Chapter 248

Over the past year, Yan Qiuxing has grown very quickly. No longer the scrawny, malnourished child that Fan Mother and Sun Jinhua once criticized, she has filled out with proper nutrition.

Children grow fast when well-fed. Last year’s clothes, made after the family division, no longer fit her.

In the past, it was normal for Jiang, He, Hu to wear his older sisters’ hand-me-downs.

Even having clothes to wear was considered fortunate. But now, with better conditions, Yan Qiuxing’s clothes are either a lovely pink or adorned with little flowers, looking very pretty. Jiang, He, Hu felt uncomfortable wearing these clothes.

Fan Zhaodi, however, was delighted. She was happy that her aunt was willing to give her these clothes. These good clothes, if given to any woman in the village, would be met with gratitude and even reciprocal gifts.

Even if there weren’t valuable items to give in return, fresh vegetables from the garden or eggs from the chickens, ducks, or geese would do. If nothing else, they could be repurposed into handkerchiefs, shoe soles, shoe uppers, or sweat cloths—anything was better than nothing.

As Shuiqing folded the washed and dried clothes, she said, “These are all your older sisters’ hand-me-downs. You’ve been at your aunt’s house for two months now, and we haven’t made you any new clothes to take back.”

There were still fabrics suitable for a little girl at home. After the rain stopped, Shuiqing had suggested asking the village women to make a couple of new sets of clothes for Zhaodi, but Zhaodi had shaken her head and insisted she liked wearing her older sisters’ clothes.

Those clothes were intact and made of good fabric. Making new clothes would be the same, and if she had new clothes made, the current ones wouldn’t get worn out and would go to waste.

This child, Shuiqing thought, had a strong sense of boundaries. She never compared herself to Yan Qiuxing and her sisters in terms of food, clothing, and other necessities. She also never considered herself an outsider when it came to chores and would do anything that needed to be done.

Listening to Shuiqing’s words, Fan Zhaodi felt her eyes welling up again. Her aunt always felt bad about giving her hand-me-downs and wanted to make her new clothes. But if she brought new clothes home, her mother would just pack them up and take them to her uncle’s house.

Even these clothes—she wasn’t sure how many she’d actually get to wear once she got home.

“Auntie, these are enough. If there are too many, I won’t be able to wear them all,” she said. These were all good clothes, and even if her aunt used them as rags, it would be better than letting her mother send them to her uncle’s house.

Shuiqing knew Sun Jinhua’s nature. But if she didn’t pack more clothes for Zhaodi, there might be even fewer left for her. From head to toe, Shuiqing packed a full basket for Zhaodi.

She tested the weight of the basket and said, “Let Dajiang take you.”

Fan Zhaodi quickly shook her head, “No, no, Auntie, I can go back by myself. You don’t need to send anyone. I can carry the basket.”

If her parents saw her aunt’s family being so attentive, sending clothes and escorting her home, they would only cause endless trouble for her aunt and uncle. Her parents were…not good people.

Shuiqing didn’t hand over the basket but instead walked with Fan Jin to a turn on the path, only then giving the basket to Zhaodi.

This spot was around a bend and out of sight of Sun Jinhua’s house. The village now had a wall and patrol team, so she felt safe. Watching the small figure with the large basket turn the corner and disappear, Shuiqing felt worried.

“Going back, Zhaodi will have a hard time again.” Hard times were one thing; it was the oppression that was worrisome. Extreme favoritism from close relatives, endless labor accompanied by beatings, and verbal abuse were soul-crushing. It was incredible that Zhaodi hadn’t been twisted by such an environment.

Fan Jin nodded slightly, his dark eyes looking in the direction of home. “When Yan Qiu and the others come back and see Zhaodi gone, they’ll be upset. Tell them not to visit her too often. If my brother and his wife see them, it will only make Zhaodi’s life harder.”

“Okay,” Shuiqing agreed.

“Wu said they are going to the county tomorrow to sell rabbits. My brother is going too.”

Shuiqing looked at the tall figure beside her, surprised. “But they didn’t raise any rabbits. What are they going for?”

Not only rabbits, but they haven’t raised much else. What can they sell?

“I don’t know, but I have some vague worries, so I want to go out with you tomorrow. Can I?” Fan Jin finished speaking, his dark eyes looking at Shuiqing, seeking approval.

Shuiqing blinked. Why was he acting like a young bride, needing her permission to go out?

“You can go.”

Fan Jin pursed his lips and explained gently, “My mother and brother-in-law aren’t very kind, especially to you. If I delay my own work for their matters, I should still explain it to you.”

Shuiqing understood. No wonder Fan Jin asked for her opinion so cautiously.

However, “You’re not going for your brother-in-law, but for to care about Zhaodi, right?”

There was a big difference between the two. If it were purely for Fan Qian and Sun Jinhua, even though they were both younger cousins, Fan Jin wouldn’t exert extra effort.

It was because he felt they were unworthy and didn’t want to spend energy and thoughts on changing them.

But Fan’s niece, Fan Zhaodi, was different. She was worth the trip.

Fan Jin’s eyes softened with a smile.

She understood him.

“I don’t like the Four Pillars. It’s not because their parents aren’t good, but because their characters are bad. Similarly, helping Zhaodi isn’t just because she’s your niece, but because she’s a good person and deserves help.”

Blood ties were sometimes important, sometimes not so much, purely depending on whether the other person was good or evil.

Fan Jin’s lips curled upwards in a smile, his voice deep and low: “Hmm, just like you.”

Fan Zhaodi entered the courtyard carrying a large bamboo basket of clothes on her back.

“Zhaodi, why are you back?” Fan Dazhu lay under the eaves, sitting up to look at the person in the middle of the courtyard, his face devoid of joy, only furrowed with concern.

The others looked the same.

Fan Sanzhu was a bit disgruntled. He had gone there before to find Zhaodi, asking her to secretly bring them food to eat, but she refused.

She ate and drank well at her uncle’s and aunt’s house, completely ignoring the situation at home!

He asked coldly, “What’s wrong? Did Uncle and Aunt kick you out?”

Fan Zhaodi glanced at those who were supposedly her ‘relatives’, chose not to reply directly, and said selectively, “My leg injury has healed. I can’t stay there forever; I have to come back to work.”

Upon hearing ‘work’, the displeasure on several faces faded by half.

Then they noticed the large bamboo basket behind her and asked eagerly, “What’s behind your back?”

“Is it food?”

“Did Uncle and Aunt ask you to bring it back?”

Inside the house, Fan’s mother and Sun Jinhua took a few big steps forward and clamored, “Where is it?”

“What food!”

Fan Dazhu’s leg injury was real and he had been lying comfortably without doing any work. Now, seeing his three brothers rush forward to search through Zhaodi’s basket, he secretly cursed his injured leg.

He shouted loudly, “Leave some for me!”