this true?¡± Chiang Xiao blinked her eyes, ¡°Great Aunt, did you see me knock it over with your own eyes?¡± ¡°You still want to deny it?¡± Ho Laidi had been holding back until Ge Liutao returned, and seeing Chiang Xiao trying to deny it, her face immediately darkened. ¡°Chiang Xiao, do you dare to deny what you¡¯ve done?¡± Song Xiyun also ran out of the house, holding a stone in her hand, ¡°Do you see? I even picked up the stone you threw! How can you behave like this as a sister? Dongdong¡¯s bowl was full of eggs and he hadn¡¯t even eaten two bites before it was all spilled!¡± A full bowl? Chiang Xiao wanted to laugh; she had never seen greediness reach such an extent. When she knocked over the bowl, there was only half a bowl of scrambled eggs! Chiang Xiao faced their gazes without flinching, pointing at Song Xiyun¡¯s mouth, ¡°Great Aunt, you stole sugar from my house and you haven¡¯t even wiped your mouth clean yet!¡± Chapter 49 - 49 49 Coming at Her Face ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Coming at Her Face Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Coming at Her Face Song Xiyun subconsciously wiped her mouth, then realized she had washed her face earlier, so how could there still be sugar on it? It was undoubtedly a guilty conscience that prompted such a subconscious action. Angered and ashamed, she shouted loudly, ¡°I only had a tiny bite, but you smashed an entire bowl of stir-fried eggs!¡± ¡°Half of the sugar in my house is gone,¡± said Chiang Xiao, who had specifically checked the sugar jar earlier, noting that the already scant sugar was reduced by at least seven or eight spoonfuls. Song Xiyun had just scooped it out and eaten it, truly unbelievable! ¡°What¡¯s all the commotion?¡± Ho Laidi snapped, fixing her gaze solely on Ge Liutao, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get the eggs? Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m waiting to cook?¡± She paid no mind to the others, focusing solely on Ge Liutao. Having been oppressed by her for decades, Ge Liutao¡¯s fear was almost ingrained in her bones; feeling her stare, she dared not lift her head, her voice barely audible, ¡°Big sister, I¡¯m going now¡­¡± to get them. As she turned to enter the house, Chiang Xiao grabbed her wrist. ¡°Grandmother, weren¡¯t the eggs meant to nourish me?¡± she asked. Ge Liutao was taken aback. Indeed, she had just promised Little that starting today, each person would get one egg; if she suddenly gave four to Ho Laidi¡­ ¡°Chiang Xiao!¡± Ho Laidi barked furiously, ¡°Do you really think you can revolt? When did you, a liability, get to call the shots in this house? Your grandparents have a son! You are merely a boarder in the Chiang Family, soon to be married off to another family as a wife, what business is it of yours here in the Chiang household?¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Soon to be married off to another family as a wife, what did that mean? Song Xiyun tugged at her grandmother¡¯s sleeve. Ho Laidi snorted and did not elaborate further, instead turning to Chiang Songhai with a cold voice, ¡°Second Uncle, it¡¯s not for me to say, but with Qingjiang away, you can¡¯t forget this son and leave the house to Chiang Xiao. Qingjiang is now making big money in the big city, and he will surely come to take you out to enjoy the good life sooner or later.¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing her mention Deng Qingjiang, feelings of hatred swirled in Chiang Xiao¡¯s heart. At this time, Deng Qingjiang was indeed making big money in the city, but for many years, he hadn¡¯t returned to Siyang Village; his grandparents were even unaware that to curry favor with his wealthy wife¡¯s family, he had willingly changed his name from Chiang Qingjiang to Deng Qingjiang. Recently, her grandparents had even been saving money to send him a telegram. She could not find the opportunity to tell them about Deng Qingjiang¡¯s situation, as she was not supposed to know anything about him now. ¡°Today, Chiang Xiao dared to knock Dongdong¡¯s bowl with a rock; who knows if tomorrow she might dare to knock over Zhanpeng¡¯s bowl? Would Qingjiang¡¯s Wife let her off then? If you are reluctant to discipline her, I will do it for you,¡± Ho Laidi said gloomily, her gaze on Chiang Xiao. No sooner had she finished speaking than the ladle in her hand came flying towards Chiang Xiao. Heading straight for her face. If Chiang Xiao¡¯s cold and fever hadn¡¯t subsided, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge this blow. The iron ladle, striking her face with force, could very well slice open her skin with its sharp edges. Chiang Xiao had never expected Ho Laidi to go from words to action so quickly, and with such vicious intent to disfigure her. Fortunately, after she obtained the robust Fragrant Russian Knapweed in her Space, her body had greatly improved, and her reactions seemed to have quickened. She swiftly sidestepped, just barely avoiding the ladle. ¡°You dare to dodge?¡± Ho Laidi picked up a stick from the wall and stormed out the door, charging in. ¡°Today I¡¯ll properly teach you a lesson on behalf of your grandparents! You little, worthless troublemaker! For dropping my family¡¯s eggs! For tarnishing Baohe¡¯s reputation with your senseless barking!¡± Chapter 50 - 50 50 Twenty Years Adrift as a Lonely Spirit ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Twenty Years Adrift as a Lonely Spirit Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Twenty Years Adrift as a Lonely Spirit The moment she charged in, Chiang Xiao felt a surge of violent rage rush to her mind, and she nearly wanted to pick up the pole again to beat this old pious hag to death! Forget about the consequences, just savor the satisfaction of revenge! If people from the Old Chiang Family were all to come over, she would take up the axe and fight them to the death, taking out as many as she could! Just then, more images suddenly flashed through her mind¡ªin her previous life, after she died filled with resentment, her spirit lingered in that world, drifting and observing the tides of humanity, as well as witnessing the lives of all those related to her after her death. From her death in 1997 to the year 2017. She had forgotten about that period of her wandering soul¡¯s journey. She had always thought that after she died from being pushed down the stairs, she opened her eyes and returned to the present. But that wasn¡¯t the case. In the moment when Ho Laidi swung the thick wooden club at her fiercely, Chiang Xiao shuddered and immediately dodged out of the way. Her rebirth wasn¡¯t the result of a tragic death but rather after 20 years of wandering as a Lonely Spirit. Now, was she really going to seek fleeting satisfaction from revenge, to perish together with Ho Laidi and the Old Chiang Family? Was she going to waste the chance to live her life over again so recklessly? Not worth it! Their lives weren¡¯t worth another of hers in exchange! Besides, if she died, what would happen to her grandparents? Make them suffer through another lifetime? Once she had this realization, Chiang Xiao¡¯s mind was incredibly clear. She immediately pulled her grandmother behind her grandfather, screaming, ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa, save me, please!¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At Chiang Xiao¡¯s cry, Chiang Songhai recalled the words he had just heard¡ªbefore they returned, Chiang Baohe had wanted to beat Chiang Xiao to death, and now his sister-in-law was making a scene about hitting her. Could it be that his favorite granddaughter was going to be beaten right in front of his eyes? Look at the viciousness of his sister-in-law! That spatula had been used for many years, its edges honed thin and sharp, as it came crashing down towards Little¡¯s face. If Little hadn¡¯t dodged just now, it could have easily sliced her face! Look at Chiang Xiao now, so scared that she could only hide behind him. Wasn¡¯t this her trust that he could protect her? If he couldn¡¯t protect her, what face would he have left in front of his granddaughter? ¡°You dare to dodge? Chiang Xiao, get out here! Can¡¯t I even discipline you now? You insolent wretched skin!¡± Ho Laidi, having been a village woman all her life, and always one to stand out, cursed sharply. She tried to get past Chiang Songhai to hit Chiang Xiao, all the while cursing, ¡°Going around itching and provocatively enticing Ji Desheng, how dare you frame your Second Uncle ¨C I¡¯ll spank your mouth rotten!¡± Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t respond to her, just kept shouting, ¡°Grandpa save me!¡± Chiang Songhai, already full of rage, his face grew even darker at hearing Ho Laidi¡¯s unbearable insults. He abruptly reached out and grabbed Ho Laidi¡¯s wrist, snatched the wood club away, and threw it to the side. ¡°Enough!¡± Since Ho Laidi married into the Chiang Family, Chiang Songhai had never raised his voice at this eldest sister-in-law. So when he suddenly did now, not only was Ho Laidi stunned, but so was Song Xiyun, happily watching the commotion, and Ge Liutao, who Chiang Xiao had pulled away, all momentarily taken aback. Chiang Xiao breathed a slight sigh of relief in her heart. Her grandfather doted on her and cared for her, but he had also always shown respect to his eldest sister-in-law. Moreover, in his heart, Chiang Xiao was the junior. If she really confronted Ho Laidi, he would still have Chiang Xiao back down, for the sake of filial piety. ¡°What is this, Second Uncle?¡± Ho Laidi only hesitated for a moment before regaining her composure, her face black as the bottom of a pot. Chiang Songhai¡¯s momentum instantly deflated a great deal. Just as he was about to soften his tone, Chiang Xiao sensed trouble and quickly tugged at him. The moment Chiang Songhai turned around, he saw Chiang Xiao¡¯s tear-filled eyes. Chapter 51 - 51 51 Its All About Acting ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51: It¡¯s All About Acting Chapter 51: Chapter 51: It¡¯s All About Acting ¡°Grandpa!¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s tears suddenly began to fall. ¡°Why do Second Uncle and Auntie say I seduced Ji Desheng? Why do they all call me cheap?¡± Grandpa had finally stood up firmly to Ho Laidi, it was the first time, and she absolutely couldn¡¯t let this spark be extinguished right away. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If he couldn¡¯t let go of the Old Chiang Family, it would be very difficult for her in the future. As he faced her reddened eyes and the unceasing tears streaming down, Chiang Songhai felt as if his heart was being tightly squeezed by a hand. He was finding it hard to breathe. To say such words to a thirteen-year-old girl, to scold her like that, how cruel and poisonous did one have to be? Were they still family? If he couldn¡¯t protect Little at this moment, how hurt would the child¡¯s heart be? Thinking about this, Chiang Songhai¡¯s heart, which had softened, suddenly hardened again. He glared at Ho Laidi and angrily said, ¡°What did sister-in-law say I should do? You come to my house for no reason to insult Little, to hit Little, now I¡¯m the one who wants to ask what you¡¯re trying to do!¡± ¡°Your house? Second, has your conscience been eaten by a dog? It was said that whether or not the family was divided, you and your brother were one family! Who said that, ¡®I am your elder sister-in-law for a day, I am your elder sister-in-law for a lifetime, and if you do something wrong, it¡¯s up to me to come and teach you a lesson¡¯?¡± Ho Laidi¡¯s finger nearly poked Chiang Songhai¡¯s nose, her spittle spraying his face as she spoke. ¡°Right, I did say that. It¡¯s fine if you scold me, but why do you have to scold Little like that?¡± ¡°What? I can talk about you, but I can¡¯t talk about your granddaughter? Isn¡¯t she a junior? If a junior does something wrong, am I not allowed to teach her a lesson?¡± Ho Laidi said as she reached out her hand to grab Chiang Xiao again. Chiang Xiao shouted loudly, ¡°Auntie says I did something wrong, then tell me, what did I do wrong?¡± ¡°Look, talking back is wrong! Who do you think you are? Get out here and see if I don¡¯t slap you across the face!¡± ¡°So you mean I should just take it when Auntie insults me for no reason?¡± Chiang Xiao dodged again. Ho Laidi, unable to grab her, became even more infuriated, ¡°Of course, you must take it! What¡¯s wrong with an elder scolding you a few times? You dare to frame your Second Uncle? Still saying you did nothing wrong?¡± ¡°Grandpa, do you also think that Auntie and Second Uncle are right to call me a cheap brat and beat me to death? Grandpa, do you also think I don¡¯t count for anything in this family?¡± While dodging Ho Laidi, Chiang Xiao asked Chiang Songhai through her tears. The more she asked, the more Chiang Songhai¡¯s heart ached. Seeing Ho Laidi relentlessly trying to grab Chiang Xiao, Chiang Songhai¡¯s anger finally boiled over, and he pushed Ho Laidi on the shoulder. Chiang Xiao had been watching him closely, and when she saw him push Ho Laidi and make her step back, she quickly stuck out her foot and tripped Ho Laidi from behind. Ho Laidi let out a cry and fell hard on her bottom to the ground. Everyone else was stunned. Ho Laidi was stunned as well and sat on the ground for quite a while, unable to comprehend what had just happened. After a while, Ho Laidi finally realized what had happened. ¡°Chiang Songhai! You actually dared to push me?¡± she looked up at Chiang Songhai in disbelief, her lips quivering, before she started yelling loudly. ¡°Dad! Dad, come quick! I¡¯m being bullied to death! Such misfortune, I¡¯ve labored for the Chiang family my whole life like an ox, only to be hit by my younger brother-in-law when I¡¯m old! Such a heartless brute¡­¡± From the side, Chiang Songtao, who hadn¡¯t been seen or heard this whole time, strode out of the main room. Chiang Xiao immediately leaned on her grandmother and cried out pitifully, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll definitely be scolded and beaten to death. If I knew the Chiang Family was going to kill me, I might as well have let the Water Ghost drag me away¡­¡± As she spoke, her eyelids flipped, and her body slumped down limply. Chapter 52 - 52 52 Pursue the Victory ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Pursue the Victory Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Pursue the Victory As she collapsed, Chiang Xiao finally despised the lines she just delivered. It felt like she was acting in a domestic battle drama, so artistic and innocent that even she started to get goosebumps. But the effect was indeed spectacular. Ge Liutao immediately supported her and started to cry, looking helplessly at Chiang Songhai, ¡°Uncle Hai, Little has fainted¡­¡± ¡°Little!¡± How could Chiang Songhai care about his older sister-in-law sitting on the ground? He immediately turned around, rushed over, and picked up Chiang Xiao. Just as Chiang Songtao entered the courtyard, he said, ¡°Second brother, did you really hit your sister-in-law¡­¡± Before he could finish, Chiang Songhai angrily said, ¡°Big brother, you didn¡¯t even ask what your sister-in-law did or said! If something really happened to Little, I might actually have hit her!¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s fainting and her recent words made Chiang Songhai frantic, and his tone was cold and harsh. Without paying any more attention to them, he immediately carried Chiang Xiao into the room and also said to Ge Liutao, ¡°Boil another bowl of medicine!¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Ge Liutao, anxious as if on fire, didn¡¯t care about anything else and ran into the kitchen. In the courtyard was left a stunned Chiang Songtao, a dumbfounded Song Xiyun looking around, and Ho Laidi who had not yet stood up from the ground. ¡°I¡¯m so angry, I¡¯m not done with them!¡± Ho Laidi got up, dusted off her buttocks, her eyes shining with rage as she was about to charge into the main room, but Chiang Songtao grabbed her. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Enough!¡± Chiang Songtao glared at her, ¡°Do you still want to eat or not?¡± It was midday, with the meal half-cooked, and she had come out with a spatula in hand¡ªwere they all supposed to starve to death? ¡°Didn¡¯t you see how your second brother treated me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already called him to come to our house after lunch, what else do you want? We can talk about it after we eat!¡± Chiang Songtao usually didn¡¯t involve himself in household matters, but when he spoke up, Ho Laidi still listened. Song Xiyun was even less likely to say anything at this point. Inside the room, Chiang Xiao lay with her eyes closed, but hearing the quiet outside, she still felt a bit relieved. Feigning fainting was something she could only pull off once; after all, she was technically still a patient at the moment. She couldn¡¯t use it again once she recovered. And she didn¡¯t want to resort to it again. But today¡¯s feigned fainting was effective. As for Grandpa standing up to Ho Laidi fiercely once. If it happens once, it can happen again. Now she was relying on Grandpa¡¯s affection for her, but to prevent him from being hurt even more by the Old Chiang Family in the future, she could only be unfilial for the time being. Chiang Xiao gradually opened her eyes and met Chiang Songhai¡¯s worried gaze. ¡°Little, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chiang Xiao bit her lower lip and said nothing. Seeing her like this, Chiang Songhai became anxious, ¡°What¡¯s still uncomfortable? Did you get a fever again?¡± As he said this, he reached out to touch Chiang Xiao¡¯s forehead. It didn¡¯t seem like she had a fever. Only then did Chiang Xiao speak, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m fine now.¡± After saying this, her eyes brightened and she cheerfully exclaimed, ¡°Grandpa, I am so happy today!¡± ¡°Happy?¡± Chiang Songhai was taken aback. How could she be happy after being scolded and hit? Chiang Xiao sat up and nodded vigorously, ¡°Really happy! Because this is the first time Grandpa supported me when aunt was scolding and hitting me!¡± Chiang Songhai: ¡­ Suddenly, he felt both heartache and guilt! He reflected, and it was indeed the truth! In the past, every time his sister-in-law scolded and hit Little, he always advised Little to bear with it because she was an elder¡­ Chiang Songhai¡¯s eyes grew warm. Chiang Xiao pressed her advantage, looking at him earnestly, ¡°Will Grandpa still protect me in front of aunt in the future?