CH 87

Ye Wei’s words haunted Ye Ying. She was terrified when she discovered that no one noticed Ye Wei’s apparent hostility toward her. Ye Wei was evidently a person with a deep mind and schemes. She could fool almost everyone. Her brother and Zhang Yu, no one could truly see the real Ye Wei.  

After delivering the water, Ye Ying returned home. She peeled and sliced a lettuce. The layers were thin, but she must exert practically all her strength to peel and slice the lettuce, nearly cutting her hand in the process. She was about to throw the knife in her hand away from the fright. On the side, Tong Ke was propping her head on her palms as she gave Ye Ying instructions. She shook her head and clicked her tongue, “It’s really like a bull inside a porcelain shop[1]. With how this is running, by the time you are done cutting these lettuce, the sun will have set and the lettuce won’t be fresh.”

Ye Ying had never cooked before, it would be strange if she could do it flawlessly. She sullenly chopped the vegetables with utmost caution for fear of cutting her hands. She said firmly, “I will chop them well.”

She would chop them well, so when Grandma and the others came back, they could have a delicious meal without tiring themselves to prepare the meal. They could take some time off to rest after the meal. 

Tong Ke shrugged, “If you wish so, you might as well help them with the farm work so Ye Wei can return faster, it will be more efficient don’t you think? She can prepare the meal in less than half an hour. You have been here since the morning and the only things you have done is boil water and chop some lettuce. Do you still want to delude yourself into thinking that what you have done is as laborious and draining as working in the field”?

Ye Ying: “… I never think so.”

Tong Ke snorted and murmured in a low voice, “Bah… whatever, keep going on with that charade of yours.”

Ye Ying gave Tong Ke a look and feigned ignorance. She resumed her focus in chopping the lettuce. She wasn’t skilled in using a knife, furthermore, she was worried that she might cut her hands. Hence, the lettuces were sliced in varying thicknesses and sizes, looking like a child’s masterpiece.

Tong Ke watched for a while and found watching Ye Ying was a boring entertainment. So, she ceased watching and exited the kitchen. On this hot day, she didn’t want to work and burn herself to death from the heat. 

Even if Zhang Yu was there, she wouldn’t allow herself to suffer. 

Previously, in order to earn a good impression on him, she followed him to dig out peanuts, but the result was she basically sapped herself. Thus, she decided. In order to secure her life so she still could be with Zhang Yu in the future, she would honestly stay at home. 

Tong Ke left the kitchen on one foot and Ye Tao entered on the other. He smiled as he gazed at Ye Ying’s focused expression. “Here, let me do it.”

Ye Ying pursed her lips, “Gege is sick. A patient should lie down and obediently rest. I can do this just fine.” 

Ye Tao chuckled, “I’m just worried that I will really end up lying down and can’t get up again after eating the food you cooked.”

Ye Ying: “… Then, Gege can just don’t eat it!”

She glared at Ye Tao who sported a gullible expression on his face. Ye Ying puffed her cheek then burst out laughing. She could feel her mood lightened. But, after the laugh, she remembered Ye Wei’s words again. She kept repeating her words in her mind and couldn’t help asking, “Gege, what do you think of Jiejie?”

Ye Tao paused in his actions, “What’s with the sudden question?”

“It’s nothing. It’s just, with this visit, I realized Jiejie did not have it easy and suffered so many hardships. Meanwhile, I occupied her position and lived a blessed life. I feel bad for her,” Ye Ying said, “Before, I felt that Gege seemed to dislike Jiejie? Does Gege still think so now?”

The smile on Ye Tao’s face flattened. His face was pale after recovering from the illness, combined with his somber expression, it made quite a scary pair. “It’s not that I dislike her. I used to judge her as someone who hated the poor and loved the rich and thought she was ungrateful for abandoning the people who nurtured her for more than ten years. But, now, I don’t think so. If I had a family like Chen Weiguo, I would also want to escape from them like Ye Wei did. Ye Wei is diligent, kind, brave, resolute, and firm… She didn’t cower and became timid even after growing up under long-term oppression, instead she decisively used her life to seek another way out for herself. Mn. She is worthy of being the daugther of our Ye Family. Being able to fight to the death for her own life, it is a kind of courage that not everyone has!”

