Chapter 2

For years, Mei Ling had painstakingly worked on “befriending” Gu Yinyin. She originally thought Gu Yinyin trusted her completely, and this time Gu Yinyin was bound to fall hard. She never imagined that Gu Yinyin would suddenly retaliate from a desperate situation, with her entire temperament drastically changed.

And she even asked her for money—such a small thing, yet she still wanted it back? Was Gu Yinyin not ashamed?

Mei Ling began to cry aggrievedly. “Yinyin, these are all the things you didn’t want. Back then, you said you were giving them to me. I refused, but you insisted. So why are you asking for them back now? You know I have no way to return them. All these years I have always treated you…”

“Pa!” Gu Yinyin slapped her again. She was indeed only eighteen, freshly graduated from high school, but her hatred toward Mei Ling had already reached its peak. She had never done such things before, but now she did them all without hesitation.

Living in this world, one had to worry about this and that, but the most important thing was survival!

“Are you going to return them or not?” Gu Yinyin’s voice was cold.

Mei Ling was so furious in her heart that she almost wanted to kill Gu Yinyin on the spot. But when she thought of her grand plan, she realized that turning hostile with Gu Yinyin now had no benefit. A loan note—she could write it. But whether Gu Yinyin would live long enough for it to matter, that was another question.

With that thought, Mei Ling nodded with tears in her eyes. “Fine, I’ll write it. Even if I treat you as my best friend, I’ll still write this debt note. But you know, that’s not the truth.”

Some onlookers felt uneasy watching this, but in the end Gu Yinyin still asked Educated Youth Lin and Mei Qing, both literate people, to write out a debt note. They listed in detail everything Mei Ling owed her.

After the debt note was written and confirmed, both women pressed their fingerprints onto it. Mei Ling sneered in her heart—what use was a debt note? Once Gu Yinyin died, this paper would be nothing but waste!

But the very next second, Gu Yinyin reached out and directly yanked the earring off Mei Ling’s earlobe. Mei Ling’s ear throbbed with sudden pain, as if it were bleeding. She hissed, clenched her fist, and nearly punched her.

Then, Gu Yinyin abruptly ripped the hairpin out of her hair, leaving Mei Ling’s hair disheveled. Gu Yinyin deliberately said: “Your pants…”

Mei Ling instinctively shielded her waistband. “Gu Yinyin! Don’t bully me too much! Isn’t it just a bit of money I borrowed from you? Do you think I won’t repay you if I had the money? What’s so great about you?”

Even if she had been made of clay, she would not be able to endure such public humiliation. Mei Ling could not care about her grand plan anymore; she was simply furious.

Gu Yinyin gave a cold snort through her nose and warned: “Then I’ll just wait for you to repay me.”

She stood up, carefully put away the debt note, and swept her gaze across the crowd one by one. These were all the people who had watched her being beaten and had condemned her without asking right from wrong. In the days ahead, she feared it would not be easy to leave Hongxing Village. She had to remember who they were.

Gu Yinyin lifted her foot and walked back. In her mind, she carried both the memories of her previous life and faintly those of the Original Owner. She clearly understood that this world’s Gu Yinyin was actually another version of herself in a parallel world. She just did not know why Heaven had arranged things this way.

Since she had come, she might as well accept it. Otherwise, could she really go throw herself into the river and drown?

Gu Yinyin walked all the way home. The Shen family lived in a small mud-brick courtyard at the northwest corner of the village. There were only four rooms in total, and the whole family was squeezed inside, living in extreme crowding.

Shen Guo’an had not been home for the past half year. Gu Yinyin lived with two children in the westernmost room. She was just about to return to her room to sleep when her mother-in-law, Li Ailian, called out sharply: “Eldest daughter-in-law! Hand me that debt note!”

She was nearly breathless with anger when she thought of how Gu Yinyin had privately hoarded so many things and even given them all to Mei Ling.

Now, that debt note naturally had to be taken. Tomorrow, when she went to the Mei household, she would definitely reclaim everything!

