“Xiuli, if I tutor you and you treat me to meals in return, then our relationship turns into a transaction. Is that really what you want?”
Seeing Jiang Xiuli shake her head, Lin Yuxi continued, “I don’t want our friendship to lose its meaning either. I want us to be lifelong best friends—like real sisters.”
“Okay, lifelong best friends, like sisters!” Jiang Xiuli clasped Lin Yuxi’s hand, her voice already choking with emotion.
“Easy, easy. Don’t forget, those two annoying people are still over there. Don’t let them overhear,” Lin Yuxi comforted her.
Jiang Xiuli quickly composed herself, secretly resolving to study hard and not let her friend’s efforts go to waste.
From that day on, Lin Yuxi began tutoring Jiang Xiuli. Using that as a reason, she went to the cafeteria for lunch every day.
When Jiang Xiuli’s mother found out, she was sincerely grateful. She had long been worried about her daughter’s grades, but as her only child, she couldn’t bring herself to push too hard.
To thank Lin Yuxi, Jiang’s mother would often cook delicious food and have Jiang Xiuli bring it to her.
Watching Lin Yuxi eat at the cafeteria every day—and sometimes receive tasty food from Jiang Xiuli—Lin Yuwei grew insanely jealous.
She told the family about it. At first, the Lin family didn’t care. After all, it didn’t cost them anything and even saved food at home.
But the two sisters kept bringing it up every day—how Lin Yuxi went to the cafeteria again, how Jiang Xiuli brought her good food again.
Over time, the Lin family began to feel uncomfortable. Why should Lin Yuxi get to eat well every day?
They were stuck eating coarse grain cakes and bland, oil-starved meals, while Lin Yuxi got at least one decent meal a day—and sometimes even meat. How could that be acceptable?
So that evening, when Lin Yuxi came home for dinner, her portion was cut in half.
“What are you doing?” Lin Yuxi stared at the pitiful amount of food in front of her, eyes wide as she demanded an explanation.
Lin Yuwei spoke in a sarcastic tone, “You eat at the cafeteria every day, and people even bring you good food. Meanwhile, we eat this every day. Don’t you feel guilty swallowing that?”
“You already had something rich at noon. You can eat less for dinner,” Old Madam Lin said coldly.
Lin Yuxi’s father added sternly, “Exactly. You don’t even think of your parents when you have something good.”
Anger surged in Lin Yuxi’s chest. That lunch was something she earned by tutoring Jiang Xiuli—at least on the surface. Why should she be treated like this?
“I eat at the cafeteria because I tutor Xiuli. Her mother is grateful, so she has Xiuli treat me and bring me food. What’s wrong with that?” Lin Yuxi argued.
“Shouldn’t you be happy I’m saving food for the family?”
Lin Yuxi’s mother snorted. “No matter what, if there’s something good, you should think of the family. You could bring it back and share.”
Lin Yuxi trembled with anger. She knew the Lin family was shameless—but she hadn’t expected them to be this shameless.
“So you’re saying that when someone treats me to a meal, I’m not allowed to eat it—and I’m supposed to bring half of it back? I can’t do something that disgraceful,” she snapped.
“Then what about the food Jiang Xiuli brings you? You can bring that back, right?” Lin Yuwei said through gritted teeth.
She thought of the buns, pastries, and once, dumplings stuffed entirely with meat. The aroma had nearly driven her mad with craving.
And back then, she had been gnawing on coarse grain cakes, while Lin Yuxi ate everything without offering her even a single bite.
“No.” Lin Yuxi looked at her with a faint, mocking smile.
“And I have you to thank for that—constantly telling everyone at school how badly I’m treated at home.”
“Xiuli knows that if I brought it home, I wouldn’t get to eat any of it. So every time, she makes sure I finish it at school.”
Lin Yuxi looked at the greedy, unpleasant faces before her with cold ridicule. Still thinking of taking advantage of her? Not in this lifetime.
If not for the current circumstances—and the fact that she was still too young to buy a house and live on her own—she would have left the Lin family immediately, without a second thought.
At that moment, her aunt suddenly smiled and said, “Yuxi, you’ve been eating well for quite a few days now. Why not let Yuwei tutor that girl instead? Let your sister have a few days of good food too.”
Lin Yuwei looked at Lin Yuxi with hopeful eyes.
“What? Did you forget what your grades are like?” Lin Yuxi said with a chuckle. “You, the one ranking at the bottom of the class, tutoring someone?”
“Have you been so busy thinking about food that you forgot your grades are even worse than Jiang Xiuli’s?”
“You… you…” Lin Yuwei finally snapped back to reality, shame washing over her belatedly. Covering her face, she ran back to her room.
Her mother shot Lin Yuxi a fierce glare before going after her daughter to comfort her.
Truth be told, there were times Lin Yuxi envied Lin Yuwei. Her aunt might have many flaws, but her love for her daughter was genuine.
Lin Yuxi looked at the half bowl of watery corn gruel in front of her—so thin it could reflect her face. She picked it up and walked out.
“You’re not eating? Where are you going?” Old Madam Lin called out as she saw Lin Yuxi step outside.
“I’m going to ask the village chief and the brigade leader to check whether I’m really part of this family,” Lin Yuxi said.
“Why am I treated so harshly? Let them see what I’m given for dinner.”
Her words threw the Lin family into panic. Old Madam Lin hurried after her.
“Yuxi, let’s talk this out. No need to trouble the village chief and brigade leader.”
Her parents also followed, their faces filled with anxiety.
Lin Yuxi stopped and looked at them coldly. “Then tell me—how exactly am I supposed to eat this meal?”
Old Madam Lin hated her to the core, but she had no choice but to put on a smile. “We were wrong. Come back and eat properly. It won’t happen again.”
Lin Yuxi snorted. “You’d better keep your word.”
She wasn’t really planning to make a scene. She knew the Lin family wouldn’t let her.
Besides, making a fuss once or twice might earn sympathy—but doing it too often would only make people annoyed.
She returned inside with her bowl and sat down to continue eating. No one in the Lin family dared say another word, and the atmosphere grew awkward.
After that, the Lin family did restrain themselves and no longer dared to mistreat Lin Yuxi so openly.
Meanwhile, Lin Yuxi continued tutoring Jiang Xiuli every day, and their friendship deepened.
With Lin Yuxi’s help, Jiang Xiuli’s grades steadily improved, and she became even more grateful.
Watching her friend’s progress, Lin Yuxi felt deeply satisfied. She knew her efforts were worthwhile.
In this lifetime, she hoped that both of them could step out of the shadows of their past and live completely different lives.
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