Old Mrs. Song is reborn; get out of here, you scumbag husband and illegitimate child!

Looking at Yi Feng's tear-streaked face, Song Xianglan didn't rush to leave.

Do you know how much money your mother has left?

Yi Feng wiped away her tears and shook her head.

"I can roughly guess. The 30,000 yuan my dad left us hasn't been spent yet, and the money he saved before is probably gone. As for the other 5,000 yuan, it should still be there."

Song Xianglan: "How long do you think this money will last?"

Yi Feng remained silent.

"You saw your youngest uncle take a thousand. What about your eldest uncle? Your second uncle? Your third uncle? Your aunts? And your maternal grandmother?"

Yi Feng's lips were a little dry.

"I know your mother's personality too well. She'll give to her family members whenever they ask, and if they don't, she'll say they've forgotten their roots."

Your youngest uncle borrows a thousand today, your second uncle borrows two thousand tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow your eldest uncle says he needs working capital for his business. This money only comes in and never goes out; believe me, it won't be gone in two years.

Yifeng gripped the basket handle tightly.

"Your mother has money and is young. Do you think the men your grandmother introduced her to were interested in your mother as a person, or in the family fortune she has?"

Yi Feng's face turned pale instantly.

Song Xianglan stared at her, "What you should do is go back and keep an eye on your mother, and make sure she protects your school fees first."

Your tuition, textbook fees, and living expenses—not a penny less. These are your sisters' lifeline.

Yi Feng's tears welled up again.

"She won't listen to me. She won't listen to anything I say."

"Then you'd better figure something out." Song Xianglan's voice was harsh. "Your whole family has eight hundred cunning minds each, but you can't even scrape together a brain the size of a fingernail."

Yi Feng: ...The complaints from my third great-aunt are too harsh.

She used to hate Song Qiang so much that she felt he had ruined the family.

Now that she's faced so many setbacks, been scolded, cheated, and had her wages withheld, she's only just beginning to realize that making money isn't something you can simply do whenever you want.

Her grandmother said her father earned money entirely by luck.

But if you're lucky, you have to get up before dawn and work until dark every day, until the sweat on your clothes can't be washed off for three days.

Her uncles didn't have that kind of luck.

Yi Feng covered her face and burst into tears.

A sixteen-year-old girl squatted in the middle of the town's main street, her basket at her feet, crying so hard that passersby stopped to watch.

"Gurgle."

While I was crying, my stomach growled.

The sound was so loud that even Song Yifeng herself was taken aback.

Song Xianglan glanced at her. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

Yi Feng wiped away her tears and shook her head.

Song Xianglan pushed her bicycle forward a few steps. "I'll take you to lunch."

Yifeng quickly got up, picked up her basket, and followed.

There was a stall selling sweet potato starch dumplings on the street corner. A large iron pot was placed on the stove, and steam was rising from the pot. The round sweet potato starch dumplings floated on the soup, emitting a fragrant aroma.

"Two bowls of sweet potato starch dumplings."

The stall owner scooped out two bowls with a large ladle.

Song Xianglan handed a bowl to Yifeng.

Yifeng picked up a spoon, scooped up a dough ball, and put it in her mouth. It was so hot that she gasped for breath, then she stir-fried it in her mouth before swallowing it.

The second and third spoonfuls followed immediately, and they devoured the food in a flash.

The bowl of rice noodles was empty.

Yi Feng wiped her mouth with a handkerchief; her eyes were still red.

Song Xianglan paid the money. "Return the zongzi to your classmate's house. Apologize to them. Then go back and study hard."

"Third Aunt," Yi Feng said in a muffled voice.

"Um."

"Will my grandparents... ignore me?"

Song Xianglan did not say anything kind.

"If you were my granddaughter, I would have kicked you out right then and there."

Yi Feng's face turned pale.

"If you've done something wrong, you have to admit it. The things you said back then were increasingly hurtful. How old are your grandparents?"

"If you're going to admit your mistake, show some sincerity. Don't just go in hesitantly, shout something, and run away."

Stand in front of your grandmother and explain everything you've done wrong, one by one. Whether you get a beating or a scolding after you've finished, you'll have to accept it. Age is no excuse; sixteen isn't a child.

Yi Feng nodded.

It took him a long time to squeeze out a sentence:

"Third Aunt, I know I was wrong."

Song Xianglan stood up.

Yi Feng stood up and grabbed her sleeve again.

"My third great-aunt... my mom has a lot of flaws. But she truly loves us. She loves my dad too. She is just..."

Yifeng couldn't continue speaking.

"I know your mother's problems better than you do." Song Xianglan patted her hand. "She's a fickle person, always wavering and insecure. Before marriage, she relied on her family for support, and after marriage, she relied on your father."

"Your father had an illegitimate child. She's filled with fear and resentment, but she has no opinions of her own and is entirely driven by her family. She wouldn't dare stand up for herself."

Yi Feng was stunned for a moment.

"Do you think all women who can't get a divorce are unable to support themselves?"

Song Xianglan's voice became a little flatter:

"Some people are afraid of leaving their familiar lives. No matter how bad their lives are, they don't dare to take that step. Your mother was pushed along by your maternal grandmother and uncle. She didn't have the confidence to live alone."

Yi Feng lowered her eyes and thought for a moment.

She seemed to understand a little.

It seems like I don't fully understand it.

But she didn't ask any more questions.

She picked up the basket, bowed to Song Xianglan, and said, "Thank you, Third Aunt. I'll head back now."

She walked seven or eight steps, then looked back once more.

