After Rebirth, Minor Character Only Wants to Level Up
Chapter 30 - 029: Rage

Chapter 30: 029: Rage

In front of outsiders, Old Mrs. Ye no longer showed her disapproval towards her son and daughter-in-law. It wasn’t until they got off the bus, arrived home, and she sat in a chair in the living room, that her face turned somber.

As he got older, plus the habit of smoking, Ye He Ping didn’t enter the room but sat down in the living room instead. Seeing his mother’s somber face, Ye He Ping knew she had something to say. He hung his hat and coat on the hanger by the door before sitting down opposite her.

"Mom, if you have something to say, please just say it." Having been raised by his mother since childhood, Ye He Ping had always listened to her.

It was just that in these recent years, they had kept their mother in the countryside, and didn’t interact much. Hearing her husband’s words at this moment, Bai Xue suddenly remembered this and had a bad premonition.

Old Mrs. Ye turned to the door and said, "Bai Xue, you come over and sit down too, and Lingzi, you and your sister come over and sit down as well."

Ye Ling had come in with her grandmother, but had initially gone straight to the East Room. Hearing her grandmother calling her, she walked out and sat down beside her.

As for Ye Qian, she also came out from the West Room, and sat down beside her father, arm in arm with her mother. When Ye He Ping saw his daughter and wife coming over, he instinctively moved inward to make room for them. Once seated, he looked up at his mother, feeling a stiffness in his body.

Though the disappointment in his mother’s eyes was fleeting, Ye He Ping noticed it and regretted his actions. Since his mother arrived, he hadn’t spent much time with her and mostly stayed with his wife when at home, unconsciously segregating his mother and eldest daughter as if they were two separate parties.

Ye He Ping wasn’t wrong. Seeing her son’s actions indeed made Old Mrs. Ye sad. But realizing her son was a married man now, and if he truly didn’t mind his wife’s feelings, his days wouldn’t pass well. So she quickly suppressed that trace of sadness in her heart, "He Ping, I heard from Bai Xue about your intention not to let Lingzi go to school, is that true?"

"Mom, it’s not that we don’t want Lingzi to go to school, it’s just that if she doesn’t pass her entrance exams, then we can’t let her continue. You know our family’s situation. Even though I’m a department head now, it’s no different from being an ordinary employee. Our family’s condition really can’t afford to let her retake the year." Ye He Ping dared not admit it directly, but saying it this way didn’t worry him too much.

The entrance exams aren’t easy to pass, so he wasn’t worried about his daughter passing them. He was sure she would fail her exams in her junior year.

Old Mrs. Ye nodded, "You make some sense. If that’s the case, then I have nothing more to say. Today, in front of the whole family, remember, if Lingzi passes, even if you have to sell everything, you must support her schooling. If she doesn’t pass, you needn’t let her retake the year; I’ll have her come back down." Old Mrs. Ye spoke firmly.

She also believed her granddaughter would definitely pass.

Bai Xue, seeing her mother-in-law’s unwavering stance, couldn’t help but worry. Sometimes, it’s not about fearing one thing more than the other but fearing the slightest chance it might happen. If the eldest girl does pass, where will they get the money to support her schooling? The family’s current situation is right there, and they can only afford to support one child.

And her husband’s situation at work, she was somewhat aware of. If he couldn’t move up now, his age and position would hinder him, reducing his benefits and possibly demoting him. Without the company subsidies, the family would have a hard time even supporting one child, let alone two.

"Fine, if the child passes, I’ll support her," Bai Xue was worried, but Ye He Ping had already agreed to it.

Ye He Ping didn’t take these words to heart, but his wife gave him a hard kick under the table. He grunted, restraining himself from looking at her, knowing what she feared, planning to explain later when they were alone.

Old Mrs. Ye knew her son well, recognizing his usual obedience, but she didn’t trust her daughter-in-law. "Over the years, our family hasn’t gathered together often. Now that the New Year has passed, we can’t always leave the old home unattended. I’m thinking of taking Lingzi back after the fifth day. This year she’s taking her entrance exams, so it’s better to return early and study. Our family doesn’t have much production, so there isn’t much grain and money divided by the production team. However, Lingzi and I don’t spend much back at home, so that little money hasn’t been touched."

Ye Ling glanced at her mother, noticing her focused attention. She harbored a quiet cynicism, realizing her mother’s greed for money would eventually disappoint her. Although Ye Ling didn’t know why her grandmother suddenly brought up the family’s finances, she knew it wouldn’t be given to her mother.

Old Mrs. Ye continued, "Along with the money saved from raising and selling chickens over the years, I have over a hundred yuan. In the future, if Lingzi passes and you’re short on money, you can use this first. This way, you can buy some time to save for the next year’s school fees, so the financial strain won’t be so tight at home."

Out of deep care for her son, Old Mrs. Ye couldn’t bear seeing him under too much pressure. Ye He Ping understood his mother’s intentions, feeling both guilty and saddened, but before he could speak, his wife had already taken over.

"Mom, how can we use your money? These years, you took care of Lingzi, and we didn’t give you a dime. This money shouldn’t be touched; even if we have to tighten our belts, we shouldn’t spend your money."

"Exactly, Mom, you should keep the money for yourself." Ye He Ping also firmly disagreed.

Old Mrs. Ye didn’t argue further. Knowing her son and daughter-in-law were grateful was enough for her. She was getting old, and the money saved would eventually be for them. Besides, seeing her son live a tight life was something she couldn’t bear.

"Lingzi, you need to study hard and help your grandmother with some work around the house whenever you can." Bai Xue began advising her daughter, speaking earnestly, "Over these years, your father and I haven’t been around your grandmother much, so you can consider this as repaying us, okay? Don’t be stubborn with her, alright?"

"Mom, I want to buy some books to take back. Before going home, can you take me to get some review materials?" As for Ye Qian studying her junior year’s curriculum early, Ye Ling didn’t care at all.

She passed the exams in her past life, and it wasn’t difficult, so she wasn’t concerned. However, she wanted to buy some high school prep materials and maybe borrow some high school books to study in advance.

"Just pay attention in class when the teacher is teaching. Buying materials is just for consolidation; it doesn’t really help with the entrance exams, so let’s not buy them. Your sister has some outgrown clothes; we might as well take them back for you this time." Bai Xue tried to change the subject by mentioning the clothes.

Ye Ling wasn’t falling for it. "Mom, just buy me a few, okay? Ye Qian has been learning dance all these years, and I can’t learn anything in the countryside. I’ve never asked you guys for anything before. Just this once, for some materials, please agree."

Having said that much, and in front of the whole family, Bai Xue had no choice but to agree.

"This child, these years, your father and I have felt worse than you for not being able to keep you with us. Look at what you’re saying. Fine, we’ll go in the third grade then; the bookstore is open by then."

"Thank you, Mom." Ye Ling knew her mother’s heart ached but maintained a face of a kind mother for appearances.

But she didn’t care about that; achieving her purpose was all that mattered.

Now that things were out in the open, Old Mrs. Ye was happy again. Witnessing the granddaughter and daughter-in-law’s interaction warmed her heart, and her face finally brightened. Even Ye Qian wore a sweet smile, though internally she felt less cheerful.

When the third grade rolled around, Ye Ling noticed Ye Qian was also dressed, waiting by the door. This made her realize her mother wouldn’t just buy for her, leaving a slight discomfort in her heart. Then why, when it came to giving everything to Ye Qian, did they think about her?

But all this was a fleeting thought because, in this life, from the moment she was reborn, Ye Ling had told herself not to care about these things. As long as she could live with herself, that was enough.