¡± Chapter 53 - 53 53 Speechless (Slight Revision) ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Speechless (Slight Revision) Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Speechless (Slight Revision) Chapter 53: Speechless ¡°From now on, Grandpa will definitely protect Little Little no matter who she faces,¡± Chiang Songhai touched her head. Chiang Xiao pursed her lips. She could only choose to believe his words for the time being. But in the future, she would not resort to such methods again. Once her health was restored, she would have to protect herself and, moreover, her grandparents as well. If anyone dared to lay a hand on her, she would fiercely fight back! After a moment of silence, Chiang Xiao said, ¡°I know I¡¯ve been too lazy before, Grandpa. I realize my mistake, and from now on, I will diligently do the household chores and earn money to one day take you and Grandma to live in the city.¡± ¡°All you need to do is study hard,¡± Chiang Songhai said with a relieved smile, ¡°Your grandma and I can handle the housework. Once you get into college in the future, you¡¯ll naturally be able to go to the city. It doesn¡¯t matter where your grandparents are.¡± At this, Chiang Songhai felt a heavy weight in his heart. Next term, Chiang Xiao would start junior high school and would have to go to the town for schooling. The middle school in town charged a slightly higher tuition fee¡ªone term cost four yuan and fifty cents. With additional miscellaneous fees, it was estimated to be around six yuan and fifty cents. However, Siyang Village was quite far from the middle school in town, so it was definite that she couldn¡¯t come home for lunch. She had heard that students needed to bring an iron lunch box, bring rice and vegetables and then pay a little extra for the school cafeteria to cook the meals. This too cost money. The family was truly poor now. They had to start saving earnestly. As they were getting older each year, how many more years could they work? The cost for the three years of high school would surely be even more. If Little Little managed to get into college¡­ How could they possibly follow her to the city? So, in Chiang Songhai¡¯s eyes, Chiang Xiao was merely daydreaming. But he was moved by her having such a wish. Chiang Xiao also knew that it was too early to talk about this now, as she had not yet found a good way to make money. ¡°Little Little, tell Grandpa, why did your Second Uncle hit you today?¡± Chiang Songhai had not forgotten about this matter. Chiang Xiao would have told him about the incident even if he did not ask. So she recounted how Chiang Baohe had suddenly barged in and berated her while she was nicely staying at home. Of course, she did not mention that she had intentionally provoked him, running outside to lead him on a chase. ¡°Grandpa, Second Uncle also accused me of seducing Ji Desheng, but I really didn¡¯t,¡± Chiang Xiao said with a cold face, fury building in her heart at the mention of Chiang Baohe, ¡°Aunt and the others scolded me in the same way; you heard how ugly their words were.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You always say that they are my elders and I should respect them, but do they really act like elders by cursing me like this?¡± Chiang Songhai was left speechless by her counterquestion. Chiang Xiao continued, ¡°Since I was little, the villagers have called my dad a dog and said my mom should be dunked in a pig cage, calling me a bastard. Ding Dani and the others always bullied me, claiming our family was bringing disgrace to Siyang Village¡¯s customs¡­¡± She paused, looked at Chiang Songhai, and went on, ¡°Aunt and my uncles and aunts also cursed me like that, Grandpa, how are they any different from the others?¡± Chiang Songhai was struck by her words. Indeed, were these relatives? Were these elders? ¡°Aunt always called me a little wretch, but my mom is your daughter. In Aunt¡¯s eyes, what does my mom represent? Grandpa, does it mean that even if Aunt and the others were to beat me to death, you¡¯d still want me to respect her? Today, I nearly got killed by Second Uncle, you can ask Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang if you don¡¯t believe me. If I really had been killed, would you still tell me that he is my uncle, an elder, and to not bear a grudge?¡± Ge Liutao stood at the door with a bowl of medicine, already in tears. ¡°Little Little¡­¡± Chiang Songhai¡¯s throat felt dry. Looking at him, Chiang Xiao added another sentence, ¡°In short, I don¡¯t want to be bullied anymore in the future, not even by my elders.¡± Chapter 54 - 54 54 Wasting Heavenly Resources ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Wasting Heavenly Resources Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Wasting Heavenly Resources Chiang Xiao was talking to her grandfather at length for the first time. In the past, she was like a child with autism, often not uttering a single word all day. Because she subconsciously harbored resentment towards her grandfather and grandmother, she never even offered them a smile. Today, as she spoke so much for the first time, the shock to Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao was significant. So after lunch, when Chiang Xiao said she wanted to go back to her room to sleep and not accompany them to the Old Chiang Family¡¯s house, Chiang Songhai agreed. This was already an act of defiance against Chiang Songtao¡¯s orders. Previously, Chiang Songtao had instructed him to bring Chiang Xiao along. Chiang Xiao probably knew what Chiang Songtao wanted to say; it was nothing more than a reprimand for her, criticizing her for disrespecting her uncle and even uttering that Chiang Baohe wanted to beat her to death. For Chiang Songtao, this was tantamount to tarnishing the reputation of the Old Chiang Family. Chiang Xiao was now too wise to go there just to be lectured. She had more important things to do. Chiang Songhai went to the Old Chiang Family¡¯s house alone, and as Chiang Xiao watched him leave, she immediately said to Ge Liutao, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m going out for a walk.¡± Without waiting for Ge Liutao¡¯s reaction, she had already run out. ¡°Little Little, be careful and don¡¯t go to the creek bank again!¡± Ge Liutao could only shout, but it was too late to stop her. She was very worried, not knowing if Chiang Xiao had fully recovered. Chiang Xiao used to love going to Nameless Creek, but she can¡¯t go there anymore after what happened. But Chiang Xiao ran too quickly, and Ge Liutao didn¡¯t even have the chance to caution her. It was now noon, and most villagers were either having lunch at home or resting. Chiang Xiao ran all the way to the bank of Nameless Creek in one go. Listening to the murmuring stream, she first calmed her somewhat frantic heartbeat. Her consciousness once again reached into the space, and upon seeing the particularly thriving Fragrant Russian Knapweed, her joy surged anew. She had suddenly remembered that morning that there were several kinds of herbs along the banks of Nameless Creek. Of course, the large and conspicuous ones had already been dug up by her grandfather, but Chiang Songhai was not as familiar with Nameless Creek bank as she was; she used to hide here alone after being scolded and bullied, and she had seen some of the herbs hidden in dark spots. It didn¡¯t matter if they were small and frail; she now had a piece of supremely fertile black soil. While others harbored fear towards Nameless Creek, Chiang Xiao felt more at ease and calm here, not afraid at all. She leaped to the opposite bank of the creek and walked upstream. After walking for a while, she saw a hillock covered with wild weeds and stones, on which she remembered there were a few small plants of Seven-Inch Gold. Chiang Xiao approached and indeed spotted the Seven-Inch Gold hidden among the wild grass, three plants at most. Seven-Inch Gold flowers in summer and autumn, producing tiny yellow blooms, which must be in blossom to be harvested for medicinal use. Perhaps because they had not yet flowered, Chiang Songhai hadn¡¯t discovered them. A flash of joy appeared in Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes, and she immediately began to carefully dig up the three plants of Seven-Inch Gold and placed them on the black soil for the time being. She would plant them when it was convenient to go in. Although there was no one at Nameless Creek, it was still best to be cautious; leaving some things there was fine, but if she suddenly disappeared entirely, it would be disastrous if someone saw her. Chiang Xiao continued to search along the creek. After spending an hour, she dug up some Snake Tongue Grass, Plantain Herb, and Purslane, all of which she initially placed on the black soil as well. But she was still disappointed. These were all very common herbs; it would be an utter waste to plant them in such fertile soil. Chiang Xiao felt like she was courting a lightning strike for doing so. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She stood up straight, gazing at Bai Gu Mountain, longing flickering in her eyes. Her grandfather once said that Bai Gu Mountain was rich in resources, suggesting it was not so much Bai Gu Mountain as Treasure Mountain. But Bai Gu Mountain was too dangerous, and even the strong young men of the village didn¡¯t dare to go up. As Chiang Xiao stared dreamily at Bai Gu Mountain, Liu Caiyun felt like she was about to die of anger. Chapter 55 - 55 55 This is entanglement ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55 This is entanglement Chapter 55: Chapter 55 This is entanglement Chiang Baohe simply followed her home, where he indeed found two piles of earth bricks and half a bag of cement stacked in the courtyard. She had already cleared out a corner; it was obviously for building a pigsty. Without a second word, Chiang Baohe rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Liu Caiyun didn¡¯t know whether to close the courtyard door or leave it open. If she closed it, people would think she was up to something indecent with Chiang Baohe at home. If she didn¡¯t, she truly didn¡¯t want her neighbors to see Chiang Baohe helping her out. It was infuriating¡ªall the fault of that wretched girl Chiang Xiao! She had stacked these materials precisely to find the right person to help her out¡ªand that person, in Liu Caiyun¡¯s mind, was Chiang Songhai. Liu Caiyun had indeed taken a fancy to Chiang Songhai and was already scheming on how to ensnare him. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t admit the reason to anyone. That was also why she didn¡¯t join in when she learned about the incident with Chiang Xiao falling into the water these past few days. Not only did she stay away, but she also hurriedly sent her son Ji Desheng back to school and temporarily stayed at a cousin¡¯s place in town these days, not allowing him to return. If she had designs on Chiang Songhai, how could she let her son get involved with Chiang Xiao? That would be an utter mess of relationships! But before she could make her move, Chiang Xiao had already sabotaged her plan; now Chiang Baohe was busy in her house and wouldn¡¯t leave no matter what! Liu Caiyun didn¡¯t dare truly anger Chiang Baohe, for the man seemed sullen and grim. If driven to desperation, who knew what he might do! ¡°Uh, Chiang Baohe, it¡¯s already well past noon¡ªyou haven¡¯t eaten lunch yet, have you?¡± Hurry home for lunch, will you! ¡°I¡¯m not picky, Caiyun. Just cook anything!¡± Chiang Baohe replied. His words nearly made Liu Caiyun spit up blood. With him here, she had been too scared to cook at all! It was precisely because she didn¡¯t want to keep him for a meal! ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Ho Laidi when you left, did you? You should go back and let them know, so the family isn¡¯t worried.¡± As Chiang Baohe mixed the cement, he said, ¡°No need, my mom will send Caijiao to find me.¡± Chiang Caijiao, Song Xiyun¡¯s daughter and Chiang Lidong¡¯s older sister, was only nine this year. Ho Laidi, who favored boys over girls, would surely task Chiang Caijiao rather than Chiang Lidong with any errand. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liu Caiyun felt frustrated to the brink of sickness. If Chiang Caijiao came looking and told Ho Laidi, that old woman would surely figure out her son¡¯s intentions, and then a confrontation would be inevitable! Yet before she could come up with a solution, she indeed saw a little girl running over. Chiang Caijiao, at nine, appeared no different than a seven- or eight-year-old, thin and yellow-faced, with somewhat dry and yellowish hair and wearing an old dress indelibly stained in places. However, her features bore a semblance of the Chiang family¡¯s delicate appearance. ¡°Auntie, is my Second Uncle at your place?¡± Chiang Caijiao had been asking around as she came; looking for Chiang Baohe at mealtime was something she had done countless times. No sooner had she asked than she saw Chiang Baohe working in the courtyard. ¡°Caijiao, your Second Uncle just helped me carry some things home, and he will¡­,¡± be leaving shortly. Before she could finish her sentence, Chiang Baohe turned his head and said gruffly to Chiang Caijiao, ¡°Go back and tell your grandparents I¡¯ll eat at Caiyun¡¯s place, and I¡¯ll be here helping her with the pigsty this afternoon.¡± Liu Caiyun felt like spitting up blood. ¡°Oh!¡± Chiang Caijiao immediately ran back. Once she reported back, Ho Laidi flared up instantly. ¡°This temptress! How dare she ensnare my son! She dreams of entering the Old Chiang Family, over my dead body! I¡¯m going to confront her right now!¡± With that, Ho Laidi made to storm out. Song Xiyun¡¯s expression was equally grim. ¡°Stop right there! Looking to embarrass us?¡± Chiang Songtao, drawing on his hand-rolled tobacco, glared at Ho Laidi. Chapter 56 - 56 56 Become a Lobbyist ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Become a Lobbyist Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Become a Lobbyist Ho Laidi did indeed stop, but the fierceness in her eyes was somewhat terrifying. Sitting next to the dining table, Song Xiyun couldn¡¯t help but pinch her man hard. Chiang Baoguo was the eldest son of the Chiang family, thirty-two this year, standing around one meter seventy-five, with an average build. The Chiangs were a good-looking bunch, and Baoguo was no exception. Back in the day, in Siyang Village, the Chiang lads were quite popular with the girls. That¡¯s why after Chiang Baohe went blind in one eye, the contrast became so stark, turning more and more gloomy, his appearance increasingly distorted. It is indeed true that personality affects one¡¯s outward appearance. ¡°His father, that Liu Caiyun, the wretched widow, is up to no good. She¡¯s set her heart on entering our Old Chiang Family, not even considering if she¡¯s worthy!¡± Ho Laidi smacked her thigh. ¡°Who said we¡¯re letting her into our family?¡± Chiang Songtao said with a stern face. ¡°Isn¡¯t she using her tactics now? She failed to cling to our eldest back in the day, and now she¡¯s still not giving up, trying to hook our second!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Chiang Baoguo called out sheepishly. Chiang Baoguo had been to town these past couple of days, saying he was meeting a few friends. He had just gotten home when lunch was ready. He had just washed his hands and sat down when he unwittingly got scorched by this blaze. Song Xiyun pinched him until his waist was almost bruised. Yet, ever since that incident happened, he felt he couldn¡¯t lift his head in front of Song Xiyun. He¡¯d been thoroughly dominated by her over the years, and there were even people in the village who said he was henpecked. At the end of the day, he was also afraid that Song Xiyun would recklessly reveal that event from the past. Ho Laidi glanced at him and finally stopped talking. Chiang Songtao sighed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. I¡¯ve already asked Songhai to come over after lunch. We¡¯ll have his uncle talk to Liu Caiyun about the matter with our second.¡± ¡°Can his uncle handle it?¡± Ho Laidi¡¯s gaze flickered. ¡°He can.¡± With that, Ho Laidi fell silent. Back when the eldest had that issue, wasn¡¯t it Chiang Songhai who intervened? Since Liu Caiyun listened to him then, she should listen to him this time as well. Chiang Xiao hesitated at the foot of Bai Gu Mountain for a long time before finally gritting her teeth and deciding to explore the mountain. Bai Gu Mountain was rich in resources, and since no one had dared to go up for many years, there might be a treasure trove waiting for her. If she was to change her fate in this life and not be bullied, how could she give up because of danger? Of course, she couldn¡¯t just rush up the mountain foolishly; she needed to prepare properly. And with not enough time left today, she had to get up early to go up the mountain. Having made her decision, Chiang Xiao decided to go home first and plant the herbs she had dug up today. Ge Liutao relaxed as she saw her come in, lowering the door she had been holding up. But Chiang Xiao noticed that her grandfather was sitting on the old armchair directly opposite the door with a worried expression. After speaking a few words with her, her grandmother also seemed rather uneasy, prompting her to ask, ¡°Grandpa, what did great-uncle say to you?¡± Before she left, everything had been fine, but as soon as she returned, Chiang Songhai looked like this, so Chiang Songtao must have said something. Previously, Chiang Xiao never concerned herself with family affairs, but now that she began to care about every little thing, Chiang Songhai was somewhat pleased. It¡¯s just that what his elder brother said at noon seemed inappropriate to tell a young girl. However, Ge Liutao could hardly restrain herself. Having another person to discuss it with might be a good thing; otherwise, she would burst with frustration. ¡°Little, did your second uncle really go home with Caiyun?¡± As soon as Ge Liutao asked this, Chiang Xiao knew the matter must involve Chiang Baohe. Her expression darkened instantly. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What did great-uncle ask you to do?¡± she asked, looking at her grandfather. Seeing her serious face and taut expression, Chiang Songhai inadvertently blurted out. ¡°Nothing much, just to persuade Liu Caiyun not to associate with your second uncle.