Ye Ying stared at Ye Tao’s proud expression and recalled that some time ago, Ye Tao educated her that she shouldn’t regard her life as a chip regardless of anything. Unexpectedly, what Ye Tao once disliked most about Ye Wei transformed into what he admired most about her. 

After the moment of proudness passed, distress washed over Ye Tao, “It has been really tough for Ye Wei to grow up in this kind of environment. She worked with Grandma Chen since she was a child and her parents never shower her with familial affection. There is no way this kind of life is easy. Before, I had only seen these kinds of things in books and TV, but now I have experienced it myself. I realized that this kind of life is way, way much harsher than I can ever imagine.”

“It’s no wonder she has a twisted way of thinking when she has lived with this kind of family. If I grew up  in this environment, if I had a father like Chen Weiguo, if there was no one to guide me, I’m afraid that I would be the second Chen Weiguo! I am really really grateful that Ye Wei has Grandma Chen by her side, otherwise… by the time we found her, there would be no hope for her, for us.”

Ye Ying listened quietly. She studied Ye Tao’s proud and heartbroken appearance. At this point, she really acknowledged that Ye Tao had truly accepted Ye Wei in his heart.

“I will call Pa and Ma later and tell them everything about Ye Wei’s life here.” Ye Tao was determined. He had wanted to talk to his parents about it for a long time, but there was too much information for him to process and he didn’t know where to start. When he was bedridden from the illness, he finally had the time to calm down and thought about a lot of things. 

“I’m going to tell them everything, that Chen Weiguo is basically no better than a dog and tell them to stop supplying him with money. Instead, the person we should thank is Grandma Chen. If it weren’t for her, Ye Wei would have been forced to drop out of school and marry an old man! From now on, we should stay away from Chen Weiguo. Yingying, although Chen Weiguo is your biological father, you just need to do the basic filial duty. Don’t get close to him. His way of thinking is crooked. He can go that far to Ye Wei who is practically his daughter in everything but blood, he may have some calculation on you too. It’s safer to stay away from this kind of person.”

Ye Ying nodded, “I understand. Gege can be at ease.”

After these days, how could she not understand? She didn’t want to have anything to do with the kind of Chen Weiguo. She sometimes felt embarrassed and ashamed for having Chen Weiguo as her biological father. Why was her biological father such a person?

She couldn’t dislike Chen Weiguo’s poverty nor could she dislike Chen Weiguo’s vulgarity and lack of education. But, she really couldn’t help but to despise Chen Weiguo for being so patriarchal, despise him for loving the rich and hating the poor, despise him for acting like a goody two shoes!

She was ashamed to have such a father. Even more, she regretted letting Ye Tao, Zhang Yu, and Jiang Fei come along with her. Every time they mentioned Chen Weiguo; Every time they used a helpless and incomprehensible tone, she felt her cheeks burning from shame. 

After all, regardless of everything, it’s undeniable that Chen Weiguo and her had the same blood running in their veins.

While her mind was clouded about such thoughts, Ye Tao couldn’t sit still and call Father Ye and Mother Ye. The internet speed in the mountain wasn’t good, trying to watch a video online would only result in them watching a dotted white circle looping around the center of a black screen for hours. Luckily a phone call was possible. These days, he reported only the good news and not the bad. This time, he had considered it and decided to share everything. He told Father Ye and Mother Ye what he had seen and heard in detail.

“… That’s right, Chen Weiguo has gone too far. His words are not to be trusted. He said his family was poor and he had no money to let Ye Wei study, but the truth is, he wanted to leave the money for his son’s dowry! It’s the truth! I heard Chen Weiguo say it with my own ears!”

“,,, the fact that Ye Wei can go to high school was not because of Chen Weiguo, but Grandma Chen! Thanks to Grandma Chen, Ye Wei did not drop out of school. If it weren’t for Grandma Chen, I couldn’t imagine what would happen!”

“… Pa. I don’t think Grandma Chen is in good health. She is already old, but she still works all day in the field. Her body must not be able to keep up with her workload. Let’s bring her back, or at the very least, let help her improve her life quality.”

“… Grandma Chen lives alone. Chen Weiguo doesn’t care about her. Few years ago, Grandma Chen divided the family with Chen Weiguo because Grandma Chen took some money to pay Ye Wei’s tuition. In order to continue to support Ye Wei’s study, Grandma Chen…….”

