When the Side Character Gets a System and Travels through Difference Worlds

After stuffing today’s zongzi inside, the freezer was officially full. If Tan Ying came again tomorrow, Tan You truly had no idea what she would do.

"If I’d known snails were this useful, I would’ve had Grandma go get some long ago," Tan You said with a sigh. "I just wasted several days."

Tan Deming chuckled. "It wasn’t a waste. Making breakfast will be easier from now on. We can have congee and steamed buns. Look around the village—who else steams buns when it’s not a holiday? Only you."

Tan You said, "I think everyone here subscribes to a philosophy of enduring hardship. I find it unnecessary. You should eat when it’s time to eat and drink when it’s time to drink. There’s no need to deliberately make life so hard."

Tan Deming smacked his lips. "Everyone’s like that. Weren’t we all dirt poor in the past?"

"I’m not judging anyone else," Tan You said. "But I think living like that is too bitter, too harsh on yourself."

Tan You understood. ’A girl raised in poverty can be easily lured away by small-time favors and benefits, because her worldview is too narrow.’ She decided to drop it. There was no point in persuading Tan Deming; it was enough that she understood it herself.

’The older generation all came up this way. They’ve gone their whole lives without seeing or eating anything truly good. They wouldn’t understand if I talked about this stuff. Besides, I really don’t feel like explaining it to them. I know I’m not very patient with people.’

Tan Deming said, "When you have a promising future and can earn your own money, you can spend it however you like."

Tan You nodded. "I know. But that’s for later."

As she spoke, she scrubbed the snail shells clean with a brush while Tan Deming started the fire in the earthen stove. Feeling uneasy, Tan You went to take a look, afraid that he might have stuffed the firebox with wood, just as her grandma always said he did.

Tan Deming squinted with a smile. "Do I look like I don’t know how to start a fire?"

Tan You’s hands paused. "You mean you were doing it on purpose all those other times?"

Seeing Tan Deming just smile, Tan You could only shake her head. ’Tan Deming and Wang Hunv’s relationship isn’t what you’d call good. Honestly, with Grandma’s personality, anyone who ended up with her would have a hard time.’

’She certainly lives up to her name, Hu Nu. Her personality is exceptionally fierce, and she’s completely unreasonable. But to be fair,’ Tan You thought, ’Grandma treats Grandpa very well. She always saves the best food and drink for him, even though Tan Deming doesn’t have a big appetite.’

’As for Tan Deming, even though he and Grandma were always fighting, they’ve managed to get by all these years. Perhaps because Tan Deming himself is supported by his "old wife," he’s always subconsciously given in to her.’

Tan You didn’t pass judgment on the older generation’s relationships. ’No matter what, they’re my grandparents. It’s been so many years; are they really going to get a divorce now?’

Tan Deming knew his granddaughter had seen through him, but he didn’t explain. "Your grandmother... it’s true she’s had a hard life, I know all that. But she has such a vicious tongue."

"She offends people so easily when she talks. No matter how good someone is to her, you’ll never hear a kind word come out of her mouth. She was never good to your dad, your aunt, or even you and your sister. I knew it back then, too, but there was nothing I could do about her."

"The moment I brought it up, she’d throw a fit and make a scene. After a while, I couldn’t be bothered to say anything anymore."

Tan You remained silent. Her grandmother really hadn’t been good to her. While she wasn’t like the old matriarchs from a feudal society, who would beat and curse at a moment’s notice, Tan You had still suffered a great deal in her childhood.

Other grandmothers in the village would buy their grandchildren snacks and little clothes from time to time, but Tan You rarely received anything. If the family bought a fish or stewed a chicken, her grandmother would hide the best parts, leaving Tan You with the fish head and tail or the chicken feet and head.

She would tell everyone her grandpa ate them, but in reality, most of it ended up in her grandmother’s own stomach.

In the past, Tan You would have fixated on these things. Now that her horizons had broadened, she no longer dwelled on such trifles. But her grandmother had truly been unkind to her own children, and Tan You couldn’t bring herself to say anything to the contrary.

Of course, it was also true that her grandmother had a hard life. Who else could she rely on when Tan Deming’s health was so poor?

After mincing and mixing the snail meat and pork belly, Tan You added light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, MSG, and other seasonings. Then she began to stir the mixture vigorously in one direction until it firmed up.

Tan Deming came out from behind the stove. "How do you know how to do all this?"

Tan You laughed. "I remember things after seeing them once. I have a good memory."

"That’s true," Tan Deming said. "You get that from me. I have a good memory, too."

Tan You rolled her eyes. "I probably get it from my mom. She’s the one with the good memory."

Tan Deming paused, seemingly surprised that Tan You would mention her mother. "Your mom has been in C-City for a month, and you haven’t even called her."

"Don’t you talk to Dad all the time?" Tan You replied. "It doesn’t matter whether I call. They know what I’m up to at home."

"Don’t hold a grudge against your mom," Tan Deming said. "Her life isn’t easy either..."

"Of course I don’t hold a grudge against her," Tan You said. "She raised me, did everything in her power to send me to school, and pushed me to improve myself. Of course I don’t resent her."

She was being sincere. In the countryside, many kids dropped out of school in the eighth or ninth grade. At sixteen or seventeen, their families would already be arranging their marriages and encouraging them to have children. Even though they couldn’t get a marriage license, no one really cared; they could always register officially once they were of legal age.

As far as Tan You knew, several of her own eighth-grade classmates were already married, and some even had children.

It seemed incredible now, but back in ’06, it was extremely common, especially in the countryside. Tan You even had a classmate who became a monk—not a formally ordained one from a Buddhist academy, but what was commonly called a "wild monk."

They would show up wherever there was a funeral in the surrounding villages, drinking wine and eating meat without a second thought. Some of them even had several wives. The crucial part was that they earned a lot of money, so people would just remark on how good these men were at making a living.

So, when she looked at the girls who married and had children so early, Tan You felt that her mother’s stance was truly commendable. Given the prevailing environment, the fact that her mother could withstand all that pressure to keep her in school made Tan You genuinely grateful.

It was just that she herself had been a disappointment in the past and couldn’t appreciate Cheng Wenhui’s efforts.

Tan Deming was puzzled. "Then why don’t you talk to her?"

Tan You found this amusing. "It’s not like I have much to say, and she has such a fiery temper. Rather than talking, I’d prefer to use my future actions to show her that I’ve already changed."

Tan Deming was skeptical. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Tan You said, placing the stuffed snail shells onto the steamer rack. "I won’t be heartless like my aunt. When my parents get old and sick, I will shoulder my responsibilities."

But that was as far as it went. Tan You could guarantee she would be dutiful, but when it came to affection, she could never be truly intimate with them.

At the mention of her aunt, Tan Deming clicked his tongue. "Don’t talk about your aunt. I get angry just thinking about her. She doesn’t even come back once a year."

Tan You said lightly, "Then let’s not talk about her. I’ll take care of you in the future. We won’t have to rely on her."

Tan Deming grinned, revealing a gap in his teeth. "Really? And how are you going to take care of me?"

Tan You thought for a moment. "When I make money, I’ll build you a huge villa..."