Chapter 6: Dog-Eat-Dog

Li Yiyi stared coldly at the drama her mother was putting on from the ground.

Her mother had cried herself nearly hoarse, but her daughter didn’t seem the least bit moved. Left with no choice, Madam Li awkwardly got up from the ground by herself.

She quickly slipped back into her usual shameless tone. “You want money? There’s none. Just look at this house—does it look like we have any money? We’ve been out of food since yesterday. If we had money, would we still be starving?”

Li Yiyi let out a cold laugh and turned to dig through the corner of the room.

According to the original owner’s memory, Madam Li had a habit: no matter how poor the family got, she would always stash away a bit of money for herself.

As it happened, the original owner knew exactly where that hiding spot was.

She lifted up a brick from the floor, and sure enough, there was a cloth-wrapped bundle underneath.

Just as she picked it up, Madam Li’s eyes bulged and she rushed over to snatch it back. “Give it to me! That’s mine! Give it back!”

Li Yiyi dodged to the side, causing Madam Li to lunge at nothing but air.

She quickly unwrapped the black cloth. A stack of bills appeared before her.

Though the notes were in mixed denominations, she estimated it to be several dozen yuan—quite a decent sum in this era.

“It’s not much, but I’ll treat it as a partial repayment. I’ll be back for the rest later,” she said, giving the money a quick glance before stuffing it into her clothes.

Madam Li glared at her with eyes full of fury. That money had been painstakingly saved over the years through frugality. It was supposed to be her nest egg for old age!

“No! You can’t take that money! That’s my retirement savings! It’s mine!” she shouted.

Li Yiyi sneered. “Yours? Mom, be honest with yourself—how could you have saved this much when you’ve been lazing around at home for years? It was my money, the money I gave you. I’m just taking back what’s rightfully mine.”

Father Li was also stunned. He hadn’t expected his wife—who had been sleeping beside him all this time—to have secretly hoarded so much money. Even now, with the whole family starving, she hadn’t taken out a single cent to buy food. Resentment began to build in his heart.

“Yiyi, that’s your mother’s savings, but the family desperately needs it now. Give it to me,” he said, reaching out his hand.

Li Yiyi glanced at his greedy face and curled her lips in disdain. “And why would I give it to you? That money is what you all owe me.”

Without sparing him another look, she turned, took the money, and led the two children toward the front gate of the Li family home.

“Stop her!” Father Li shouted.

Madam Li came to her senses and rushed out after her, yelling, “Eldest! Eldest, help! Stop that thief, don’t let her get away!”

At her cry, the eldest son and his wife—who’d been lying in bed pretending sleep could replace hunger—quickly scrambled up and chased after her.

“Third Sis? It’s you?” Eldest Li said in disbelief as he caught up and saw who it was.

“That’s right, big brother,” Li Yiyi said with a cold face. “You’re a grown man with arms and legs, but all you do is sleep all day while there’s not even rice left at home. Don’t you feel the slightest shame?”

She could guess that he’d just crawled out of bed, and her anger surged again.

The original owner had been such a fool—pinching pennies and starving herself just to send money back to this freeloading family.

Eldest Brother hadn’t even had time to feel guilty when his wife jumped in to defend him.

“Little Sister, you’re a married woman. Isn’t it a bit much to meddle so much in your maiden family’s business?”

Li Yiyi gave the couple a frosty glance. “You’re right. I’m clearly too free and have nothing better to do. From now on, don’t expect a single cent more from me.”

With that final, decisive sentence, she turned and walked away without looking back, pulling the two kids along.

Madam Li rushed out of the house and saw only her eldest son and daughter-in-law standing in the yard. She anxiously asked, “Where’s that ungrateful brat? Where’d she go?”

“You mean Third Sis? She already left,” Eldest Brother replied. Then, more softly, he asked, “Mom, what happened with her?”

“Why didn’t you stop that ungrateful wretch?! She took my money! That was my life-saving stash!” Madam Li cried, slapping her thigh and getting ready to give chase.

When Eldest Sister-in-law heard the old hag had money, she quickly blocked her and angrily demanded, “Mom, didn’t you say we had no money yesterday? Where did that stash come from?”

Then her eyes glinted. “You’re really something, aren’t you? You’d rather watch your whole family starve than take out your savings to buy food? How heartless can you be?”

Realizing her chances of catching up to Li Yiyi were slim, Madam Li furiously shoved her daughter-in-law. “That’s my money! I can spend it however I want! It’s none of your business!”

“You shoved me?! Then I’ll fight you!” And with that, the two women started yanking each other’s hair and brawling on the spot.

Eldest Brother anxiously tried to break them up. “Stop it! Stop fighting, both of you!”

By then, Li Yiyi had already led the two children out of Li Family Village. She didn’t give a damn about the chaos of the dog-eat-dog brawl behind her.

As they walked, she counted the money she had taken back from Madam Li—nearly a hundred yuan, plus some useful ration tickets. Just from this, she could tell how much the original owner had sacrificed for her maiden family.

Then a date suddenly flashed through her mind—she’d forgotten something important. Today was the day the children’s father sent his monthly wages.

Excited at the thought of more money coming in, Li Yiyi quickly led them toward the town post office.

It was a half-hour walk from Li Family Village to town. By the time they arrived, Li Yiyi felt like her legs didn’t even belong to her anymore.

And the kids? The younger one had been in her arms most of the way, but the older one had walked the whole time without a single complaint.

As soon as they got to town, Li Yiyi found a supply and marketing co-op and used a bit of money and ration tickets to buy two bottles of orange soda. She shared one with the younger child, and the older one got a bottle all to herself.

The cool soda slid down their throats, washing away the fatigue of the long walk.

It was the kids’ first time drinking soda. Even after finishing, they kept sucking on the bottles, reluctant to let go.

Li Yiyi had to coax them, promising she’d buy more for them next time. Only then did the two kids finally hand the bottles back.

After the drinks, the little family of three headed toward the post office.

Ten minutes later, the building finally came into view.