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

But that smile hadn't fully spread yet.

Her shoulders slumped again.

"I ran away. But Sister Yuena still has to stay there and suffer." Xiaoyan lowered her head, her toes unconsciously rubbing against the ground. "She's kind-hearted and works very hard."

But nobody in the Tang family treats her like a human being. As I eat this plain rice, the thought that she might only have sweet potato porridge and not even be full makes my heart ache.

"Is she very good to you?" Song Xianglan asked.

Xiao Yan nodded emphatically.

Her tone was urgent: "She's the only one who's good to me. From childhood to adulthood, only she has protected me. Even my mother wouldn't protect me. She always shields me from anyone who bullies me."

In my heart, she's a hundred times better than my mother. She's better than my brother too; boys are so careless and don't pay attention to details at all.

She had kept these words to herself for a long time.

In the murky mire of the Tang family, the two girls were like weeds huddling together for warmth.

But she dared not tell everyone she met.

"Does your grandmother forbid you from mentioning the Tang family?" Song Xianglan bluntly pointed out.

Xiao Yan suddenly looked up, her eyes full of surprise.

"How did you figure that out?"

"I can tell from how frustrated you are. Your grandma has such a decisive temper," Song Xianglan said, leaning against the tree trunk. "She probably told you that there's not a single good person in the Tang family. She wanted you to stay away from them to avoid getting into trouble, right?"

Xiao Yan's eyes reddened.

She bit her lower lip and remained silent.

She dared not disobey her grandmother and could only send letters secretly.

"Third Aunt," Xiao Yan tentatively asked, voicing her inner doubts, "Don't you...think the Tang family is bad?"

"Of course it's bad."

Song Xianglan said calmly, "Your stepfather is a scoundrel who beats his wife and children. Your biological mother is a fool and a selfish wretch."

Having spent so much time in poverty, they become blind to their own interests, seeing only what is best for themselves. Human nature is truly tested when people are starving.

Xiao Yan lowered her head.

"But this has nothing to do with Tang Yuena," Song Xianglan retorted.

Xiao Yan was stunned.

"Human nature isn't something that can be molded from a single mold," Song Xianglan said, looking into Xiaoyan's eyes. "Even in a quagmire, a beautiful lotus can grow. No matter how dark that family was, didn't you and Tang Yuena uphold your principles and live cleanly until now?"

Song Xianglan raised her hand and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder.

"Fate isn't based on blood ties. If blood ties were important, would your own mother have treated you like that?"

Song Xianglan sneered:

"Your sister Yuena, being able to stay true to her conscience and treat you well in that kind of environment, that's the most precious thing."

I love seeing young women like you two going hand in hand. The bond built over ten or twenty years is more valuable than any damn relatives.

Xiao Yan's nose suddenly stung, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I'll write to her and tell her later."

Song Xianglan continued, "If she can't stand it in that house anymore and wants to change her way of life, she can come to you anytime. My Xiaoquan Village can afford to feed one more mouth to feed."

A tear fell onto the back of my hand.

Xiao Yan didn't bother wiping herself; she tightly hugged Song Xianglan's arm with both hands.

"Third Aunt".

Xiao Yan buried her face in Song Xianglan's shoulder, her voice choked with sobs, "I only dared to say these things to Sister Yuena. Here, I don't even have anyone I dare to confide in."

She was crying so hard she was shaking all over.

"I'm afraid people will look down on me. I'm afraid my second aunt and the others will say I'm immature, and that they'll think I'm a burden."

I work incredibly hard every day, rushing to sweep and wash dishes. I just want you to think I'm diligent, and I want you to feel that keeping me around is a worthwhile investment.

This is a girl who has been disliked for a long time, with an inferiority complex ingrained in her bones.

I've arrived in a new environment.

My first reaction was to hide all my thorns and try my best to live as the obedient and sensible tool in other people's eyes.

Life is too tiring.

Song Xianglan did not push her away, letting her hug her arms and cry.

"Promising."

Song Xianglan waited until she had cried enough before speaking, "You're a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young lady, a time when you should be carefree and unrestrained. Why are you so concerned about what others think?"

Xiao Yan looked up at her, her eyes red.

"You better remember this," Song Xianglan said sternly. "From now on, in this village, just be yourself. You don't need to please anyone, and you don't need to prove your usefulness by doing hard labor."

Xiao Yan nodded, sobbing.

"Report to the factory tomorrow."

Song Xianglan casually decided on her future path, "You'll work in the workshop for a few months first. It'll be full of girls your age, so hang out with them and soak up their energy."

Xiao Yan stopped wiping away her tears.

"I'll listen to my third aunt."

"After you've worked for a few months, if you want to study or learn something, then we can go. You can learn a skill, or you can continue working in the factory."

"Why?" Xiao Yan asked, puzzled.

"Silly child, you can only determine your future by broadening your horizons."

Song Xianglan could send her to school now.

But for a girl like Xiaoyan, it would feel like a lot of pressure and a heavy burden.

Even when they went, they would just huddle in a corner, calculating every penny spent on buying a pencil, afraid of spending too much and offending others. Living such a cautious life made it impossible to concentrate on studying.

Why not go to the factory and earn a few months' wages first?

Once she has her wages from the past few months in her own hands, she'll feel more confident.

By then, she will have the eloquence to communicate with people in the factory and will use the money she earns to pay for her tuition.

Even when walking around the school, she can stand up straight.

Song Xianglan thought of these things, which is why she didn't let Xiaoyan go to school first.

The light in Xiao Yan's eyes finally shone brightly.

She bit her lip hard and nodded emphatically:

"I understand. I want to broaden my horizons."

Song Xianglan reached out and pulled Xiao Yan's thick, long braid that hung down in front of her chest. "Your hair is in good condition. Don't go to that old man who collects hair at the village entrance tomorrow."

"Grandma said it can sell for a lot of money." Xiao Yan touched her braid.

"I sold all my hair before."

"That old man, just to cut an extra half inch, could turn you into a tomboy with one snip." Song Xianglan stood up, patted her trouser leg, and said, "Come with me to town tomorrow morning. There's a barbershop there."

You can either cut off your long hair and sell it for money, or you can get a stylish and nice short haircut from the hairdresser. We're here to make money, but we can't let a pretty young girl turn into a tomboy for a few bucks.

Xiao Yan stopped crying and smiled, quickly stood up from the stone bench and steadily helped Song Xianglan up.

The two walked home together.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, the lights inside the house were turned on.

Song Xianglan went to the bathroom, took out a brand new set of towels and toothbrush from the cabinet, and handed them to Xiao Yan, who was standing in the living room.

Go wash up by yourself.

Song Xianglan pointed to the second floor, "The second room on the left on the second floor is a guest room, and the beds are already made. I'll go take a shower first, and then I'll go upstairs and find you a clean set of bedding."

Xiao Yan took the toiletries but didn't go up the stairs.

"Third Aunt." Xiao Yan stood there, looking at Song Xianglan expectantly.

"What's wrong now?"

Xiao Yan, clutching a towel, grinned and said, "I don't want to sleep in the guest room. Can I sleep in the same room as you tonight?"

Song Xianglan glared at her.

"I don't snore or steal the blankets," Xiao Yan quickly assured her. "I just want to be with you. I like listening to you talk."

Song Xianglan turned and went into the bathroom: "Suit yourself. Just don't steal my bedding in the middle of the night."

"I won't steal it," Xiao Yan smiled.