Ye Tao recounted everything to them. After the end of the story, Father Ye and Mother Ye were filled with indignation. At the beginning, Mother Ye and Chen Xiaohong’s Mother were placed in the same hospital, but Chen Xiaohong’s mother died in childbirth. After that, the baby was swapped and Chen Weiguo threw Chen Xiaohong at home with his mother while he went to the city to work. At that time, they put many efforts in following the trail and found Chen Xiaohong. The people they sent for investigation took Ye Wei’s blood for a paternity test and confirmed that Ye Wei was undoubtedly their biological daughter! The investigator didn’t go into the tiny details of her life, only providing her basic information such as the living situation of the Chen Family. Later, they talked to Chen Weiguo on the phone, and Chen Weiguo didn’t mention anything to them.

They knew that the Chen Family was poor, but they didn’t expect that they were not only poor in money, but also poor in character! 

“When will you be back?”

“Ye Wei and Grandma Chen are still beating millet in the field. I don’t know when it will be finished. It may take a day or two. When the farm work is over, we may be able to return, I think?”

“How come it is that busy? Hurry and come back as soon as possible. Don’t you know how to be flexible and follow the circumstances? Just go and hire people to help you, don’t you have money on you? How come you let a little girl and old lady work on the field on this hot day?! What if they get sick?” Wang Hu was anxious, “No, that’s not right. How can you call us when they are working in the field?? Why aren’t you working, don’t tell me you are there just to supervise their work??? You are like this and you dare to call yourself the Young Master of the Ye Family???”

Ye Tao was about to shed tears, “…… I helped ah. I followed Ye We to get up at five in the morning to work. She finished work at eight in the night to go home and I did too. Ye Wei is my meimei, how can I watch her suffer? I got sick from overworking so I am resting at home today.”

His remarks managed to make Ye Shicheng and Wang Hui feel mixed emotions. Surprise; Anger; Distress.

From five to eight? What kind of day did she live these past years? How hard must it be? Besides, “A little girl and an old lady are still healthy from the workload, but you got sick? Since when did you turn into a delicate man?”

“…..” Ye Tao was scolded and really had the urge to ask, ‘Ma, do you know how tiring farm work is?’

Ye Tao received a lot of reprimand during the call. When the call was hung up, he let out a relieved sigh. 

Ye Ying was listening to the call beside him all the time. She could hear the conversation between Ye Tao and her parents. In the same way, she could also hear that her parents have not asked about her and Ye Tao didn’t mention her, as if they had forgotten about her. 

She missed them. She had sent messages back to report her safety every day and called them to say a few words. Just, at this moment, she was inevitably lost and sad.

Ye Tao was unaware of Ye Ying’s mood. He seriously discussed with Ye Ying, “If we say we want to bring Grandma Chen to live with us and let her enjoy her old age with peace without doing so much farm work, will she be willing?”

Ye Ying shook her head, “I don’t know. I often heard that the elderly are fond of their homes. Grandma Chen has lived here for decades. She should be reluctant to leave here.”

Ye Tao thought about it and deemed it was reasonable, but, “I think Grandma Chen should want to leave with us. Grandma Chen’s work sprang from her willpower to support Ye Wei because Grandma Chen needed to pay for Ye Wei’s tuition. Her age limits her choice of work, and she could only opt for selling vegetables for some money. Right now, she doesn’t have to worry about how to support Ye Wei. She can stop working so hard and take care of her health more, in this way, she can spend a few more years with Ye Wei.”

“That seems to make sense…”

“Forget it, it’s better to consult this matter to Ye Wei and listen to her opinion. At least, she must agree before I try to find out what Grandma Chen thinks about this.”

“Mnn.”

Ye Ying watched Ye Tao’s face lit up as he excitedly planned the future and she could only force out a reluctant smile to respond to him.

————·————·————

For lunch, Ye Ying intended to make sliced pork with lettuce, stir-fried vegetables, and egg drop soup. She also prepared to steam rice. According to Ye Wei, having only porridge for breakfast would lead to hunger in the afternoon, so she was going to steam some sweet potatoes and taro. Grandma Chen and Zhang Yu could take it with them and eat it when they were hungry. 