But Gu Yinyin suddenly picked up a thick stick from the ground, turned around, and stared at them. “Come on, who wants the debt note? Try first whether this stick is hard enough!”

Li Ailian was stunned. “So you’ve turned rebellious! Everything my son sent back belongs to me. What right do you have to meddle? You bring misfortune, you wastrel!”

Before she even finished scolding, Gu Yinyin suddenly raised the stick and smashed it against the chicken coop beside them, shouting: “If you won’t let me live well, then I won’t let you live well either! I’ve already died once, so I’m not afraid!”

The chicken coop was not sturdy to begin with. After such a beating, the few chickens that Li Ailian cherished so dearly scattered in panic. Seeing them about to escape out the door, she no longer had time to bother with Gu Yinyin and quickly rushed outside, patting her backside as she chased after the chickens.

Gu Yinyin walked a few steps to the door of her own room, pushed it open, and went inside.

She was terribly thirsty. She placed the earrings, teacup, and other items she had brought back onto the table, then fetched a bowl and went out to the water tank in the courtyard, scooping up a bowl of water and drinking it down.

The sweet water slid over her tongue and down her throat, and the taste was something Gu Yinyin had never experienced before—so pure and refreshing. For the first time, she thought plain water could be so delicious! Unable to resist, she drank another bowl. Afterward, she drew water to wash her face and feet, planning to shut the door and sleep no matter what.

There was no oil lamp in the room, but fortunately the moonlight was bright that night. A full moon hung in the sky, its silvery glow shining beautifully. From the window, the light spilled into the room, making it possible to see things vaguely inside.

The interior was shabby and messy. Who knew what the Original Owner had been doing before?

Exhausted, she roughly spread the bedding, lay down, and closed her eyes, lost in thought.

In her previous life, although Gu Yinyin spent most of her time studying, she was not the kind to study mechanically. She had a secret fondness for reading novels. Her father had bought her a cellphone. Normally she did not take it out, but every night after the dorm lights went out, she would hide under the covers and read novels for two hours.

Over time, she had read countless stories—about entering books, rebirth, face-slapping, and more. Sometimes she even fantasized about what she would do if she became the protagonist. But now that she really had become the protagonist, Gu Yinyin touched the shaky bunk beneath her, let out a long sigh, and thought, what rotten luck!

In such a shabby place, how could she live her days?

Just as Gu Yinyin lay there with her eyes closed, her mind wandering, she suddenly heard a faint sound coming from the corner of the room. It sounded like mice, but not quite.

She immediately sat up and looked toward the corner. “Who’s there!”

As soon as her words fell, two children walked out from the corner. Under the thin moonlight, their hair was long and messy, their figures frail. The older one looked about ten years old, the younger at most six or seven. The older one stood protectively in front of the younger, glaring at Gu Yinyin with sharp hostility.

Gu Yinyin’s heart jolted—she had nearly forgotten that “she” had two children!

One child was called Da Wa, the other Xiao Wa. In the future, they would both become outstanding people. But right now, life was not easy for them, because their mother, Gu Yinyin, only ever cared about love and romance, completely neglecting them, and sometimes even venting her anger on them.

Although Gu Yinyin was only eighteen, she actually liked children. Looking at the two pitiful little ones, she sighed. “Why aren’t you asleep?”

Xiao Wa’s voice was thin. “Mother, I’m hungry.”

Da Wa immediately covered Xiao Wa’s mouth. “Sister, don’t beg her! Brother will think of something!”

It seemed Da Wa’s hostility toward Gu Yinyin was very strong. Remembering how, in the book, these two brats later judged their own mother, Gu Yinyin snorted. “Oh really? Then what idea do you have for your sister? Two skinny monkeys with bad tempers?”

Following her memory, she pulled down a bamboo basket from the top of the cabinet, opened a cloth bundle inside, and quickly untied it. Inside were about a dozen peach crisps.

Though the golden peach crisps were not clearly visible under the moonlight, Da Wa and Xiao Wa could not help but fix their eyes on them, nearly drooling with longing.

Gu Yinyin deliberately asked: “Well? Are you going to eat them or not? Or do you prefer to come up with your own ideas?”

