Bai Xiao had her fill, put down her things, and stood up to go outside. Her special ability in her previous life seemed to be obtained by putting herself in deadly danger, and she didn't know if her idea was correct in this life, but what other choice did she have but to try?
This special ability was something she must obtain, even if it meant risking her own life.
Even though it might involve great risk.
After all, many people who face deadly danger might not survive and end up dead with no chance of revival. But if she didn't have any reliable means to depend on in this life, how could she bring glory to her loved ones and pain to her enemies?
She strode towards the exit.
The Bai Family compound was in the middle of the village. Decades ago in Liupan Village, only the village chief's and the party secretary's homes were made of brick and tile, while the rest still had houses made of mud mixed with straw and chaff. After being exposed to wind and rain, they would show traces of yellow dirt. Often, to look nice, they had to apply a new layer of mud on the exterior each year.
The backyard of the Bai Family home was where the pigsty was located; naturally, Bai Xiao's little shed was adjacent to it. Inside the pigsty were two pigs, which were the Bai Family's largest asset. Perhaps they had arranged for her to live next to the pigsty because she was also considered the Bai Family's largest asset.
The front yard housed the chicken coop, which held several hens that were the source of the family's cooking fuel, rice, oil, and salt for the year! Of course, the eggs also improved the Bai children's diet—something that certainly did not concern her. Feeding the chickens with bran-mixed fodder was her job. But the results had nothing to do with her.
In this home, nothing was related to her.
Every day, Sister Bai Mei, Bai Shan, and Bai Zhuang each got an egg, but she wouldn't even glimpse the shell of an egg. Let alone on holidays when slaughtering pigs and chickens was out of the question. If she could get to eat a bowl of oily soup filled with pork fat, that was the happiest she'd be all year.
Yet even then, Grandmother Li Chunhua was still reluctant to let her eat, often sending her out to work so she could cook separately for the family.
As she walked out of the main gate, it just so happened that she ran into her grandmother returning from the fields with a hoe, and her little uncle and aunt, as well as Bai Zhuang. Bai Zhuang was twenty this year, not fond of studying, but true to his name, he was indeed sturdy and strong. However, Bai Zhuang did not meddle in others' affairs. Like Bai Jianguo, he didn't care whether Bai Xiao was bullied or not. Besides caring about whether the harvest was good, what Bai Zhuang cared about most was Wu Xiaoyue, the eldest daughter of the Wu family in the village, intended as his future bride.
Unfortunately, Wu Xiaoyue's father was not easy to deal with, especially since Wu Xiaoyue herself was lazy and liked to eat well. Except for her beauty, there was nothing noteworthy about her, yet Bai Zhuang treasured her as dearly as a gem in his palm.
This future sister-in-law had ordered her around quite a bit in the past, treating her practically as a housemaid of the family, even making her wash her clothes during her period. The most malicious act was when she was forced into marriage with that degenerate gambler. It was all because Wu Xiaoyue fancied the dowry the man offered—just for a mere hundred-plus yuan, she sold her, a living person, to a forty-something-year-old gambling addict.
Of course, it was because she was weak-willed. She couldn't blame anyone else. Not resisting and keeping her grievances to herself, she could hardly expect others to feel sorry for her.
After all, she had a brother in the army and two sisters who truly cared for her. But it was her own failure to fight back.
She dared not resist, nor did she dare seek others for consultation. Meeting such an end in her previous life, she probably deserved it.
But in this life, no one should expect her to silently endure and continue slaving away for them.
When Li Chunhua caught sight of her granddaughter approaching, a fierce light shot from her narrow eyes as she glared at Bai Xiao and demanded, "You dead girl, why aren't you doing your chores at home? What are you running out here for? Since you can get up, our family doesn't feed the idle. You will work in the fields this afternoon or else you won't have any food." Seeing Bai Xiao up and about, Li Chunhua automatically took it as a sign that the girl was healed.
She gave no thought to the fact that just yesterday, her beating had knocked the girl unconscious, and even if Bai Xiao managed to get up now, to what extent could she have recovered?
My cousin Bai Jianguo has a great reputation in the village, lauded by everyone as a generous and honest man. His good relations with others are a source of pride for him.
Seeing his mother shouting outside filled him with dissatisfaction. If outsiders heard her, wouldn't they think he was indifferent to his niece?
"Xiao, your grandma was only doing what was best for you yesterday. You mustn't hold a grudge against her. We're all family here. You've rested all morning; if you feel up to it, join us in the fields in the afternoon. After all, we are in our busiest season! Don't you agree?" Every time Bai Jianguo said this, Bai Xiao would anxiously hurry to agree, claiming she was fine and ready to work.
That way, people lounging and eating at the courtyard entrance could see that it was Bai Xiao's own choice, not that they were forcing her.
After all, that girl wasn't his own flesh and blood; strictly speaking, he was only her uncle.
He couldn't afford to give outsiders anything bad to talk about.
Bai Jianguo waited for Bai Xiao's reply, watching her closely. Bai Xiao glanced at Bai Jianguo, knowing full well that the most cunning person in the house was this uncle of hers. With a hypocritical face and a dark heart, he was behind many of the family's schemes, usually letting his mother and wife do the dirty work.
Should these actions come to light, Bai Jianguo could easily deny any knowledge and maintain his good standing before others.
"Uncle, because I refused Grandma's request to go out and work yesterday, she beat me. I lay bleeding and unconscious on the ground all night, and I still feel weak all over. I was heading to the village clinic to see if they have any medicine. I don't think I'll be able to work this afternoon. If you really need extra hands, I saw Sister Bai Mei at home, lying down and sleeping. If necessary, let her go to the fields first with you. It's better than being short-handed. I also wouldn't want to die of illness in your house with no one to care for me. It would be bad if outsiders started saying it was your fault; they might think you abused your own niece." Bai Xiao spoke deliberately and loudly, ensuring the surrounding people heard her words.
Bai Jianguo loved his reputation, and now, in front of everyone, she was curious to see how he would respond.
Before Bai Jianguo could speak, Li Chunhua was already yelling, "You cursed child, what precious commodity do you think you are? Just a beating and you need medicine? Doesn't that cost money? I'll tell you, I have no money to waste on your medicine. Since your parents died, it's like I owe a debt to a vindictive ghost. Your sisters married off, your older brother joined the army and left. How can an old woman like me cope? If it wasn't for your uncle and aunt taking pity on you, giving you a meal to eat, you'd have starved to death long ago.
Now we just ask you to do some work for the family, and you create all these obstacles. I'll tell you, if you think you can make it on your own, then go ahead. We're all country folks who farm the land; nobody gets to eat for free without working for it."