She planned well, but she lacked the skill to execute the plan. She never cooked before, even Baidu[2] couldn’t turn her into an expert in a snap. She was clueless about cooking and left the oil heating up. The moment she put the ginger and garlic in, the oil splashed everywhere and she jolted away in shock. Even Tong Ke, who was fanning the fire, ran out of the kitchen and didn’t intend to continue helping her.

Thankfully Ye Wei came back in time and took the spatula from Ye Ying’s hand. She effortlessly poured the meat and stirred it. She put two spoons of bean paste and poured the lettuce and stirred it again. The rice was not prepared ye. There was no electric rice cooker, they needed to wait for the water to boil first. When the water was boiling, Ye Wei washed the rice and rinsed the rice before filling the top layer of the pot to let it steam. 

Ye Ying stood at the kitchen door, watching Ye Wei cook competently while Ye Tao was maintaining the fire level. The two of them occasionally spoke, and side by side, they formed a harmonious picture, like they belonged together. 

Ye Ying bit her lips. She just wanted to cook a meal, but she didn’t consider she couldn’t do even the simplest things. 

She had to admit that Ye Wei was capable and diligent in her work. It was no wonder that her brother liked Ye Wei. 

At last, Zhang Yu noticed Ye Ying’s dismay.

Zhang Yu had been working all morning, facing the sun, heat, itchiness, and exhaustion. The first thing he did when he went home was to take a cold bath. He changed into clean clothes and his short hair was trickling with droplets of water. Tong Ke was fast to be by his side, giving him her assiduous and thoughtful attention. She also offered a bowl of congee. Zhang Yu thanked her, but he put it aside at the table. Jiang Fei on the side didn’t hesitate to take it and gulped it down. 

Tong Ke: “……” Forget it. Jiang Fei, I will forgive you this time for the sake of your handsome face. I won’t lower myself arguing with the likes of you.

Jiang Fei didn’t think there was anything wrong with his action. He shrugged and dragged his slippers to the kitchen to get a fast pass for his meal.

On the other hand, Zhang Yu approached Ye Ying and asked her what was wrong, why she was unhappy. 

Ye Ying recalled the way Zhang Yu and Ye Wei got along. Her heart was bothered by that, so her tone was a bit cold, “I’m fine.”

“Is it really fine? Then why are you unhappy?”

“I’m not unhappy, you got it wrong.”

Zhang Yu was skeptical, but he couldn’t figure out the reason Ye Ying was unhappy. “If you say so.”

Then, he moved to the kitchen. 

Ye Ying saw his direction and her heart was clogged up. She bit her lips and the pressure was not light. She didn’t look away until Zhang Yu’s back disappeared into the kitchen.  

Ye Wei, in the kitchen, wore loose clothes with a pair of very old sandals on her feet. She saw Zhang Yu from the corner of her eyes and casually gave an order, “Take out the bowls and chopsticks. The meal will be ready soon.”

Zhang Yu oh’ed, and went to get the bowls and chopsticks.

Chen Weiguo and his wife originally wanted to come over for lunch and deepen their relationship, but they had a sense of self-awareness. Without anyone inviting them, they didn’t dare to follow, so they reluctantly went home.

After lunch, Ye Ying washed the dishes. She came out after she washed the dishes and saw that Jiang Fei and Ye Tao were long asleep. The sun was at its highest and they couldn’t go to the field at this time, so they took the precious time to nap. 

She looked around, but she didn’t find Zhang Yu. 

She instinctively strided to the backyard. As she anticipated, she witnessed Zhang Yu giving Ye Wei a hand to cut the firewood. The two appeared to be in a joyful conversation filled with laughter.

She rarely saw Zhang Yu being so gentle with other girls. Zhang Yu seemed like a gentle and elegant easy-going man, but in truth, he was far from being approachable. She could discern that beneath the surface of Zhang Yu’s friendliness, there was alienation and indifference that repelled people thousands of miles away. 

Zhang Yu treated Ye Wei in this way, didn’t it imply that he had recognized Ye Wei and regarded Ye Wei as his own person?

“Zhang Yu, you go rest. I can do this by myself.” Ye Wei said.

Zhang Yu rejected her offer, “No, it’s okay. I’m not tired. You should be the one resting. I’m a man but I can’t keep up with you. You have done twice as much work as me this morning. You should be very tired right now.”

