Chapter 30 Space Upgrade

Song Chunfeng was puzzled. “Sister-in-law, why don’t you talk to Dad directly if you have a problem?” He Xiaomei choked, unsure what to say. She couldn’t say that her husband couldn’t influence Song Tongzhou, even if she did, no one would listen. After a while, she said, “How dare I talk to Dad? When Li Tiantian first moved in, we had a disagreement, and Dad didn’t ask anything before blaming us.”  She still felt wronged about it.

“Be brave and speak up when you feel wronged,” Song Chunfeng said.  “If you’re afraid to talk to my father directly, the first person you should ask for help is your husband, not your brother-in-law.” He imagined his brother’s anger if Su Nan had asked his older brother for help. He Xiaomei thought, if Song Chuntian were reliable, would she need to ask him? “If you don’t want to, forget I said anything,” she said.

 He Xiaomei silently finished washing up and returned to her room. Song Chuntian, also preoccupied, had just returned when Ye Hong came home from the hospital. Before returning home, Ye Hong went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought some almonds. She remembered Song Chunxiao once had a severe allergic reaction to almonds, her face swelling up like a pig’s head.

 She couldn’t eat almonds; too many could even be fatal. Ye Hong only bought two ounces, afraid to buy more; she only wanted to prevent Song Chunxiao from taking the exam, not kill her. She ate half on the way home, saving the rest for soup. A little soup after being discharged from the hospital wasn’t excessive, was it? Li Tiantian told Ye Hong about Su Nan bullying her. “Mom, that bitch Su Nan is terrible!

Everyone in the compound calls me ‘stinky girl’!” Last night, children had chased her, yelling “stinky girl!” Ye Hong’s lips tightened, her eyes flashing. She wanted to poison Su Nan!  She quickly calmed down, whispering, “Let’s deal with this first, then I’ll deal with that bitch later!” Tears welled in Li Tiantian’s eyes. “Okay,” she said obediently.

Ye Hong felt heartbroken; her daughter had suffered so much in just a few days. Ye Hong muttered curses, took her things to her room, finding Song Tongzhou still asleep. She couldn’t find the household registration book, so she went to the bathroom to wash up. She saw a basin full of clothes, obviously Song Tongzhou’s.

She wanted to complain—shouldn’t his daughters-in-law have washed them? But she saw Li Tiantian’s underwear, and her anger turned. She couldn’t say anything. Li Tiantian’s laziness was a problem. She didn’t want Li Tiantian to have rough hands; she wanted her to marry well. Ye Hong suppressed her anger, washing the clothes and hanging them out. When she finished, Song Tongzhou had already left for work. Ye Hong searched her room for Song Tongzhou’s household registration book, but couldn’t find it. It must be with Song Chunxiao.

 She planned to get the book later; first, she would buy bones for soup.  Su Nan was writing when she smelled a fragrance—had they bought meat? She didn’t think much of it and finished the remaining 2,000 words.

A mechanical voice popped up in her mind, presenting a multiple-choice question: “How do you want to decorate your space?” Four images of interior designs appeared. The first was a creamy wood style; the second was a light green avocado style; the third was a minimalist European style; and the fourth was a pink princess room. Su Nan chose the avocado green style. After a moment of dizziness, her space transformed. It was now a large studio apartment with a bathroom. She wouldn’t be criticized for showering daily anymore. Su Nan, a southerner, showered even in winter.

She didn’t know what triggered the upgrade; outside, Ye Hong called, “Dinner!” Su Nan came out to eat. “You only come out when it’s time to eat,” Li Tiantian muttered. She was still traumatized from yesterday. Su Nan glared at her and went to wash her hands, seeing Ye Hong taking something from a pot of soup and eating it. “What are you doing?” Ye Hong, caught red-handed, dropped the spoon.

“You’re so quiet! You want to scare me to death?” Su Nan looked into the pot, seeing bones, red dates, and goji berries. “A whole pot of soup isn’t enough for you? You still steal?” Su Nan’s tone was disdainful, but she knew it wasn’t that simple. Ye Hong, her face pale, explained, “I just wanted to taste it, not steal!”