The Female Cannon Fodder With Boundless Merits
Chapter 436 - 440: The Shang Family’s Daughter (Part 1)

Chapter 436: Chapter 440: The Shang Family’s Daughter (Part 1)

"Auntie, you should rest too," Su Li said, irritated. "Why is it that my elder aunty doesn’t have to work, yet you’re sick and still have to carry a hoe into the field?"

The noises outside were loud, and the tightly shut door could not keep their voices from seeping in.

Su Li opened her eyes and immediately heard a childish voice, as if someone was standing by the door, purposely speaking so she could hear.

After slightly organizing the original owner’s memories and triple-checking that there were no gaps, Su Li slowly rose from her bed.

Now that she had the memories, Su Li knew that the little girl standing outside raising her voice was her second uncle’s third daughter, who, unlike her two sisters and her mother—who was soft like a steamed bun—had a fiery personality.

She couldn’t figure out how the stuffy old second family could raise someone like that.

The girl bore no resemblance to her parents, instead, she was a spitting image of the old lady.

However, since she wasn’t a boy, the old lady’s affection for her was limited, and what’s more, the girl’s mother, that sullen second daughter-in-law, didn’t curry favor with the old lady.

Su Li put on her shoes and flung the door open, looking at the mother and daughter not far away with a half-smile.

The little girl glared with her round big eyes, staring angrily at Su Li.

Meanwhile, her mother, the original owner’s sister-in-law, blushed deeply from Su Li’s gaze and hastily pulled her daughter’s sleeve, then quickly tried to appease Su Li, "Elder sister-in-law, don’t, don’t take offense at the child, little girl..."

She wanted to say the little girl didn’t do it on purpose, that she’s just a child and doesn’t understand.

The little girl clenched her lips in frustration, failing to understand why, even though they were all brides of the Su Family, her own mother always appeared subservient in front of her elder aunt.

It was only because the elder uncle was a scholar, but even though he’d been studying for many years, he still hadn’t managed to pass the scholar exams, and had recently even lost his spot at the county school due to a dispute with someone.

Only her grandparents firmly believed that the elder uncle was really suited for studying.

Su Li said, "Sister-in-law, no offense, but the little girl isn’t too young anymore. Speaking without restraint to your elders, showing no respect — her reputation will be ruined if word gets out. Besides, in a few years, she’ll also have to consider marriage."

Sure enough, the sister-in-law became anxious, stuttering as she desperately looked to Su Li for help, "What, what should we do... elder sister-in-law, please don’t blame the little girl."

She was on the brink of tears and then slapped the little girl hard on the back, "Apologize, apologize to your elder aunt."

The little girl stumbled from her own mother’s smack, lifting her head in disbelief, her eyes red with defiance as she said, "I’m not wrong. Why should I apologize?"

With all the commotion here, the others living under the same roof could not possibly pretend they hadn’t heard.

Sure enough, the door of the neighboring room opened, and a young woman with a towel on her head walked out carrying a basin of water.

Hearing this, she joined the conversation, "Elder sister-in-law, please forgive the little girl. After all, we’re family."

The speaker was Wan Xixi, who had just married into the Su Family barely a few days ago as the bride of Su Li’s third brother.

Then Wan Xixi earned a grateful look from everyone in the second family.

The Second Family’s Da Niu and Erniu huddled behind the door, anxiously watching their own mother and sister, too scared to interject and visibly agitated.

Aunt Lao San’s words had eased the awkward predicament of the second family.

Everyone in the Su Family knew that Wan Xixi came from a good background; she was the daughter of a scholar from the village and was literate from a young age.

The elder aunt admired scholars the most and although she was haughty, she held Wan Xixi in high regard.

Aunt, having spoken, the elder Aunt simply couldn’t stay angry without affording her some face, even Wan Xixi thought the same.

However, this time, they all miscalculated.

Su Li not only didn’t give Wan Xixi any face but turned the guns on her instead, "Third sister-in-law, everyone says you followed a scholar to read and write from a young age, so you also know the principle of respecting elders, right?"

"Look at these eyes, how defiant they are, it’s as if I’m her enemy. I consider her a junior, but I’m afraid little girl doesn’t acknowledge me as her elder Aunt, yo."

Taking Su Li’s lead, Wan Xixi turned her head, only to clash with the little girl’s hateful gaze, which she hadn’t managed to retract in time.

Her heart quivered uncontrollably.

Although the little girl quickly concealed it, immediately lowering her eyelids and pouting in a pitiable manner, anyone would think she was a poor little thing being bullied.

It was just that look from a moment ago that took root in Wan Xixi’s heart, leaving an impression she couldn’t forget for a long time.

How could a young girl barely ten years old possess such an imposing air, and even a hint of malice?

Right then and there, Wan Xixi decided not to meddle in the family disputes anymore, smiled, poured some water, took the basin, and returned to her own room.

Zhang Qiaoqiao fumbled with her words, wanting to call back her retreating third sister-in-law’s silhouette, but in the end, she could only suppress it and make Sister Xiao Niu kneel in front of the elder sister-in-law to apologize.

Su Li generously accepted the little girl’s three prostrating bows as an apology.

From the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of confusion on Zhang Qiaoqiao’s face, and the smile on Su Li’s lips stretched more broadly.

This honest-looking sister-in-law seemed to be not so honest after all.

The little girl’s face was one of humiliation as Zhang Qiaoqiao dragged her home by the collar. Su Li watched their backs, not forgetting to shout, "Second sister-in-law, you’ve left your hoe behind, remember to take it back since you’ll need to go back to the fields later."

As soon as Su Li’s words finished, Zhang Qiaoqiao’s figure stiffened imperceptibly, she turned her head to reveal a face filled with bitterness and gingerly responded.

No matter how you looked at it, Su Li’s actions seemed like those of an overbearing elder sister-in-law bullying a simple-minded sister-in-law.

According to Su Li, in this Yuan Family full of schemers, it was the arrogant and dominant original owner who actually seemed the most innocent of all.

Returning to her room, it wasn’t long before Su Li’s stepchildren scampered in.

The eight-year-old twins were quite good-looking, uncommonly fair and tender for village children, showing that the original owner truly put a lot of energy into raising them so well.

A quick glance revealed that, apart from the elder family’s room which was somewhat comfortable, the main house and the other two families’ living conditions weren’t so good.

This was indicative of the true financial situation of the Su Family.

The condition of the little girl from earlier, as well as the other two older girls from the Second Family, was all rather frail, forming a stark contrast with the healthy-looking twins.

But it was the twins, who came running in full of energy, that were here to confront their own mother.

The son, Yuan Jiaming, puffed up his face, indignantly said, "Mom, why are you bullying Aunt and Sister Xiao Niu again?"

The daughter, Yuan Xiaoxiao, also complained discontentedly, "Dad said we’re all family, you shouldn’t always pick on them, just now I saw Second Aunt and Sister Xiao Niu crying."

Su Li was not their biological mother, and though the original owner cherished them deeply, she didn’t indulge their bad habits.

Furrowing her brows, she scolded sharply, "Is this how you speak to your own mother?"