Chapter 34

Jian Li furrowed her brows.

This kind of weather? Out there freezing for the whole night?

“So, how’s Xu Yanan doing today?”

Xia Liu spread her hands: “I don’t know, I just heard her mom was scolding and throwing bowls all night, and later Xu Yanan cried.”

Even though Xia Liu didn’t like Xu Yanan, she couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her at that moment.

Xu Yanan was so miserable.

Jian Li felt a mix of sympathy and discomfort she couldn’t quite explain.

It was as if she had stolen Xu Yanan’s first place.

“We…”

Jian Li wanted to do something, but when she thought of Xu Yanan’s mother, Sun Yan’s behavior, she felt like anything she did would be in vain.

After leaving Xia Liu’s house, Jian Li’s previously cheerful mood had completely disappeared.

Although her rational mind told her that Xu Yanan’s situation had more to do with her family than with her, since Xu Yanan couldn’t always be first, the problem wasn’t the person who had pushed her off the top spot, but Xu Yanan’s overbearing, crazy mother.

But…

Jian Li secretly went near Xu Yanan’s house, standing on tiptoe, trying to see if Xu Yanan was home.

It just so happened that Xu Yanan’s house was noisy.

“Xu Jianguo, you should also control your wife! How could you let a good child be frozen for hours? Are you two even her biological parents? Yanan is still so young and has never caused you any trouble, and you treat her like this? Kicking her out for coming third, I’ve never seen such heartless parents!”

The person speaking had a voice like Dr. Zhang from the factory’s health clinic.

Jian Li cautiously peeked her head out and saw Aunt Zhang standing at the door of Xu Yanan’s house, shouting at Xu Jianguo.

Xu Jianguo lowered his head, his face flushed, responding with “yes” to everything she said.

Aunt Zhang was holding a medical kit, and it was clear that it wasn’t helping.

It was good for a man to have his wife control things, but if it was like this—too scared to speak up when it came to the children—that was just pitiful.

Aunt Zhang was furious at Xu Jianguo’s submissive attitude.

“I’m saying this for the last time, Xu Yanan is already a model child, so obedient. Everyone sees that. No matter what, you can’t keep doing things like this. You can’t lock a child out in the cold like that. If she gets seriously ill, the Women’s Federation will get involved.”

Aunt Zhang’s words were harsh, but when she saw Xu Yanan, a well-behaved young girl, shivering from the cold and having a fever, her face couldn’t be good either.

After giving Xu Yanan an injection, Aunt Zhang continued to scold Xu Jianguo.

As for Sun Yan, she hadn’t been seen yet and no one knew where she went.

In the freezing winter, Aunt Zhang was so angry that she could hardly stand it. She had never seen such a cruel mother—throwing her child out for coming third in an exam.

Xu Yanan had even been thrown outside without her coat. The little girl silently stood outside for several hours until a neighbor, who was late coming home, saw her and knocked on the door to make Sun Yan let Xu Yanan back in.

Once inside, it wasn’t clear whether she was beaten again, but Xu Yanan had marks on her body, likely from a broom.

It wasn’t clear if it was from beating a child or an enemy.

There were many families in the compound who disciplined their children harshly, but it was rare to see someone so ruthless.

Aunt Zhang was worried, so she went into the house to check again. When she came out, she told Xu Jianguo: “After the injection, you should take out the needle. I’ll come back tomorrow at the same time to give her another injection. Warm up the room a bit, and don’t let her get cold again.”

Xu Jianguo nodded.

“Where’s your wife?”

Xu Jianguo lowered his head: “She went to her family’s house…”

She left early in the morning, saying she was upset seeing this weak father-daughter pair.

Aunt Zhang was frustrated: “You two! With such a good child, so obedient and filial, and you’re still not satisfied!”

Xu Jianguo remained silent.

Aunt Zhang left, and Xu Jianguo entered the house, but Jian Li couldn’t see anymore.

She thought for a moment and made a big detour to the back of the apartment building. Xu Jianguo’s house was also on the first floor, like hers, both facing the outer buildings. The layout was similar.

Jian Li snuck around the back, but heard nothing. She could vaguely see Xu Jianguo walking inside and poking the coal stove.