Xiao Wa was truly hungry. The skinny little girl’s eyes looked even larger on her thin face. Her chin was pointed, and her small nose delicate and straight. Even in the dim light, Gu Yinyin could tell the child was likely quite pretty. Her voice was so sweet and obedient.

“Mother, I want to eat peach crisps.” As Xiao Wa spoke, she lowered her head, as if timid.

Da Wa grabbed his sister’s hand fiercely. “You’re not allowed to go! Did you forget? Last time you ate one of her eggs, she slapped you across the face! Those peach crisps are meant for Aunt Mei, so that Aunt Mei will help her find news about Father!”

Xiao Wa shrank back, waving her hands in panic. “Th-then I won’t eat them. Mother, please don’t be angry, all right? If you want to hit someone, just hit me, but don’t hit Brother, please?”

The obedient little girl wore a long-sleeved floral shirt with sleeves already too short, and the collar was torn. Seeing her in such a state made Gu Yinyin’s heart ache.

Though she had not given birth to them herself, she still counted as their mother. To live in such misery was truly pitiful.

She stuffed the peach crisps into Da Wa’s arms. “Eat them with your sister! I won’t hit you anymore. Don’t worry, these peach crisps were sent by your father for you to eat.”

When she noticed both Da Wa and Xiao Wa hesitating, she simply broke off two small pieces and shoved them into their mouths.

The crispy, sweet peach crisps melted instantly on the tongue, carrying the fragrance of sesame seeds. Da Wa and Xiao Wa had never tasted anything so delicious. For a moment, they forgot everything else, staring only at Gu Yinyin.

To comfort them, Gu Yinyin stroked their heads. “Eat. Quickly, eat as much as you want. Food is dead, people are alive. Once you’re full, you can sleep well!”

But Da Wa’s face suddenly changed. He placed the peach crisps back on the bed, dragged his sister backward, and said harshly: “Sister! We can’t eat this! Spit it out! There must be poison in the peach crisps! Otherwise, why would she willingly give them all to us?”

What kind of parent would casually hand out peach crisps for their children to eat? There had to be some scheme!

But then Xiao Wa shook off her brother’s hand, stepped timidly toward Gu Yinyin, and whispered in a soft voice: “But Brother, I still want to eat the peach crisps. Mother finally treats me kindly, she wouldn’t poison me. Mother, may I eat the peach crisps?”

Gu Yinyin looked at Da Wa, then at Xiao Wa, her feelings complicated. She could not help but sigh at the Original Owner—what sins had she committed to make the children so distrustful?

She gently patted Xiao Wa’s head. “Eat, good girl. There’s no poison. I just want you to eat, I can’t bear to see you starve. Children are the most precious beings in the world.”

Xiao Wa nodded, then picked up a peach crisp and happily ate it in big bites.

Gu Yinyin cast a glance at Da Wa, who stood stiffly in the corner, and could not stop herself from laughing inwardly.

These two would one day become great figures, yet right now their names were so rustic and their tempers so stubborn—it was far too amusing.

She pretended to sigh. “Well then, I’ll step out to fetch some water. You two eat slowly. Once you’re full, I’ll bring you something to drink.”

As soon as Gu Yinyin left, Xiao Wa held out a piece of peach crisp and urged sincerely: “Brother, you should eat too. It’s really delicious.”

Da Wa clenched his teeth. “No! I will never eat anything from her! She doesn’t love us, she isn’t worthy of being our mother!”

Xiao Wa looked at him with distress, tugging at his sleeve. “Brother, just take one bite. I’ll close my eyes and pretend I didn’t see. Otherwise, you’ll wake up hungry again in the middle of the night.”

Da Wa wavered, his eyes flickering. “Then… just one bite! But you must never ask me to eat her food again. I’d rather starve to death than bow to her!”

Five seconds later, Da Wa was devouring an entire peach crisp in big gulps.

Xiao Wa tilted her head and asked: “Brother, is it good?”

With his mouth full, Da Wa mumbled unclearly: “Fragrant… so fragrant!”