Deep Fog Kiss

Grandma's tears fell onto Jiang Li's thin clothes, hot and scalding, making her tremble slightly.

Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly as she got up and went into the room.

A moment later, she took out a bankbook and handed it to Su Ruolan, "Is this alright?"

Su Ruolan's eyes lit up, and she immediately snatched it away. Then she frowned, "Only 60,000! What can 60,000 do with that!"

Jiang Li pursed her lips. They didn't know that this 60,000 yuan was also saved up by her father from his salary.

Dad said that if they save more money, his daughter Ali won't suffer in the future.

Xiang Yaojie glanced at He Biyu's swollen eyes. What she said was true; these days, the most important things in business are face and status.

Doing good deeds might actually benefit him in business.

He looked at Su Ruolan and said, "Consider this money as living expenses."

Su Ruolan, her face full of displeasure, put away the bankbook, turned and walked out. "After working for so many years, he only has 60,000 in savings. Jiang Jing is really useless!"

......

The storage room had no windows, only a dim chandelier that would sometimes go out for a few seconds due to a malfunction and then come back on.

At this time, the only light in the room was the light that seeped in through the crack in the door from the living room.

Jiang Li arrived at the Xiang family home, and this was her room.

The storage room was filled with a lot of odds and ends, and the remaining space was just enough to fit a simple bed, which my grandmother bought from the discarded furniture of a neighbor.

Fortunately, Jiang Li didn't have much stuff, just a backpack and some simple clothes.

She sat on the hard "bed" and heard Su Ruolan's voice coming from the doorway.

"Our house is only so big. Where else would she live if not here? Are we going to give her Xinyao and Tianyu's room, or my and your son's room? Is our Xiang family some kind of ancestor? Are we supposed to treat her like royalty?"

"The storage room is dark and damp, cold in winter and hot in summer. A little girl like her will get sick living there!" Grandma's frail voice argued from outside the door. "Ali won't take your room; she'll live with me."

"No way!" Su Ruolan refused outright. "Live with you? What if Xinyao wants to sleep with Grandma someday? Where will she sleep then?"

"Mom, get this straight. Xinyao and Tianyu are your grandchildren; they're the siblings who bear the surname Xiang!"

The argument subsided, leaving only a long sigh from Grandma.

When she pushed open the door, Grandma's eyes were filled with tears, and she looked incredibly distressed.

"Ah Li..."

Jiang Li raised her head, her eyes filled with confusion as she looked at her grandmother.

"My dear Ali," her grandmother said, sitting beside her and embracing her small frame. "You've suffered so much."

Although Jiang Li is only eight years old, she understands that she is an orphan and will be in the same situation no matter where she is.

Besides, at least my grandmother is here.

There was also someone who was willing to hug her.

"Grandma..." Jiang Li began, her voice hoarse. She clutched her grandmother's clothes tightly, tears soaking them. "I miss Daddy... I want Daddy..."

"Ah Li," Grandma said, her voice trembling as she stroked her hair, "Dad is watching over Ah Li from heaven. Our Ah Li must be strong."

"Ah Li, study hard, grow up well, and live a good life in the future."

At that time, Jiang Li had no idea what a good life was like.

All she knew was that every day of hers was like a nightmare.

......

In the evening, Xiang Yaojie was not home, but Xiang Xinyao and Xiang Tianyu came home from school.

Xiang Xinyao had two small braids and was wearing a pretty floral dress.

Xiang Tianyu was seven or eight years older than Jiang Li. At fifteen or sixteen, he was in his rebellious phase, sporting a buzz cut and a carefree demeanor.

Jiang Liping rarely saw them; although they were cousins, they weren't very familiar with each other.

"Xinyao, Tianyu." He Biyu called out to them, leading Jiang Li to them and introducing her, "This is Ali, your uncle's daughter. Xinyao, Ali is older than you, you should call her 'elder sister'."

Xiang Xinyao glanced at Jiang Li, then turned and left, scoffing disdainfully, "I don't have such a sister."

"This child," He Biyu said, then looked at Xiang Tianyu. "Tianyu, this is your younger sister. She'll be transferring to your elementary school. Please take good care of her and make sure no one bullies her, understand?"

Xiang Tianyu, with a lollipop dangling from his mouth, sized Jiang Li up and down, grinning nonchalantly, "Little nemesis, you killed Mom and Dad, now you're in our house, who do you want to kill?"

Jiang Li clenched her little fists, her eyes red as she glared at him, "I'm not your nemesis!"

"You're my nemesis!" Xiang Tianyu laughed even harder. "You've killed your parents, hahaha!"

He Biyu quickly scolded, "What are you saying, child!"

Xiang Tianyu scoffed and rolled his eyes at her, "I'll get you sooner or later."

At dinner time, Jiang Li sat at the far end of the table, with only a plate of green vegetables in front of her.

"Vegetables are really expensive these days."

Su Ruolan placed a piece of braised pork on Xiang Xinyao's and Xiang Tianyu's plates, saying, "The auntie who was buying groceries today said that the price of meat has gone up again."

Jiang Li quietly picked at the white rice in her bowl, and could understand the meaning behind those words.

She kept her head down, only picking at the vegetables in front of her.

Suddenly, a piece of braised pork appeared in her bowl. She looked up and saw her grandmother looking at her lovingly. "Ali, eat it."

"mom!"

Su Ruolan put down her chopsticks, her face full of displeasure. "I already said meat prices are high, and you still gave her so much meat. If she eats it all, what will your grandchildren eat?"

He Biyu looked embarrassed. "It's just a piece of meat, it shouldn't be that serious—"

"How could it be!" Xiang Xiyao suddenly stood up, pouting. "Grandma's being unfair! I'm not eating!"

She turned and ran away after she finished speaking.

Su Ruolan became even angrier, pointing at Jiang Li, "Mom, isn't it inappropriate to make your granddaughter unhappy because of her?"

He Biyu lowered her eyes, her hand holding the chopsticks trembling slightly, and sighed helplessly.

She knew this was no small matter, it wasn't just about a piece of meat.

"Grandma." A pair of small, delicate hands placed the piece of braised pork into her bowl. "You eat it."

When He Biyu met her clear, bright eyes, her aged eyes instantly reddened.

"Miss Su."

At this moment, the cleaning lady responsible for cleaning the Xiang family's house came over, bowed and apologized, "I'm sorry, could I ask you for leave? I have something to do tomorrow and can't come."

"Taking a day off?" Su Ruolan frowned. "If you take a day off, who will do the cleaning tomorrow? Am I supposed to do it?"

"This..." The other party looked apologetic. "I'm really sorry, I really have something to do tomorrow. Don't worry, I will definitely come on time the day after tomorrow."

Su Ruolan pondered for a moment, then looked at Jiang Li, who was quietly eating her rice. "You don't need to come anymore."

"Jiang Li," she sneered, "from now on, you'll be cleaning our house. After all, I'm not your parents, I have no obligation to raise you, so it's not unreasonable for you to do some chores."

......

From then on, all the household chores in the Xiang family fell to Jiang Li.

She gets up early every day to clean, do laundry, and help the cook wash vegetables and dishes.

When Su Ruolan complained that she hadn't cleaned properly, she would kneel on the floor and wipe it clean inch by inch.

Xiang Xinyao would deliberately step on the floor while she was mopping, and Xiang Tianyu would spit sunflower seed shells all over the floor.

She knew that, apart from her grandmother, no one in this family welcomed her.

Each of them was trying to drive her away in their own way.