¡± Chapter 57 - 57 57 My Enemy ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57 My Enemy Chapter 57: Chapter 57 My Enemy Upon hearing this, Chiang Xiao almost exploded. In her mind resurfaced the shameful scene of Liu Caiyun arriving at their home with a small bundle, insisting on moving into the Chiang Family and volunteering to be Chiang Songhai¡¯s woman, as well as the sight of Ge Liutao crying with swollen eyes, and Chiang Songhai trembling with rage. Although she couldn¡¯t fathom the reason, it was certain that Liu Caiyun harbored ulterior motives towards Chiang Songhai. She wished her grandfather would stay away from that woman, and yet Chiang Songtao expected him to take the initiative to find Liu Caiyun? Chiang Xiao immediately said through gritted teeth, ¡°Grandfather, you can¡¯t go!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Chiang Songhai was taken aback, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Widow Liu has lost her husband, and my Second uncle is unmarried. Both are single, so it¡¯s their business if they want to be together. It¡¯s not illegal, nor does it go against the norms of Si Family Village. Why should you interfere with this matter?¡± Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao exchanged a glance, both feeling shocked. After this illness, Chiang Xiao had become completely different, and the words she spoke now surprised them even more. A thirteen-year-old girl speaking with such coherence and reason? And the words widow, single, and norms coming from her mouth¡­ why did they sound so odd? ¡°Moreover, even if you really had to interfere,¡± Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t care whether they were shocked or surprised, and continued, ¡°that would be for great-grandfather and great-grandmother to handle. If not them, there¡¯s still my eldest uncle. How has it fallen to you, Grandfather? Has the Old Chiang Family run out of people?¡± She found Chiang Songtao utterly shameless. What kind of man was Chiang Baohe? Didn¡¯t his own father know? Now that Chiang Baohe¡¯s heart was set on Widow Liu, and he was crazily eager to get married, would he appreciate being thwarted? Chiang Songhai said hoarsely, ¡°Little Little, you know that your great-grandfather is a man of honesty and loyalty, not adept with words, and your great-grandmother can be unrelenting when she¡¯s right. They¡¯re afraid they might not handle it well if they went.¡± At these words, Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Honest and loyal? Unrelenting when right?¡± She truly laughed out loud, ¡°Grandfather, are you really talking about my great-grandfather and great-grandmother? When has my great-grandmother ever been right? She¡¯s unrelenting even when she¡¯s not in the right.¡± Ge Liutao stared at her with wide eyes, seemingly shocked by her willingness to speak ill of Ho Laidi. Of course, Chiang Xiao dared to say it; Ho Laidi was never reasonable when she scolded people. And Chiang Songtao only appeared honest and loyal; in reality, he simply didn¡¯t want to be the face confronting others. If someone else could take the lead, he¡¯d surely drag them forward and hide himself behind them. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the situation. Your great-grandfather is because of¡­¡± Chiang Songhai started to explain but paused midway, shaking his head while sighing, ¡°I¡¯m confused. These things shouldn¡¯t be discussed with you. Little Little, you shouldn¡¯t involve yourself in these matters. How are you feeling now? Tomorrow is Sunday, and after one more day of rest, can you go to school next week?¡± Chiang Xiao remembered having important matters to attend to tomorrow and had forgotten it was Sunday. She was considering asking for another day off, but now she was relieved she didn¡¯t have to. ¡°I¡¯ll go to school next week. However, going back to what we were discussing, Grandfather, you must listen to me. You shouldn¡¯t get involved with my Second uncle and Liu Caiyun¡¯s affairs, absolutely not,¡± Chiang Xiao stated emphatically. Seeing Chiang Songhai about to speak again, she immediately added, ¡°Remember, Grandfather, my Second uncle almost killed me this morning. He is my enemy. If you insist on interfering in my enemy¡¯s affairs, then you¡¯re doing it for your nephew, not caring for your granddaughter. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll move out this afternoon.¡± Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were nearly frightened to death by her words. Chapter 58 - 58 58 The Treasure in the Palm ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58: The Treasure in the Palm Chapter 58: Chapter 58: The Treasure in the Palm ¡°Little Little, that¡¯s your Second Uncle, how has he become an enemy?¡± Ge Liutao grew restless. Chiang Songhai¡¯s gaunt face was also etched with worry and a touch of heartache, as he felt he hadn¡¯t explained things clearly enough to his granddaughter. ¡°Little Little, I just went to your Great-Uncle¡¯s house, and I told him too, what Second Uncle did was not right. What can¡¯t be discussed properly that he must resort to violence? I also told him, if he dares to lay a hand on you again, I won¡¯t let him off either¡­¡± A surge of anger and grievance suddenly welled up inside Chiang Xiao. ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time!¡± she stood up, shouting angrily, ¡°If Chiang Baohe dares to lay a hand on me again, I¡¯ll take an axe and die with him! Grandpa, I want you to listen, I don¡¯t want you meddling in Old Chiang Family matters, especially anything to do with Chiang Baohe. If you do, then you¡¯re no longer my grandpa!¡± After speaking, she turned and ran into the inner room, hanging the door curtain behind her. Her room didn¡¯t have a door, just a thick curtain, but fortunately, there were hooks on the left and right inside, which she used to hook the curtain, affording some privacy. Unless someone deliberately wanted to intrude. But at least Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao wouldn¡¯t do that. Chiang Xiao sat on the bed, taking a deep breath to suppress the anger and sense of injustice. She didn¡¯t want to speak to her grandfather that way. But she had no choice; she was still too young, and it would take some time before her grandfather would get used to regarding her as an adult capable of reasoning with him properly. Besides, there was no reason to be found in this matter. From when he was young, Chiang Songhai was accustomed to obeying his older brother, and he devoted himself wholeheartedly to considering the Old Chiang Family as his own, truly loving and protecting his nephews and nieces. Now, Chiang Xiao could only use her place in his heart to confront those people from the Old Chiang Family. She still didn¡¯t understand why Liu Caiyun was pestering her grandfather, nor why Chiang Songtao himself didn¡¯t handle the situation, insisting that her grandfather deal with it instead. She had to clear up these matters first before anything else. After she ran into the inner room, Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were stunned, taking a while to come back to their senses, feeling genuinely bewildered. ¡°Uncle Hai, it seems Little Little was serious.¡± If he interfered in Chiang Baohe¡¯s affairs, she would indeed be driven to desperation. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not our Little Little¡¯s fault. Baohe really did almost beat her to death today. When you went to the eldest uncle¡¯s house, Shi Zhuang¡¯s wife brought over some cabbage and told me the morning¡¯s events.¡± Xiang Mingying took care to tell her the details, afraid that the people from Old Chiang Family would overhear if she spoke too loudly, yet it still sent shivers down her spine. Naturally, she felt resentment towards Chiang Baohe and truly didn¡¯t want Chiang Songhai to get involved. ¡°I¡¯m uneasy about it as well, but eldest brother¡­¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s rush into the inner room was also meant to show her grandfather, and after quelling the frustration, she immediately entered the Space. As expected, the medicinal herbs she had dug up earlier were still vibrant and full of life. Moreover, the fragrance within the Space had changed, no longer solely the scent of Fragrant Russian Knapweed ¨C a light medicinal fragrance that was very pleasant and suddenly made her feel clear-headed and refreshed. Chiang Xiao immediately set to work planting the medicinal herbs next to the Fragrant Russian Knapweed. However, upon seeing that clump of Fragrant Russian Knapweed had doubled in exuberance, she immediately felt a sense of foreboding. This piece of Black Land was only so big; she didn¡¯t want it all taken up by this ordinary herb ¨C that would be such a waste. Chiang Xiao quickly carved out a furrow, assigning only a very small Space for this patch of medicinal plants, hoping they wouldn¡¯t grow out of their designated area. As soon as she finished her work, she suddenly felt a cool sensation spreading from the palm of her hand throughout her body, invigorating her spirit and making her feel much lighter. It seemed that this Space was in the palm of her hand where she hid the Magic Brush, and there was certainly a connection with that Magic Brush. Moreover, her initial thought wasn¡¯t wrong; the more medicinal plants she grew on this Black Soil Land, the better her health became. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, Chiang Xiao had a strong desire to use that Magic Brush to draw something. Chapter 59 - 59 59 The Medicine Painting is Initially ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59 The Medicine Painting is Initially Completed Chapter 59: Chapter 59 The Medicine Painting is Initially Completed After dying in her past life, her soul wandered for twenty years, which meant she had not painted for a full twenty years. As the thought occurred to her, Chiang Xiao could no longer hold back. She flashed out of her space and walked over to the wooden rack in the corner to grab her backpack, intending to rummage for a sketchbook. But after turning that very rustic, handmade-sewn backpack inside out, she couldn¡¯t find a single sheet of drawing paper. Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. She had forgotten that her family was so poor that she couldn¡¯t even afford a sketchbook. Though Siyang Village Primary School did offer art classes, their drawing paper was actually just a little white paper workbook, with poor quality, thin, and somewhat transparent paper. For Chiang Xiao, who was accustomed to professional-grade paper in her past life, this type of paper was barely worth a glance. The quality of the paper was one thing, but the main issue was its size¡ªit was so small; what could she possibly draw on it? It seemed another motive for earning money had been added: to buy drawing paper, brushes, and paints. In this era, these items were quite expensive. For now, she could only casually sketch little things to satisfy her craving. With a thought from Chiang Xiao, the black pen shining with a faint glow appeared in her hand. The pen was black, as was the soil, but Chiang Xiao had long known that this pen could actually bring forth any color. The pen followed her will, allowing her to paint in whatever color she desired, and it never required ink replenishment or washing. The nib could be hard or soft as needed, and the lines it drew could be as thick or as thin as desired. In essence, this single pen could replace all other drawing tools. But because it was too magical, in her past life, Chiang Xiao had been somewhat cautious. In the paintings she handed to Deng Qingjiang, she only used the Magic Brush for a small part, with the remainder being done using ordinary brushes and paints. Yet even so, it had caused trouble. Chiang Xiao pulled out a chair and sat at a somewhat chipped desk, using the pen to draw a bunch of Fragrant Russian Knapweed. The black body of the pen glimmered faintly as the nib alternated between firmness and softness. Leaves of varying shades of green were drawn, and delicate, soft yellow buds blossomed beautifully. A clump of lifelike Fragrant Russian Knapweed sprang onto the paper, at first glance almost deceivingly real. Although Chiang Xiao had the Magic Brush, her artistry was genuinely acquired through her own diligent practice, and her talent in painting was indeed astonishing. Her skills had not rusted. Even though she had only drawn a small medicinal herb, Chiang Xiao was still delighted. Suddenly, she smelled a faint scent of grass. At first, she thought it was coming from her space, but the fragrance seemed to emanate from the paper itself. Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes widened, and she immediately leaned in to sniff the drawing, and indeed, she detected the scent of Fragrant Russian Knapweed! ¡°Huh!¡± At this, she was truly astonished. She had used this pen to create so many drawings before, but none had ever emitted a scent! This discovery made Chiang Xiao¡¯s heart skip a beat. How could she contain herself? She immediately flipped the page and proceeded to draw a Scented Lily. The fragrance of Scented Lilies was strong, so if there truly was a scent, she reasoned that it wouldn¡¯t be a case of her sense of smell malfunctioning. Besides, she wanted to test whether drawing something not grown in her space would also possess this miraculous trait. For an experienced painter with excellent artistry, drawing a Scented Lily took hardly a few minutes. Soon enough, a pure and elegant Scented Lily appeared on the paper, its large white petals graced with a delicate yellow hue near the heart, and a few sparkling water droplets on its petals. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This time, Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t need to lean in to smell¡ªthe soft fragrance of the lily already filled the air. The mild floral scent diffused gently through the room, pleasant and refreshing. Chiang Xiao was ecstatic. Rapidly turning the page, she continued her experiments. Chapter 60 - 60 60 Astonishing Effects ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Astonishing Effects Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Astonishing Effects This time, Chiang Xiao directly painted a plate of ginger-scallion crab. She loved to paint, and her style was versatile and unrestrictive. When she was calm, she could even copy great works like the ¡°Along the River During Qingming Festival,¡± and when her mood was off, she would even paint ants. Moreover, thanks to Deng Qingjiang¡¯s patronage, she had almost been able to paint whatever the buyer wanted, so her subject matter was quite varied. Hence, transitioning from flowers and plants to delicious foods was a breeze for her. Of course, painting this took a bit more time than painting a lily with perfume fragrance. As soon as she put down her brush, a scent of fresh spices invaded Chiang Xiao¡¯s nose, and instantly, her craving was triggered. The plate of ginger-scallion crab had an appetizing color, with red chili peppers, golden ginger strands, green scallion segments, and the deep red shell of the crab. The oil glistening on the succulent crab roe, paired with that tempting aroma¡­ Chiang Xiao¡¯s mouth was watering. She couldn¡¯t help but touch her forehead and laugh. She had never imagined that one day, she would be drooling over a plate of ginger-scallion crab that she painted herself. And she had stared at the crab for slightly too long. By the time she became aware of the abnormality, she was so startled she almost jumped. She had eaten porridge for lunch, and the vegetables were just plain, without much oil. She had gone out to dig herbs for over an hour, and now, almost two hours had passed, and she had been feeling hungry again. But after staring at the plate of ginger-scallion crab for so long, she surprisingly didn¡¯t feel as hungry anymore? Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes widened, and her black, gem-like eyes whirled around before she picked up her brush to paint a big bowl of beef noodles. She thought she might be going crazy. But after looking at the bowl of beef noodles for five minutes, she actually felt as though she had eaten too much. She even had to stand up, feeling uncomfortable with how stuffed her stomach felt. After a while, Chiang Xiao sat back down to continue experimenting. She spent the entire afternoon experimenting. But later she discovered that the magical effects of her paintings only lasted for about an hour. After an hour, the flowers were no longer fragrant, the food lost its taste, and looking at it no longer gave a sense of satiety. However, the paintings remained lifelike and attractive. But at least all the previous sensations had been real. Still, getting full from looking at pictures was ultimately a deceptive feeling of satiety, quite different from the sensation of actually eating the food, and moreover, this sense of fullness only lasted for ten minutes, after which hunger returned twofold. