The Tempting Educated Youth Married to a Rough Man-Chapter 18: Wen Ran, Your Great Kindness We Will Never Forget
Mrs. Xiao looked at her daughter and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes, it depends on what you think. If you still want to be with that kid Li Chenggang, I must handle things with discretion."
Xiao Chenyue shook her head, "Mom, I don’t want to be with him anymore," she held the swaddled baby tightly to her chest, her nervousness causing her to speak faster.
"I know if I go back now, I’ll surely be a burden, but I..."
Before finishing her sentence, Xiao Chenyue was hugged tightly by Mrs. Xiao. "Silly girl, you’re not a burden, you’re Mom’s first daughter, the apple of Mom’s eye."
The apple of her eye?
Xiao Chenyue recalled the days spent at the Li family, feeling as if she was less than a dog there.
Although she thought her tears had long dried up, she couldn’t hold back now, clutching her child as she nestled into Mrs. Xiao’s arms, breaking down in tears.
Wen Ran felt a bittersweet ache in her heart upon seeing this.
Xiao Chenye remained silent, his eyes quietly reddening. Wen Ran gently comforted him, "It’s okay, Sister Xiao will figure things out. As long as we stay strong, no one can bully her."
Xiao Chenye turned his head, a flash of vulnerability in his eyes. "I know, I just regret not visiting my sister sooner; this wouldn’t have happened."
"The Li family are beasts, what does it have to do with you?"
"Exactly," Xiao Chenyue realized, "It’s the Li family’s problem, it’s nothing to do with us. I’m not wrong, none of us are wrong..."
.
Once home, Xiao Chenye moved Xiao Chenyue to the inner room.
The child woke up but remained calm, staring wide-eyed, not crying or fussing, with a little mouth open and nose crinkled, softly cooing.
Honestly, this child isn’t considered good-looking. Scrawny, with sparse hair, yet somehow it humbles the heart.
Mrs. Xiao busied herself in the room; Xiao Chenye, unable to help, took Red Army up the mountain, likely to get some meat to nourish Xiao Chenyue.
Mr. Xiao rushed back from the field, entering the house with a troubled face.
Ultimately, it’s a family matter; Wen Ran didn’t intrude, dragging her basket back to her small house. She brought back quite a lot this time, aside from daily essentials, there were some coarse fabric and cotton.
Also, milk powder...
As soon as Wen Ran finished tidying up, there was a knock at the door.
Mrs. Xiao’s slightly nervous voice sounded from outside, "Xiao Wen, are you there?"
"I’m here!"
Wen Ran quickly ran over, opening the door, "Aunty, what’s up?"
"I’m... I’m really embarrassed," Mrs. Xiao knew asking this was overstepping, but seeing her frail daughter and granddaughter, her heart ached like it was being cut.
"I... I want to exchange money for milk powder."
Mrs. Xiao hesitated.
Wen Ran understood; at the moment, not to mention milk powder, even malted milk extract was a rarity.
"Alright."
Seeing Wen Ran agree without hesitation, Mrs. Xiao felt even more moved and handed over fifteen yuan.
"Xiao Wen, I know no matter how much we give you, you’re still at a loss in this matter. Once we get through this difficult time, our family will fully repay you."
"Let the child be full first."
Honestly speaking, the price was already high.
Naturally, the milk powder wasn’t from the black market; Wen Ran quickly repackaged it from her own stash to avoid being discovered.
After tidying, Wen Ran followed Mrs. Xiao to the east room to see the child.
No one else was in the room, just the mother and daughter.
Upon seeing Wen Ran, Xiao Chenyue’s eyes were full of gratitude, "Xiao Wen, I really..."
"Enough," Wen Ran truly tired of hearing it, "My ears are almost getting calluses."
They hadn’t exchanged more than a few words before Mr. Xiao arrived with a crowd bustling into the house.
Leading the group were several aged elders, all with full beards.
After greeting Xiao Chenyue, they began inquiring into the details.
Xiao Chenyue recounted, and despite the situation, her spirits were uplifted upon returning to her parental home.
The elders pondered for a while, "We understand the situation. We’ll definitely seek justice for you."
After everyone left, Mrs. Xiao quietly explained, "It’s customary here; if an outsider mistreats a married daughter, the clan’s elders and young men will stand up for her."
Wen Ran was surprised, "They can do that?"
"It’s desperation; in this world, women have a tough life. If her own family won’t protect her, others will care even less."
Xiao Chenyue was much calmer, "The elders stood up for me once before. At that time, the Li family shed fake tears, and I was blinded by it, choosing to give them another chance."
Reflecting on it, she gave a bitter laugh, "Now I see how wrong I was; a beast is a beast, giving them a chance is useless."
Wen Ran refrained from saying much; as twilight fell, she prepared for bed.
Tomorrow, she had work; needed the rest, planning to slack off at work if possible.
Early the next morning, the neighbor’s rooster crowed, jolting Wen Ran awake. Stirring, amidst the unfamiliar surroundings, she instinctively reached beneath her pillow for her phone.
Found nothing.
Oh~
Her thoughts returned, only then realizing she had traveled back.
Breakfast was prepared by Xiao Chenye: stir-fried cabbage, the main dish was boiled green corn.
Chicken soup was also simmering; Wen Ran knew it was for Sister Xiao to produce milk, so she didn’t glance that way.
Instead, Xiao Chenye handed Wen Ran a bowl of soup and some shredded chicken, succinctly saying, "Eat."
"Me?"
"Yes."
Wen Ran politely refused, hurriedly took a few bites of cabbage, grabbed a corn cob, and got up, "No, it’s for Sister. I can’t possibly compete with a new mom for food."
Wanted to leave, but couldn’t.
Xiao Chenye lightly pressed down, and Wen Ran sat back on the stool.
Wen Ran: "?"
Big Bro, stop. Doing this, truly embarrasses her!
"Who says you’re competing with a new mom for food?" Xiao Chenye was perplexed. "It’s hot, meat won’t keep. Eat now, and I’ll go hunt more."
Spoken with such confidence, Wen Ran couldn’t help but chuckle, "Really?"
"Don’t underestimate me; running long distances out there, without some skill, you can’t survive," Xiao Chenye urged, "Hurry up, you’ll be late soon."
Embracing the chicken soup, Wen Ran drank, but Xiao Chenye was too earnest; faced with a big bowl of chicken soup, she couldn’t finish, awkwardly leaving a bit.
"Full?"
"Uh-huh."
Xiao Chenye drained the bowl in one swig, calmly stated, "Let’s go."
Grabbing her corn, Wen Ran followed, puzzled, "Where are we going?"
"...Do you know where to work?"
Wen Ran clammed up; okay, she truly didn’t know.
