Su Ting clearly froze.
She lowered her head and looked at the stepdaughter who had suddenly appeared in front of her. The little girl wore a faded red dress that had been washed until the color was almost gone. Her cheeks were round like apples, and her watery eyes seemed as if they could speak.
The smile on Su Ting’s face faded a little. She had been waiting for her stepdaughter to throw a tantrum and make a scene so she could take the opportunity to put the girl in her place.
“Oh my, Ruanruan really looks just like her mother. My poor sister… sigh! Ruanruan, I’ve already thrown away all the old things your mother brought. If there’s anything left in this room that you don’t like, just tell me and I’ll replace it with something new.”
What child wouldn’t explode after hearing something like that?
After all, she had taken over the girl’s mother’s place and was flaunting it.
Su Ting waited for Ruanruan to lose her temper.
But to her surprise, the little girl’s eyes lit up. Ruanruan said cheerfully, “Really? Stepmom is so nice! Then Ruanruan won’t hold back!”
Lin Dayong’s mouth twitched.
This wasn’t right! This wasn’t what he taught her!
Taking the chance, Ruanruan let go of his hand and skipped happily toward the room prepared for her, immediately beginning her performance.
“This curtain is too flowery!” the little dumpling said with disdain, poking the pink curtain. “It looks like Auntie Zhang’s bedsheet next door!”
“The bedsheets aren’t soft enough either!” She ran her hand over the neatly made bed. “I want the kind with little fish printed on them!”
“And this table is too tall!” She stood on tiptoe, gesturing. “I can’t reach it!”
With every complaint Ruanruan made, Su Ting’s face grew darker and darker. But with everyone watching, she couldn’t lash out.
Lin Dayong secretly gave his daughter a thumbs-up.
Well done!
“Fine. I’ll replace all of it!” Su Ting practically gritted out the words.
Ruanruan showed a victorious smile, her big eyes curving into crescents. “Thank you, Mom! Mom is the best!”
“Looks like the villagers were lying to me,” she continued innocently. “They said my stepmom would bully me after I came here, wouldn’t give me food, and wouldn’t give me pocket money. But Mom is clearly very nice. She’ll even give me lots of pocket money to buy tasty snacks, right?”
She blinked her big sparkling eyes and looked at Su Ting expectantly.
Su Ting’s eyelids twitched violently. Under everyone’s watchful gaze, she could only grit her teeth and pull out twenty yuan to give the girl, forcing a stiff smile.
“Of course. I’ll treat you just like my own daughter.”
The military wives watching nearby began whispering among themselves.
“This girl looks pretty clever. We misunderstood earlier!”
“She seems obedient, but she’s quite sharp!”
The smile on Su Ting’s face was about to collapse.
Once everyone had left the room, Ruanruan leaped onto the small bed with a flying pounce and rolled around happily.
Mission accomplished!
She hadn’t thrown a tantrum like her father told her to, yet she still got what she wanted. She really was a clever little ghost.
Just wait—she still had more tricks up her sleeve.
She had to stand up for her poor mother!
The sea breeze drifted in through the window, carrying a salty scent. Ruanruan yawned, her eyelids starting to droop.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, a sudden ding sounded in her mind.
[Host detected near the seaside. Sea Fishing System fully upgraded. Upgrade gift pack granted: Never-Empty Fishing Rod ×1, Bait ×10.]
Ruanruan shot upright like a carp flipping out of water, her eyes shining like stars.
Hehehe!
“System, you can upgrade too?”
[Of course! The more suitable the environment is for fishing, the more powerful I become!]
Ruanruan was delighted.
She had bound to this Sea Fishing System when she arrived.
As long as she could catch fish, she would earn points that could be exchanged for items in the system store.
Unfortunately, back in the countryside there were only small fish and shrimp in the river. The points she earned were barely enough to occasionally exchange for snacks to satisfy her cravings.
Ruanruan quickly used her chubby little fingers to open the system store interface. There were many more items available now. She exchanged some snacks and a bit of medicinal powder for self-defense.
She still hadn’t figured out what kind of person this stepmother was, so it was better to be cautious.
Now wide awake, Ruanruan jumped up and prepared to coax her cheap dad into taking her out to catch fish and earn points.
But as soon as she stepped out, she heard hushed voices coming from the master bedroom.
“That girl doesn’t understand anything and keeps causing you trouble. Wife, you’ve been wronged.”
It was her cheap dad’s voice. Through the crack in the door, Ruanruan saw her father holding her stepmother’s shoulders and apologizing.
Su Ting rolled her eyes unhappily and complained coquettishly, “You shouldn’t have brought her here. We just got married. You should at least give me some time to adjust.”
“Yes, yes, yes! I know you’ve been wronged…” Lin Dayong chuckled awkwardly. “How about this—she doesn’t understand things yet. You can discipline her however you want. If she doesn’t listen, just beat her! Okay?”
Ruanruan: …
She was speechless.
Was this old guy trying to play both sides? Using her as a tool to please his new wife?
Not sure. Better observe a bit more.
Su Ting, however, was clearly pleased by his words. She glanced at him sideways. “You’d really be willing?”
“What’s there to be unwilling about? She’s my daughter, which means she’s your daughter. A mother disciplining her child is only natural.” Lin Dayong held her hand and leaned over to kiss it. “I just feel sorry for you, having to work so hard helping me raise my daughter. My heart aches for you!”
Su Ting was so delighted she practically bloomed with joy. She held his face and planted a loud kiss on him.
“You said it yourself!”
Seeing their conversation becoming more and more flirtatious—and her dad’s hand about to reach her stepmother’s butt—Ruanruan narrowed her eyes slightly and snorted inwardly.
Then she rushed in and burst into loud sobs.
“Dad, do you not want me anymore?!”
The two people hugging each other froze at the same time. Lin Dayong quickly let go of the woman in his arms and turned with a dark face.
“What nonsense are you talking about!”
“You’re my only precious daughter. How could I not want you!”
As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Su Ting.
Ruanruan didn’t believe him and cried even louder.
“You do! Stepmom doesn’t like me. She regrets bringing me here. You’re going to send me away!”
Su Ting’s brow twitched, irritated at having her good moment interrupted.
She felt annoyed. This stepdaughter had even been eavesdropping—so ill-mannered!
But noticing Lin Dayong’s gaze, she forced herself to calm down and tried to comfort the girl gently.
“Ruanruan, be good. Auntie doesn’t dislike you, and your dad won’t send you back.”
Ruanruan sniffled between sobs.
“I don’t believe you! You said it yourselves! Wuuuu… Ruanruan is a child nobody loves. Grandma said if Ruanruan gets bullied, she should go complain to the uncle with three stars on his shoulders!”
“I’m going to complain, wuuuu…”
Lin Dayong looked helpless and turned to Su Ting.
Su Ting’s mouth twitched. Reluctantly, she pulled out a large bag of milk candies from the drawer.
“Ruanruan, be good. If Auntie didn’t like you, why would I give you candy? Stop crying.”
Ruanruan clutched the candies in her little hands, still sobbing.
“Then tonight I want to eat pig’s trotters. Will you cook them for me?”
Her watery eyes looked at Su Ting expectantly, as if she would start crying again if she refused.
Su Ting’s temples throbbed. Grinding her teeth, she agreed.
“Fine! Pig’s trotters it is!”
Eat, eat, eat—why doesn’t she just eat herself to death!