Shen Yueyue opened the Xiao Family’s eyes with her actions.

Demonstrating exactly what it means to "Eat from the bowl and curse your mother when you put down the chopsticks."

Wen Ran wasn’t even bothered to deal with such trivial matters.

"Are you full?"

Shen Yueyue glanced sideways at Wen Ran, "Yeah, I’m full. So what!"

Once full, she had the energy to cause trouble.

"If you’re full, get lost," Wen Ran picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, "If you keep fussing around, I’ll slap you with a big earful."

"You..."

Shen Yueyue wanted to cause trouble, but when she saw Wen Ran’s calm and easy demeanor, she suddenly felt uneasy.

She quickly retracted her hand, sticking out her neck, "Fine, I’ll go, who are you trying to scare! Anyway, the food’s bad, *ptooey*."

Shen Yueyue turned and ran.

Too bad, no matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t outrun Wen Ran’s foot.

With a kick to her butt, Shen Yueyue fell flat on her face.

Mrs. Xiao: "!"

Ssss~

That was a solid fall!

This time, Shen Yueyue truly felt Wen Ran’s temper.

When she says something, she means it.

She stood up, patted the dirt off her knees, and without a word, took off running.

Wen Ran calmly withdrew her foot and called out, "If you get on the kang with your body all dirty, watch out for a beating!"

"Heh~"

A scornful voice was heard from afar.

Wen Ran turned back and, seeing the astonished look on her family’s faces, was also momentarily puzzled, "What’s going on, why are you all staring? Eat up."

Mrs. Xiao had doubts, "Ranran, is it really okay for us to handle it like this?"

After all, that thousand bucks was already in the pocket.

A thousand bucks!

That’s no small amount. Building this blue-brick house and all the new stuff inside, even adding up the odds and ends, barely reached eight hundred at best.

"It’s fine," Wen Ran was astonishingly calm, "She’s been tough since she was young. Falling once doesn’t matter, even five, six, or seven times wouldn’t be a problem."

"Huh? Shouldn’t we treat her a bit nicer then?"

"Treat her nicer?"

Wen Ran thought it unnecessary, "Well, just treat her like you treat Xiao Chenye."

Mrs. Xiao recalled how she would scold and beat Xiao Chenye, and was taken aback, "Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?"

"What’s not appropriate about it?"

Wen Ran’s eyes sparkled with mischief, as she began to convincingly persuade them.

"Here’s the thing, based on my observation, Shen Xianxian is a girl. But the personality that split off, Shen Yueyue, should have a character more like a boy’s."

The Xiao Family: "???"

"What in the world?"

Xiao Chenxing was shocked, exclaiming, "Sister-in-law, if that’s the case, then she can’t share a room with Star and me.

Men and women can’t sleep in the same room, it’s inappropriate."

"Tsk," Wen Ran clicked her tongue, "Look at you, I haven’t even finished talking, and you’re already in a hurry.

What I meant is, if her character is like a boy’s, she can be tough and resilient. Shen Xianxian has endured many grievances, if she split off another timid self, that would be like a coward letting another coward in, utterly hopeless."

But, if someone strong comes out of it, then that’s different.

Someone who can protect herself; that’s the only way life can keep getting better.

"Anyway, trust me, treat her like Xiao Chenye. Whatever we eat, she eats.

If she works, she eats; if not, she goes hungry."

As she said this, even Wen Ran felt she was starting to sound a bit like a feudal landlord.

Tsk tsk, once you start exploiting and oppressing, it all flows so smoothly.

But, wasn’t this just falling into our laps?

Spending money to ask for trouble, Shen Yueyue must be the pioneer.

"Eat, eat," Wen Ran prompted, "Let’s keep living our lives, no need to worry about unnecessary stuff."

"Really, that’s okay?"

In the Xiao Family right now, only Mr. Xiao still worked the fields for work points.

Ever since they learned the college entrance exam would be reinstated, Xiao Chenxing and Hongguo basically did nothing else, every day they opened their eyes just to study.

Xiao Chenxing studied so hard she drove herself mad.

With her head buried in the books, she seized Hongguo and ranted, "If I’m not studying, then you shouldn’t either."

Hongguo: "..."

What can she do?

She just accepted it!

Tousling Xiao Chenxing’s long braid, Hongguo felt the greasy texture and was taken aback.

Too funny, she’s scared to smell it.

Her eyes shifted, and she suddenly held her hand under Xiao Chenxing’s nose.

An oblivious Xiao Chenxing took a deep breath, "Ugh~"

She immediately straightened up, incredulous, "Little Hongguo, did you just let me smell a fart?"

Hongguo was silent for a moment, "That’s the smell of your hair!"

"Impossible!" Xiao Chenxing denied firmly, "Absolutely impossible!"

"If you don’t believe me, rub your hair yourself and see for yourself."

Facing Hongguo’s look of despair, Xiao Chenxing, full of skepticism, rubbed her own hair.

She slowly brought it to her nose and sniffed.

Xiao Chenxing: "..."

She awkwardly lifted her head.

Hongguo smiled, "Ha, congratulations, your hair smells like a fart."

Xiao Chenxing: "Ahahaha, that joke isn’t funny at all, shut up! If a third person finds out about this, then I’ll..."

She gestured slicing her neck with her hand, the threat was obvious.

Hongguo calmly said, "Well, the third person is sitting right there."

The third person, Shen Yueyue, who had been ignored the whole time: "~~~"

She let out a devilish smile, "Ha~ I have no morals, I’ll definitely tell about your fart-smelling hair."

Looking at the stiffened Xiao Chenxing, she raised her eyebrows, deliberately provoking, "Oh, wasn’t there that guy, Li Yang, right?

When Li Yang comes, I’ll make sure to tell him too~"

This sentence was akin to playing with a lighter in a room full of explosives.

Stuck between giving in and standing firm, Xiao Chenxing chose to silence her forever.

Seeing that she couldn’t beat Xiao Chenxing, Shen Yueyue instantly retreated, throwing Shen Xianxian out to take the fall.

Seeing Shen Xianxian trembling and looking helpless, Xiao Chenxing just couldn’t bring herself to hit her.

She opened her eyes wide with anger, grinding her teeth, "Where’s Shen Yueyue?"

"I-I don’t know."

"Then get her out here now."

Shen Xianxian was about to cry, "I-I can’t control her."

Alright then.

Xiao Chenxing was completely deflated; this main personality was just a weakling.

So feeble and delicate.

Seeing Xiao Chenxing give up on hitting, Shen Xianxian glanced at Hongguo, then hurriedly got dressed and went outside to the yard.

Timidly greeting Mrs. Xiao, she proactively started helping with the chores.

So diligent and nimble.

Mrs. Xiao: "?"

She hesitated a bit, "Is that Xianxian?"

Shen Xianxian’s eyes lit up, nodding vigorously, "Mmm, mmm, mmm, I am Xianxian."

"Hahaha, being so good, it must be Xianxian."

Mrs. Xiao casually praised her, "What would you like for dinner?"

"I’d like to have..."

Before she finished speaking, Shen Xianxian was grabbed by Xiao Chenxing, "Mom, we’ll talk about what to eat later. Hongguo and I are taking her to the river to catch fish."

"Huh?"

In the blink of an eye, the three of them were out the door.

Mrs. Xiao shouted, "Not studying anymore?"

"Tired of studying! Going out for a break!"

When they’re tired of studying, they put down the books, take a little basket, roll up their pants, and wade into the river to fish and catch shrimp, as for their use, they take them home to feed the chickens.

Yes.

The rural kids’ way of relaxing is just this plain and unadorned.