Help! My hunky roommate is begging me to touch his abs!

"Buy your plane ticket early, it's cheaper."

Jin Bao'er answered while rummaging through the cold rice in her bowl with her head down.

The aunt didn't say anything more, just snorted coldly, turned around and went upstairs to sleep.

Soon, the phone rang, and Zhao Yuheng's name appeared on the screen.

Jin Bao'er answered the call with a smile, her expression softening instantly.

"Gan Jinbao, what's wrong with you? I told you to call me as soon as you got off the plane, and it's so late, why haven't you called yet?"

Zhao Yuheng's tone carried a hint of anger that had been building up for a long time.

"I'm sorry, Heng-ge, I forgot."

Jin Bao'er's voice was low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance.

"Hmph, forgot? How come you didn't forget your own name?"

Hearing Heng-ge's angry expression, Jin Bao'er's suppressed emotions from being scolded by her aunt eased slightly.

"Has Heng-ge eaten yet?"

Jin Bao'er didn't want to talk about this anymore and quickly changed the subject.

"Not yet. My mom made a huge feast for me, and she's still busy. She's determined to make sure there are ten dishes, just to make it perfect."

Zhao Yuheng continued talking to himself, his tone brimming with undisguised smugness, "You know, there are only three of us in my family—me, my dad, and my mom—how could we possibly finish all that food? If you came, maybe it would be alright."

"Little one, come and eat!"

A gentle female voice came from the phone, as pleasant as a news anchor's, filled with affection.

"Bao'er, I'm going to eat." Zhao Yuheng's voice softened a bit.

"Okay," Jin Bao'er replied softly.

After Zhao Yuheng hung up the phone, Jin Bao'er silently ate another bite of rice, a single tear quietly sliding down her cheek and landing on the cold rice grains.

In my memory, my mother seemed to speak like that too.

"Baby~ Time to eat."

"Baby~ We want to grow tall."

"Baby……"

……

"Get up! Are you sleeping like a log? What time is it? Get up and get to work!"

A sharp, piercing sound suddenly slammed into her ear, startling Jin Bao'er so much that she shuddered.

Despite the intense sleepiness and biting cold, Jin Bao'er slowly climbed out of the hard bed.

In Yunnan, it's colder indoors than outdoors in winter; getting out of bed is practically unbearable.

But compared to that, my aunt's curses were even more frightening.

He changed into an old shirt he wore in high school, the cuffs of which were worn out, and slipped out of bed in a pair of slippers with soles that were almost completely worn down.

Before I could even wash up, my aunt grabbed my arm and made me go to start a fire to cook pig feed.

One batch of pig feed needs to be fed for two days, so a large pot needs to be cooked at once. Water needs to be carried, firewood needs to be chopped, and people are so busy that their feet barely touch the ground.

While squatting in front of the stove adding firewood and tending the fire, Jin Bao'er helped her aunt pour basins of freshly crushed sweet potatoes into the pot.

The mud from the sweet potato vines clung to his hands, icy cold.

"How come you've grown so big but have no strength at all? You've been eating for nothing!"

Although Jinbao'er is very perceptive and not slow, in her aunt's eyes, she is never good enough.

Today I was criticized again without any mercy.

Jin Bao'er merely tugged at the corners of her mouth, forcing a stiff smile, not daring to argue back.

It was still dark and gloomy, and many families in the village were still asleep.

Of course, his dear cousin Liu Yu was still sleeping soundly in his warm bed.

My aunt has always been biased in these matters.

When there's a lot of work, he should do more; when there's little work, he should do it all.

Liu Yu, on the other hand, is always the one who can stand by and do nothing.

Jin Bao'er was already used to it; living under someone else's roof was just how things were.

When the pig feed was almost cooked and steaming hot, Jinbao picked up the broom that had lost its bristles and swept the house inside and out.

He swept the chicken droppings and fallen leaves in the yard again and again until his aunt nodded in approval, and only then did he stop.

The moment he stopped, his aunt's curses would immediately come crashing down on him, cutting him like knives.

I was so busy that I didn't finish until the morning, and the sun was already high in the sky.

My aunt drove her tricycle to the city early in the morning to sell the vegetables she had prepared the night before.

This tricycle was bought by Jinbaoer with money she saved up while working during the summer vacation.

Otherwise, my aunt would have to get up two hours earlier, carry vegetables taller than herself, and walk along the mountain path to the county town.

At first, my aunt said she wouldn't let me buy it because she thought it was a waste of money, but Jinbao secretly bought it and sent it home.

After I bought it, my aunt scolded me for days, saying I was wasting money.

Even now, when I use it, I always mutter a few words to myself.

After her aunt left, Jin Bao'er was finally able to take a break and quietly ran back to her cubicle, wanting to take a nap.

Of course, I can only sleep for about half an hour.

My uncle hasn't gotten up yet. That man is even fiercer than my aunt. If he finds me sleeping, he'll scold me even more harshly than my aunt.

After sleeping for half an hour, Jin Bao'er suddenly woke up, quickly got up, tied on her apron, and went to the kitchen to make lunch.

With the Chinese New Year approaching, vegetables are selling well.

My aunt usually finishes selling her wares and comes back before noon, and the whole family gathers around the table to eat.

He dared not delay.

"We haven't cooked in months, and you put in so much salt! Are you trying to kill us with saltiness?!"

My aunt had just picked up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks when she frowned.

He slammed his chopsticks on the table and pointed at Jin Bao'er's nose, cursing.

