Chapter 7: Biting the Hand

Xia Daohua sighed softly, a little melancholy in her expression.

She really missed the world she used to live in.

Even though the supermarket had come with her into this world—ensuring that she would never again have to worry about food or safety, freeing her from all future concerns…

Even though she had “stolen” herself some deeply loving family members in this world…

But in this completely unfamiliar world, perhaps it was destined that she would never again live the carefree, comfortable life she once had.

If she were to start now and give it her all to change things—would the world change because of her?

She had read so many brilliant books. She had learned so much useful knowledge. She had seen such a vast world… Was all of that really going to be buried and wasted here?

She wasn’t willing to accept that.

Right now, she was just a poor little farm girl with a shaved head, medicine caked thick on the back of her scalp, and not even thermal underwear beneath her cotton coat…

But her **soul came from a different space and time—**from a prosperous, flourishing civilization.

Could she really not do anything?

Xia Daohua had never been someone who gave up easily.

She had made up her mind. Even though the power of one person was small, the power of knowledge and wisdom could influence far more than just one individual.

She didn’t know how far she could go, or how much of this era she could change.

But as long as she made an effort, she would have no regrets.

As for whether progress would die with her one day, or whether everything she brought would disappear like smoke with her passing—that wasn’t something she needed to worry about.

Truth is infinite—every step forward brings joy.

As long as she had been here, and brought some benefit to the world, that was enough.

Once she thought it through, Xia Daohua felt a sudden lightness wash over her. She became lively and cheerful again.

Her actions and expressions actually began to resemble those of a child.

The New Year was fast approaching.

Winter was a time of leisure in farming communities—especially in Beiguan Town, where the coldest days could reach as low as minus forty degrees Celsius. The ground wasn’t just frozen solid—even the walls and windows would frost over thickly.

In this kind of weather, the best option was to hide inside and “hibernate” for the winter.

But “hibernating” didn’t mean you did nothing at all.

The New Year was coming.

All the family’s clothes and bedding, thick and thin, needed to be washed, repaired, and mended. The quilts had to be taken apart, washed clean, fluffed, and restitched.

After all, you can’t celebrate the New Year with dirty clothes or bedding!

The house and courtyard also needed a thorough cleaning. Places that were usually neglected—the roof, walls, storage rooms, firewood piles—had to be swept and tidied.

And this was the first New Year after the family split into separate households. The wives of each branch were experiencing their first time as heads of their own households, so they were all secretly competing, trying to outshine each other.

Even Jiang-shi, who was usually gentle and agreeable, was not immune to this unspoken rivalry.

She was so busy she barely touched the ground. When Xia Youtian offered to help, she wouldn’t allow it. So he had to find something else to do and went to tidy up the fourth household’s firewood pile.

Lihua, Wulang, Daohua, and Linghua were also running around helping out.

Twelve-year-old Lihua was quick and efficient, already capable of doing half the work of an adult. She could even scrub thick bedding on the washboard with loud, rhythmic swishing sounds.

Ten-year-old Wulang was steady and reliable. He could quickly clean out the ashes from the stove pit, clear the furnace grate, and raise the broom high to sweep cobwebs from the corners of the ceiling.

Eight-year-old Daohua and five-year-old Linghua were also energetically involved—but their help mostly amounted to getting in the way.

While washing dishes, Daohua found the water too cold and grumbled about the lack of dish soap, frowning so hard you could pinch a fly between her brows. She wasted quite a bit of plant ash and even nearly dropped a plate.

The worst part? Every dish she washed had to be redone by Jiang-shi afterward.

Linghua, who helped Jiang pass things like scallions and garlic, was doing fine until she tried to carry a washbasin and tripped over a stone. With a loud “thud,” she fell to the ground.

Luckily, the basin was unharmed.

But Linghua was in pain, tears welling up in her eyes.

Jiang-shi had a very good temper. Even though she was exhausted and overwhelmed, she didn’t scold her two troublesome daughters. On the contrary, it was Lihua, the older sister, who lost her temper:

“I’m begging you two, okay?! Little ancestors—go play somewhere else! Don’t make things worse here!”

Xia Daohua gave an embarrassed smile and tugged at Linghua—who was about to burst into tears—and dragged her away.

Linghua, stumbling along as Daohua pulled her, barely held back her sobs—but she still felt like crying.

She liked playing with Lihua, but Lihua was ignoring her now and even shouted at her!

Also… Daohua’s head looked so ugly, and the medicine on it was this weird color. It smelled bitter, pungent, and sour—totally awful!

Xia Daohua brought Linghua back to the main room. She stoked the fire in the small tea stove, put on a kettle of water, and sat with Linghua to warm themselves.

Daohua couldn’t help but want to roast something delicious on the stove. She was debating whether to roast some potatoes, sweet potatoes, or maybe slices of steamed bun when Linghua tilted her head and asked:

“Daohua, let’s go outside and build a snowman?”

Xia Daohua shook her head without hesitation.

When she was little, she used to love building snowmen and having snowball fights. But now? No thanks.

Even if she were fully recovered—which she wasn’t—going outside in this freezing weather was not a good idea.

This era didn’t have places where you could get antibiotics or IV drips.

If you got sick, you’d have to see a traditional doctor—which usually meant drinking terribly bitter herbal medicine…

Just thinking about the dark, sludgy medicine she’d been choking down lately made her tongue go numb.

Spare her, please!

Linghua’s chubby bun-like face scrunched up. Her big round eyes filled with tears, and she looked just about ready to burst like a dam and cry thunderously.

**At lightning speed—**Xia Daohua pulled out a candy ball, one that was covered in finger and tooth marks, and stuffed it into Linghua’s mouth.

That candy ball had been a reward from Wulang the last time she finished an entire bowl of nasty herbal medicine. But it had been hidden too long—it was now covered in suspicious smudges and colors.

Of course, Xia Daohua couldn’t bring herself to eat it. But she also didn’t want to throw it away in front of Wulang, so she had stashed it in the supermarket’s storage area.

Now, seeing Linghua about to cry, she had a flash of genius and offered it up.

Still, she didn’t let go of the candy right away. She was afraid Linghua might start crying mid-bite and accidentally choke.

Linghua tasted the long-lost sweetness and looked at Xia Daohua with teary, astonished eyes—then chomped down on the candy ball… and Daohua’s finger too.

(End of Chapter)