Song Xianglan is untying the basket that is tied to the back of her bicycle.

I didn't look at her.

Yi Feng sniffed and quickened her pace, disappearing into the crowd.

Yifeng went to her classmate's house first.

My classmate's mother was washing clothes in the yard and wasn't happy to see her coming with a basket.

"Auntie," Yifeng handed over the basket, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let A-Ming steal the zongzi you made."

The classmate's mother took the basket and lifted the cloth to take a look.

His anger intensified.

"Song Yifeng, how dare you! You've completely corrupted my son. He stole things from home to help you. You're really something, aren't you? You go out without a brain, just a thick skin."

"You have warped values ​​and are unattractive. You're so young, yet you're trying to seduce my son."

Yi Feng stood there and was scolded.

"Your family is just like this. Your mother spends all her time at home going on blind dates, with men ranging from their twenties to their fifties, no one is spared."

"Auntie, it's my fault. Please don't blame my mother."

The classmate's mother slammed the basket on the ground. "My son is such a kind person. He'll clear the road if it's uneven, and he'll intervene if something is wrong."

But he doesn't know how treacherous the world is. You look seriously ill, and your mind is controlled by a vixen. From now on, stay away from my son.

"Whose pants weren't pulled up and you fell out? You reek of filth and spout nonsense."

"They're just making things difficult for themselves. Instead of studying hard, they're just like those young punks who coast along in town."

You have absolutely no manners, just hanging around with your uncles. Later in life, someone will teach you how to do things, and after a few years of free meals, you'll know who the good people are.

Yi Feng bit her lip and received a good scolding.

She left the house crying.

The winter wind feels like knives on your face.

The gate to Sister-in-law Song's courtyard was ajar.

When Yifeng pushed open the door, her palms were covered in cold sweat.

In the courtyard, Song Fei's wife was sitting on a stool sewing shoe soles when she saw Yi Feng come in, and her eyebrows immediately shot up.

"Oh, what a rare guest! Has the sun risen in the west?"

Yi Feng didn't reply and walked inside with her head down.

Song Fei's wife rolled her eyes. "You're a brainless idiot. You come in with a deadpan expression. All sorts of wildcats and stray dogs come into our house."

Inside the main room, Sister-in-law Song was sitting on the floor pasting paper money.

She worked slowly, pasting gold leaf onto each sheet of gold paper.

Hearing footsteps, Sister-in-law Song looked up.

As soon as the old lady saw the person standing at the door, the paper money in her hand fell onto the table with a "thud".

"Yi Feng?"

Yi Feng's lips trembled several times.

"grandmother."

The moment those two words were uttered, tears welled up uncontrollably.

"Grandma, I'm sorry."

Yi Feng knelt down on the threshold with a "thump," the sound of her knees hitting the stone slab making Sister-in-law Song's heart tremble.

"I said some nonsense. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Grandpa."

Yi Feng kowtowed to the ground. "You can hit me or scold me all you want. It's all what I deserve."

Sister-in-law Song stood up, walked to the door, bent down, pulled Yifeng up, and hugged her.

"You brat."

The old lady's voice was hoarse.

Yifeng nestled in her grandmother's arms, crying so hard she could barely breathe.

Song Fei's wife rolled her eyes in the yard, put the sole of her shoe on her lap, and said, "As long as society crushes you quickly, you'll be useless without ambition. She's not very capable, but she's all talk and no action."

Sister-in-law Song hugged Yifeng tightly, patting her back repeatedly with one hand.

"You've lost weight... How did you get so thin? Have you eaten?"

"I ate. My third great-aunt treated me to a bowl of sweet potato starch dumplings."

Upon hearing the words "Third Aunt," Sister-in-law Song immediately understood what was going on.

"You saw your third great-aunt?"

"Yes." Yifeng wiped away her tears. "My third aunt scolded me. But I'm glad she scolded me."

Sister-in-law Song sighed.

"You deserve to be scolded."

"Grandma, I promise I'll study hard from now on and won't run around outside anymore."

Sister-in-law Song was heartbroken. She let go of Yifeng's hand and pulled her into the house.

"Eat first. I just steamed some rice, and there's some leftover fish soup from yesterday."

"No need, Grandma, I've already eaten."

"Have another bowl after you've eaten." Sister-in-law Song's voice trembled with tears. "Look at you, your chin has become so pointed."

Song Fei's wife watched from the yard as her mother-in-law helped Yi Feng into the kitchen.

"There's no limit to shamelessness, but arrogance is a bottomless pit." She deliberately raised her voice.

This earned him a glare from Sister-in-law Song.

Yifeng ate a bowl of hot rice at her grandmother's house.

Rice soaked in fish soup, served with five or six oily fried eggs.

Sister-in-law Song sat beside her, watching her eat, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Grandma," Yifeng put down her bowl, "I will definitely study hard."

Sister-in-law Song: "Grandma never went to school. She only knows that studying is the only way to succeed. You must go to university."

It was already dark when I left my grandmother's house.

Yifeng walked quickly home.

When I opened the door, the house was dark and Yang Liu wasn't home.

She pulled a red string from around her neck, with a key tied to it.

This was something she had prepared long ago. Yang Liu was unaware of it.

The lock cylinder turned twice, and the door opened.

Yifeng went into the inner room and turned on the light.

She knew Yang Liu's wardrobe all too well.

I opened the wardrobe and flipped through the bottom pile of old clothes. Underneath the clothes was a cloth bag, and inside the bag was a bankbook.

She pulled it out and opened it.

Thirty thousand.