Chapter 11: Sweep and Take Everything

“Damn it, little bitch.”

Jiang Xiangxiang counted on her fingers, each insult more vile than the last. Ye Meiping clearly didn’t consider the original owner her daughter.

Since she occupied the other’s body, she couldn’t pretend nothing happened. She would take revenge for her, thoroughly punishing the Mom and daughter—consider it repayment.

After Ye Meiping finished speaking, she expected Jiang Xiangxiang to be terrified and beg for mercy. Instead, Jiang Xiangxiang smiled nonchalantly, a chilling sight.

What’s going on?

“Jiang Xiangxiang!”

“Yes, I’m young and have good hearing, I’m not deaf!”

“You…”

“Where’s my father? If I remember correctly, he doesn’t know about my fall into the river, right? Should I send someone to tell him? What do you think?”

Jiang Xiangxiang spoke leisurely, holding all the cards. In her memory, the original owner’s father was quite good to her, at least fair to both daughters.

He was currently working at a mine thirty miles away. Every time he returned, he brought delicious food for the original owner and her stepsister. Unfortunately, the original owner was too honest and too considerate of her family. She always pretended nothing was wrong in front of Jiang Chengshan, never complaining about Ye Meiping’s favoritism or Jiang Rourou’s bullying.

Therefore, Jiang Chengshan felt reassured that his family was peaceful while he worked away. In reality, the home was already on fire.

Whether it was due to patriarchal societal norms or Ye Meiping’s lack of income, in the original owner’s memories, Ye Meiping was quite afraid of Jiang Chengshan. The original owner only had a short period of good days whenever he returned.

This was the rare warmth in the original owner’s memory, the thought that sustained her for so many years.

Jiang Xiangxiang felt a pang of sympathy. The original owner was too kind. She herself had little concept of familial affection, was petty, and always sought revenge. Anyone who offended her would face retribution.

Just like she dealt with her second uncle’s family—extermination.

Hearing this, Ye Meiping felt a pang of guilt but still insisted, “Say what you want. I’m not afraid of you. You fell into the river because you were careless. Why didn’t you watch where you were going? We walk by the river every day and nothing happens, but you fall in. Aren’t you blind?”

Jiang Xiangxiang: “Is that so? What if my father knew that in the dead of winter, I had to wash clothes by the river, handle the family’s meals, even feed the pigs, my hands were frostbitten, and we barely had enough to eat at home? What do you think he’d think?”

Ye Meiping: “You dare!”

Jiang Xiangxiang: “Care to guess?”

Jiang Rourou: “Mom, let’s talk calmly. My sister has a fever and just woke up. She’s probably not thinking clearly. Let’s talk later, okay?”

Ye Meiping: “Rourou…”

Jiang Rourou stepped forward, taking her Mom’s arm and pulling her out, not giving her a chance to speak. She looked very efficient, clearly up to no good.

Jiang Xiangxiang wasn’t in a hurry. Before crushing ants, you have to give them a chance to run around, right? You can’t rush and crush them; it’s no fun.

While the two were leaving, Jiang Xiangxiang stood up, walked to the door of another bedroom, opened it, and closed it swiftly.

According to the original owner’s memory, Ye Meiping was greedy and good at hiding things. She kept any delicious food in her own room, hiding it from the original owner.

Now that she was here, she had to take care of this. She would take everything she should and everything she shouldn’t, as compensation for the original owner’s hardship.

Jiang Xiangxiang had taken care of them for so many years; she deserved credit, if not merit. She couldn’t let them get away with it.

After entering the room, Jiang Xiangxiang searched and quickly found a small box on the kang (heated bed). It wasn’t locked; Ye Meiping and her daughter were probably too focused on scheming against her to remember.

It was like a free gift. Why not take it?

Jiang Xiangxiang opened the box. Inside were some coins, and some ration coupons—essential in this era, without them you couldn’t buy anything.

Before taking it away, he did not forget to count it. There were a total of 236.7 yuan, in addition to various bills, for example, 3 catties of brown sugar tickets, 10 catties of pork tickets, 5 catties of fine grain tickets, 5 inches of cloth tickets, and 10 catties of oil tickets. There were not many of each item, but the variety was rich.

After counting, Jiang Xiangxiang put everything into her space. Then, she searched again, finding a wooden chest in front of the kang. Inside were many good things: flour, millet, eggs, rock sugar, and two bottles of white wine. She wondered where Ye Meiping got them, hiding them from the original owner.

This was unacceptable.

Jiang Xiangxiang refused to suffer this injustice. She took four eggs and put the rest into her space. Then, she went to the kitchen.

After all, you need to eat to have the energy to fight.

Jiang Xiangxiang looked at the dark stove and large iron pot. The environment was quite frightening and unhygienic.

Luckily, she had the original owner’s memories and knew how to use them. She lit the fire in the kang, washed the pot, and fried the eggs, all in one go.

Ye Meiping usually hid the eggs for Jiang Rourou. The original owner could only watch, not even touch them, even though she was the one who fed the chickens.

Even if she was biased, it was excessive.

Jiang Xiangxiang put the eggs in a white porcelain bowl, feeling sorry for the original owner, while planning her next move.

She had to leave this terrible place, otherwise, she would be entangled with these awful people forever, wasting her time. That wasn’t what she wanted.

But how?

Jiang Xiangxiang was worried. As a rural person, she couldn’t leave the county without a legitimate reason—a referral letter, either for schooling or marriage.

The college entrance examination had been suspended for a long time, so that wasn’t feasible. Finding a husband? Where would she find someone?

Jiang Xiangxiang was troubled. Everyone around was rural; leaving wasn’t easy. Even a contractual relationship wouldn’t work.

It felt like exploiting someone. Who would willingly be a sucker?

She pondered while eating.

Jiang Xiangxiang quickly finished the eggs, casually throwing the bowl and chopsticks aside. The original owner always did the dishes and housework.

Ye Meiping had gotten used to it. Now it was her turn to contribute. Jiang Xiangxiang wouldn’t lift a finger.