Ye Wei neatly chopped the dried branches into segments with a machete, “Tired? I am used to this. This is nothing to me. I used to work like this when I was young, I was so tired and cried myself to sleep, dreaming about when my Prince Charming would come to pick me up. Ah, now I thinkf of the that, it was pretty embarassing.’

Zhang Yu remained silent. This kind of work was constant throughout the year and the work wouldn’t be less just because you were young. Instead, because they were young, the exhaustion must be agonizing. He couldn’t imagine young Ye Wei carrying a huge basket on her back, being forced to bend her body from the weight and could only see her feet without being able to tell the road ahead……

“If you are embarrassed to recall the past, then I might be in a more embarrassing situation, because right now, I’m so tired that I kind of want to cry too.”

A smile appeared on Ye Wei’s face, “So it turns out that you can offer comfort too.”

Zhang Yu smiled back, “I’m telling the truth, not comforting you.”

As she laughed, Ye Wei looked at the corner and inquired with puzzlement all over her face, “Meimei, when did you come? You didn’t go for a nap?”

Zhang Yu also looked over and saw Ye Wei shuffling out from behind the corner. Her gaze landed on Ye Wei, then on Zhang Yu who was also looking at her. His eyes were clear and fair, Ye Ying was a bit uncomfortable with his gaze. She tried her best not to show it and concealed her gloom, “No, I am here to help.”

Ye Wei hummed, “Thanks for coming to help.”

Ye Ying: “……”

She walked next to Zhang Yu and sat down. She quietly took the wood and bundled it. Zhang Yu didn’t speak, neither did Ye Wei. The quiet atmosphere made Ye Ying feel like an outsider. Obviously, they were talking and laughing just before, how come they stopped the moment she arrived? Did she disturb them?

The silence lasted for a while.

Ye Wei did not make any sound, she just stood up and left just like that. Zhang Yu glanced at Ye Wei without asking anything, so naturally, Ye Ying did not ask her either. 

After Ye Wei left, Ye Ying and Zhang Yu concentrated in chopping firewood and bundling it. It was serene. but Ye Ying couldn’t resist to ask, “Why are you silent?”

Zhang Yu made an “Ah?” sound and raised his head at Ye Ying with some confusion as if asking, what did she mean?

Ye Ying: “……”

Ye Ying: “Nothing.”

She re-engrossed herself in her work.

Zhang Yu felt it was odd and asked again, “Are you unhappy? What’s wrong?”

Ye Ying shook her head and said she was fine.

Zhang Yu sighed, ‘We’ve known each other for so years. There is nothing to hide from me, you can tell me everything.'”

Ye Ying considered it and expressed, “No. It’s really nothing. It’s just, with this visit, I feel bad for Jiejie. I lived a good life for eighteen years, but Jiejie tasted eighteen years of suffering in my place.”

Zhang Yu hummed in agreement, “This was an accident and not something you did on purpose, but even so, in a way, that is is indeed the case. However, don’t think too much about it. I know you are doing your best to make up for it. But you should take into mind that Uncle Ye and Aunt Wang were ready to give up on Ye Wei because they didn’t want to see you disheartened, that has always been a thorn in Ye Wei’s heart. She may be a bit infuriated with you now, but I believe that when the imbalance in her heart gradually fades, she will be able to forgive you.”

Ye Ying was dumbfounded. In the past, whenever she said this, Zhang Yu would say that she was innocent and it had nothing to do with her. But now, what did Zhang Yu just say?

“You say, Jiejie will forgive me?”

Zhang Yu weighed it carefully, “Ye Wei is not the kind of person who makes trouble out of nothing. She is sharp on the surface, but in fact is soft on the inside. Knife mouth; Tofu heart[3], so to say. She is not the kind of person who hates the poor and loves the rich. She is far from being ungrateful. If that were the case, she wouldn’t be willing to come back here to work hard in the field after a few months of a cozy life in the Ye Family. She is sensible, filial, and caring. So, yes, she will forgive you.”, 

Ye Ying: “…………”

She didn’t know how to respond to that.

In Zhang Yu’s eyes, Ye Wei had become a sensible, filial, and caring person. Even he may not understand the reason why Ye Wei resented her. 

