Chapter 8 Points, points are really not enough to spend~

But after waiting for quite a while, Bai Xiuying still didn’t hear Tang Wanning’s reply. Instead, she snapped impatiently:

“That little wretch, where the hell did she go now? Not a peep out of her for half the day.”

Xu Dingbang shot Bai Xiuying a displeased glare and lowered his voice:

“If you want the two of us to have someone to look after us in our old age, I suggest you rein in that temper of yours.”

Although Bai Xiuying was fuming inside, she knew her man was right. Their son was already gone, and the only one left who could provide for them was this daughter-in-law. As for that ungrateful daughter of theirs—well, as long as she didn’t drag things out of her natal family after marriage, Bai Xiuying could already count her blessings.

“I got it.”

Bai Xiuying swallowed down her anger and stood up. “I’ll go out and see where Wanning has gone.”

Xu Dingbang narrowed his eyes and gave her a cold warning:

“If it’s because of you that I have no one to care for me in my old age, you’ll regret it.”

That venomous, snake-like glare of his chilled Bai Xiuying from head to toe, dousing her fire completely. She could only watch as Xu Dingbang went back to his room to rest. Her legs still trembling, she walked into the courtyard—only to find no trace of Tang Wanning. Not only that, but even the basket of wild vegetables Tang Wanning had dug was gone.

Seeing this, Bai Xiuying’s face turned into a palette of colors—green, purple, and every shade in between. But she dared not curse aloud, fearing another warning from Xu Dingbang. She could only swallow her anger and obediently clean up the bowls and chopsticks. Still, while she was tidying, she cursed all eighteen generations of Tang Wanning’s ancestors in her heart.

On the other side—

Tang Wanning happily carried her basket back home. Whenever she ran into villagers on the way, she would put on a weak, sickly look from afar. Just thinking about Bai Xiuying’s reaction when she discovered both the wild vegetables and she herself were gone made Tang Wanning chuckle to herself.

When she got home, Su Meijuan saw her daughter’s cheerful expression and couldn’t help but smile too.

“What’s got you so happy?”

“Mom, I dug a whole basket of wild vegetables.” Tang Wanning shook the basket in her hand. “Tonight, can you make dumplings stuffed with wild greens for me?”

“Alright, I’ll come home early this afternoon and make dumplings for my precious girl.”

Tang Wanning clung to her mother’s arm and acted spoiled. “Thanks, Mom, I knew you were the best.”

“Have you eaten yet? Should I make you a bowl of noodles?”

“I’m stuffed.” Tang Wanning lifted her shirt, showing her round belly. “See, my belly’s already bulging.”

Seeing her daughter’s antics, Su Meijuan gave her an exasperated glare.

“You’re not a kid anymore. Stop lifting your shirt all the time—put it down, quick.”

Tang Wanning knew her mother only said it out of concern, so she answered seriously:

“Got it, Mom. I won’t do it again.”

“That’s more like it.”

But looking at the wild vegetables in her daughter’s hands, Su Meijuan frowned a little.

“Didn’t I tell you to rest at home these few days? Why’d you go up the mountain again?”

“I was just getting bored at home, so I thought I’d go get some fresh air.” Tang Wanning blinked her bright, watery eyes. “Besides, it’s nice and cool on the mountain—the perfect place to laze around.”

Looking at her daughter’s sallow face, rough hands, and sun-darkened skin, Su Meijuan couldn’t bring herself to scold her further.

Sigh. This past year had truly been hard on her daughter. Not only managing the household chores at the Xu family, but also working in the fields. Before marriage, Tang Wanning’s chores were mostly just washing dishes—she hardly ever cooked. If Xu Zhenhua hadn’t died so soon after their wedding, and if Wanning hadn’t felt guilty toward Xu’s parents, she wouldn’t have been so willing to suffer like this.

But Wanning was so stubborn—once she made up her mind, nothing could change it. No matter how Su Meijuan and Tang Dehou persuaded her, she refused to remarry, insisting she would stay with Xu’s parents for life.

Now, Su Meijuan was truly worried her daughter would ruin her whole life this way.

Forget it, she thought. Wanning’s only nineteen now. I’ll try persuading her again next year. Maybe when she’s older, she’ll change her mind.

Yes, it might not be entirely fair to the Xu family, but Wanning was her daughter—whose child doesn’t a mother worry about? At worst, she and Old Tang would just help out Xu’s parents more in the future.

Looking at her daughter’s smiling face, Su Meijuan said dotingly:

“If you want to go out this afternoon, take Xiaoxu with you, alright?”

“I know, Mom. Don’t worry.”

“Good. Now go rest for a while in your room.”

Although Tang Wanning was married, her room at her parents’ house was still kept for her, with Su Meijuan cleaning it every few days so her daughter would always have a place to stay. Unlike some families, where once a girl was married off, she truly became “water spilled on the ground”—her old room taken away, and her return visits making her feel more like a guest than a daughter.

Lying on her bed, Tang Wanning opened the system shop. But the more she looked, the more she sighed.

Points, points—never enough!

After reserving 40 points for telekinesis and system scan, she only had 60 left. She still needed to buy a storage space to stash away what she took from the Xu family, and even the cheapest one cost 50 points. That would leave her with just 10. As for learning inner martial arts? That was a distant dream.

If only I had a bodyguard, she thought. Even without inner strength, she could then venture deeper into the mountains. That’s where all the real treasures were—and hardly anyone went that far, so there’d be endless plants and animals to harvest.

But alas—wishful thinking. Reality was far harsher. The road is long, and I must keep at it…

Drifting off with these thoughts, Tang Wanning fell asleep. When she woke again, it was already 2:30 in the afternoon.

Stepping out of her room, she saw Tang Huaixu quietly working on his homework at the table in the main hall.

Wait—high school gives this much homework? Morning and afternoon, writing nonstop?

No way. As his big sister, she had to take him out for some relaxation. Otherwise, staring at books all day, he’d ruin his eyesight.

Smiling, she walked over.

“Xiaoxu, aren’t your eyes tired from doing homework all the time?”

“Nope, I like studying…” His writing hand paused. Then he looked up with a smile. “Actually, now that you mention it, I do feel a little tired. Sis, do you want to go out for a walk? I’ll go with you.”

Hearing her brother’s words, Tang Wanning’s heart ached, and her eyes grew misty.

Yes—her brother loved studying and was so good at it. How could he not make it to university? He only ever worried about being a burden to the family.

This time, she was determined to help him get into the university of his dreams—to be his strongest support.

No rush—he was only about to start his final year of high school after summer break. She still had a whole year.