"It’s my mother. I don’t know what’s gotten into her today; she just kept hitting me. She won't let my eldest sister marry Li Tiezhu. Without those two hundred yuan, how am I supposed to get into the advanced class? You’ve worked so hard, and you’re sure to test out this year. If I don't get in, how will I be with you? Lijuan, do you have any other ideas?"
Xu Lijuan sneered, her tone dripping with mockery. "She doesn't agree? Everyone in the village talks about how wonderful your eldest sister is. I actually thought she was a decent person. She usually plays the part of the long-suffering, hardworking saint, but the moment things get serious, she stops caring about her own brother. It’s clear she’s just a hypocrite. Guangjin, you really are pathetic; I doubt anyone in that house truly cares about you."
Hu Guangjin felt a tightness in his chest, but he reflexively retorted, "That’s not true. My parents are very good to me."
"Hmph." Xu Lijuan crossed her arms and glanced at him sideways. "Is that what you call 'good'—letting your mother beat you like this? Look at the bruises on your face, Guangjin. It breaks my heart to see them. If your father really loved you, why didn't he stop her when she was hitting you?"
At these words, an image immediately surfaced in Hu Guangjin's mind: his mother grabbing a shoe sole to whip him, and his father not only failing to intervene but actually shoving him forward. The flicker of certainty in his heart wavered.
Seeing this, Xu Lijuan reached out and gently touched the bruise on his face, softening her voice. "Guangjin, if your own family doesn't care about you, you have to care about yourself. Otherwise, how will you ever survive? Come here, let me blow on it for you."
She leaned in closer, her warm breath brushing against his cheek, making him shiver.
"Lijuan, you’re the only one who is truly good to me," Hu Guangjin said, his face flushing and his voice trembling. "You're right. The kindness I get at home is just a facade. Only you truly care about me."
"I’m glad you realize that," Xu Lijuan sighed, her tone heavy with helplessness. "But now, without those two hundred yuan, you can't get into the advanced class. If I go back to the city, what will you do? Guangjin, I’ve told you: if you want to be with me, you have to follow me. Otherwise, it’s over for us."
Hu Guangjin panicked. "Lijuan, don't worry, I’ll find a way. You’re right—I need to look out for myself. If my parents don't care about me, then I don't need to care about them either!"
Seeing that Hu Guangjin was completely under her thumb, Xu Lijuan felt satisfied. "Alright then, I’m going back to study. Guangjin, I’ll be waiting for you." With that, she turned and walked away.
As she turned, her face instantly twisted with contempt. If it weren't for the need to leave this poor, backwater place, she wouldn't bother with an idiot like Hu Guangjin. She already had Li Tiezhu’s five hundred yuan; using two hundred to "buy" Hu Chunhua was already more than she was worth—how dare she disagree? Since she wouldn't listen, she would just let that fool Hu Guangjin stir up trouble. The bigger the mess, the better. She wanted the Hu Family to know exactly who really ran things; that way, she could manipulate Hu Chunxing's marriage too. As long as she had those money-losing losers in her palm, she would never be short of cash.
...
"Eldest Sister, what are we eating today?" Hu Guangcai had just returned from playing cards. With a straw hanging from his mouth and clutching his grumbling stomach, he headed straight for the kitchen.
Hu Chunhua was just wiping her hands after untying her apron. She looked up and smiled. "Sixth Brother, where have you been? Why are you just getting back?"
Hu Guangcai ignored her and lifted the pot lid to peek inside. There was a plate of leeks scrambled with eggs, a bowl of greens, some pickled vegetables, and sweet potato rice at the bottom. Without washing his hands, he pinched a piece of egg and shoved it into his mouth.
"Ouch! Sss—it’s burning hot!"
Hu Chunhua quickly pulled him away. "Sixth Brother, wait until Fifth Brother and the others come home to eat. Don't be so impatient."
Hu Guangcai impatiently swatted her hand away. "What's the big deal if I eat a little egg? We’re all going to eat anyway, aren't these eggs going into my mouth eventually?"
He stuffed another piece into his mouth. Just as he was enjoying himself, he suddenly felt a chill in the kitchen. He froze. "What’s going on? Why is it suddenly so cold?"
Hu Chunhua blinked in confusion. "It’s not cold. It’s quite hot in here. Sixth Brother, are you feeling sick?"
"You're the one who's sick," Hu Guangcai retorted irritably. Thinking it was just his imagination, he hurried back to eating.
Feng Yun walked over, wielding a wooden laundry beater. She glared at him with a cold, mocking smile. "Oh? So you finally decided to come home?"
As soon as he heard his mother’s voice, Hu Guangcai complained without even turning around. "Mom, tell Eldest Sister off! It’s not easy to get a little meat in this house, and she’s trying to stop me from eating eggs! Mom, look at how thin I’ve gotten. I’m your favorite, the youngest—don't you feel sorry for me?"
Hu Chunhua scrambled to explain. "Mom, that's not it, I..."
"Ah!" Before Hu Chunhua could finish, a heavy blow from the laundry beater landed squarely on Hu Guangcai's backside. He lunged forward, his head slamming against the hot pot lid with a loud *clack*. The pain and the heat immediately raised a red welt on his forehead, and he shrieked.
"Ouch! It hurts, you're killing me!"
Feng Yun sneered. "Feel sorry for you? Oh, yes. I feel *so* sorry for you."