The System sneered, “Do you think you can stay in Yangcheng with just your own limited abilities? Originally, if you had helped out properly at the Wei family, they might have let you stay longer out of familial affection.
But now, with all your troublemaking, the Wei family can’t stand you anymore and sent you back to the village. Let’s see what you’ll do then.”
Zuo Cao remained noncommittal.
Ever since tasting the dishes at the state-run restaurant,
Zuo Cao’s enthusiasm for earning money had soared to unprecedented heights.
She wanted to achieve the freedom to dine at state-run restaurants whenever she pleased.
To this end, she made more small toys to sell.
She bustled about outside every day, radiating an extraordinary vitality.
Though she had tanned a bit, her hair now had a healthy shine, and her eyes sparkled.
Selling toys to children every day, interacting with all sorts of people, and bustling through the streets, she appeared full of life and energy.
Zuo Cao didn’t hide her activities, partly to ensure her own safety.
She had also mentioned to Aunt Qin and Uncle Chen that she was making a few small toys to sell.
Since the quantity was small and she only did business around the time school let out, she packed up her stall quickly.
The two adults didn’t pay it much mind.
But after all, she was just a child,
so whenever Zuo Cao set up her stall, Uncle Chen would go over to keep an eye on things if he had time.
With Uncle Chen watching, no one dared to cause trouble for Zuo Cao.
Zuo Cao’s business progressed smoothly.
The rolling iron hoops she made went through two improved versions and were always in high demand.
Unable to wait any longer for Zuo Cao to yield,
Zuo Caiyun grew restless first.
She went to and from work every day, her schedule perfectly clashing with Zuo Cao’s, so she still didn’t know what Zuo Cao was up to.
But compared to Zuo Cao’s spirited demeanor, she had to work during the day, tidy up the house at night, and take care of the children.
Day after day, she grew increasingly haggard.
Before Zuo Cao came, she had always lived like this.
Back then, she hadn’t realized how exhausting it was to live day after day without a moment’s rest.
Today, tomorrow, the day after—there was never even a moment to catch her breath.
It dawned on her belatedly just how much Zuo Cao had shouldered in this household.
During the time Zuo Cao did chores at home, even Wei Mu gradually softened her expression.
At first, Zuo Caiyun thought it was because she had given birth to a son, but she later realized it was because of Zuo Cao.
If Zuo Cao weren’t here, perhaps she could grit her teeth and endure.
These were her own children, and this was her own husband.
Her home—she had to manage it.
What other choice did she have?
In these times, even the word “divorce” felt as distant as some urban legend.
Zuo Cao was right there in front of her and had once done so well.
Yet now, she wouldn’t even lift a finger to help with household matters.
How had things come to this?
Zuo Caiyun couldn’t understand, but she was determined to steer Zuo Cao back onto the right path.
She thought of Zuo Cao’s family. Having come from the Zuo family herself, Zuo Caiyun knew all too well what the Zuo household was like.
Looking at Zuo Cao was like looking at her past self.
She felt pity for her niece.
It was out of this pity that she agreed to take Zuo Cao in
while her sister-in-law was pregnant.
She had once hoped that Zuo Cao might find some respite in her home.
Moreover, Wei Mu often said how much Zuo Cao had enjoyed her time there.
Zuo Caiyun took these words to heart.
What girl didn’t have to work?
At her home, there would always be a meal to eat. This was the city after all—no matter what, the living conditions and conveniences were far better than in Lingyun Village.
She had taken Zuo Cao in, solving her parents’ predicament.
So wasn’t it only right that Zuo Cao helped her in return?
After getting off work that day, Zuo Caiyun brought back a bag of peach shortbread cookies. After dinner, she waited for Zuo Cao.
But Zuo Cao was late in returning.
That day, Zuo Cao had sold all the small toys she had for the day.
She didn’t go back to the Zuo household.
Instead, she turned down a few streets, bought two bags of muskmelons, and gave one to Aunt Qin before she closed her shop.