Her face paled. “What if I say that It’s impossible for Jiejie to forgive me?” and she even threatened to take away everything that should have belonged to her! She is full of intrigue and you have been deceived by her!

When he was thrown with this question, Zhang Yu stopped his actions and contemplated thoughtfully, “Then it has to be done slowly. The grievances and resentment in Ye Wei’s heart cannot be smoothed out overnight, Yingying, just take it slow.'”

Ye Ying hung her head and gave a wry smile. Ye Wei’s triumphant and malicious smile was engraved in her mind. She said that she wanted to take everything that should have belonged to her, and now, one by one, she had succeeded in snatching them from her.

“Mn, I see.”

She really really regretted it. She shouldn’t have let Zhang Yu accompany her to this place. 

Due to her absent-mindedness, she almost hurt her hand while cutting down the firewood. Zhang Yu told her to go back to rest and she didn’t try to put up a front. She went back to her room and slept. Her mood was heavy. She felt tired and didn’t want to see anyone, nor did she want to say anything. 

However, shortly after she fell asleep, someone knocked at the door. A teenager of about 13 years old. He wore branded sportswear and sneakers. Even if his skin was tanned, his face had a clear resemblance to Chen Weiguo. A glimpse could let her identify the person in front of her. 

Chen Xiaolong had just returned from his Grandma’s house[4] and heard that Chen Xiaohong was back. Thus, he ran over here practically at the fastest speed he could.

“Where is Chen Xiaohong? Isn’t Chen Xiaohong back? Where is she?” Chen Xiaolong stood in the yard and shouted, “Granny, Granny! Where is Chen Xiaohong!”

Ye Wei soon came out of the house, and Chen Xiaolong’s eyes lit up, “Chen Xiaohong. I knew it! Sooner or later, you will return here! Your biological parents gave up on you, but you are so desperate to go there to the point you don’t want your life anymore. Look, now you are back, your parents must not want you anymore!”

Ye Wei blinked, “Who said my parents don’t want me anymore?”

“Ma told me!” Chen Xiaolong yelled, “Why are you still standing here? Go wash my clothes and I will give you money!” He fished ten yuan from his pocket and proudly waved it at Ye Wei.

Ye Tao was also woken up by the shout. He collected his soul and walked out, “Washing clothes? Whose clothes? Give her money? Repeat what you said?'”

Chen Xiaolong didn’t know the identity of the person in front of him, but he was used to being lawless at home. Recently, their family had become rich, and he could buy everything he wanted. It made him even more lawless. So, being the overlord he was, he repeated, “Of course, it’s my clothes. Our family’s clothes are all washed by Chen Xiaohong. Chen Xiaohong, quick, come over and do the job, do you hear me?'”

Ye Tao: “???”

His mind was blank, “What’s with this brat?”

Ye Wei was calm, as if she was accustomed to being ordered around. ‘It’s nothing, it’s just washing clothes. I will be right there……”

“Washing clothes?!” Ye Tao’s mind eventually processed the information. His face turned dark in a second,  “Wash what wash! Go away you brat, she won’t wash your clothes for you! Don’t you know how to wash your own clothes?!”

Chen Xiaolong was being yelled at, but he didn’t understand where this man’s anger came from, “All the clothes in our houses are washed by Chen Xiaohong. If you don’t let her wash them, who will? I don’t want to do it myself. Anyway, I have left them by the river, so hurry up and wash them for me!”

Ye Wei has not yet spoked and Ye Tao jumped up and seized Chen Xiaolong’s collar and dragged him outside with a profound smile, “Let’s go, I will help you wash them.”

Chen Xiaolong made some resistance but it was for naught.

There was fear creeping in his heart. 

Ye Tao turned his head and smiled at Ye Wei, ‘We will be back as soon as possible.'”

Ye Wei faked out a persuasion, “Gege, don’t be so harsh on a child. Isn’t it just washing a few clothes……”

Ye Tao grunted and carried Chen Xiaolong away. 

Chen Xiaolong screamed, “Put me down! Put me down!! Granny!! Granny!!! Save me, save meee! Papaaaa! Mamaaaa1”

Ye Tao didn’t plan to bully a child. He took him out mainly because this brat was too annoying and he had something to ask of this brat. He had long known that Ye Wei was mistreated by the Chen Family, but he didn’t know the depth. This time, this brat’s lawless appearance and the way he flaunted his money at Ye Wei gave him insight. This brat must frequently order Ye Wei around.

