Chapter 50: Made money
Zhong Yuying was so embarrassed that she could not stay in the classroom any longer. Covering her face, she ran out of the third-grade classroom, as if heartbroken to the extreme. A few male classmates showed signs of pity on their faces, but Tian Sisi let out a sneer. With Zhong Yuying possessing such acting skills at such a young age, it made sense that the original character had lost to her in the past life.
Exiting the classroom, Zhong Yuying slowed down her pace and dropped her hands from her face. Not a single tear had been shed, not even her eyelashes were wet. She pondered as she walked. It was clear there was no hope with Tian Sisi anymore. She would have to find a new target and at least finish elementary school.
When Zhong Juying returned home in the afternoon, she took out the steamed buns she had brought with her. They were steamed with dinner, which was simple as usual: a thin sweet potato porridge supplemented with steamed pickled vegetables. Every year, Zhao Manxiu would prepare a large jar of salted vegetables and pickled vegetables, as these were the main courses for their family year-round. A few drops of oil added to the pickled vegetables and steamed with rice could make a single bowl last for several meals.
This time, thanks to the sugar Tian Sisi had given them, they added half a spoonful to the pickled vegetables, which significantly improved the taste. Even Daddy’s cough became less severe. In truth, Zhong Shigen’s tuberculosis was not that serious. In the future, it would just require a few antibiotic shots, but now, due to the lack of nutrition, it had become a chronic disease.
Zhao Manxiu had planned on continuing to stew ’urine eggs’ for Zhong Shigen, but he had refused. In the previous years, he agreed to eat ’urine eggs’ only because his son, Zhong Shouliang, was too young to carry the burdens of the family. If he died, with no man to take charge at home and the label of being a wealthy farmer, his wife and daughters would inevitably be bullied to death.
Now that his son had grown up and become a stand-up man capable of taking care of Mama and his sisters, Zhong Shigen felt he could die in peace. Therefore, he refused to let his wife continue to stew eggs for him and threatened her with the prospect of his death. In his eyes, a useless man like himself didn’t need such nourishment; dying earlier would lessen the burden on his wife and son.
Having been husband and wife for half their lives, Zhao Manxiu could understand her husband’s thoughts. Even though it pained her, knowing his stubborn nature, if she continued to stew eggs, her husband would actually seek death. Out of no other options, Zhao Manxiu agreed, silently praying that the heavens would allow her husband to live longer.
Zhong Juying steamed a bowl of dry rice especially for her brother, thinking of giving him an egg to go with it. But since there was a meat bun that day, she decided to save the egg. The family depended entirely on their brother, who worked hard every day. Without good nourishment, how could he have the strength?