Seizing this opportunity, the women who usually couldn't stand Chen Yanran's fox-like demeanor began to accuse, "Chen Zhiqing, I didn't expect you to be such a person.
You appear kind on ordinary days, only to be revealed as having so many schemes."
"People like Lu Daya risk their lives to save Xu Ying, and with just a word from you, you claim it was you who saved her. If it weren't for Xu Ying witnessing it, even if Lu Daya died, no one would be able to seek justice for her!"
Chen Yanran's face grew paler by the minute, but the people around her were relentless.
"Chen Zhiqing really has no shame, even at this moment, she still claims she saved Xu Ying. If I were her, I would have scurried into a rock crevice already."
"Isn't that the truth, her mind is really calculating. Previously, everyone thought this girl, although not one to endure hardship, was gentle-natured, but who knew her heart was so dark. Now we must watch over our children at home to make sure they aren't led astray."
Chen Yanran turned pale upon hearing everyone's words, and tears streamed down her face even more. Seeing everyone looking at her with accusing eyes, she covered her mouth and hurriedly fled back to the Youth Corps quarters.
"Yanran, what you did to Xu Ying was too much." Dong Wenzhong glared at Xu Ying and huffily chased after her.
Mr. Xu hurriedly turned to look at his daughter and sighed in relief when he saw that she looked fine.
"Daughter, let's go home."
Xu Ying nodded and followed her father home.
That night, they made radish stewed with pheasant soup.
Mrs. Xu saw her husband and daughter return and immediately called out with a smile, "Yingying, come quick and taste the pheasant soup I've made and see if it's good."
Upon hearing this, Xu Ying quickly washed her hands and headed toward the kitchen.
As soon as Mrs. Xu saw her enter, she quickly gave her daughter a piece of chicken liver, "Eat up, the liver is cooked. Your body is just recovering, it's good to replenish yourself with this."
Xu Ying had always liked chicken liver since she was young, and now, naturally, she did not hold back when her mother offered her some.
She took the chicken liver and started eating in the yard.
Shitou and Hu Zi saw her and came over, their mouths watering. Shitou couldn't shake the feeling that his little aunt had changed.
In the past, her gaze towards them was cold, as if they were strangers, but now, she smiled whenever she saw them, making one feel very warm inside.
Shitou gathered his courage and led Hu Zi over.
Xu Ying looked up, saw the two boys, and immediately smiled, "Come over, would you like some?"
Their eyes brightened, and they nodded, "Yes, we'd like some."
Xu Ying found the two kids adorable, so she took her bowl and went into the kitchen, cooing to her mother, "Mom, is the chicken ready? I'm ready to eat."
Mrs. Xu, seeing her daughter's craving expression, scooped several more pieces of meat into her bowl, "If you want to eat, go ahead. You caught the pheasant, even if you finish it all, they wouldn't dare say anything."
"Thank you, Mom," Xu Ying smiled sweetly.
Mrs. Xu beamed with happiness, "What's there to thank for? It is rightfully yours. Eat up quick, and I'll serve you more once you're done."
Xu Ying carried her food out of the kitchen and called the two boys into the room.
Eldest Sister-in-law Xu wore a look of surprise, and when her sons ran out of the little aunt's room, she quickly called out, "Shitou, Hu Zi, what did you go to your aunt's room for?"
Hu Zi was the first to cheerfully reply, "Little aunt gave us meat to eat, it was so delicious."
Eldest Sister-in-law Xu was somewhat incredulous, knowing that on ordinary days, the little aunt was very protective of her food, thinking of Dong Zhiqing first, so how could she possibly have given some to her sons.
"Shitou, what did you go there for?" She asked her eldest son again, not quite believing it.
"We had meat, but little aunt said not to let grandma know, or else she might scold us again." Shitou said before licking his lips, the meat was really tasty.
Now Eldest Sister-in-law Xu believed it. Thinking of her little sister-in-law's change, a smile appeared on her face, "Your little aunt treats you so well; you must remember that."
Shitou quickly nodded in agreement, "Mom, I'll definitely remember the good things little aunt did for us."
