"Of course, I’ll get you some water."

Rosalind Green wiped her hands dry and brought out a basin of clean water. With it was a pale blue soap dish containing a bar of Bee & Flower brand sandalwood soap, which exuded a rich, woody fragrance. Jacqueline Spann recognized it at a glance, because it was the same kind of soap Phoenix Golding used.

Moreover, this soap wasn’t sold at the town’s supply and marketing co-op. The price was too high, and rural people were unwilling to spend that kind of money. The co-op only sold cheap bath soaps and laundry soaps. Sandalwood soap could only be bought at the department stores in Vessaria or Wraven.

"It smells so good."

Jacqueline Spann picked up the soap and sniffed it. The rich sandalwood scent was invigorating. At home, only Phoenix Golding used their bar of sandalwood soap; Jacqueline wasn’t even allowed to touch it. She never expected to use such a high-end soap today.

’It really does smell amazing. It feels so nice, too—soft and smooth. After washing, my hands are fragrant. If I used it to bathe, my whole body would probably smell this wonderful, right?’

"Thank you, Aunt Green. I’m heading home now."

Jacqueline Spann washed her hands and took her leave. The moment she turned around, the smile vanished from her face.

’Adrian Hawthorne must have gone into the city again, and more than once. High-end soap, a bar of laundry soap that’s barely used, a brand-new soap dish, and a blue plastic basin... these are all expensive items. And that full basket of eggs... where did Adrian Hawthorne get the money?’

’What did he go to the city to do?’

Jacqueline Spann was filled with questions. Her intuition told her that Adrian Hawthorne’s trips to the city weren’t simple. He must be going there to make money. Otherwise, the Hawthorne family’s standard of living wouldn’t have improved so quickly. Of course, it couldn’t be support from the Thorne family either; Phoebe Huxley herself was too frugal to buy expensive soap just to wash her hands.

A troubled Jacqueline Spann returned home. Phoenix Golding was still lying in bed. Jacqueline had left after breakfast, at which time Phoenix Golding and Vernon Spann had been eating. Now, the table was a mess of dirty dishes, and a chopstick had even fallen on the floor. A wave of irritation washed over Jacqueline. She glanced toward Phoenix Golding’s room, her eyes turning cold.

"Where the hell have you been? Get me a cup of water!" Phoenix Golding’s impatient shout came from the room.

"Coming."

Jacqueline Spann put down the firewood, poured a cup of water from the thermos, and carried it in. Phoenix Golding’s face was even more swollen than yesterday, looking like a pig’s head. Her once-watery eyes were narrowed to slits, robbing her of her former beauty and making her look utterly ridiculous.

"SPIT... Are you trying to scald me to death? Outsiders bully me, and now you’re bullying me too... Gotten bold, have you?!"

Phoenix Golding had taken an eager sip, only to spray it all out. She threw the cup to the ground. Luckily, it was an enamel cup, so it only lost a few chips of paint. The hot water splashed onto Jacqueline Spann’s feet, and Phoenix Golding rained down several blows on her head and shoulders. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The same Phoenix Golding who whined about being too weak to work was surprisingly strong when it came to hitting someone. Jacqueline Spann didn’t dare make a sound. She covered her head with her hands, letting her mother vent. The more she talked back, the harder the beating became—she had learned that from experience.

But then—

"You used my soap?"

Phoenix Golding had caught a familiar scent. It was the sandalwood soap she treasured, the one that cost several yuan a bar. She couldn’t even bring herself to buy it; it had been a gift from her lover. She only used it when she bathed or washed her face, keeping it tucked away like a precious jewel the rest of the time.

"No, I didn’t..."

Jacqueline Spann knew this was bad and rushed to defend herself, but the enraged Phoenix Golding refused to listen. After all, she was the only one in the entire village with such high-end soap. If Jacqueline hadn’t used hers, whose could it have been?

"Instead of learning anything useful, you’re learning how to be a petty thief! Stealing my soap to use it... What are you trying to do, using these things now? Are you trying to get married or something, you little slut? I’ll beat you to death!"