Chapter 25

Shen Yiyi brought the Three Baos back home. Li Chen had already boiled hot water and was using a ladle to pour it into a thermos.  

Shen Yiyi took out a can of malted milk powder and five bowls. She scooped two spoonfuls of malted milk powder into each bowl, poured in hot water, stirred it evenly, and then placed the steamed buns in the middle of the table.  

The meat buns were distributed—one was given to Uncle Niu, and three came to the Li family. There were still eleven meat buns left, while the mantou remained untouched, with five in total.  

The family of five enjoyed the fragrant meat buns and mantou, pairing them with the sweet and aromatic malted milk. That was how they settled their lunch.  

It had to be said—the meat buns were truly filled with real ingredients, large and flavorful, incomparable to those of later generations.  

Shen Yiyi was full after eating just one meat bun. Xiao Bao ate one meat bun and half a mantou, leaving the remaining half for Li Chen.

Besides that, Li Chen ate three more meat buns and one mantou. Da Bao and Er Bao each ate two meat buns and split one mantou between them.  

There were still two meat buns and two mantou left. The Three Baos were already stuffed but still gazed at the food longingly.  

Shen Yiyi coaxed them, telling them they could eat more in the afternoon. Hearing this, they quickly brightened up.  

After resting for a while, it was time for Li Chen to go to work. As usual, Shen Yiyi prepared water for him and said: “I soaked some mung beans this morning. I’ll cook them later and bring them to you in the afternoon.”  

Li Chen had already noticed the soaked mung beans in the kitchen and had guessed as much. Still, hearing her say it made him undeniably happy. “Mm!” he responded.  

After he left, Shen Yiyi began cooking mung bean porridge and then placed it in well water to cool.  

With nothing else to do, she went back and took a nap with her three sons.  

After waking up from their afternoon nap, she took the Three Baos to deliver the mung bean porridge.  

For two days in a row, people saw Shen Yiyi bringing her children and a meal container over. Many found it intriguing and kept sneaking glances in her direction.  

Shen Yiyi held onto Xiao Bao calmly, occasionally reminding Da Bao and Er Bao—who were playing and fooling around ahead—to watch where they were going.

At noon, she had already asked Li Chen where he would be working today. Da Bao and Er Bao had grown up in the countryside and were very familiar with the area. Knowing exactly where to go, they led their Mom straight there.  

“Yiyi!” A surprised female voice called out to Shen Yiyi. She looked up and saw a woman dressed in a floral-patterned coarse cloth outfit, her hair tied into two thick pigtails. Her clothes were stained with rice seedlings, husks, and mud. The woman was looking at her with an expression of delight.  

“Why are you in the fields? Did you come to find me?”  

Before Shen Yiyi could reply, the woman’s gaze fell on the meal container in her hand. She quickly strode over. “What are you carrying? They said you brought mung bean porridge to Li Chen yesterday. Is this mung bean porridge? Give me a bowl!”  

Seeing that the woman was about to grab the container from her hands, Shen Yiyi swiftly lifted it behind her and narrowed her eyes with a half-smile. “Chen Jiayi, why is your skin so thick?”  

Chen Jiayi, who had been acting naturally and familiarly, suddenly froze. She looked at Shen Yiyi in disbelief. “Yiyi, what are you saying? Are you calling me… thick-skinned?”  

“Isn’t it obvious?” Shen Yiyi sneered. “Did I ever say I was bringing this mung bean porridge for you? And you just go ahead and try to snatch it?”  

“You…” Chen Jiayi looked at Shen Yiyi, feeling like she was seeing a stranger.  

But wasn’t that true?  

In novels, an arrogant and domineering vicious female supporting character always had a sycophantic follower by her side. In Reversing to a Perfect Life, Chen Jiayi was exactly that—the lackey of the vicious female supporting character: “Shen Yiyi.”  

Chen Jiayi was born into a family that favored sons over daughters. Because every household was required to send someone to the countryside, it was originally supposed to be her younger brother. However, their biased parents secretly swapped the opportunity, letting him take her job while forcing her to go to the countryside instead.  

After arriving, not only did her family refuse to send her money, but they even demanded that she send food back home. Her days were miserable, so she set her sights on Shen Yiyi.

In the book, Shen Yiyi was set up as an arrogant and vain “rich girl.” Chen Jiayi’s flattery satisfied her vanity, and since she happened to need a servant-like follower, she accepted Chen Jiayi into her circle.  