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She even painted a cup of water, which did indeed have the effect of quenching thirst, but ten minutes later she felt even thirstier. Today¡¯s discoveries deepened Chiang Xiao¡¯s understanding of and expectation for this brush¡ªmaybe it had other magical uses waiting for her to unearth? Chiang Xiao felt that the reason why the paintings were so magical might be related to the Space¡¯s Black Land. Because in her previous life, she hadn¡¯t discovered the Space, so the paintings hadn¡¯t been magical. Or it might also have something to do with the herbs she planted. With this discovery and speculation, she was even more eager to head to Bai Gu Mountain. She needed to find good medicinal herbs! She wanted to see if the paintings would have even more astonishing effects after planting good medicinal herbs. It was also possible that the effective time of the paintings could be extended, right? So far, these functions didn¡¯t seem to have much use, but Chiang Xiao always felt that with careful contemplation, they could be of great use. Chiang Xiao spent the entire afternoon in her room painting and experimenting, because previously she had lost her temper so fiercely that Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao had really been scared, and they really didn¡¯t dare to call her out. After they rested for a while, Chiang Songhai, afraid that his older brother might rush him to go to Widow Liu¡¯s house again, simply went out to dig medicinal herbs. And Ge Liutao closed the door of the main room, seeking some peace and quiet. In the evening, the tranquility of the village was once again disturbed by another astonishing event. Chapter 61 - 61 61 The Sweet Potato Field Incident ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61 The Sweet Potato Field Incident Chapter 61: Chapter 61 The Sweet Potato Field Incident It was exactly the sweet potato field affair that Chiang Xiao had previously been wary of. In her past life, it was this incident that had cornered her family almost to a point of no return, driving her to despair and ultimately leading to Deng Qingjiang coaxing her to leave. This time, she was prepared and no longer afraid. The owner of that sweet potato field was Qian Mengzi, the eldest in his family, with three younger brothers and two younger sisters. His parents were still alive, and his grandparents were also robust; he himself had two sons. In Siyang Village, the Qian Mengzi household was considered a thriving large family. Moreover, this family was very united. Whenever there was any issue, they worked together with a united front against outsiders. Basically, no one in Siyang Village would casually provoke the Qians. Now, something happened to their sweet potato field, and the news quickly spread throughout the entire village. It was said that the Qian Mengzi family¡¯s sweet potato field had been sabotaged. At first, everyone thought it was just someone stealing sweet potatoes, but then an even more astonishing discovery was made. Qian Mengzi claimed that a shameless couple had been doing that sort of thing in his sweet potato field! They had not only flattened half a field of sweet potato vines but also dug some up. The villagers didn¡¯t believe him when he said this. Sweet potatoes are grassy vines, and they don¡¯t grow tall. It¡¯s not even the harvest season yet; they¡¯re still seedlings. Doing that kind of thing in a sweet potato field isn¡¯t very discreet! Standing at the edge of the furrows, you could look out and see people immediately. What the heck would someone be up to? Besides, it¡¯s not harvest season, what would they be stealing by digging? It simply didn¡¯t make sense. Qian Mengzi, seeing that no one believed him, insisted on going to the sweet potato field himself to make his case, convincing the villagers. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As a result, a large group went to join in the commotion. Chiang Xiao already knew how the situation would unfold and that in the end, it would be connected to her, so she had to be present; otherwise, she¡¯d just be waiting for others to splash dirty water on her, right? This time, she was determined to see who could still drag her into the abyss. So, when she heard the gossip from the loudmouth Song Xiyun next door, who was also trying to drag Chiang Baoguo and mother-in-law Ho Laidi to join in the buzz, Chiang Xiao immediately put away her pen into the palm of her hand. As she came out of the inner room, she saw Chiang Liutao leaning against the doorway of the main room, her ears perked up, listening to the gossip brought by Song Xiyun. ¡°Little, did you wake up?¡± Ge Liutao saw Chiang Xiao and was somewhat cautious. All afternoon, she hadn¡¯t heard any noise from the inner room, so she thought Chiang Xiao was upset and had fallen asleep. How could Chiang Xiao explain to her that she had been drawing? She just hummed a response, ¡°Where¡¯s Grandfather?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, your grandfather went to gather herbs. He didn¡¯t go to Caiyun¡¯s house,¡± Ge Liutao hurriedly explained. Chiang Xiao let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, in Grandfather¡¯s heart, she was still the most important. She immediately walked over and embraced her grandmother¡¯s arm, a smile appearing in her eyes as she spoke cheerily, ¡°Grandma, you heard what Auntie Guiying said, right? We should hurry to Uncle Mengzi¡¯s sweet potato field to have a look too!¡± ¡°This kind of matter¡­¡± Ge Liutao was suddenly distressed. What was happening now was scandalous, and how could she involve a young girl like Little in it? What if she picked up bad habits from it? But Chiang Xiao did not care at all what she was thinking and pulled her out of the house. By the time they arrived at the sweet potato field, a large group of villagers had already gathered there. When they got there, they just saw Guiying with a string of daughters, but Ding Dani was not present. When Guiying saw them, her eyes could almost be described as vicious. ¡°You still dare to show your faces outside? You really have thick skin! Taking money, taking eggs, don¡¯t you know such a black heart might choke you to death!¡± Ge Liutao¡¯s complexion changed, but Chiang Xiao had already talked back. ¡°I took what was rightfully mine and did it with a clear conscience, and those eggs tasted especially delicious. But it seems Auntie Guiying doesn¡¯t agree? Should we discuss it again with Secretary Uncle?¡± Chapter 62 - 62 62 Corrupting Morals and Violating Taboos ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Corrupting Morals and Violating Taboos Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Corrupting Morals and Violating Taboos As soon as these words were said, Guiying was instantly silenced. The incident of Chiang Xiao¡¯s fall into the water was handled personally by Secretary Yao, and if Guiying dared to express dissatisfaction, it would mean that she was harboring grievances against Secretary Yao. She didn¡¯t dare to offend Secretary Yao, so Chiang Xiao¡¯s words had hit her where it hurt. Guiying glared at her, her eyes filled with even more resentment. But Chiang Xiao was not afraid of that look anymore. ¡°Has Qian Mengzi¡¯s eyes gone bad?¡± The villagers who had gathered followed to the sweet potato field, but Qian Mengzi, with his wife and brothers, guarded the ridges, not allowing anyone to step down and trample them. Qian Mengzi walked into the middle of the sweet potato field and loudly said, ¡°Look at this place!¡± Chiang Xiao looked over. To plant sweet potatoes, the land is plowed into ridges and furrows. The ridges were covered with lush green sweet potato vines, which seemed to be growing well. It looked like a green carpet at a glance. Therefore, it was immediately obvious that where Qian Mengzi was standing was a mess. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sweet potato vines were flattened, crushed sweet potato leaves in the furrows, and the repaired ridges were in disarray. Qian Mengzi was furious, saying, ¡°Look at this, it¡¯s all damaged by stomping, but when we stand and stomp the soil, the footprints are not like this. It¡¯s only by lying down that you can make such footprints. Don¡¯t you believe it? I¡¯ve tried lying down!¡± Chiang Xiao was actually surprised to hear this. She hadn¡¯t expected Qian Mengzi to have such deductive skills and to be so attentive. This was easy to understand; the angle and pressure points of the feet are different when standing and lying down. Qian Mengzi spoke out loud again, ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking me how I know it was a man and a woman? Because there are two kinds of footprints, large ones and very small ones! A man¡¯s foot isn¡¯t that small!¡± Someone ran over to look closely for a long time, then scratched the back of their head and said, ¡°Hey, that¡¯s really true! These are tiny ¡®Golden Lotus¡¯ feet!¡± Someone in the crowd asked, ¡°Mengzi, how did you then know they were committing acts of indecency?¡± Hearing this question, Qian Mengzi¡¯s face turned red, his chest heaving with anger, ¡°Because that damned bastard wiped himself with toilet paper after the deed, and didn¡¯t pick up the toilet paper!¡± With these words spoken, everyone saw it too, among the green sweet potato vines, there were a couple of light-yellow pieces of toilet paper. At this point, the crowd had come to believe Qian Mengzi, and they immediately burst into a loud discussion. Qian Mengzi angrily said, ¡°These past two days I went to visit relatives with my wife and children, and didn¡¯t come to the fields. Judging by these traces, it should have happened three days ago. When I was here at three or four in the afternoon that day it was all fine, it must have been done on the night when we went to visit relatives!¡± Running into the field to do such acts, wasn¡¯t that hooliganism? Moreover, even though it was a new era, the backward mountain villages still had their own set of rules. Immediately, the villagers were enraged. ¡°Who is so lacking in morals?¡± ¡°Running into someone¡¯s field and committing acts of indecency, we must drag them out!¡± ¡°Right, drag them out, put up a sign, make them do the Village Parade!¡± ¡°We must make them bow their heads and admit their guilt!¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Watching the crowd suddenly become tumultuous, Chiang Xiao just felt a chill in her palms. In her previous life, the villagers never found out who the man and woman were. Although Guihua and others tried to throw dirt on her, there was no evidence, so in the end it was just rampant rumors, as the accusation of hooliganism had just reached the village. But if this had taken place three years later, during a crackdown period, she might have actually been caught and made to do the Village Parade. The Village Parade involved tying the hands of the person found guilty behind their back, hanging a large wooden placard around the neck with the crime written on it, and having the local militia escort them throughout the village. Everyone was to follow alongside, witnessing the spectacle, shouting insults, pointing fingers, and even throwing cow dung or sloshing foot-washing water on the person¡­ It was a crazy torment on both body and mind. Chapter 63 - 63 63 Climbing and Biting ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Climbing and Biting Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Climbing and Biting Villagers still occasionally spoke crude words, and even Chiang Baohe would dare to visit Liu Caiyun¡¯s house alone. By then, a moment of carelessness could get someone charged with hooliganism. ¡°Who could it be?¡± A woman not far from Chiang Xiao tugged at her husband¡¯s sleeve and asked a question. On hearing this, Guiying¡¯s heart suddenly stirred, and she turned her head to look at Chiang Xiao. The moment their eyes met, Chiang Xiao¡¯s gaze darkened slightly. Indeed. In her past life, Chiang Xiao had been running a fever during this period, and she hadn¡¯t participated in the incident when Qian Mengzi led the villagers to the sweet potato field. But when the rumors spread, she could guess that it must have been Guiying who first slandered her. After all, they had become enemies. ¡°Chiang Xiao! It was you, wasn¡¯t it? That small footprint must be yours! Qian Mengzi spoke of the day you fell into the water! You were there that day!¡± Guiying¡¯s voice was loud, and when she suddenly cried out, all eyes were instantly drawn to her. Although Ge Liutao had a gentle nature, this statement startled her, and she immediately retorted, ¡°Guiying, what nonsense are you talking about? How old is my Little? She was so nervous that she squeezed Chiang Xiao¡¯s hand tightly; in that moment, her palm began to sweat. Grandma has a weak heart. Chiang Xiao¡¯s face turned remarkably grim as she looked at Guihua. Her large eyes, clear in their black and white distinction, were filled with endless cold luster. ¡°Aunt Guihua, because of Ding Dani¡¯s attempt to harm me, your family has already bitten me once. Secretary Uncle decided on compensation of five yuan and twelve eggs from your family to mine, and I know you¡¯ve been holding a grudge. I followed Secretary Uncle¡¯s advice and let it go, but it seems you still can¡¯t stop clinging to me!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s clinging to you? Chiang Xiao, if only you were as good as my Da Ni, I wouldn¡¯t bother with you. Why would I not bother others instead?¡± Pfft. Ding Dani is good? Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare be like your Da Ni, who gets upset and starts pushing people into the stream.¡± Many here had witnessed the reenactment of Chiang Xiao¡¯s case just yesterday, so naturally, they knew what was going on. Someone, trying to hold back laughter, then said, ¡°Da Qiang¡¯s wife, you should really teach your daughter well. It¡¯s not good for someone so young to be so malicious.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Guiying jumped up angrily, ¡°My Da Ni was just careless! She has a good heart!¡± Her eyes swiveled around, and she reached out to grab Chiang Xiao, ¡°We¡¯re talking about the scandal of that loose pair! It must be Chiang Xiao!¡± Chiang Xiao quickly slapped Guiying¡¯s hand fiercely. ¡°Slap!¡± Instantly, five finger marks appeared on the back of Gui Ying¡¯s hand. She raged like a thunderstorm, but Chiang Xiao immediately seized the initiative to speak. ¡°Niu Guiying!¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The girl¡¯s trembling shout silenced everyone around. Guiying disliked her surname, and the villagers were used to calling her by her first name, or as Da Qiang¡¯s wife, or Da Qiang¡¯s daughter-in-law. No one had ever called her so seriously by her full name, and even she was stunned. ¡°I, Chiang Xiao, have neither wronged nor resented you. Ding Dani pushed me into the water, but if it weren¡¯t for your family playing the thief shouting ¡®catch the thief¡¯ and insisting on causing trouble at my house, demanding a huge sum of seventy or eighty yuan from my grandfather, I wouldn¡¯t have taken this matter too seriously!¡± The afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm golden hue on the slightly pale face of the young girl. She looked very thin, her small face no bigger than a palm, which made her eyes seem larger. The fiery anger dancing in the black pupils made her appear even more vivid. Chiang Xiao was usually silent and spoke in a low, soft voice, giving off a timid air. But now, she stood erect, chin slightly raised, like a delicate mountain flower that fears not the wind and rain, possessing her own unique mettle. Chapter 64 - 64 64 No Room for Weakness ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64 No Room for Weakness Chapter 64: Chapter 64 No Room for Weakness Her voice was clear and her words extremely distinct, ¡°I know that because of my parents¡¯ issues, everyone in the village looks down on me, but I too was born and raised in Siyang Village. From the day I learned to walk, every step I took was under the watchful eyes of all the uncles and aunties in the village. I want to ask, all the uncles, uncles, aunties, and sisters-in-law, have you ever seen me acting improperly?¡± The villagers looked at each other, instinctively shaking their heads. That¡¯s right, the Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady is looked down upon by many. Because no one knows who her father is, and her mother got pregnant before marriage and is probably not alive anymore. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But truth be told, Chiang Xiao had always lived under their watch, like an isolated gourd, not even the young girls would play with her, let alone men. ¡°To be fair,¡± said a woman, ¡°the Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady is always alone¡ªhow could she be involved with anyone?¡± Chiang Xiao looked at her, an auntie around forty years old; for a moment, she forgot the woman¡¯s name, so she could only offer a thankful smile and then continued speaking. ¡°Nobody is more afraid of making mistakes than I am,¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes reddened slightly as she spoke resolutely, ¡°I absolutely cannot tolerate having groundless accusations of misconduct thrown at me! Niu Guiying, if you don¡¯t clear things up today, we¡¯re not finished.¡± Niu Guiying was truly taken aback at first, for she had never seen Chiang Xiao like this. But she quickly collected herself, ¡°Pah! You? Not finished with me? You little wretch, you really think you¡¯re something, huh? Am I framing you? We¡¯re closest to Nameless Creek here, and you¡¯re always running this way. Qian Mengzi has said before that those promiscuous wretches don¡¯t come here during the day; we don¡¯t come here late either. Other than you, who else could it be?¡± As Niu Guiying said this, whispers immediately started amongst the people. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± they said. This area is close to Bai Gu Mountain, and basically nobody comes here after the sun has set. But Chiang Xiao often stayed here until the sun dipped below the horizon¡ªmeaning, she wasn¡¯t afraid. Therefore, it was indeed possible that she was the woman in the sweet potato field. There were quite a few people in the village who harbored animosity towards Chiang Qingzhu. In her day, Chiang Qingzhu was known for her beauty, attracting numerous suitors from miles around, making many women both jealous and resentful. After Chiang Qingzhu¡¯s incident, there was no shortage of people kicking her while she was down. Back then, how many people shouted to parade the whore around the village? Although over a decade had passed, this jealousy and resentment seemed to have partly transferred onto Chiang Xiao. Immediately someone muttered under their breath, ¡°With a shameless mother like hers, her daughter can¡¯t be any good either.¡± ¡°Back then, Chiang Qingzhu made so many men¡¯s hearts itch; this Chiang Xiao is young, but she¡¯s acting like a vixen already.¡± ¡°They say she¡¯s young, but her mother was just 17 when she gave birth to her¡­¡± These softly spoken venomous discussions added layer upon layer of ice to Chiang Xiao¡¯s heart. Her gaze swept across those people, memorizing each of their faces. ¡°Have you seen me come here at night?¡± Chiang Xiao ignored them and fixed her gaze on Niu Guiying, ¡°Have you?¡± She usually stayed at most until sunset¡ªwhen had she ever come here at night? Niu Guiying couldn¡¯t answer. Chiang Xiao pressed further, ¡°If having been here makes one suspicious, then on that day, your Da Ni was also here!¡± At her words, Niu Guiying burst out in rage and lunged at her, raising her hand to slap her face. ¡°I¡¯ll smack you dead, you bastard! How dare you sling mud at my Da Ni!¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes were filled with icy resolve; she knew that in this matter, she could not show the slightest weakness, otherwise she would end up doomed like in her previous life! She grabbed Niu Guiying¡¯s wrist and fiercely pressed down on her pulse point. Chapter 65 - 65 65 Beat Him Up Directly ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Beat Him Up Directly Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Beat Him Up Directly In her previous life, Chiang Xiao was obscure in the art academy, but in the eyes of her dormitory roommates, if anyone were to name the most diligent person in the academy, they would unanimously say it was Chiang Xiao. Chiang Xiao had an extraordinary talent in painting, but her effort and diligence were unmatched by almost anyone. When she was brought out of Siyang Village by Deng Qingjiang, she was grateful. During Deng Qingjiang¡¯s hypocritical speech about the heavy burden that shouldn¡¯t be worried about, she took the initiative to say that she would work hard to earn tuition. As a result, Deng Qingjiang took the opportunity to find her several part-time jobs: restoring damaged paintings, creating decorative artwork for home decor companies, and tutoring. The money earned from these side jobs went directly to Deng Qingjiang, and at the time, Chiang Xiao thought that since it was for her own tuition, it didn¡¯t matter who collected it. It then became a habit. For many years to come, she didn¡¯t even know the prices of her own paintings. She spent a significant amount of time painting every day, and wrist pain was a common occurrence. Luckily, she learned a set of acupressure techniques from a student¡¯s grandfather. Although she learned the entire set, she mostly used the techniques to relieve the pain in her wrist. That Mr. Cao had particularly warned her to avoid certain acupoints, saying that pressing the wrong ones by mistake could have the opposite effect. Just now, Chiang Xiao suddenly remembered this and immediately struck out with all her might. Niu Guiying only felt a sharp pain in her wrist, then her whole arm went numb; the blood seemed to stop flowing suddenly, and her hand felt as though it had lost all sensation. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She was shocked and looked towards Chiang Xiao in a panic, meeting her gaze. Those large eyes seemed filled with a cold radiance, bearing down on her. Chiang Xiao¡¯s tone was equally forceful, ¡°Which part of what I said was wrong? Both I and Ding Dani were near this area that evening. If I¡¯m a suspect, why isn¡¯t she? Is it just because she has parents to protect her while I should just deserve to be splashed with your dirty water at will?¡± ¡°Chiang Xiao, you motherless wretch, my hand¡­¡± Niu Guiying was both angry and frightened, screeching, ¡°It was you! It must have been you getting up to no good here with Ji Desheng, caught in the act by my daughter Da Ni!¡± Unrepentant even in death! With a fierce push, Chiang Xiao sent Niu Guiying stumbling back several steps, falling onto the ground. In a flash, Chiang Xiao pounced on her, pummeling her face in a frenzy. ¡°Niu Guiying! I¡¯ll beat you to death! I¡¯ll let you bite around like a mad dog! I could endure anything else, but I can never tolerate this kind of thing, even if it kills me!¡± The onlookers were stunned, having never expected the usually frail Chiang Xiao to suddenly become so ferocious. That was Niu Guiying, after all! Known for her brashness, people usually tried to avoid provoking her, and yet now she was being pummeled by a teenage girl¡ªand the girl was even getting the upper hand? ¡°Ow! Da Qiang! Come quickly and kill this damn hussy! I¡¯m being beaten to death! Everyone catch her, I was right, this wench is showing her true colors now¡­¡± Niu Guiying wailed at the top of her lungs. Her right hand was still numb, and as her left hand reached to grab Chiang Xiao¡¯s face, it was caught and firmly pressed on an acupoint by Chiang Xiao. Now both of her hands were completely powerless. But other than Chiang Xiao, none of the villagers could tell what was happening. Chiang Xiao only targeted Niu Guiying¡¯s face and belly, attacking like an enraged little tiger. She found her strength had increased significantly and showed no mercy in her strikes, recklessly hitting all the acupoints Grandpa Cao had warned her not to press. For a moment, Niu Guiying only heard the dull thudding sounds, and pain erupted all over her body, torturous enough to make her howl loudly. Chapter 66 - 66 66 Theres Reason to Hit Someone ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66: There¡¯s Reason to Hit Someone Chapter 66: Chapter 66: There¡¯s Reason to Hit Someone ¡°Damn it, they¡¯re going to kill someone!¡± Niu Guiying really felt like she was going to be beaten to death. Unfortunately, she just couldn¡¯t muster the strength in her hands, otherwise Chiang Xiao would have already been flipped onto the ground. This damn girl suddenly became so wicked! ¡°Erni, Sanni, what are you eating, shit? Don¡¯t just stand there, help! Beat Chiang Xiao to death, this damn girl!¡± At first, no one helped because the villagers simply couldn¡¯t believe that Niu Guiying would be suppressed and beaten by Chiang Xiao. They thought Chiang Xiao would be the one at a disadvantage, and wanted to wait and see what happened, also anticipating stepping in to break up the fight if Niu Guiying beat Chiang Xiao too badly. So they didn¡¯t take Niu Guiying¡¯s screams seriously. Ding Erni and her sisters thought the same. As for Ge Liutao, she was petrified. When she realized something was wrong later on, Ding Erni also cried out and rushed over to pull at Chiang Xiao, and Ge Liutao, as though awakening from a dream, hurriedly intervened to restrain Chiang Xiao. ¡°Little, stop it, stop it now.¡± Chiang Xiao was truly seeing red. In her past and present life, this was the first time she really went all out in a fight. Her fists landed on the other person again and again, with a thumping sound, each blow landing solidly and aiming for the pressure points. It must be said, it felt really good, dispelling all the pent-up anger in her heart! Chiang Xiao knew she wasn¡¯t a violent person, but she didn¡¯t regret beating Niu Guiying at all. If murder wasn¡¯t against the law, she would even want to kill Niu Guiying. So, when her hands were finally pulled away, she still kicked Niu Guiying with unresolved anger. The onlooking villagers were speechless at this scene. ¡°Was Chiang Xiao always this fierce?¡± ¡°Wow, who would¡¯ve thought!¡± ¡°Her grandparents are such nice people, how did they end up with someone as fierce as her? Could she be like her father?¡± ¡°That being said, Chiang Xiao¡¯s father might be someone you wouldn¡¯t want to mess with!¡± Fighting is exhausting too. Chiang Xiao was breathing heavily and couldn¡¯t help but admire the villagers¡¯ wild ideas, which jumped straight to her father being formidable. Ge Liutao pulled her quite a distance away, deeply afraid that Niu Guiying would pounce for revenge. Ding Erni and Ding Sanni helped Niu Guiying up, their faces full of fear. Niu Guiying trembled with rage, wishing she could bite Chiang Xiao to death. ¡°Chiang Xiao, you bitch, how dare you hit me!¡± ¡°You dared to insult and frame me, so why shouldn¡¯t I dare to hit you? You know full well that being involved in this kind of scandal could lead to death, yet you still insist on falsely accusing me. Am I supposed to just smile at you?¡± Chiang Xiao was entirely unapologetic. Some villagers nodded in agreement. Being implicated in such scandalous affairs could indeed drive someone to death, and it would be strange if Chiang Xiao didn¡¯t get angry. ¡°Chiang Xiao dares to fight to the death with Guiying; it must not have been her.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing, a guilty person wouldn¡¯t dare to do that.¡± ¡°Not to mention a young girl like her, but if any married woman got splashed with this kind of dirty water, she¡¯d be fighting for her life.¡± ¡°Da Qiang¡¯s wife really shouldn¡¯t have, how can you spout nonsense without clearing things up?¡± Hearing these comments, Niu Guiying felt like her lungs were going to explode. Chiang Xiao had a reason for hitting someone? ¡°Get lost, all of you! Who¡¯s talking nonsense? Who?¡± She furiously cursed those women, almost spraying saliva on their faces. The faces of those women all turned dark. ¡°I¡¯m also going to file a complaint! Find Secretary Yao! I really want to see what you have to say about this!¡± Supported by Erni, Niu Guiying felt like her whole body was in excruciating pain. ¡°I want you to pay! Pay for my medical expenses!¡± ¡°Little¡­¡± Ge Liutao grasped Chiang Xiao¡¯s hand somewhat anxiously. Chiang Xiao looked up at Niu Guiying, ¡°Do you think Secretary Uncle has that much time? He¡¯s got the whole village¡¯s affairs to take care of, which is truly stressful. If a few aunts and uncles can judge the matter, then there¡¯s no need to bother Secretary Uncle at all!¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 67 - 67 67 Getting Help ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Getting Help Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Getting Help As these words were spoken, everyone was taken aback once more. Chiang Xiao looked at several people in the crowd and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble a few uncles and aunties to testify for me. You all are fair-minded and kind-hearted people; regardless of the conclusion you come to, I will accept it.¡± The people she picked out were those she had noticed before, who bore her no ill will and had even spoken in her defense, including the one who had just been spat on by Niu Guiying. Chiang Xiao was not foolish. Sure enough, the villagers suddenly felt a surge of righteousness upon looking at the panting Chiang Xiao; they completely forgot about her fierce attack earlier, only feeling that this child was wronged and pitiful! How could they not stand up for her? ¡°Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady, what do you need us to testify to? Just say it, we¡¯re not the kind to make baseless claims.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This woman, probably in her late forties with an average build and a somewhat round face, was someone Chiang Xiao remembered having a good relationship with the Secretary¡¯s wife. Ordinarily, Chiang Xiao would have to call her ¡®Old Aunt,¡¯ but because of her seniority within the family, she simply called her ¡®Aunt.¡¯ ¡°Thank you, Aunt Juan.¡± Chiang Xiao expressed her gratitude and then turned her gaze to Niu Guiying. ¡°The few uncles and aunties were also at Nameless Creek yesterday, right? Secretary Uncle and two of the militia brothers were there as well. Ding Dani and I re-enacted the whole incident from the beginning to the end, correct?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Niu Guiying ground her teeth, rubbing her belly while glaring at her. Damn wench, she looked so frail; why did her blows hurt so much! Chiang Xiao pointed in a direction not far away, ¡°Yesterday I asked Ding Dani if she saw me standing in that direction, and she said yes, right?¡± Aunt Juan and the others nodded. ¡°I also asked her if it was around six o¡¯clock at that time, and Ding Dani agreed.¡± Aunt Juan and the others subconsciously recalled the details of the case reenactment from the day before along with her. ¡°Indeed, that was mentioned.¡± A smile flickered across Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes as she looked at Niu Guiying and said again, ¡°Ding Dani mentioned that the reason she came this way, saw me, was because she wanted to pick a couple of eggplants from the field, right? And the Ding Family¡¯s field is over there,¡± she pointed to a vegetable patch not far from the sweet potato field, ¡°From the vegetable patch to Nameless Creek, one has to pass through Uncle Mengzi¡¯s sweet potato field, right?¡± Niu Guiying was still somewhat confused; her mind had never been quick, and she couldn¡¯t grasp the connection at once. However, many present had understood the implication. The way they looked at Niu Guiying changed. Seeing that they understood, Chiang Xiao refrained from saying more, merely adding, ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t have to pass through here from my house to Nameless Creek; I went around from the other side! Later, I was pushed into the creek by Ding Dani, and then I got a fever, and I am only feeling better today! If you want to know about this sweet potato field, Ding Dani would definitely know more than I do!¡± Of course, Chiang Xiao knew that with these circumstances alone she couldn¡¯t throw all the blame onto Ding Dani. She didn¡¯t have the time to do anything wrong, after all. But compared to her, the suspicion on Ding Dani was significantly greater. In any case, this time Niu Guiying was definitely unable to throw the dirt back onto her. Aunt Juan and the others thought carefully about the details of the case reenactment from yesterday, knowing that Chiang Xiao hadn¡¯t lied about a single thing¡ªall were things Ding Dani had confirmed herself. Naturally, they believed Chiang Xiao. Now looking at Chiang Xiao, whose gaze was direct, speech unwavering, and manner very polite, they inclined towards her side in their hearts. ¡°Chiang Family¡¯s Young Lady is right, Guiying, maybe you should go back and ask your Da Ni about this.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not easy for Chiang Xiao, and what has she ever done to offend your family? Time and again you subject her to this torment.¡± Some began to express their indignation on behalf of Chiang Xiao. Chapter 68 - 68 68 The Biggest Hurdle Has Been Crossed ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Biggest Hurdle Has Been Crossed Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Biggest Hurdle Has Been Crossed Niu Guiying from this day on swore to be at odds with Chiang Xiao. Of course, Chiang Xiao was not afraid of her. The biggest hurdle had passed, and now she only felt light enough inside to want to sing. That day, Niu Guiying was helped back by Ding Erni and Ding Sanni, wailing in pain all the way, as if she were about to die. Ding Dani, who had made a fool of herself yesterday, held back from joining in the excitement today; seeing her mother like this, she had no choice but to run to the village clinic to find Doctor Huang. Fortunately, their village clinic had such a female doctor; otherwise, Niu Guiying would have had difficulty getting her injuries examined, as the worst beating was on her stomach by Chiang Xiao. Niu Guiying was convinced her stomach must be covered in a large purple bruise, possibly even with internal injury, because the pain was unbearable. However, when Doctor Huang lifted her clothes to examine, there was nothing wrong. There was some bruising on the face and near the eyes, but what sort of injuries were these? So, in the end, Doctor Huang rather resentfully collected a diagnosis and treatment fee of one yuan and fifty cents from Niu Guiying, handed her a bottle of Potion, and left. Yet even that one yuan and fifty cents made Niu Guiying¡¯s heart ache as if she¡¯d lost a treasure, and she couldn¡¯t help but grumble when Doctor Huang left, which annoyed the doctor. Upon returning to the clinic, Doctor Huang told Aunt Juan, who lived nearby and had come over to inquire, about it. ¡°There was nothing, the stomach was pale as snow, except for a large black mole!¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This phrase was quickly spread by Aunt Juan, and the women who usually opposed Niu Guiying privately turned it into a joke. The three generations of the Chiang Family also heard about it. As it concerned Niu Guiying¡¯s belly, Chiang Songhai did not discuss the matter, but Ge Liutao breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Fortunately, there was no injury.¡± She also found it strange; at that time, Chiang Xiao had been extremely fierce, and when she went to pull Chiang Xiao away, she even saw that her fists were somewhat red. Chiang Xiao held back a smile. She felt as though she had pushed open a great door and found a way to live more recklessly. In her previous life, she had always been the frail Daiyu, often excused from gym class, spoke gently and softly, the result being a terrifyingly weak constitution¡ªconfronted by slightly fiercer opposition, she had no choice but to back away three thousand miles. Now she had tasted the advantages of reckless disregard. Not to mention others, but with someone like Niu Guiying, if you really try to reason with her properly, that would surely be an indication of your foolishness. Some people are simply unreasonable. Previously, Chiang Xiao really hadn¡¯t taken the acupoint massage technique taught by Old Master Cao to heart, but after today¡¯s thrashing of Niu Guiying and hearing Doctor Huang¡¯s diagnosis, she suddenly realized she needed to seriously practice this technique. Furthermore, she needed to start strength training. She was bound to encounter those people again in the future, and being so weak, even with a strong will, without the ability to protect herself, it¡¯s insufficient to stand against such scum. Fortunately, there was still time. ¡°Little, come with me a moment.¡± After dinner, Ge Liutao went to boil water, and Chiang Songhai gestured for Chiang Xiao to follow him to the west room. The room Chiang Xiao was staying in was originally Chiang Qingzhu¡¯s, while Chiang Songhai and his wife were living in the southern room; the west room was closer to the yard gate and was a storage room. But Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were diligent with housework, so even the storage room was kept very clean and everything neatly organized. In addition to sundries, there was a single bamboo bed, with a small table next to it, and beside the table was a small wooden stool. Two bags rested on the table. Chiang Songhai sat down on the bamboo bed, and Chiang Xiao also moved the small wooden stool to sit opposite him, instinctively opening the bags. Inside one was a bag of tobacco and a small stack of rolling papers. At this time, most people in the village could not afford to buy whole packs of cigarettes, but they could buy loose tobacco and rolling papers, then roll their own to smoke. Chapter 69 - 69 69 Not Being a Pushover ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Not Being a Pushover Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Not Being a Pushover Chiang Songhai actually didn¡¯t smoke much. But he had an iron cigarette case, which was slightly smaller than the factory-made cigarette packs. Every day he would roll a few cigarettes and place them in the case, along with a box of matches. Although Chiang Xiao used to be reluctant to help dry herbs, she was willing to occasionally help roll the tobacco. Ge Liutao wasn¡¯t in good health, so when Chiang Songhai wanted to smoke, he would roll his cigarettes in the western room. ¡°Little, don¡¯t rush, Grandpa wants to have a few words with you.