Before and after marriage, life was turned upside down.
The hardships she had never endured before, she suddenly experienced all at once.
She didn't regret marrying for money to save her father. However, she resented Wang Baoxing's deception, pretending to be more capable than he was. Why bother marrying her if he had no money? After marrying her, he couldn't give her a good life, allowing her to live in such hardship, not only enduring the torment of the mother-in-law but also the veiled insults of the sister-in-law. Life was truly hopeless!
She resented the cruelty of heaven, granting her sixteen years of happiness, letting her enjoy the beauty of the world, and then stingily taking it away, plunging her into hell. During that time, she became depressed...
Just when she was thinking it might be better to leave this hell behind, regardless of everything, she got pregnant.
Ten months of pregnancy culminated in childbirth. Wang Pandi's birth did not bring her joy. Those years were too tough; she worked tirelessly day and night with Wang Baoxing tending to the fields, saving money to pay off debts.
From a genteel girl, whose hands never touched spring water, she turned into a farmer's wife with calloused hands and a lean, sharp look.
In truth, she initially had no ill intentions. She was educated and would not have tormented a little girl who couldn't even speak well.
However, at some point, she started to hear the idle gossip of the villagers.
Being a stepmother was difficult. Anything she didn't do well was magnified countless times, and accusations of mistreating her stepdaughter followed.
Ha...
She laughed at herself, thinking: It's not just the stepdaughter she mistreated, she didn't even treat her own daughter well.
But then, what did she have to treat them well? A heap of debts and meager meals?
Gossipmongers could stir up trouble even without wind.
Some people could really talk without any regard for the truth, as if it cost them nothing.
Fine... since they said she mistreated her stepdaughter, she might as well make it true, or else their words would be in vain.
People tend to rebel, so she started to become sharp and harsh, especially enjoying venting her frustrations on Wang Zhaodi in front of others.
In the past, a fortune-teller said that she lacked wood in her elements. Now, she felt it wasn't right; what she lacked was money!
All her misfortunes were because of money!
A widely circulated saying goes that people rush about for a few pieces of silver. Yet, it's these pieces of silver that can ease worldly troubles, ensure the wellbeing of parents, and the growth of young children.
It's said that things solvable by money are not big issues, but most people's misfortunes stem from having no money. Sometimes, one has to admit that money is the cure for adult crises.
After getting through those initial tight years, life improved a little, and she got pregnant again. This time, she gave birth to twins, making waves in the village.
She favored these two children, naturally the son, a crucial one for carrying on the family lineage, and the daughter, who looked just like her and was adorable.
Wang Baoxing was unhappy when he heard his wife say their daughter was fooling around, and he sternly expressed his displeasure, "Can't you speak properly? Don't you care about our daughter's reputation? You yourself have two daughters."
"You..." Liu Yulan glared at him fiercely, ultimately not refuting his words, only glaring at Wang Zhaodi coldly, "Tell me, where exactly did you go last night?"
"I, I…" Wang Zhaodi bowed her head, timidly replying, "I went to my second aunt's to see Xiao Fang."
"Ha…" Liu Yulan mocked as she distributed the last bit of porridge from the bowl to Wang Jia Bao and Wang Miaomiao, "You really have grown, and your wings have hardened. You think you can ignore my words. I told you to reflect in the woodshed, but you ignored me and went to the Zhang Family to enjoy glory. Do you think having relatives in the village gives you a backbone? Sure, I really can't do anything to you now. Who would have thought I can't even beat you now? Since you like going to other people's houses so much, why come back? Your second aunt is so nice, I'm sure you got breakfast there, right? Go on, tell us what you ate."
Liu Yulan rattled off without taking a breath, making Wang Zhaodi's face blush with shame.
"No, I…" Her eyes welled with tears, "Dad, I'm going to work first." She turned and ran.
Wang Zhaodi, while wiping her teary eyes, was rubbing her stomach.
In fact, she hadn't eaten breakfast at the Zhang Family, considering the times, life wasn't easy for anyone, and everyone was living frugally. Her second aunt treated her well, she couldn't make it difficult for her.
Being able to sleep soundly was already something she was grateful for.
But she hadn't eaten last night, and now she had to find some food somehow. Otherwise, she feared she wouldn't last until noon.
She remembered there was a wild apricot tree in the graveyard at the back village, and this time of year the fruit should be ripe. Just wondering if they had been all picked, sigh… she just hoped for a few to fill her stomach.
Wang Zhaodi patted her pants and ran off, leaving Liu Yulan simmering with unvented anger, heavily tossing the ladle into the bowl, "Bang…" as a way to vent her discontent.
"See, see, now they don't care about me at all." Liu Yulan complained to Wang Baoxing, "She beat Miaomiao so badly and didn't even offer an apology. This is your good daughter."
Wang Baoxing listened, annoyed, but seeing the hideous wound on his younger daughter's head, his heart ached a little and he forgot the grievances of the eldest daughter, "Miaomiao, does it still hurt? Yulan, go to the town and buy some milk essence, to nourish her."
The younger daughter looked a lot like his wife when she was young, an image etched deeply in his heart. So, he had a bit more affection for this daughter who resembled his wife.
Liu Yulan frowned slightly, glanced again at the wound on her younger daughter's forehead, ultimately caring for her daughter more than worrying about the money, she agreed, "Got it."
Since going through those moneyless days, she valued money highly, scrimping and saving everywhere she could except for food and basic living essentials.
She held onto money tightly, fearing a day would come when she needed money and couldn't produce it. The bitter helplessness from such a circumstance, she never wanted to experience again. Facing it again, she doubted she'd have the life strength to endure.
Wang Miaomiao was a bit touched overhearing her parents' conversation, only, "Dad, Mom, maybe we could skip the milk essence, it's too expensive. I've recovered, no need for nourishment. But, I'd like to go to the town health clinic to see if there's any scar removal cream; the cut on my forehead is deep and might leave a scar."
"Oh, that is indeed a big deal. A scar for a girl can be a lifelong issue, affecting future prospects." Liu Yulan considered seriously, "After breakfast, I'll take you to the town health clinic…"
"Okay…" Wang Miaomiao recalled from the book how the original character didn't care about the wound, indulging in a jar of milk essence eagerly.
Oh, what a silly girl!