Chen Jiayi, in turn, managed to win Shen Yiyi over and shamelessly took advantage of her whenever possible.  

Unfortunately for her, Shen Yiyi was no longer the same person bound by the plot. In the past, she would have tolerated it as part of her character setting. But if Chen Jiayi still thought she could leech off her like before, then she had seriously miscalculated.  

Holding Xiao Bao’s hand, Shen Yiyi said: “A good dog knows to step aside. Move, please.”  

Chen Jiayi felt humiliated but stepped aside nonetheless. As she watched Shen Yiyi walk away, she kept replaying their conversation in her head, wondering what she had said or done wrong to displease this spoiled young lady.  

Was it because she hadn’t updated her on Lin Jiadong’s recent activities?  

Or had Shen Yiyi found out that she liked Lin Jiadong?  

That seemed very possible. After all, for the past two days, she had walked back from work alongside Lin Jiadong.  

The thought made Chen Jiayi uneasy. No, she couldn’t let Shen Yiyi find out just yet.  

Winter was coming soon, and she had already sent her thick clothes back home for her Mom. She needed to butter Shen Yiyi up a little longer—at least until she could get her to buy her two warm cotton jackets.  

Shen Yiyi had brought mung bean porridge for Li Chen, but naturally, she had also prepared a portion for Father Li and Mother Li.  

Mother Li initially wanted to decline, but Father Li subtly nudged her, prompting her to silently accept and drink the porridge. However, just before Shen Yiyi left, Mother Li cautiously told her that they had eaten all the steamed buns at noon and hadn’t given any to anyone else.  

Shen Yiyi found it both amusing and exasperating. Her earlier words were mainly meant as a jab at Jiang Ailing, but she hadn’t expected to make the two elders feel guilty instead.  

Of course, she didn’t bother explaining. The food she brought for Father Li and Mother Li was meant as a gesture of filial respect. If they had chosen to give it away, then what would be the point of her bringing it to them in the first place?

After delivering the porridge, Shen Yiyi and the Three Baos headed back home.  

Once they arrived, she reheated the remaining steamed buns and mantou. After the Mom and her three children finished eating, they prepared to go up the mountain to gather firewood, each carrying a basket on their backs.  

Da Bao and Er Bao had somehow borrowed two small baskets from somewhere and declared with great determination that they wanted to help their Mom carry the firewood.  

Shen Yiyi was deeply moved. Seeing his older brothers, Xiao Bao also insisted on having a small basket so he could help his Mom carry firewood too.  

However, he was still too young. Shen Yiyi coaxed him, saying that when he grew a little older, his Dad would weave one for him. Only then did he reluctantly give up.  

For safety reasons, they still only gathered firewood at the foot of the mountain.  

The firewood they had collected yesterday was still there, untouched.  

The Three Baos were overjoyed. Er Bao eagerly volunteered to carry a basket of firewood back home first.  

Xiao Bao, who was closest to his second brother, excitedly grabbed two small sticks and followed closely behind him.  

Shen Yiyi considered the distance from their home—it wasn’t too far. The path was relatively flat, and there were plenty of people nearby harvesting rice, so she wasn’t too worried about them going ahead.  

Besides, they had just eaten steamed buns, and a bit of activity would help with digestion. Otherwise, they might not have much appetite for dinner later—and then the pig’s trotters and big marrow bones she had bought would go to waste.  

“Da Bao, do you want to go with Er Bao and Xiao Bao?” Shen Yiyi asked.  

Da Bao shook his head. His handsome little face, which closely resembled Li Chen’s, was filled with seriousness. “If we all go back, there will be no one left to help Mom gather firewood. Then Mom will be all alone.”  

A warm feeling spread through Shen Yiyi’s heart. The Three Baos were all very well-behaved, but among them, Da Bao was the most thoughtful.  

“My Da Bao is such a good boy.” Shen Yiyi praised, taking a White Rabbit Creamy Candy from her pocket, unwrapping it, and placing it at Da Bao’s lips. “Here, a candy as a reward.”  

Da Bao’s cheeks turned a little red. He opened his mouth and ate the candy from his Mom’s hand.  

Just as Shen Yiyi was about to reach out and pat Da Bao’s head, a strange noise suddenly reached her ears.  

She turned toward the source of the sound—and nearly jumped out of her skin in fright.