Chapter 48: Chapter 48

There's such a good deal?

How much work could a little girl like Siya possibly do? It couldn't compare to the wages from the embroidery workshop.

She had investigated early on - a moderately skilled embroiderer in the county workshop could earn at least a small tael of silver per month!

Don't underestimate this one tael of silver. For ordinary farming families, saving just a few small taels after a whole year's hard work was already considered quite good.

This deal was simply too advantageous.

Even Little Chen beside her shut her mouth.

Little Chen also knew that not having to work was already the greatest concession the family could offer.

In contrast, hearing this made Second Ya almost go crazy. Again? Her grandmother was too biased!

Although the Xie family's finances were currently controlled by the elderly couple, each branch could still keep some private savings.

She had thought the same would apply when it was her turn.

Without money, how could she start her business? How could she create a good study environment for her future husband?

"Grandma, I disagree! Why should I?"

Xie Second Ya's eyes were red as she glared hatefully at the old hag before her.

Again! Every single time!

Xie Second Ya was furious.

Her father and Third Uncle were both middle-of-the-road brothers, but just because Third Uncle married a daughter from the neighboring Chen village - that old hag's cousin's granddaughter - the favoritism had gone completely off the rails.

Did they think she didn't know where Xie Siya had occasionally gotten those peanuts she secretly gave her?

"Didn't I say it before? I didn't push her! Siya fell down by herself! Why should I be responsible?" Xie Second Ya flatly denied.

"Who saw me push Siya?"

Unfortunately, no matter how sweetly Xie Second Ya spoke now, remembering her earlier secretly gleeful expression, no one would believe her.

Or rather, no one wanted to believe her.

In the room, An Ning couldn't help curling her lips.

With such significant interests involved, not to mention others, even Eldest Uncle and his wife would absolutely not let the money slip from their hands.

Moreover, through the original host's memories, An Ning had already gained some understanding of Eldest Aunt Zhang's character.

As the eldest daughter-in-law who saw herself as the one who had earned the family’s favor by giving birth to two sons... and a daughter for the Xie family, she had always been the most proud, having long regarded the Xie family as belonging to her branch.

Her eyes were like measuring tapes every day - several times when the original host's mother secretly gave things to her children, they were almost discovered.

Under such a person's watch, if Xie Second Ya wanted to secretly save money, forget about a door - there wouldn't even be a crack. Before Second Ya could even complete her apprenticeship and earn money, Eldest Aunt would have thoroughly investigated the county embroidery workshop's situation. And with Fourth Uncle working as a waiter in the county tavern...

They would surely extract every last copper of Second Ya's wages.

Their cheap Fourth Uncle was waiting for money to marry a beautiful wife!

Comrade Second Ya should work hard and strive to contribute to improving the family's material conditions.

After confirming the main door was securely locked from inside, An Ning happily took out the cloud cake she had prepared earlier from her space.

Before being thrown into that godforsaken place in her previous life before death, she had spent nearly half her points just to expand her space's volume a little.

Though seventy points only expanded it by 1 cubic meter.

Still, looking at the neatly arranged pastries and various fruits inside, An Ning couldn't help but feel reassured.

Good, at least she wouldn't have to worry for the next two years.

In the evening when Little Chen came over, An Ning's palm-sized face still bore a sickly pallor.

"Mother..." Clutching her mother's sleeve tightly, the originally lively little girl now had large dark eyes full of unease.

Clearly, she had overheard what the doctor said earlier. Otherwise, why would she be so abnormal just from being sick?

Seeing her daughter , Little Chen cursed Second Ya fiercely in her heart again before carefully recounting what had happened in the front room:

"Don't worry, Siya. From now on you can just stay at home peacefully. Let me see who dares gossip about you."

Poor children mature early. Village girls this age might not understand much, but they all knew what "not working" meant.

No work = being scolded, equivalent to being disliked. Some cruel families might even sell their children.

For example, some aunties in the village who liked scaring children would say things like "if you don't work, you'll be sold to the deep mountains to feed wild wolves."

So seeing her unusually quiet daughter today, Little Chen didn't suspect anything, only feeling heartbroken. Before leaving, she specially slipped an egg into her daughter's hand.

That night as the family of four lay in bed, An Ning could faintly hear her mother cursing next door, interspersed with sighs:

"Husband, what will we do about Siya from now on!"

"What can we do? Later we'll find her a husband from a family with many brothers and substantial means, and have Sanwa help support her. She'll manage somehow."

Despite his words, Third Brother Xie's voice was unusually subdued today.

In the village, whether men or women, unless the family was exceptionally well-off, who didn't have to work in the fields?

Without work, a person was half useless.

"What did that dead girl from the second branch want anyway? What good did harming our Siya do her?"

Little Chen was puzzled. Over the years, while she hadn't been close to the second branch, she hadn't mistreated them either. Except for occasionally mocking Second Sister-in-law's infertility - but wasn't that because she always looked so wronged and bullied, as if her younger sister-in-law was tormenting her? It was infuriating to see.

Instead of dealing with the bullying eldest branch, why pick on Siya?

Indeed, Little Chen firmly believed that Second Ya's harmful actions must have been instigated by Second Sister-in-law Xia Zhaodi.

Otherwise, how could an eight-year-old child have such cunning ideas - harming someone and then returning to lie to them without batting an eye?

Thinking of that packet of soybeans she had nearly given away earlier, Little Chen felt sick. Thankfully her daughter was clever - if they'd really given it, she'd have been furious to death.

"I actually think Second Ya is quite sinister."

Unlike the loud Little Chen, although Third Brother Xie usually didn't talk much, having often worked odd jobs in the county, he had some insight. He immediately warned his wife: "From now on, keep Siya and Sanwa away from her."

Little Chen nodded repeatedly.

To be honest, Second Ya's expression today - especially after Mother-in-law mentioned handing over the money - had been downright terrifying.

Coincidentally, at the same time, the eldest branch couple was also discussing this:

After tossing and turning for a while, Zhang finally couldn't help pushing her husband:

"Husband, don't you think Second Ya has been acting strangely recently?"