¡± Chiang Xiao put down the cigarette paper and looked up at him. What did Grandpa want to say to her? But even if he didn¡¯t say anything, Chiang Xiao had something she wanted to talk to him about. ¡°Grandpa, you go ahead.¡± Chiang Songhai sighed, looking at her with a mix of pity and guilt, ¡°Little, you¡¯ve been wronged.¡± Chiang Xiao was stunned for a moment. She had been wronged her whole life, enduring big wrongs, so why did Grandpa suddenly say this? She didn¡¯t respond, just waited to hear what he would say next. Chiang Songhai looked at his granddaughter¡¯s palm-sized face with her big, watery eyes, and felt a pang in his heart. ¡°Grandpa heard about what happened today.¡± He had gone to dig for herbs and didn¡¯t return until dinner time. Arriving at the entrance to the village, he ran into Aunt Juan¡¯s husband, who filled him in on the day¡¯s events. Hearing about the words Chiang Xiao had shouted at Niu Guiying, that Ding Dani had parents to protect her while she deserved to have dirty water splashed on her, and hearing Niu Guiying call her motherless, his heart felt sliced by knives. It was then that he realized Little must have kept all her wrongs bottled up inside her. If she hadn¡¯t bottled up so much, why would she have suddenly lashed out today and hit someone? Chiang Xiao actually hitting someone was a huge shock to Chiang Songhai, akin to hearing that a little lamb had suddenly turned into a big bad wolf. So Chiang Songhai thought it over and felt he needed to say something to comfort her, lest the child truly become hardened. She was a delicate young girl, how could she go about fighting others? Today, Aunt Juan and others were there to protect her, but what if Ding Daqiang decided to take revenge? During dinner, they had already talked about Doctor Huang¡¯s diagnosis of Niu Guiying, so Chiang Songhai¡¯s words were only an overture, and Chiang Xiao still didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Little, tomorrow Grandpa will take you to Da Ni¡¯s house, and you can apologize to Guiying, alright?¡± Upon hearing this, Chiang Xiao stood up suddenly, looking at him in disbelief. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re asking me to apologize to Niu Guiying?¡± Chiang Songhai didn¡¯t expect such a strong reaction and hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s a temporary measure, you sit down first, Grandpa will explain properly.¡± Chiang Xiao suppressed the anger in her heart and sat back down. ¡°Grandpa knows Guiying is a fierce woman and doesn¡¯t mind her words, which has wronged you. But Little, mouths are on other people¡¯s faces, what they say is their business, it is their moral failing, and it shows their ugliness, why should we bother with it?¡± ¡°Grandpa, I disagree with you,¡± Chiang Xiao shook her head. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her grandparents were kind-hearted and wise, but they were too soft. In the language of her future life, they would be called saintly pushovers. She was raised by them, so in her past life, she had been somewhat of the same character. But what did it get her? Chiang Xiao used her own bitter experiences from before to prove the outcome for pushovers, having lived another life, how could she willingly be that again? Moreover, during her drifting and unsupported years, she had seen too much of the human heart, understanding it more deeply than Chiang Songhai. ¡°There are many people like Niu Guiying in this world. If they all insult and slander me, throwing dirty water on me, ¡®three men make a tiger,¡¯ even if others have not seen it with their own eyes, they will think that I am indeed that kind of person.¡± As Chiang Xiao spoke these words, her voice was still somewhat sweet and soft. She had lived to thirty in her previous life, and her voice had always sounded like this. Chiang Xiao actually wished her tone could be coarser, at least having some authority. Chapter 70 - 70 70 What is the Meaning of Tolerance ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70 What is the Meaning of Tolerance Chapter 70: Chapter 70 What is the Meaning of Tolerance ¡°But, but sometimes, enduring a moment brings peace, and stepping back opens up a world of possibilities. Little, you only somewhat resemble Xiao Qingzhu. Your grandfather suspects, you look more like your father whom you¡¯ve never met.¡± Chiang Songhai had not expected that Chiang Xiao, who used to listen to his teachings with her head down, would now bluntly refute him. He felt a sense of powerlessness in his heart and could only urge her earnestly again. ¡°You are still young, and when you grow up, who knows how pretty you might become. The reason your grandfather tells you this is to say that the way you look doesn¡¯t necessarily mean your dad was a brute. Maybe he was an educated and cultured man. I don¡¯t want you to grow up to be a vulgar village woman who curses and fights at the drop of a hat. Otherwise, what if you find your father one day and he despises you?¡± Listening to her grandfather¡¯s words, Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. So this was what Grandfather had been thinking all along? No wonder life at home was so hard, yet Grandfather still insisted she go to school. No wonder he and Grandmother didn¡¯t press her to help in the fields, only advising her to learn some herbal medicine knowledge. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had never given up hope. Although she still didn¡¯t agree with her grandfather¡¯s views, Chiang Xiao was genuinely moved. Her grandfather sincerely cared for her and had her best interests at heart. Chiang Xiao¡¯s nose tingled, and she revealed a smile. ¡°Thank you, Grandfather. I understand what you mean,¡± she said. Chiang Songhai breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°I always knew my Little was a smart kid. Another thing, your Sister Guiying might be foolish, but her man, Ding Daqiang, is even worse. When I saw him carrying a hoe early yesterday morning, I was worried he would make trouble for you in the future. Little, listen to Grandfather, it¡¯s okay to suffer a little loss for safety and peace, right?¡± To say Chiang Songhai was weak-willed wouldn¡¯t be wrong, but in reality, he understood it all. He understood right from wrong, understood humiliation. But in his view, neither he nor his wife had enough strength to fight back forcefully, fearing that in the end it would only harm Chiang Xiao. Deep love bred deep fear. It was only now that Chiang Xiao truly began to grasp her grandfather¡¯s meaning. Seeing that she still remained silent, Chiang Songhai sighed, ¡°It¡¯s the same with today¡¯s incident involving your great-uncle. Little, our family only consists of three people. Your grandmother has always been frail, and I really can¡¯t do heavy work anymore. As for the Old Chiang Family, it¡¯s okay if your aunts and mother-in-law take small advantages usually, but if there comes a day when you¡¯re in trouble, the Old Chiang Family might protect you¡­¡± So Grandfather held such expectations for the Old Chiang Family too? If Chiang Xiao really were the thirteen-year-old girl without the harrowing experiences of her past life, her grandfather¡¯s words today would surely have moved her, making her hold them close to her heart. But having heard all this now, although she was moved, she completely disagreed with her grandfather¡¯s point of view. ¡°Grandfather, do you know what would have happened if I didn¡¯t severely beat down Niu Guiying today?¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes filled with a coldness, ¡°My reputation would have been completely ruined. Don¡¯t you know, Grandfather, what the outcome is for a girl whose reputation is destroyed? If putting up with them, letting them off, and avoiding them only leads to my reputation being tarnished and being insulted at will, what¡¯s the value of forbearance?¡± ¡°And regarding the Old Chiang Family, today, your sister-in-law and your elder uncle¡¯s wife were also present. Logically, when Niu Guiying insulted me, alleging that I had done shameful and immoral things with a man, it was a very serious accusation. But did they show the slightest intent to defend me? They watched me being insulted, watched as Niu Guiying was about to hit me first, yet they didn¡¯t utter a single word. How can you still harbour any hope that the Old Chiang Family would protect me?¡± Chapter 71 - 71 71 Fulfilling the Wish ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Fulfilling the Wish Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Fulfilling the Wish Chiang Songhai was stunned for a long time. He looked at the bright-eyed Chiang Xiao, and for a moment, he was somewhat bewildered. He had never imagined that a thirteen-year-old girl could utter such words. Although her voice was sweet and gentle, the words she spoke were as firm as iron. Chiang Xiao said, ¡°Grandfather, I will not provoke anyone on my own, but if someone offends me, I must retaliate heavily. I don¡¯t want to rely on anyone¡¯s protection. Having my own abilities is the safest, isn¡¯t it?¡± If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that tomorrow she needed her grandfather to take her to Bai Gu Mountain, Chiang Xiao wouldn¡¯t want to make things so clear to him. It took Chiang Songhai a good while to digest her words. Setting other things aside, Chiang Xiao¡¯s attitude had been made very clear, and moreover, he agreed with her last sentence. But what abilities could a thirteen-year-old girl possibly have? Chiang Songhai sighed again, feeling utterly unable to argue with his granddaughter. ¡°Grandfather, let¡¯s not bring up the matter of me apologizing again. However, I have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Speak,¡± he said. Chiang Xiao looked at him, her expression pleading and her voice even softer, ¡°Would you take me to Bai Gu Mountain tomorrow?¡± Chiang Songhai was startled by her sudden request. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Bai Gu Mountain was not a place for her to go. ¡°Why is it nonsense? Grandfather, I¡¯ve decided to diligently learn herbal medicine from you in the future.¡± In the past, whenever her grandfather wanted to teach, she refused to learn. Not only did he know herbs, he also had some knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, capable of curing common ailments. Previously, when there was no health clinic in the village, most people with minor illnesses would seek his treatment, making him like a Barefoot Doctor. But later, when medical practice certificates became necessary, he didn¡¯t have one and, fearing trouble, he stopped treating patients, advising them to visit the health clinic instead. ¡°Haven¡¯t you always been disinterested in this?¡± Chiang Songhai looked at her in surprise. Chiang Xiao promptly responded, ¡°I¡¯ve had a change of heart, I am interested now! Grandfather, isn¡¯t this also a skill if I learn it well? During my school vacations, I can help you gather herbs, and it would be good to earn a little extra income for our family too!¡± ¡°Little Xiao, if you want to learn, I will naturally teach you. You don¡¯t need to go to Bai Gu Mountain,¡± he said. Chiang Xiao said, ¡°Grandfather, don¡¯t lie to me. Every time you don¡¯t go to Bai Gu Mountain, you hardly collect any herbs, which shows that there are fewer and fewer herbs on those hillside fields. But you¡¯ve said before, Bai Gu Mountain is rich in resources¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s too dangerous, how could I take you there?¡± Chiang Songhai shook his head. Chiang Xiao sighed, ¡°But grandfather, our house is out of rice, and we don¡¯t have much money left, do we? You definitely plan to go to Bai Gu Mountain tomorrow to gather more things so that you can sell them the day after tomorrow at the market, right?¡± Chiang Songhai felt a bit embarrassed and guilty when she mentioned the lack of rice at home, but on hearing the latter part, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh, tapping her forehead, ¡°You clever little girl.¡± He indeed planned to make a trip to Bai Gu Mountain the next day, but he hadn¡¯t expected Chiang Xiao to guess it. Chiang Xiao blinked, putting on a slightly roguish air, ¡°Anyway, if you don¡¯t take me, I¡¯ll just sneak along behind you tomorrow!¡± Chiang Songhai was dumbfounded. In the end, of course, Chiang Xiao got her wish. Ge Liutao was startled when he found out about this, but since the decision was made, it wasn¡¯t good for Chiang Songhai to go back on his word and change it. He could only prepare some additional things. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After taking a bath and entering the room, Chiang Xiao thought about going to Bai Gu Mountain the next day and felt immensely excited. She hooked the door curtain properly and slipped into the Space. As soon as she entered, she saw a sea of green. The herbs she had planted before had indeed grown exceptionally lush, crowding the small plot of land she had carved out, leaving not a bit of space to spare. If she hadn¡¯t created a ditch, these herbs may have filled up the entire Black Land. Chapter 72 - 72 72 Another Wonderful Use of Space ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Another Wonderful Use of Space Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Another Wonderful Use of Space The air was filled with a light fragrance of grass. Chiang Xiao felt extremely spirited, not tired at all from beating up Niu Guiying today. She was sure that her current physical state was connected to the medicinal herbs in the Space, so she couldn¡¯t delay this matter. Just having Chiang Baohe around made Chiang Xiao feel very threatened, and the idea that the Old Chiang Family¡¯s people would protect her was laughable. If Chiang Baohe really decided to make a move on her, he would beat her to death without a doubt. Liu Caiyun, for some reason, was fixated on her grandfather, so she definitely would not agree to marry Chiang Baohe. Who knew what kind of trouble would ensue between those two, so Chiang Xiao had to be on guard. If she had no ability, how would she deal with Chiang Baohe when the time came? Besides Chiang Baohe, there was also Ding Daqiang. She had already made enemies with the family of Ding Daqiang, a man prone to violence like a savage farmer, and Niu Guiying was accustomed to throwing fits. With her small frame, she could easily be beaten to death if she wasn¡¯t careful. Therefore, Chiang Xiao was extremely anxious. She had decided to seriously practice the acupressure techniques taught by Old Master Cao. She also had a vague concept, an idea she got today when she was beating up Niu Guiying. She could transform those methods into a set of Acupoint Boxing, specifically aiming for the acupoints that Old Master Cao said should not be pressed randomly. But now her strength was too weak. It might be barely enough to deal with Niu Guiying, but if it came to Ding Daqiang or Chiang Baohe, her strength would only be like tickling to them. So, she had to nourish her body well and also train strenuously to increase her physical capabilities and build up her strength. And since her physical abilities were tied to the medicinal herbs in the Space, she had to take the quickest time possible to gather more herbs to plant there. That¡¯s why Chiang Xiao was insistent on following Chiang Songhai to Bai Gu Mountain. Logically, with a secret like hers, it was best to go alone, but she truly had reservations about Bai Gu Mountain. The adult men of the village dared not go there, let alone a young girl like her. She didn¡¯t know what the situation on the mountain was like, and she didn¡¯t know many medicinal herbs yet. It would be better to accompany her grandfather for a visit. Firstly, she could get to know the paths and the situation in the mountains. Secondly, she could take this opportunity to learn more about medicinal herbs from her grandfather, which would be useful for when she had to go up the mountain alone later. Sitting in the Space, breathing in the thin scent of medicinal herbs, Chiang Xiao felt clear-headed and refreshed, not the least bit sleepy. She simply brought her sketchbook inside and, conjuring a brush from her palm, began to practice drawing. Even with the best natural talent, diligent practice was indispensable. She drew until the sky began to lighten, only stopping reluctantly when the last page of the small sketchbook was filled. An entire notebook was filled with all kinds of things she had drawn. Chiang Xiao flipped through it and suddenly stopped, stunned. From her previous tests, drawings would lose their magic after ten minutes, but the earlier drawings, which were at least two or three hours old by now, hadn¡¯t lost effect¡ªwhy? She flipped to the first picture she drew in the Space, a cup of green tea ice cream. Even now, looking at the drawing, it gave off a cool and refreshing sensation, causing her to taste sweetness and iced coolness in her mouth. Could it be that the drawings wouldn¡¯t lose their miraculous effects while in the Space? Chiang Xiao immediately tore out the page with the ice cream and took it out of the Space, then started timing. Indeed, almost ten minutes later, the sweetness and coolness disappeared. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes lit up. The Space could maintain the magical effects of the drawings! Then, when she had nothing else to do, she could draw more things and store them in the Space, taking them out when needed, right? Only now, she really didn¡¯t even have a single page left to draw on. Chapter 73 - 73 73 Being Penniless Is Absolutely ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Being Penniless Is Absolutely Unacceptable Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Being Penniless Is Absolutely Unacceptable Chiang Xiao sighed helplessly. It seemed that besides urgently improving her physical fitness, another pressing matter was making money. She pushed open the window to check the sky, which was just starting to brighten¡ªit was probably a little after five in the morning. Currently, there wasn¡¯t even a clock in the house, and she didn¡¯t have a cell phone or watch to check the time, which was quite uncomfortable. Moreover, if she wanted to practice painting, she couldn¡¯t always use the Magic Brush; painting supplies were needed as well, and those cost money. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Money, money, money. Money isn¡¯t everything, but without it, everything is impossible. Although there were many pressing matters to address, Chiang Xiao wasn¡¯t anxious. In fact, she felt good. Regardless, Ding Dani¡¯s issue was resolved, and the sweet potato field rumors were settled. These two significant events that deeply affected her fate were resolved. In this life, she was determined to lead a completely different existence. For those who wanted to hurt her or do her harm, if they didn¡¯t come looking for trouble again, well and good. But if they did, she would fight back hard against each one that came her way! Chiang Xiao found that although she had spent the whole night painting in the Space, she came out feeling more energetic than ever, without a hint of tiredness. Since it was already light out, she decided not to bother with sleep. After washing up, she put some rice on to cook into porridge and, after some thought, took out some flour and made a few scallion pancakes. Just as she was sticking the pancakes to cook in the pan, Ge Liutao got out of bed. Chiang Xiao felt something was off. Her grandmother had always been an early riser, starting her day by cooking porridge, chopping wild vegetables to feed the chickens, and sweeping the yard. By the time Chiang Xiao got up, her grandmother would have finished all these tasks. Why had she gotten up late today? When she looked at Ge Liutao, she noticed her grandmother¡¯s face was a bit pale. ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ge Liutao took a couple of sips of hot water before shaking her head and saying, ¡°Nothing serious, just some discomfort in my chest.¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s gaze became a bit somber. Her grandmother had heart disease. The most important task ahead was preventing the heart attack that had fatally afflicted her grandmother in her previous life. It wasn¡¯t time yet, but if she could take this period to help her grandmother strengthen her health a bit, when the truth came out, would her grandmother have a better chance at resisting the shock? No, she needed to find medicinal herbs quickly, earn more money, and then take her grandmother to see a doctor at the city hospital. Their family was poor, and her grandmother had never seen a doctor before. Even Chiang Songhai only knew his wife was frail but was completely unaware she had heart disease. When Chiang Qingzhu¡¯s incident had caused Ge Liutao to faint several times in the past, they merely thought she couldn¡¯t handle the stress. So, Chiang Xiao had to take her grandmother to the big hospital to get a proper diagnosis and medication. That way, if her grandmother ever really got stressed, she could take the medication immediately. Chiang Xiao dared not carelessly go up Bai Gu Mountain alone, and she was cautious because she worried that any mishap might shock Ge Liutao. ¡°Grandma, you should rest well today. I¡¯ve already made the porridge, cooked a few eggs, and prepared some scallion pancakes,¡± Chiang Xiao said as she helped her grandmother to sit down. Then she added, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading up the mountain with Grandpa shortly. We¡¯ll take the scallion pancakes with us and leave you two. We won¡¯t come back for lunch, so don¡¯t bother going to the vegetable plot. Just get some more sleep.¡± She knew that last night, her grandpa must have mentioned to her grandmother that she wanted to accompany him up Bai Gu Mountain. Her grandmother worried about a lot of things, but she always deferred to her husband¡¯s decisions and never argued or resisted. So she didn¡¯t need to worry about her grandmother objecting anymore. As expected, Ge Liutao agreed when Chiang Xiao mentioned this. ¡°Little, how come you¡¯ve suddenly become so brave? Bai Gu Mountain is no place for you to venture into. But since your grandpa has agreed, I won¡¯t say much. You must stick close to your grandpa at all times, understood?¡± Chapter 74 - 74 74 The Little Girl Picking Mushrooms ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74 The Little Girl Picking Mushrooms Chapter 74: Chapter 74 The Little Girl Picking Mushrooms ¡°Grandma, I understand.¡± Now, Ge Liutao said anything, Chiang Xiao would of course nod in agreement. Soon, Chiang Songhai woke up as well, and upon seeing Chiang Xiao up so early, so full of energy, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the same time. ¡°You girl, you didn¡¯t stay up all night excited, did you?¡± ¡°How could that be, if I hadn¡¯t slept, how could I be so energetic?¡± Chiang Xiao cheekily approached him, her face brimming with pride, ¡°Grandpa, if you don¡¯t believe me, look, I look quite rosy now!¡± Chiang Songhai took a look, and indeed she did. Chiang Xiao had been seriously ill before, her face pale and wearied by sickness, but now her face was rosy and charming, her large eyes were black and sparkling, her lips were moist and cherry red, and she didn¡¯t show any signs of illness at all. Chiang Songhai nodded, ¡°You do look rosy indeed.¡± ¡°It must be the eggs!¡± Chiang Xiao pursed her lips and smiled, ¡°So in the future, our family should really eat more eggs to replenish our bodies. In the future, we won¡¯t sell our eggs, but keep them for ourselves.¡± Before, the eggs from their home were always saved to be sold, with at most one being eaten by her every two or three days; Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao never treated themselves to them. Chiang Xiao decided to reassign the ownership of the eggs first. Her own health didn¡¯t matter too much, she had the Space after all, as long as she found the right herbs, but her grandparents needed to nourish themselves. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll listen to our Little,¡± Grandpa immediately agreed. Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes curved into a smile, ¡°Then Grandpa, you go have breakfast, I will go prepare for the mountain outing!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a little shovel for you, what else do you need to take?¡± Chiang Songhai called out to her. ¡°I¡¯ll check in the west room!¡± Chiang Xiao said as she ran into the west room. It was her first time going up the mountain; she certainly couldn¡¯t go empty-handed. Inside the west room, after rummaging around, she found a small carrying basket. It was something her grandfather had prepared for her before, to carry on her back when she followed Grandma to the vegetable patch during summer and winter vacations. Of course, it wasn¡¯t to help, but to carry her playthings ¨C sometimes wildflowers, sometimes snacks. They just didn¡¯t feel comfortable about leaving her alone at the house. However, she hadn¡¯t used the small carrying basket much. Now that she had brought it out, Chiang Xiao felt it was just right. Since she was going to go up the mountain, she had to bring something back in order not to waste this great opportunity. Then she saw a woodcutting knife. After thinking it over, Chiang Xiao put it in the Space, just in case it was needed. The mountain was said to be dangerous, wasn¡¯t it? It was always best to be prepared. She also put a small bundle of hemp rope into the basket. ¡°Little, Grandpa has taken everything necessary, just follow Grandpa and you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Chiang Songhai came over and saw her small basket, which made him smile, ¡°This one is good, there should be mushrooms on the mountain now; you can be a little mushroom picking girl.¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes lit up; she had been so focused on herbs that she hadn¡¯t considered picking mushrooms. Wild mushrooms could also be sold at the market, and the family could enjoy them as well. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Herbs were supposed to be sneakily placed into the Space by her, but bringing back some mountain products in the little basket was perfect. Chiang Xiao wrapped up four scallion pancakes in oil paper and put them in her basket, also carrying a water bottle, looking forward to the trip out with Chiang Songhai immensely. Ho Laidi was sweeping the courtyard. Hearing the movement, she squinted and asked a question, but Chiang Songhai, who had undergone an educational lecture from Chiang Xiao the previous night, subconsciously kept his wits about him. ¡°Sister-in-law, I am just taking Little to learn about recognizing medicinal herbs,¡± he said, but he didn¡¯t mention that he was taking her up Bai Gu Mountain. Ho Laidi scoffed. ¡°Her? After learning, she plans to become a Barefoot Doctor? To have those men calling her every day to lift their shirts and pull down their pants to treat itchiness?¡± Are those the words of an elder? Chapter 75 - 75 75 First Exploration of Bai Gu Mountain ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75: First Exploration of Bai Gu Mountain Chapter 75: Chapter 75: First Exploration of Bai Gu Mountain If it hadn¡¯t been for Chiang Xiao¡¯s urgent need to go up the mountain, she would definitely have grabbed a handful of sand to stuff into her mouth. However, although she did not want to entangle with Ho Laidi, it did not prevent her from seizing the opportunity to sow discord between Chiang Songhai and his family. With a quick glance, she lowered her head slightly and gently tugged on the hem of Chiang Songhai¡¯s clothes, her voice rough and sounding utterly aggrieved. ¡°Grandpa, would you say Aunt is protecting me, or hurting me?¡± Chiang Songhai hesitated, followed by a pang in his heart. Ho Laidi was a shrewish village woman who could spew filthy words effortlessly, but Chiang Xiao had just left the house, completely unprovoked, to receive such a remark. Wouldn¡¯t that be unfair? Not to mention she was his grandniece, even if it had been a stranger, to talk to a young girl like that was simply too despicable! With his elder sister like this, could he really rely on her to protect Chiang Xiao in the future? At this thought, Chiang Songhai had to admit that Chiang Xiao was right the night before. Anger surged in his heart, and his tone grew harsh. ¡°I suppose Sister-in-law didn¡¯t rinse her mouth out this morning!¡± After dropping that remark, he took Chiang Xiao by the hand and left the house, not looking back. It took Ho Laidi a good half moment to realize what just happened¡ªChiang Laoer had really given her a piece of his mind! She immediately slapped her thigh and started howling, ¡°Chiang Laoer, have you eaten gunpowder? You come back here and explain yourself, what do you mean I didn¡¯t rinse my mouth out?¡± If it had been before, Chiang Songhai would indeed have stopped and let her scold him for a while, feeling at fault and eventually apologizing. But this time, Chiang Songhai did not turn back, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her at all, walking swiftly away with Chiang Xiao. Chiang Xiao felt a wave of exhilaration in her heart. Being scolded didn¡¯t make her lose a single hair, but being able to help her grandpa gradually see the true colors of the Old Chiang Family was worth it! It was not until they left the village and walked among the fields that Chiang Songhai¡¯s countenance finally eased. He sighed, reached out, and patted Chiang Xiao¡¯s head, saying, ¡°Little, you¡¯ve been wronged. Your Aunt, she¡­¡± Chiang Xiao interrupted him, ¡°Grandpa, in my heart, only you and grandma are my family!¡± Chiang Songhai was taken aback, suddenly entertaining a thought¡ªhe had a son as well, Xiao¡¯s uncle¡­ But Chiang Xiao did not give him the chance to speak. With her backpack slung on her back, she ran towards Bai Gu Mountain, turning her head and calling out, ¡°Grandpa, hurry up.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Songhai suppressed that thought. Beneath Bai Gu Mountain was Nameless Creek. Chiang Xiao was certainly familiar with Nameless Creek, but she had never once approached Bai Gu Mountain. Past the creek, there was a small hill; you had to walk around this hillock to reach the actual base of Bai Gu Mountain. This hillock was said to be man-made. It was said to be from decades ago when the villagers were very superstitious. A sorceress in the village said that Bai Gu Mountain housed too many wandering spirits and was full of yin energy, which should not face the village directly, hence something needed to be built as a barrier. So all the villagers were called to help, carrying soil from other mountains, creating this small hillock in front of Bai Gu Mountain and planting pear and peach trees. Over the decades, grass grew on the hillock, turning into what can hardly be called a hill. The villagers never crossed to this side of Nameless Creek, and with the hillock as a barrier, nobody truly knew what lay at the foot of Bai Gu Mountain on the other side. Looking up, Bai Gu Mountain was a dense forest with steep cliffs, also invisible, and in their minds, they believed it to be shrouded with a heavy yin energy. Initially, Chiang Xiao thought that once she got past the hillock, she would see a gloomy mountain, but the view before her was so unexpected that she couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes in disbelief. Chapter 76 - 76 76 Unexpected ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Unexpected Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Unexpected The foot of Bai Gu Mountain in front of her was planted with a large expanse of trees. She didn¡¯t know what kind of trees they were, but their trunks were straight, branches lush, leaves sparse and translucent, and their fresh greenness gave them an elegant bearing. In the vast woods, wildflowers spread everywhere in reds, pinks, blues, and yellows, drawing flitting butterflies. Amidst it all, there was a narrow path that weaved through the meadow and woods, and one could faintly see stone steps climbing upward, like a passage leading into a secret scenic wonderland. The morning sunshine cascaded down, warm and tranquil. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao gazed at the beautiful scene, only wishing she had a sketchbook, a few sheets of paper, and a chair, so she could sit here and paint for an entire day! What Chiang Xiao regretted most in her previous life was not traveling and seeing more of the beautiful world. She could almost say she was painting in seclusion. During her school days, her time was very tight. Apart from attending classes and working part-time to pay for tuition, she had no time for traveling or plein air painting. And after graduation, the workload Deng Qingjiang gave her was heavy; she spent each day in the studio. If she suggested wanting to see scenery and paint en plein air, Deng Qingjiang would find her a pile of photos, many of which were downloaded and printed from the internet. Looking back, it was quite ridiculous that as an elite student from an art academy, most of the scenery she saw was in photographs. But while photos can capture the beauty of a scene, they cannot convey the soul of it. Seeing with one¡¯s own eyes and being in the midst of it is an entirely different matter. Therefore, Chiang Xiao always felt that her landscape paintings lacked a certain spiritual energy in her previous life. Late on, as a Lonely Spirit, she had seen many beautiful scenes, but at that time, being muddled and numb, she just looked and that was it; she did not paint them, naturally rendering the experiences ineffective. After such a trip down memory lane, it turned out that this was the first time Chiang Xiao had the chance to truly appreciate such natural beauty up close, in both her lives. Being in the middle of it, she could feel the sunlight, the breeze, smell the fragrance of flowers, hear the birds chirping. How could this possibly compare to looking at photos? Chiang Xiao decided then and there that once she earned enough money to buy a sketchbook and paper, she would come here to paint en plein air! Chiang Songhai watched her as she looked around wide-eyed and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is my little girl too tired to walk now?¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not tired at all right now!¡± Chiang Xiao beamed, in great spirits, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it to be this beautiful here!¡± Chiang Songhai, on the other hand, didn¡¯t feel much about it. ¡°It¡¯s just some flowers and grass, nothing worth using as medicine,¡± he said as he walked with Chiang Xiao along the narrow path through the woods. ¡°Grandpa, isn¡¯t this place deserted? So why is there a path?¡± Paths are made by the many who walk them. Yet, the people of Siyang Village were so superstitious about Bai Gu Mountain that, other than her grandpa, nobody would come here. So why was there a path? When Chiang Xiao raised the question, Chiang Songhai explained, ¡°The villagers might be afraid of Bai Gu Mountain, but the soldiers back then weren¡¯t. For a while, Bai Gu Mountain even served as a base for guerrilla troops. During those years of chaos, there were quite a few people who fled their villages and crossed the mountain to escape their troubles.¡± So that was it. ¡°However, I¡¯ve only gone as far as the middle of the mountain, and that too only on the side closer to the village ¨C I¡¯ve never ventured further inside,¡± Chiang Songhai looked back and cautioned Chiang Xiao with concern, ¡°Little one, you must follow me closely, you cannot run off on your own.