"I'm sorry, Auntie, I accidentally put in too much."

Jin Bao'er lowered her head and apologized softly.

"I knew it! What's the use of a college degree if you can't even cook a proper meal!"

Sitting opposite, her uncle spoke with a dark face and a tone full of sarcasm. He was the first to disagree with Jin Bao'er going to university.

I felt that raising a child was already a great achievement, so where would I find the spare money to send him to school?

Jin Bao'er didn't dare to talk back, otherwise she might face a "mixed doubles beating".

But now that he's grown up, he probably won't resort to violence.

All they know is "mixed-gender insults," their spittle could drown a person.

"It can't be like this..."

Liu Yu was about to say something on Jin Bao'er's behalf.

"Shut up! Who gave you the right to speak?"

Aunt glared fiercely at Liu Yu, her eyes filled with malice.

Startled, Liu Yu immediately lowered her head, silently picking at the rice in her bowl, not daring to utter another sound.

At home, he had the least say.

"What's the point of going to university? I've never seen you send a single penny home. You've raised a thankless wretch!"

My uncle has a leg disability and a terrible temper; he'll scold me whenever he gets the chance.

Even his aunt and son were often verbally abused by him, let alone Jin Bao'er, an "outsider".

Jin Bao'er still didn't dare to talk back, but the knuckles of her hand holding the chopsticks turned slightly white.

Even if I send the money, so what?

My uncle never said a good word about him, or if he knew, he would pretend not to remember.

He's always in the wrong.

Anyone who dares to talk back will get a good beating.

He just twitched the corners of his mouth again and continued eating.

He swallowed those harsh words, swallowing them down like chewing wax with his rice.

"What a quiet, bookish fellow! All he does is study!"

Seeing his expression, his uncle became even angrier and cursed again.

"If we hadn't taken you in after your parents lost their homes, our family wouldn't be in such dire straits!"

These words, like a knife chilled to the bone, pierced Jin Bao'er's heart.

Upon hearing this, Jin Bao'er couldn't even manage a smile. She could only lower her head and slowly shovel her food into her mouth.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back tightly, refusing to let them fall.

……

In the afternoon, a guest came to our house. It was my uncle's nephew, Liu Yang, who brought his girlfriend, who was dressed up in a very flamboyant way.

My aunt instantly changed her tune, her face beaming with a smile like a chrysanthemum. She busied herself washing pig's feet and cured meat, constantly muttering "rare guest, rare guest."

"Jinbao'er, go to town and buy some more vegetables. Make sure they're fresh, don't be stingy!"

The aunt gave the orders in a condescending manner, as if the harsh person from just now was not her.

"Liu Yu, go and greet your cousin and his wife, and talk to them."

After aunt finished making the arrangements, she went into the kitchen and busied herself with cooking, filling the stove with chicken, duck, fish and meat.

Jin Bao'er didn't say much, silently pushed out the electric scooter, and braved the cold wind to go buy groceries.

The money my aunt gave me just now isn't enough, but we definitely need to buy everything.

So I had to pay some of the difference out of my own pocket.

With everyone working together, a sumptuous meal was finally prepared.

Chicken, duck, fish, and meat filled the entire table, their aroma irresistible.

There was a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor) in front of his uncle. He poured a full glass for his nephew Liu Yang, then poured one for himself, grinning from ear to ear.

"Liu Yang's really made it big now, he's a contractor now, right? His salary must be pretty high, right?"

"It's alright, Uncle. I still make ten or twenty thousand a month, and my work isn't too busy."

Liu Yang proudly raised his chin, his skin roughened by the sun, yet he looked smug.

"We're planning to buy a house soon, and we'll get married at the end of the year."

"Now your parents can relax a bit and get some rest."

Liu Yang's uncle looked on with envy and patted him on the shoulder.

"You'll be next soon too. Both of your children are college graduates and have started working. Then you can finally enjoy life."

Liu Yang praised them politely, his gaze sweeping over Jin Bao'er and Liu Yu.

Upon hearing this, the uncle snorted coldly, his smile vanishing instantly, and turned to Jin Bao'er.

His eyes were full of disgust and contempt.

"Look at Liu Yang, he's the same age as you, and he's almost getting married and buying a house. He's even bringing money home."

"And you? You have to work part-time to earn money for your studies, paying for tuition and living expenses, without causing your family a single penny less worry? I think we've raised you for nothing! What kind of future do you think you'll have?"

"That guy brings home several thousand dollars every month, and his parents are enjoying a life of luxury! Unlike you, you're just a bottomless pit!"

My uncle gets upset whenever he thinks about this. Other people's children are money trees, but his child is a money-loser.

Liu Yang joined in the commotion, a malicious smile playing on his lips.

"Jinbao'er, if you can't handle it, then don't study. Come work on the construction site with me; you can earn several thousand a month. Isn't that better than studying?"

"I'll have your back then!"

Watching the group sing and dance together, Jin Bao'er felt as if a heavy stone was lodged in her heart, making it hard to breathe.

They seem to have forgotten that Liu Yu, who was sitting next to them, was also a college student.

Liu Yu's tuition and living expenses were all paid for by her family.

How come it's wrong for him to work and earn money without spending a penny of his family's money?

The oppressive feeling before starting university swept over him again, enveloping his heart and causing him excruciating pain.

People were used to Liu Yu going to university, and some even praised her for being promising.

Why are you so resistant to going to university?

Is it because he has someone backing him up, while I don't?