Carrying the other bag, she went to the security office.
Uncle Chen was on duty today, so she could stay there a little longer.
She would return to the Wei household after Uncle Chen finished his shift.
Uncle Chen was helping his daughter with her homework, his face flushed and neck strained with frustration.
“Pencils cost 3 jiao each. Xiaoming buys 3 pencils with 2 yuan. How much change does he get back?”
Uncle Chen slapped some money from his pocket onto the table: “Can’t figure it out? Count it yourself!”
Chen Xuan blinked her big, bewildered eyes, feeling wronged and helpless in the face of her father’s anger. Her lips trembled.
Seeing the situation turning sour, Uncle Chen hurried to comfort her, but it was too late.
Chen Xuan burst into loud sobs: “Waaah, bad Daddy, bad Daddy! I don’t want Daddy anymore! Daddy, go away!”
It was at this moment that Zuo Cao walked in.
“Uncle Chen, have some muskmelon—”
Uncle Chen saw her as a savior, leaping up from his chair as if his seat were on fire.
He didn’t even bother with the loose change on the table, instead gathering it up and stuffing it into Zuo Cao’s hands: “I’ll leave this to you. I’m going out to patrol—it’s work, you know, day in and day out. Ask Brother Xiaoyuan to chill this melon in the well for you.”
The handful of small bills added up to about two yuan. Zuo Cao tucked them into her pocket and took Uncle Chen’s place.
Chen Xuan was still wailing at the top of her lungs.
Zuo Cao handed the muskmelon to Uncle Chen’s colleague,
picked up the textbook, and glanced at what Chen Xuan had learned in class that day.
Second grade—the content was still quite simple.
One of the reasons Zuo Cao had deepened her interactions with Uncle Chen was that he had a daughter.
Because Uncle Chen had a daughter, he could better understand Zuo Cao’s current situation and be more tolerant of her actions.
As a child just over five years old, Zuo Cao needed an adult to back her up.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to hold onto the money she earned.
Zuo Cao was well aware of this.
As for how she knew so much about Uncle Chen’s family affairs—
Zuo Cao glanced at Chen Xuan, who was still bawling.
Chen Xuan was actually just putting on a show. Seeing that Zuo Cao wasn’t paying her any attention, she secretly peeked at Zuo Cao with one eye.
Just in time to meet Zuo Cao’s gaze.
“Hic—”
Chen Xuan’s crying didn’t stop, but she let out a hiccup.
Zuo Cao put down the textbook: “Finished crying?”
Chen Xuan sniffled: “Finished.”
“Which problem don’t you understand?”
“…This Xiaoming.”
Zuo Cao wasn’t the best at explaining—after all, she wasn’t professionally trained—but she had patience, along with plenty of energy and methods.
Once Chen Xuan realized that crying had no effect on Zuo Cao, she reluctantly stopped.
“If you finish your homework properly, I’ll teach you how to roll an iron hoop.”
“Really?” Chen Xuan’s eyes lit up.
It was a toy many of her classmates played with, and those who were good at it gained a lot of respect.
“Mm.”
Chen Xuan was also one of Zuo Dongliang’s ambiguous interests.
Uncle Chen had only this one child, and he doted on her, raising her to be bright and sunny, like a radiant sun.
At first, she had no kind words for the male lead, Zuo Cao’s still-muddled younger brother.
She even bluntly stated that Zuo Dongliang was scheming and untrustworthy—a petty man.
Uncle Chen had spent decades punishing evil and eliminating wrongdoers, having dealt with no fewer than eight hundred villains over the years.
For so long, peace had prevailed,
but just after Zuo Dongliang arrived in Yang City, Uncle Chen faced retaliation.
This retaliation fell upon Chen Xuan.
Before the college entrance exams, Chen Xuan was abducted and assaulted. Before the worst could happen, Zuo Dongliang rescued her.
Chen Xuan failed to get into university and, from then on, remained devoted to Zuo Dongliang for life, never marrying.