Who knew that the answer to his questions would almost suffocate him to death. 

Grandma Chen had taken Ye Wei out of the Chen Family, but Chen Weiguo kept ordering Ye Wei around, his wife was no exception. They had no washing machine in the mountain, so laundry must be done by hand. Whether it was sunny or rainy, even in the winter, should Chen Weiguo’s wife issue an order, Ye Wei must perform it and carry a bucket of clothes to the cold river to wash them by hand!

Clothes for a family of three wouldn’t be few. In winter, just getting in contact with the cold water could freeze individuals to death, let alone washing clothes, the kind that wouldn’t be finished in less than half an hour!

Ye Wei’s hands would be entirely covered with frostbite once winter came, because of the frostbite, her fingers were short and broad, with thick bones, so unsightly ……

Ye Tao listened to this brat with heartache and wished he could just hit this stinky boy!

A small child could command Ye Wei like this, he could imagine how low was Ye Wei’s status in the Chen Family…

Not to mention, look at what this brat was wearing? His whole set of clothes cost thousands of yuan. Yet, what did Grandma Chen receive for all her hard work? What did Ye Wei wear when she first came to the Ye Family? 

Chen Xiaolong was intimidated by Ye Tao’s unsightly complexion. Chen Xiaolong was aggrieved. This time, he paid Chen Xiaohong money to wash clothes. Usually, Chen Xiaohong robbed him of his pocket money and he didn’t dare to complain, because if he dared to complain, Chen Xiaohong would grab him by the neck and struck him!

He craned his neck and looked at Chen Xiaohong. Sure enough, Chen Xiaohong was presenting her fist at him.

Chen Xiaolong was scared shitless. 

Having money made him proud to the point of being forgetful. He almost forgot that Chen Xiaohong was a violent person and could thrash him to tears every time!

Footnotes

[1]笨手笨脚 – bèn shǒu bèn jiǎo. lit. stupid hand stupid foot. Clumsy hands; Inflexible movements or indexterous hands and feet. Accuse others of unskilled movement (derogatory). ↵

[2] 百度 – bǎidù. Basically a Chinese Google? It has Baidu Search, Baidu Maps, Baidu Baike (Wiki), etc. ↵

[3] 刀子嘴豆腐心 – dāo zi zuǐ dòu fu xīn. a mouth as sharp as a knife and heart as soft as tofu. Sharp tongue concealing a caring heart; Speaks harshly but means well; Poisonous tongue but has a soft heart.↵

[4] 外婆 – wài pó. It has been mentioned in the previous chapter, while Nainai is (Paternal) Grandma, Waipo is (Maternal) Grandma. ↵

Ry’s Notes

I think it’s interesting to point that Ye Ying used 可以不 (don’t have to/shouldn’t/may not), rather than the decisive 不可以 (couldn’t) when she said “She couldn’t hate Chen Weigou’s poverty” like if given enough reason, she could choose to hate it, but if she did, she would be hating the poor and loving the rich, so she choose not to hate it.

可以不 – hating him is up to her decision, 不可以 – she can’t hate him. 

I.e 我可以不看電視, I can watch the TV, or I can choose not to watch it. 我不可以看電視, I can’t watch the TV. 

不可以＝you don’t have right to choose to do or not to do (not allowed)

可以不＝you can choose to do or not to do (it is allowed)

Anyway, 可以不 and 不可以 still translate to may not/can not in the end of the day, so maybe it is just me overthinking it lololol 

“Even more, she regretted letting Ye Tao, Zhang Yu, and Jiang Fei come along with her.”  It’s funny that she doesn’t mention Tong Ke but it’s understandable because Tong Ke is unpleasant (to her, at least).

Ry’s Lei’s Corner

I should have stuck with nainai and waipo to avoid confusion.

I bet that Ye Wei is having fun in this current Arc, bullying all the characters as much as she liked.

“Tired? I am used to this. This is nothing to me.” Seems like her “Strong Like a Bull” Golden Finger worked perfectly fine.

*sniff sniff* Ye Ying in this chapter began to look sus.