Chapter 8: Mediocrity is not envied

Liu’s courtyard.

“Xiaojun, Xiaojun…” Liu Xiaoling lay in bed, clutching her rumbling stomach and calling for her brother.

She couldn’t just accept her fate. Since Heaven had given her a second chance at life, she absolutely couldn’t continue living as she had before.

At lunchtime, she’d overheard her grandmother and eldest aunt talking. They planned to find her a husband who would pay a lot of money.

She thought her mother would object, but when her mother heard they’d get fifty yuan, she immediately agreed with their plan.

Liu Xiaojun walked over impatiently, “What do you want?”

Their mother had specifically instructed him to keep a close eye on his sister, to prevent her from causing trouble again. Now, even his older brothers didn’t want to take him to the mountain to play.

“Xiaojun, do you want candy?” Liu Xiaoling gritted her teeth, softening her tone and asking softly.

Upon hearing the word “candy,” Liu Xiaojun’s eyes lit up. “Sister, you hid candy! Quickly give it to me, or I’ll tell Mom you’re hiding it.”

“Cough… Xiaojun, open the door. The candy is in the cabinet by my bed.”

“No… you can’t go out.” Liu Xiaojun immediately refused.

“Xiaojun, I’m so hungry I can barely walk, how could I run out?” Liu Xiaoling feigned weakness.

Seeing Liu Xiaojun still hesitating, touching the door lock, Liu Xiaoling’s soft words were full of temptation,

“Xiaojun, I only have two pieces left. If you don’t take them, Xiaozhuang and the others will eat them all when they come back.”

“Then… I’ll open the door, but you can’t run out.” Liu Xiaojun bit his lip, opening the door while warning her.

Liu Xiaoling lowered her head, concealing the contempt and resentment in her eyes. This was her family, all ignorant and hypocritical.

Quickly opening the cabinet, Liu Xiaojun found a candy, and threw it into his mouth without even fully unwrapping it.

Mmm… so delicious… so sweet… Liu Xiaojun smiled, his eyes squinting into slits.

“Xiaojun, is the candy delicious?”

“Delicious.”

“Do you want another one?”

“Where did you put the other one? Hurry up and give it to me.” Liu Xiaojun realized he hadn’t found the second piece.

Disgust flashed in Liu Xiaoling’s eyes. Remembering her purpose, a smile touched her lips,

“Xiaojun, if you want another candy, go to Chenjia Village and find Chen Hongxia. Give her this.” She produced a folded piece of paper.

Liu Xiaojun hesitated. If he went to find someone, what would his family do?

“Xiaojun, Mom only said I couldn’t go out, she didn’t say no one could come to see me, right?” Liu Xiaoling said pitifully.

Liu Xiaojun nodded and ran out of the room. Yes, he had followed his mother’s instructions perfectly.

Liu Xiaoling lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and laughing softly. She wouldn’t lose to Wen Wan, that bitch. This life, she would live better than Wen Wan.

“Achoo… Achoo…” Walking slowly on the dirt road, Wen Wan unexpectedly sneezed twice.

She rubbed her nose, muttering, “I guess someone’s talking about me behind my back. It’s true, being too excellent makes you prone to envy.

But it’s fine. Mediocrity isn’t envied. The more people envy you, the happier you are…”

By the time she got home, it was already past four in the afternoon.

Before she even opened the door, Wen Wan saw the wisps of smoke rising from her house.

“Sister-in-law, I’m back.” Pushing open the door, Wen Wan called out, afraid of startling the pregnant Tian Xiaochao.

Tian Xiaochao, busy in the kitchen, heard the familiar voice from the yard and felt relieved.

Earlier, she had watched as the sky grew darker and her younger sister-in-law hadn’t come home, and she had started to worry that she might do something rash.

“Xiaowan, why did you buy so many things? The wedding isn’t until a few days later…” Tian Xiaochao rushed to meet Wen Wan, carrying large bags, but stopped mid-sentence.

Wen Wan pretended not to hear, placing the things on the table and changing the subject, “Sister-in-law, have you finished chopping the vegetables?”

“Ah… yes.” Tian Xiaochao responded, turning her back and patting her mouth. She mustn’t say what she shouldn’t.

This morning, when her younger sister-in-law didn’t leave her room, Cui Yulan had specifically told everyone not to mention the high school entrance exam or Chen Jianbing at home.

“Xiaowan, you must be tired from your journey. Go to your room and rest for a while.” Tian Xiaochao said, pushing Wen Wan out of the kitchen, and giving her a freshly baked sweet potato.

Wen Wan tried to refuse, but couldn’t win against Tian Xiaochao, so she helplessly agreed, “Okay, okay…”

She really wanted to help, but the original owner hadn’t done much in the kitchen, so she had to gradually find opportunities.

Seeing her younger sister-in-law obediently leave, Tian Xiaochao breathed a sigh of relief. Goodness, that was close. She remembered the sweet and sour noodles she ate on the wedding day.

Her younger sister-in-law’s cooking was too unique, not suitable for everyone to try.

If Wen Wan knew Tian Xiaochao’s relief, she would certainly cry injustice. Those noodles were made by Wen Jianguo, not her.

As evening approached, the fiery sun slowly set, and the workers from the mountain returned home, chatting and laughing.

“Xiaowan, Xiaowan…” Cui Yulan rushed to the front of the crowd, calling out before even entering the house.

Wen Wan heard the urgency in Cui Yulan’s voice, put down her pen, and went out to open the door.

“Mom, where are Dad and my brother?” Wen Wan noticed only Cui Yulan was there.

Seeing her daughter’s cheerful appearance, Cui Yulan’s expression relaxed slightly. “Daughter…” She didn’t know how to say it.

Before work ended, she had specifically asked her son to go to the neighboring village to invite Chen Jianbing to dinner.

But her son had rushed off and returned angrily.

He repeated Chen Jianbing’s mother’s words verbatim: “My son is in the county doing something, he probably won’t have time to come to your house for dinner.”

Wen Wan saw the dissatisfaction and worry in Cui Yulan’s eyes and asked calmly, “Mom, just tell me. Your daughter can handle anything now.”

“Xiaowan, it’s nothing. Your father and brother went to invite someone. I came back first to see if there’s anything I can help with.” Cui Yulan changed the subject.

If she said it now, it would affect her daughter’s mood. When people are in a bad mood, they don’t even eat well, and then their health suffers. They could talk later after dinner.

Without giving Wen Wan a chance to speak, she turned and went to the kitchen. “Xiaochao, is there anything you haven’t finished? I’ll help.”

Wen Wan pondered for a moment. She had guessed what her mother had wanted to say—the village gossip, or something about Chen Jianbing.