¡± He was somewhat confident about the areas he had traversed, but Chiang Songhai did not dare to wander haphazardly in other parts. He also carried a bamboo basket on his back, which contained two sacks and two small spades. This time, Chiang Songhai was determined to dig up more medicinal herbs, as there was a market the day after tomorrow, and selling more would earn them money. Chapter 77 - 77 77 A Different Kind of Camellia ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77: A Different Kind of Camellia Chapter 77: Chapter 77: A Different Kind of Camellia Of course, apart from herbs, if there were other mountain products as well, since he had entered the mountains, Chiang Songhai wouldn¡¯t foolishly focus solely on medicinal plants. After walking another stretch, the mountain path became slightly steeper than before. Moreover, unlike the riotous mountain flowers at the foot of the mountain, the upper reaches offered distinctively beautiful scenery. Though there was a path, it was so rarely trodden by anyone else other than Chiang Songhai that it was quite narrow, with some sections overgrown with weeds. Occasionally, there were statuesque rocks along the path or a few wild fruit trees, the ground covered thick with fallen leaves, their heads lifted to the sky segmented by the tall and lush branches. All sorts of leaves from various trees, plants each with their own posture. Chiang Xiao felt everything was novel, while at the same time finding it amusing that she, a villager from the mountain village, had never before ventured up the mountain. To talk about it now seemed almost laughable. Therefore, although she hadn¡¯t found anything yet, Chiang Xiao already felt that the trip was worthwhile. Of course, she still had to search for medicinal herbs. ¡°Little, are you tired?¡± ¡°Not tired.¡± Chiang Songhai looked back at Chiang Xiao somewhat surprised. They had been walking for almost an hour, half of which was on mountain trails. If it were before, Chiang Xiao would have already been red-eyed, complaining of tiredness and sore feet. And now she said she wasn¡¯t tired? He thought that Chiang Xiao must be worried about him and wasn¡¯t telling the truth. ¡°Just a few more steps up, there¡¯s a patch of wild tea plants. They should still be in bloom at this time.¡± Chiang Xiao was somewhat amused, wondering if her grandfather wanted her to appreciate the flowers? But a whole patch of Camellia flowers should be pretty, so it seemed good to take a look. ¡°In that same patch, there are also a few kinds of medicinal herbs. In a little while, let grandpa teach you how to recognize them.¡± Hearing this, Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes lit up. They had been climbing for half an hour, and grandpa had yet to start gathering herbs, which was a bit disappointing for Chiang Xiao. She had thought, as earlier said, that Bai Gu Mountain was a treasure trove, and expected to find bounty as soon as they ascended. Probably after another seven or eight minutes of walking, Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes brightened. A patch of Camellia flowers was in full bloom, with petals of varying shades of red, flamboyant and beautiful, the thick layers of petals radiant as brocade. She had seen Camellias in parks before, artificially planted and sparse, nothing like the enchanting wild blossoms before her. Chiang Xiao¡¯s hands itched again; she felt she had found yet another place perfect for sketching. ¡°Grandpa, these Camellias are so beautiful. How long will they stay in bloom?¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes sparkled as she rushed over to smell the fragrance of the flowers. ¡°The ordinary Camellia¡¯s blooming period is from January to April,¡± Chiang Songhai took his shovel out of the basket on his back, ready to search for herbs, ¡°But our area has a good climate, and Bai Gu Mountain is spiritual; the flowering season lasts a bit longer, probably until early May.¡± Or why else would he always say that Bai Gu Mountain was a mountain of treasures? He had seen many medicinal herbs still in bloom after their season was over, the fruits they bore larger than normal. That¡¯s why he always said that Bai Gu Mountain was treasure-filled everywhere. Chiang Xiao was delighted; there was still time for her to earn money to buy drawing paper. Drawing from life was a must! ¡°Little, take a rest for now, don¡¯t wander off. Grandpa will look for some medicinal herbs.¡± Chiang Songhai looked around, deeming there was no immediate danger, before he cautioned Chiang Xiao. It should be safe enough in this place. Before leaving the house, he had stuck two patches of Snake Repellent Plaster on Chiang Xiao¡¯s calves; ordinary snakes should avoid them. This was something he had prepared the night before, a unique concoction of Chiang Family. Without such a thing, Chiang Songhai himself wouldn¡¯t dare to venture casually into Bai Gu Mountain. Naturally, Chiang Xiao agreed. However, as soon as Chiang Songhai turned away, Chiang Xiao saw that beyond this patch of Camellia, there was a Camellia bush that was markedly different. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 78 - 78 78 Lucky Start ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Lucky Start Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Lucky Start The camellia was about half her height, with roughly a dozen blossoms. However, its petals were not quite the same as those of the camellias around her and, moreover, they were golden. In the sunlight, those petals were dazzlingly yellow, as if coated with a layer of beeswax¡ªcrystalline and glossy with a slight translucency. The golden flowers were exquisite and elegant, swaying gracefully in the wind. Chiang Xiao instinctively felt that this flower was out of the ordinary. She intended to ask her grandfather if he recognized this variety of camellia, but when she turned her head, she saw him not far off, bending over searching for medicinal herbs, so she swallowed her question, walked past the camellias, and approached the golden camellia. Up close, the flower seemed even more stunning. Its oily petals were akin to jade. She looked to the left and right and saw that this was the only one, and her heart stirred. It seemed that camellias could also be used as medicine, and drinking water infused with their dried petals had certain effects. This flower was truly too special, so beautiful that Chiang Xiao couldn¡¯t bear to pass it up. Should she dig it up? Although her original plan didn¡¯t include digging up wildflowers, her space was so limited, and her goal was to collect quality medicinal herbs; she could not afford to waste any earth space. But this camellia from Tea Mountain really caught her fancy, and she was curious to see if flowers could be grown in her space. After hesitating for a moment, Chiang Xiao decided to dig up the golden camellia. Chiang Xiao glanced at her grandfather again, saw that he was not paying attention to her, immediately took out her shovel, squatted down, and began to dig. Fortunately, although the camellia was not small, she now had enough strength. In the past, she would probably have had to ask her grandfather for help. Just as she had dug out the camellia, Chiang Xiao heard her grandfather calling out, startling her into tossing the camellia into her space and leaping to her feet. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Songhai was relieved to see her standing up behind that patch of camellias. He had just turned his head and not seeing her had nearly given him a fright. ¡°What are you doing there? Come here, Grandpa found something good.¡± Chiang Xiao immediately took her shovel and ran over. Chiang Songhai looked at her shovel, which was already covered in soil, and exclaimed with a surprised tone, ¡°What did you dig up?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing, just testing my hand,¡± Chiang Xiao lied. That camellia couldn¡¯t possibly be planted in the yard, or it would inevitably be doomed by the people of the Old Chiang Family. This was something she absolutely didn¡¯t want, so she couldn¡¯t let her grandfather find out. Chiang Songhai didn¡¯t suspect her words. ¡°Come see, Grandpa found a patch of Purple Ginseng.¡± Purple Ginseng, of course, was not Ginseng, but it was also harvested for its root to be used in medicine. The roots needed to be processed and dried after being dug out. Chiang Songhai had dug some before, and Chiang Xiao recognized it. However, when she saw such a large patch of Purple Ginseng, she was also very pleased. As long as there was a sufficient amount, she could secret one into her space without her grandfather noticing later on. ¡°Grandpa, let me help dig!¡± Chiang Xiao was all of a sudden full of enthusiasm. Seeing her eagerness, Chiang Songhai busily instructed her on the precautions to take when digging. After Chiang Xiao had dug a few, she took advantage of the moment he wasn¡¯t looking to quickly toss one into her space. Having acquired a particularly beautiful golden camellia and a Purple Ginseng, she considered this a most auspicious start. After they had all been dug up, Chiang Songhai proceeded to process them, removing some earth and collecting the roots and rhizomes. Chiang Xiao watched for a moment, then stood up, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m going to look elsewhere!¡± She could not afford to waste all her time processing medicinal herbs; she had to quickly look for more. Chiang Songhai cautioned her again not to go too far, and Chiang Xiao quickly agreed. Chiang Xiao ventured into the forest, meticulously scanning the ground for treasures. Suddenly, the underbrush up ahead shook. Chiang Xiao immediately stopped. She saw a flash of grey. Chiang Xiao trusted the Snake Repellent Plaster that her grandfather made herself and felt it unlikely that snakes would come around. She hadn¡¯t walked deep into the mountains yet and was only on the periphery, so she didn¡¯t expect any wild animals. The glimpse of grey from before seemed more like a wild rabbit. If she could catch a wild rabbit, that would indeed be a catch! Chapter 79 - 79 79 Simply Insane ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Simply Insane Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Simply Insane Chiang Xiao¡¯s heart was tempted, but she was also troubled. She didn¡¯t bring any tools for catching rabbits, so how could she catch them? However, since she had already seen the shadow of a wild rabbit, it would be too much of a pity to give up now. Her family hadn¡¯t tasted meat for a long time. Although they could eat a boiled egg a day now, the nutrition was still insufficient. Moreover, going without meat for a long time was taking its toll on their bodies. Not to mention, she was craving it! Now, you need meat coupons to buy meat in town, and her family had long since run out of meat coupons. Although the village wasn¡¯t that strict and occasionally someone would secretly sell some surplus, meat was expensive and her family simply couldn¡¯t afford it. If she had known that she would come across wild rabbits just after walking here, she wouldn¡¯t have prepared so little. Now Chiang Xiao believed it; Bai Gu Mountain was indeed full of treasures everywhere. In other mountains, a few wild rabbits would have long been caught by others, but since no one dared to come to Bai Gu Mountain, she guessed there must be quite a few of these small animals. Chiang Xiao squatted there, her eyes rolling around, when suddenly an idea struck her, and she immediately took out the small notebook she drew last night from the Space. Her eyes shining, she flipped through it until she reached a certain page. Last night, she drew many things, and on this page, she drew a small pile of carrots! Although she couldn¡¯t really smell the carrots, the rabbits should be able to, right? The pile of carrots she drew was heaped like a small mountain, and each one looked fresh and crisp, making them seem sweet and crunchy. The food drawn by the Magic Brush was almost irresistible even to her, let alone wild rabbits. Chiang Xiao felt that this plan was a bit crazy, but she couldn¡¯t rest easy without trying it. She tore off that page, laid it on the ground, then flashed into the Space. Inside the Space, she also squatted down and stared intently outside. Soon, the grass ahead rustled again, and then she saw a fat gray rabbit emerge, hesitantly approaching from the grass. Chiang Xiao¡¯s eyes lit up. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It looked like it was working! She held her breath as she watched the rabbit, ready to pounce as it drew near, but before she could move, two more rabbits emerged from the grass on the other side! Three of them! Chiang Xiao was thrilled and became nervous at the same time. She only had two hands! How was she supposed to catch three wild rabbits? Right, the carrying basket! Chiang Xiao quickly took off her carrying basket, held it upside down in her arms, and watched the three wild rabbits closely. The paper was very small, and if it really could attract the rabbits, they were sure to end up squeezing together; when they did, she would press the basket down, and she should at least be able to catch two, right? Now she just hoped that Grandpa hadn¡¯t noticed the commotion here; otherwise, his one shout might scare the rabbits away. Chiang Xiao¡¯s heart was racing, and her palms were sweating. She felt somewhat amused at herself for being so nervous over three wild rabbits. It seemed that the scent from the pile of carrots was quite enticing to the three rabbits; after initially being cautious, they noticed there was no danger and all of a sudden, they hopped over, indeed squeezing together, trying to bite the carrots drawn on the paper. Now was the moment! Chiang Xiao burst out of the Space like lightning and pressed the basket down hard on the three rabbits! She fell to the ground with the whole basket thudding underneath her. Chiang Xiao was about to jump for joy as she caught all three rabbits! Meanwhile, Chiang Songhai noticed the commotion and, not knowing what was happening, rushed over while calling out, ¡°Little Little!¡± Chiang Xiao thought of the drawing and felt uneasy, quickly lifted the basket a little, reached in, felt for the paper, snatched it out, and threw it into the Space. The next second, Chiang Songhai arrived, and Chiang Xiao inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. If Grandpa had discovered that drawing, what would he think if she told him she used the drawn carrots to lure the wild rabbits? Would he think she was crazy? Chiang Songhai came over and saw Chiang Xiao sprawled on the ground, still tightly pressing down on the basket, and he was immediately dumbfounded. Chapter 80 - 80 80 The Rabbits Hold a Meeting ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80 The Rabbits Hold a Meeting Chapter 80: Chapter 80 The Rabbits Hold a Meeting ¡°Little, what are you doing?¡± Chiang Xiao was nearly ecstatic, scrambling to her feet, while still firmly pressing down on the basket, and excitedly looked up saying, ¡°Grandpa, come help me, I caught a wild rabbit!¡± Chiang Songhai¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Caught a rabbit?¡± At that moment, he thought it was just one. However, catching one wild rabbit was already shocking enough for him. ¡°Little is so amazing? There are wild rabbits on Bai Gu Mountain, but the rabbits here are as cunning as spirits. Grandpa has tried to catch them before, but unfortunately, I¡¯ve never succeeded! They run too fast.¡± He had also tried setting traps, but he always came up empty-handed and eventually gave up. Chiang Xiao was taken aback. ¡°Rabbits from Bai Gu Mountain are that difficult to catch?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they! Little managing to catch one is really lucky! It must have been one that got injured, right? There are snakes in the mountains, and rabbits that escape from snakes are also possible. Come on, Grandpa will help you catch it.¡± Chiang Songhai even thought that the rabbit Xiao had caught would be an injured one, only because it was injured could it not run fast and be easily trapped. He reached out to lift the basket, intending to reach in and catch the rabbit. Chiang Xiao hurriedly called out, ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa, there¡¯s more than one! Opening the basket will surely let them escape! Let¡¯s find some grass rope, and tie them up one by one!¡± ¡°More than one?¡± Chiang Songhai was shocked. So, she had caught two? Could it be a mother rabbit with its baby, both of them disoriented? ¡°Grandpa, hurry and get the grass rope!¡± Although she brought hemp rope with her, using hemp rope to tie rabbits was overkill. Chiang Songhai responded and quickly got two lengths of grass rope, then heard Chiang Xiao calling out again, ¡°Three, we need three.¡± ¡°Little, you, you caught three?¡± Chiang Songhai asked in disbelief. Chiang Xiao nodded vigorously. ¡°Wow!¡± Chiang Songhai was deeply astounded. After tying three lengths of grass rope, he reached his hand into the basket and quickly pulled out a rabbit by its ears, feeling its substantial weight and couldn¡¯t help expressing his pleasant surprise, ¡°This rabbit is so fat!¡± Once all three rabbits were securely tied, looking at the trio, Chiang Songhai felt somewhat unable to process the situation. ¡°Little, how did you catch them?¡± All three wild rabbits were very clever, and not one appeared to be injured! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chiang Xiao blinked her eyes, hugging the small basket, ¡°Grandpa, didn¡¯t you see? I just used this to trap them!¡± ¡°¡­You caught three at once?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chiang Xiao¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t be more innocent. She never expected that the painting created with the Magic Brush would have such an amazing use! It was just a stroke of inspiration! And the result was catching three wild rabbits! Chiang Songhai still found it very mysterious, ¡°All three rabbits just huddled together for you to catch?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chiang Songhai inspected the spot where the rabbits were caught, which was just a patch of weeds, nothing special. What were those three rabbits huddling together for? Chiang Xiao smiled like a little mouse, ¡°Grandpa, maybe they were having a meeting!¡± Chiang Songhai: ¡°¡­¡± So, you mean to say, you caught them while they were holding a meeting? He shook his head with a mix of laughter and tears. ¡°This is really odd.¡± Even though he found it strange, since the three rabbits looked perfectly healthy, Chiang Songhai could only assume that Chiang Xiao was incredibly lucky. ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s keep these three wild rabbits for now, and go sell them in the market the day after tomorrow!¡± Originally, Chiang Xiao thought it was just one rabbit and planned to eat it. But now that there were three, she decided to sell them all for money. Rabbit meat can be somewhat gamey unless cooked with strong flavors, but spicy food can lead to health problems, which isn¡¯t suitable for the constitution of their family of three. It would be better to sell them and buy some pork instead.