Mrs. Xu finished preparing the meal in the kitchen, and Eldest Sister-in-law Xu hurried to serve the food.
Once the dishes were on the table, everyone in the Xu Family had washed their hands and started to eat.
Just like that morning, Mrs. Xu ladled out a bowl of chicken soup.
"Eldest Son's wife, go take this chicken soup to Lu Daya. Make sure she finishes it before you come back."
Eldest Sister-in-law Xu took the bowl, knowing what was expected: "Mom, rest assured, I'll make sure Daya finishes it before I return."
Mrs. Xu nodded; she was at ease when Eldest Son's wife handled things.
"Let's eat," said Mr. Xu. The rest eagerly swallowed their saliva.
The aroma of the wild chicken soup was indeed very tempting.
Although Xu Jianguo was a team leader, life at home hadn't improved much.
There's a saying that half-grown lads eat their fathers out of house and home. The Xu family also had several children, and only Xu Jianguo had a salary.
The rest relied on work points from the field for their meals. It was just this year that the third son of the Xu family seemed to have some astonishing good luck, having saved a transportation team leader's daughter.
In gratitude, they offered him a job at the transportation company. He was indeed a credit to the Xu family, having been made a regular employee after just two months, an exceptional case.
He even received two months' official salary, keeping just ten yuan for himself each month with the remaining twenty-eight yuan going to the family.
Life at home had improved somewhat, but it was a pity that Xu Ying had been a girl inclined to look outside the family before, and Mrs. Xu, doting on her daughter, used to give her pocket money every month.
She had given all that money to Dong Zhiqing.
But now that Xu Ying had been reborn, she would definitely not make that foolish mistake again.
"Mom and Dad, you guys eat. I ate quite a bit just now and I'm almost full. I can't eat that much," Xu Ying hurriedly said, seeing Mrs. Xu putting meat on her plate.
Shitou panicked, his little aunt had hardly eaten anything earlier and had given most of it to her brother and him.
Xu Ying glared at him, signaling him to keep quiet.
Reluctantly, Shitou shut his mouth. His little aunt had indeed changed for the better, but she had also become foolish.
Mrs. Xu's heart warmed, recalling how her daughter had indeed eaten quite a bit already, so she didn't insist and let her husband have a few pieces before letting her sons split the rest.
Xu, quick to act, quickly took a few pieces for his wife.
Mrs. Xu saw this and immediately felt uncomfortable: "It's still my daughter who's filial, not like some boys who forget their mother once they have wives."
Xu looked embarrassed, took a piece of meat, and placed it in Mrs. Xu's bowl: "Mom, have some meat."
Mrs. Xu huffed and didn't even glance at Xu.
Worried the anger might turn on him, Second Brother Xu hurriedly put a piece of meat in Mrs. Xu's bowl with a grin: "Mom, eat some meat."
"Humph!"
"Mom, eat some meat!"
This time it was Xu Ying. Mrs. Xu's face, which had been long and stretched, instantly filled with smiles: "Oh, my daughter really is filial."
Xu: "..."
Second Brother Xu: "..."
Having made sure that Lu Daya finished her chicken soup, Eldest Sister-in-law Xu hurried back home, worried that the family might not have left her even a scrap of meat.
When she returned, she placed the bowl in the kitchen and had just sat down when she saw the pieces of meat left in the bowl. Her eyes immediately reddened as she looked at her husband: "Shengli, did you guys have meat?"
"We did, this is yours, hurry up and eat," Xu urged.
Eldest Sister-in-law Xu swallowed with emotion and began to eat the meat ravenously.
Xu Ying, looking at Eldest Sister-in-law Xu, felt more admiration than anything else. Truth be told, in her heart, she felt her eldest brother was not worthy of her sister-in-law at all.
Her sister-in-law's family was in the county, and her parents both worked at the meat processing plant, living very comfortably. At that time, her oldest brother had also stumbled upon some darned good luck. On a work trip, there happened to be a downpour.
The rain was fierce, and the road was all mud. On a dark night filled with howling wind, it was the time when young girls were most frightened.