Su Wanwan gently touched the bruises on her body.
Her own grandmother had never been willing to hit or scold her.
Unlike the grandmother here, who treated the original owner with nothing but beatings and insults.
Unfortunately, the bruises had faded considerably and no longer looked very serious.
But Su Wanwan had a solution for that.
She entered the laboratory and took out the makeup kit she kept hidden in a cabinet.
In her previous life, she spent more time in the laboratory than at home.
Whenever she encountered difficult research problems, she would work day and night without rest, so she kept many of her personal belongings there.
People only saw her extraordinary talent.
No one saw her still conducting experiments at four in the morning.
Before transmigrating, she had just completed an important research breakthrough.
She hadn’t slept for two days and was utterly exhausted.
She had merely rested her head on a workbench for a short nap.
When she opened her eyes again, she was here.
Thinking about it now, she was fairly certain she had worked herself to death.
She had pushed herself too hard in her previous life.
Not only had she lost her life, but she had also failed to spend enough time with her grandmother.
Since fate had given her another chance, she was determined to enjoy life properly and cherish those who cared for her.
For now, the first priority was making her own life more comfortable.
Just as Su Wanwan stepped out of the laboratory, a woman entered the room with joy written all over her face.
The woman’s skin was tanned from the sun, but her delicate features still stood out.
She wore her hair in a neat short cut and gave off the impression of someone capable and efficient.
She wore a dark blue padded jacket, carried a medical bag over one shoulder, and held several pieces of celebratory candy in her hand.
She looked tired from travel.
This was Su Wanwan’s mother, Ye Xiu’e, the only barefoot doctor in the production brigade.
A pregnant woman in the village had gone into labor that day, and Ye Xiu’e had been helping with the delivery, which was why she returned so late.
The moment she entered, she saw Su Wanwan sitting on a stool.
Her daughter looked energetic and healthy, completely unlike someone who had been bedridden with illness.
Wanwan had spent two full days lying in bed.
How had she suddenly recovered?
Though puzzled by the speed of her recovery, Ye Xiu’e didn’t care as long as her daughter was healthy.
Unable to hide her excitement, she put down her medical bag and the candies before rushing over to check Wanwan’s pulse.
After confirming her daughter was truly fine, she pulled her into a tight embrace.
Her husband had died three years ago, a loss that had nearly destroyed her.
Now it was just the two of them relying on each other.
If anything happened to her daughter as well, she wouldn’t want to keep living.
“Ah! It hurts!”
Su Wanwan cried out.
It wasn’t entirely an act.
Ye Xiu’e really was hugging her too tightly.
It genuinely hurt, though perhaps not as much as she made it seem.
Startled, Ye Xiu’e immediately loosened her grip.
“What happened? Is your illness not completely gone? Wanwan, where does it hurt?”
Su Wanwan quickly covered the injured area, pretending to be frightened.
With a trembling voice, she said,
“I… I don’t dare say. Uncle said if I told anyone, he’d sell me.”
The moment Ye Xiu’e saw her daughter clutching her arm, she knew something was wrong.
She forcefully pulled back the sleeve to inspect it.
The sight made her gasp.
She checked the other arm and then her stomach.
Fresh purple bruises covered all three areas.
It was obvious she had been severely beaten.
Ye Xiu’e felt as though she couldn’t breathe.
Tears streamed down her face.
Self-blame, guilt, and rage surged through her at the same time.
“Who did this?”
“Don’t be afraid, Wanwan. Tell Mom. I’ll stand up for you. Your uncle won’t dare sell you.”
Seeing Ye Xiu’e so heartbroken made Su Wanwan feel slightly guilty.
But the original Su Wanwan truly had died because of this family.
They couldn’t simply be let off.
Lowering her head and pretending to be scared, she stammered,
“G-Grandma… Grandma hit me with a broom.”
Ye Xiu’e nearly broke down.
The daughter she cherished more than life itself had been treated like this.
In front of her, her mother-in-law and brother-in-law acted reasonably enough.
Behind her back, they had abused Wanwan so cruelly.
If they could do this now, they must have done it many times before.
Had she not discovered it today, who knew how much worse things could have become?
The more she thought about it, the more unbearable it felt.
Wiping away her tears, Ye Xiu’e turned and stormed out of the room.
Soon, loud crashing sounds came from the kitchen.
The noise of shattered dishes was accompanied by Old Madam Su’s terrified screams.
“Ow! What are you doing?! Someone help! This woman has gone crazy!”
The village houses were packed closely together, and the walls offered little soundproofing.
As soon as Old Madam Su started yelling, the neighbors heard everything.
It happened to be dinner time.
People immediately came outside holding their rice bowls, eager to watch the drama.
Su Wanwan hurried out as well.
Just then, she saw Su Wangcai and his family rush into the kitchen.
A moment later, Su Wangcai’s horrified shout rang out.
“Ye Xiu’e! Have you lost your mind?! Why are you holding a knife? Put it down!”
Ye Xiu’e stood there gripping a kitchen cleaver, her entire body radiating fury.
Neither Su Wangcai nor his family dared approach her.
Pointing the knife toward Old Madam Su, she demanded,
“How have I ever wronged this family enough for you to beat my Wanwan like this?
My poor child lost her father. Instead of showing her love and care, her own grandmother and uncle bully her!
Are you even human?!”
Backed into a corner, Old Madam Su trembled with fear.
Even so, she stubbornly tried to defend herself.
“Xiu’e, don’t be impulsive! I didn’t hit her! You protect her so much—I wouldn’t dare!”
Inside, Old Madam Su was confused.
She really hadn’t beaten the girl today.
So why had Ye Xiu’e still come after her?
Ye Xiu’e stepped forward, anger blazing in her eyes.
“You’re still denying it!
If I hadn’t seen the bruises on Wanwan’s body, I never would have discovered your fake kindness!”
Old Madam Su’s heart skipped a beat.
Today she truly hadn’t beaten the girl.
Where had the bruises come from?
Then suddenly she remembered.
She had beaten the child a few days ago.
But logically, the marks should have mostly healed by now.
The girl had kept silent all this time.
Why had Ye Xiu’e discovered them today?
Looking at the furious woman wielding a cleaver, Old Madam Su realized there was no way she could deny it any longer.
“Xiu’e… I only heard people say that children with weak health get sick easily, and that beating them helps strengthen them. I did it for her own good!”
Old Madam Su secretly hated Ye Xiu’e at that moment.
No one had ever treated her this way before.
But since Ye Xiu’e was holding a knife, she had no choice but to soften her tone.
In her heart, she still blamed Ye Xiu’e for her youngest son’s death.
Now this woman was even threatening her with a cleaver.
If Ye Xiu’e weren’t a barefoot doctor—earning ten yuan a month in subsidies and bringing extra work points to the family—she would have thrown the mother and daughter out long ago.
Ye Xiu’e almost laughed from anger.
What a ridiculous excuse.
She spat on the ground.
“Bah!
You think that nonsense will fool me?
If someone really told you that, then tell me who it was.
I’d like to see who dares spread feudal superstitions in times like these!”
“Uh…”
Old Madam Su was instantly speechless.
She had made the excuse up on the spot.
Where was she supposed to find such a person?