Xu Yanan was probably already asleep due to the fever.

Jian Li crouched by the window, trying hard to peek inside, but couldn’t see or hear anything about Xu Yanan.

She could only reluctantly return home.

After she got home, she first went to the small restaurant, and after a while, the place wasn’t busy.

Wang Mengmei was in the kitchen frying meatballs. The hot meatballs were about the size of ping-pong balls, with some lotus root shreds mixed in, making them both savory and crunchy.

Wang Mengmei set the fried meatballs aside and continued frying chicken pieces and crispy meat.

These fried foods were meant to go into a clay pot, and a steaming hot pot served with a main dish sold for three yuan.

Wang Mengmei fried these every two or three days, and most of the customers chose the clay pot.

The fried food was so tempting, Jian Li couldn’t resist sneaking a few meatballs and chicken pieces.

They were salty, crispy, and fragrant, and for a moment, she forgot about Xu Yanan.

Wang Mengmei didn’t stop her daughter from eating, instead asking her opinion.

Jian Li, with her picky mouth, tasted a bite: “The meatballs have too many vegetables.”

They didn’t taste as good.

Wang Mengmei asked, “The meat filling was just a little bit too little. You could tell that?”

Jian Li closed her eyes and shook her finger. “Ms. Wang Mengmei, don’t relax your quality control just because business is good.”

Wang Mengmei mumbled, “Seriously, today’s minced meat is missing a couple of ounces…”

If she had known it would be less, she should have just skipped half a section of lotus root.

Jian Li leaned back in the kitchen chair, watching her mom bustle about with food, then suddenly asked, “Mom, do you interact much with Aunt Sun Yan?”

Wang Mengmei, having finished frying things, was now kneading dough to make pancakes. She was surprised by the question. “Why are you asking that? I don’t really talk to her.”

Jian Li immediately became curious. “Why not?”

Wang Mengmei replied, “What’s there to talk about? Her kid is a top student, always coming first. Every time we meet, she has to ask me how well you did. What should I say?”

Wang Mengmei glanced at Jian Li with a hint of admiration. “At least this year you’ve given your mom some face.”

During the New Year, when relatives ask about grades again, she can proudly say, “Not much, just first place.”

Wang Mengmei felt that her good life now was something she never dared to dream of before.

More than half a year ago, she was constantly anxious—worried about her daughter’s health and grades, and angry at her husband for always borrowing money.

But in just six months, everything she worried about had been solved.

Her business was booming, and even her posture seemed a bit stronger than before.

Now, Wang Mengmei was full of energy, working hard every day, hoping that her family’s uphill journey would continue smoothly.

Jian Li sighed like an adult. “Alright, I thought you and Aunt Sun Yan might have had some conversations.”

Wang Mengmei asked, “What would we talk about? Could it be that you’ve done something again?”

Wang Mengmei became suspicious, thinking her daughter had done something. In the past six months, Jian Li had been running a side business with her cousins, submitting articles, and now even had a bankbook.

Wang Mengmei was against Jian Li getting a bankbook. She had a simple belief that kids with money could easily go astray, so she always tried to find out how much money Jian Li had and aimed to seize it all.

But Jian Feng had persuaded her for a long time, saying it was the child’s own money, and parents couldn’t take it.

Wang Mengmei huffed. “What do I need her money for? Isn’t everything we earn hers anyway? I’m just afraid she’ll waste it, so I’m saving it for her!”

Jian Feng helplessly responded, “You save it, and she’ll think you’re trying to take it. Let her save it herself.”

“What if she wastes it?”

“…Think about it recently, is Xiao Li the kind of person to waste money? Instead of worrying about her wasting it, maybe you should worry about her saving too much and coming up with some big idea later on.”

According to Jian Feng’s understanding, if his daughter wanted a bankbook to save money, she probably had some goal in mind, but he couldn’t figure out what that goal was. Since she had a goal, why should the parents interfere?

It probably wasn’t anything major.

However, Wang Mengmei’s heart was still uneasy. Upon hearing Jian Li’s question, she instinctively thought Jian Li had gotten into trouble with Sun Yan.

