“Dad, you’re back?”
As soon as he entered, Er Ya ran over. Seeing the things they were carrying, she immediately asked, “You all went to town? And you took San Ya with you?”
“Mhm,” Lin An Yuan grunted as he carried the items inside.
Ye Wan carried the chicks into the courtyard first. She needed to find something to quickly give the chicks some water, or they would really die.
Er Ya glanced at her and rolled her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me when you left? I couldn’t find San Ya and it scared me to death. I thought this woman had sold her.”
Some women were just black-hearted and liked to sell children.
“You went to town and bought so many things? You even bought San Ya a Head flower to wear? Why didn’t you take me with you? She’s so little, does she even know how to wear it?”
When Er Ya saw the little blue flower with beads on San Ya’s head, she immediately blew up and reached out to grab it.
San Ya covered her head. “No! Mother said I look pretty.”
Mother had put it on for her, and no one was allowed to touch it.
Er Ya stomped her foot in anger and yelled at Lin An Yuan, “Dad, where’s mine? Why did you only buy one for San Ya and not for me? How can you be so biased?”
“Your mother bought it. You and Da Ya both have fabric to make new clothes,” Lin An Yuan said, carrying in a pile of fabric.
“On what grounds? She belongs to our family, and so does the money. Why didn’t you buy one for me? San Ya, give me your flower!”
San Ya refused.
Er Ya pulled San Ya and tried to coax her, “Be good, let your older sister wear it. You barely have any hair, it doesn’t look good on you.”
Ye Wan looked up at Er Ya. “You’re dark-skinned. Flowers wouldn’t look good on you either.”
“You’re the one who’s dark, you…” Er Ya jumped up and down in a rage, about to go mad with anger.
She pointed at Ye Wan for a long time, only to realize she wasn’t dark at all, which made her even angrier.
“Chicks?”
“Why did you buy chicks? Our family can’t even get enough to eat. Where are we going to find extra food to feed them?” Er Ya muttered from the side as she watched Ye Wan fussing over the chicks.
In short, she found Ye Wan displeasing no matter what.
Ye Wan pretended not to hear and said, “Lin An Yuan, build me a chicken coop. San Ya, you watch the chicks. I’m going to cook. By the way, where’s Da Ya?”
“Dad, I’m back.”
Just as she finished speaking, Da Ya entered the house.
Ye Wan spoke bluntly, “You’re back just in time. I don’t know how to make clothes. I heard from San Ya that you do. I want two sets. You can decide what to do with the rest.”
Er Ya retorted, “Why should you get two sets? Have you no shame? Big Sister, make me three sets. I want three sets.”
Ye Wan raised an eyebrow at the dark-skinned girl. “Who’s the one with no shame? It’s on the grounds that I bought the things, so what I say goes. If you’re not happy, then don’t wear them.”
Why was this child so unlikable?
“I will wear them! You’re just a servant in our family, what right do you have…”
Lin An Yuan cut Er Ya off. “Er Ya, I told you, she is your mother. You are not to speak like this in the future.”
“Dad, you’re taking her side too.” Er Ya’s eyes immediately turned red. “It’s true what they say, a new stepmother means a new stepfather. I’ll just leave, then.”
With that, she ran out of the courtyard.
“Er Ya!” Seeing this, Da Ya hurriedly went to chase after her.
Lin An Yuan frowned. “Don’t chase her. She’ll come back on her own once she’s thought it through. Where did she pick up such a dramatic habit?”
Ye Wan came out of the kitchen with a plate of spiritual spring water, her head down. “You should still go check. She’s a girl, after all. How you teach her at home is one thing, but don’t let the child run out and get into danger.”
Da Ya said gratefully to Ye Wan, “I’ll go check on Er Ya first. I’ll make the clothes when I get back.”
“San Ya, go watch the chicks. I’m going to cook.”
Ye Wan put down the plate and went into the kitchen. Before long, a fragrant aroma wafted through the courtyard.
Today’s meal was lavish, with both fish and meat.
As the sun sank in the west, Lin An Yuan, who was nailing together a chicken coop, looked up. He saw a clean San Ya, still wearing her flower, catching ants to feed the chicks. He fell silent for a moment, then lowered his head and continued to shave the wood, piece by piece.
…
…
Having run out, Er Ya didn’t stop until she reached the riverbank, where she started throwing stones into the water.
Da Ya followed her and called for her to come home.
“I’m not going back! Fox spirit! Vile woman!” Er Ya cursed between sobs.
She actually called her dark. So what if she was dark? It was from being out in the sun.
So what if Ye Wan was good-looking? What was so great about that? Wasn’t she sold by her own mother in the end?
Da Ya sighed. “Stop cursing. She hasn’t done anything bad. In fact, she’s quite nice, at least to San Ya. Why are you so ill-tempered?”
Er Ya wiped away her tears. “I just can’t stand her. I find fault with everything she does, so what? Is Big Sister going to take her side too?”
Da Ya was helpless. “Oh, you. Your temper has gotten worse these past two years. Let’s not talk about anything else, just tell me, what good does it do you to go against her?”
“Since she arrived two days ago, hasn’t life at home gotten better? At least there’s meat and fish on the table. Do you still want to eat meat or not? What’s more, we have new clothes to wear. What would it cost you to say a few nice words?”
Da Ya thought Ye Wan was quite good; it was Er Ya who was covered in thorns.
Er Ya pouted. “It was just a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse. She should be the one trying to please me. Why should I try to please her? I refuse!”
In any case, she couldn’t bring herself to bow down and accept her as a mother.
Only a spineless person like San Ya would call her “Mother” over and over.
Da Ya coaxed, “Alright, let’s go back. I think there’s meat to eat today. If you go back late, you might not get any.”
“She wouldn’t dare not save any for me!”
Ye Wan really did dare. She hadn’t saved any.
It wasn’t her own child, so she wasn’t about to spoil her. Running out at dinnertime meant she didn’t plan on eating.
Just as they were finishing the last piece of meat, Da Ya returned with Er Ya.
Seeing that the meat on the table was gone, Er Ya glared at Ye Wan several times. When she saw Lin An Yuan look over, she bit her lip and said nothing.
Ye Wan placed the last piece of braised pork into San Ya’s bowl. “San Ya, eat up. Grow up to be pretty.”
Er Ya’s eyes reddened.
Da Ya quickly pulled Er Ya to sit down and gave her a piece of fish.
The meat was gone, but there was still fish.
With Ye Wan’s cooking skills, plus the ingredients from her space, nothing could taste bad. Even Lin An Yuan thought the flavor was on par with a master chef’s.
Er Ya had wanted to find fault, but the moment the fish entered her mouth, she fell silent.
Ye Wan raised an eyebrow. She was already full and went straight back to her room.
She had cooked the meal; she certainly wasn’t going to wash the dishes.
Da Ya had to hurry and make the clothes while there was still light, so the task of washing dishes fell to Er Ya again.
Er Ya didn’t want to do it and tried to trick San Ya into washing them.
Ye Wan heard it from her room but didn’t interfere. She had just glanced into her space and suspected her eyes were playing tricks on her.
Just as she was about to go in for a closer look, Lin An Yuan came in.
“The chicken coop is done. Come see if it’s alright.”
“Can’t you see for yourself? Have you never seen one before?”
Ye Wan glanced at Lin An Yuan, wondering if this man was going to sleep on the same kang with her again tonight.
“I haven’t,” Lin An Yuan said, his eyes raking over Ye Wan.
Ye Wan looked down at where he was looking and immediately covered her chest. “What are you looking at?”
Lin An Yuan scoffed. “If you weren’t looking at me, how would you know I was looking at you?”