Just like when she had caused trouble before, shrinking away and leaving it to Jian Feng and her to deal with.

Jian Li didn’t hide anything from her mother and directly shared what she had seen at Xu Yanan’s house.

Wang Mengmei was so shocked that she stopped kneading the dough, a deep sense of confusion showing on her face.

“What? She did poorly on her exams, and they wouldn’t let her in the house?”

Jian Li nodded. “I think they even hit her. Aunt Sun Yan went back to her parents’ house this morning.”

Wang Mengmei couldn’t understand. “She left her sick daughter behind?”

Jian Li responded, “Mm.”

Wang Mengmei said, “…No wonder Xu Yanan comes first every year.”

In contrast, her treatment of Jian Li wasn’t just relaxed; it was downright spoiled.

Jian Li looked at her mom’s expression. “What I’m thinking is, Uncle Jianguo doesn’t know how to cook, and Aunt Sun Yan went to her parents’ house. How is Xu Yanan eating lately?”

Wang Mengmei retorted, “What does that have to do with you?”

Suddenly, she remembered why Jian Li had brought this up.

Xu Yanan didn’t come first because Jian Li had taken the top spot.

Wang Mengmei paused for a moment and then said, “This isn’t your business. Go play.”

She wanted to give some advice about the first-place position—did it have Xu Yanan’s name engraved on it? Her own daughter had worked hard, so why shouldn’t she take first place?

But when she saw Jian Li’s cautious expression, she knew her daughter understood these things; she was just feeling sympathy for Xu Yanan.

Thinking about Xu Yanan being beaten and having a fever, Wang Mengmei couldn’t say anything harsh.

All children are good children; it’s just that adults aren’t always sensible.

Wang Mengmei, with dough on her hands, wanted to pat Jian Li’s head but didn’t know how to do it.

Finally, she softened her tone. “I understand about Xu Yanan. I’ll talk to your dad later and ask him to send some food to Uncle Jianguo for you.”

The cafeteria food had become so bad it couldn’t even be eaten. If Xu Yanan had to rely on that to recover, there would be no nutrition at all.

Wang Mengmei planned to take over Xu Yanan and her dad’s meals before Sun Yan came back, and at worst, she would make a special sick person’s meal.

She would have Jian Feng deliver it to avoid Xu Yanan getting even more upset when Sun Yan returned.

Once Jian Li’s worries were set aside, she perked up again, hugging Wang Mengmei’s waist and singing happily: “The best thing in the world is having a mom~”

Wang Mengmei: “…Stop! Hurry up and get out of here!”

If the clothes get dirty, isn’t it her responsibility to wash them?

Wang Mengmei talked about Xu Yanan’s situation, and Jian Feng frowned as he agreed.

“I’ll talk to Jianguo later.”

Bringing food was one thing, but hitting a child like that, Jian Feng felt it was necessary to have a proper chat with Xu Jianguo.

Sun Yan certainly had her strengths. She was tough but also hardworking. She could handle all the housework and never skimped on food for the adults or kids. A few years ago, before she lost her job, she was among the hardest workers in the workshop.

But no matter how much she gave, she shouldn’t take her frustration out on the child.

Wang Mengmei pulled her husband aside, worried: “You can talk to Jianguo, but be careful. They’re a couple, don’t say anything bad about Sun Yan.”

After so many years of being together, Wang Mengmei had figured out that Xu Jianguo wasn’t likely to make any changes under Sun Yan’s control. No matter how much Jian Feng said, Xu Jianguo wouldn’t do anything based on it.

So, it’s best not to get involved in their marriage.

Wang Mengmei nervously reminded him: “Don’t say anything else, just mention the food delivery. Let’s stop before Sun Yan gets back.”

As long as Xu Jianguo wasn’t stupid and didn’t act out, he wouldn’t tell Sun Yan about how things had been lately.

That should be enough.

Jian Feng kept to himself and went to Xu Jianguo’s house that evening.

He returned soon after.

“No need to send food anymore, Sun Yan is back.”

Wang Mengmei was surprised. “So fast?”

Jian Feng looked grim.

“She didn’t go back to her parents’ house, she went back to Jianguo’s hometown.”

“And she brought a child back.”