Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

Chapter 269: 269 Zhao Yanping

Zhao Yanping started crying again, ”Am I not allowed to speak?”

”Then you should quickly leave with the child. This will no longer be your home.”

Zhao Yanping grabbed Sun Yun’s hand and beat it against herself, ”Sister-in-law, I was wrong. I was wrong.” She said while sobbing loudly.

Sun Yun also cried. She got out of bed, and Zhao Yanping on the bed felt very scared, fearing that her sister-in-law would really kick her out.

After a while, Sun Yun brought in a basin of water, ”This is an old remedy, especially effective for postpartum women who are not recovering well. Wash up inside, and I’ll find you some clothes.”

Sun Yun turned, opened the cupboard, found a newly made pair of underwear, and a set of old clothes to place on the bed, then she left.

Zhao Yanping’s tears fell again. She didn’t want to cry, really didn’t want to, but now she realized only family treated her the best.

Crying while getting out of bed to wash, the basin contained those common wild herbs.

She carefully cleaned herself, changed her clothes, and washed her clothes clean.

Outside, Sun Yun was pulling weeds while sighing. This sister-in-law was too timid, if she had spoken earlier, they could have gone as a family, and the Xiang family wouldn’t dare do anything.

Seeing Zhao Yanping come out to pour the water, she came out of the field.

”Go inside and lie down. Think carefully about how you want to live your life in the future. We will support whatever you decide.”

She went into the main room to start a fire. There was some remaining fire from earlier, so it quickly reignited.

For lunch, they would definitely eat at home, probably flatbreads again.

Cooking cornmeal with boiling water tastes good, so she busied herself preparing lunch.

After the cornmeal was prepared, she found potatoes and sweet potatoes, washed them, and placed them in the pot to steam.

Once everything was steaming, she went to the yard to pull some green onions, and finally cut a big bowl of pickles and made a big bowl of sauce.

By the time she finished, Zhao Qingjie and his wife arrived. Sister-in-law Qi Xue Mei was five months pregnant, and they carefully entered.

”Sister-in-law, my brother is holding Xiao Ling at the back.”

”Alright, Xuemei, quickly sit down. If you’re tired, go lie down inside.”

Their sister-in-law relationship was very good, as they were cousins.

”Sister-in-law, I’m fine. Xiao Li didn’t explain clearly—what exactly happened?”

”Xiao Ping had an incident. I reckon Xiao Li saw Xiao Ping today and found her situation unbearable, so she brought her back.”

”Where’s Xiao Ping?”

”Inside.”

Qi Xue Mei and Zhao Yanping’s relationship was ordinary since they never really lived together.

Zhao Qingjie saw his wife sit and chat with the sister-in-law, so he went straight inside.

Seeing his younger sister sitting on the kang, Zhao Qingjie clenched his fists. Spring planting was exhausting, but it wouldn’t tire a person to the point of exhaustion.

”Second Brother.”

”Yes, it’s okay, we’re here for you.”

Zhao Qingjie was furious, thinking about what Xiang Zhiqiang had done to his sweet sister.

At this moment, Zhao Qingxiang and his father returned. With Xiao Ling back, the home became lively again.

Zhao Qingxiang didn’t see his brother and knew he was inside, so he went in.

”Xiao Ping, just tell me what you want to do in the future. Do you want to leave the Xiang family or stay and continue your life?”

They indeed needed to clarify this to know how to proceed. After all, if she wanted to return, they couldn’t completely burn bridges.

”Big Brother and Second Brother, I don’t want to stay with Xiang Zhiqiang anymore. Seeing the two of you, I realized how much Xiang Zhiqiang looked down on me.”

”Think it over carefully, there are two different paths with two different outcomes for us. We don’t want you to regret it later when things go too far.”

”Big Brother, I’ve thought it through. I’ll live my life with Daya. If Xiao Li can do it, so can I.”

”Alright then, since you’ve decided, after lunch we’ll go back to the Xiang family, and you can stay at home.”

They then heard voices from outside; it was Zhao Xiaojing, Xu Hongbing, and Qi Xuemei entering.

Seeing Zhao Yanping’s altered appearance on the kang, Zhao Xiaojing started crying.

”Big Sister, what kind of life are you living? Don’t you know you have us to support you? You’re not alone; you have siblings.”

Zhao Yanping cried again, ”I was wrong, I was wrong.”

Qi Xuemei had met the sister-in-law twice before; this was the third time, and the change was too much.

”Xiao Ping, don’t be afraid, we’re here. We’ll definitely seek justice for you. The Xiang family can’t expect to breeze through this easily.”

Hearing her sister-in-law’s words comforted Zhao Yanping even more. She also felt more touched.

”Where’s Xiao Li?” Sun Yun hadn’t seen her sister-in-law.

”She went to find Yuanyuan.”

”Then we’ll wait for her a bit before having lunch,” Sun Yun said, taking the conversation.

Zhao Qingxiang shook his head at his siblings, ”Let’s eat first and leave some for her. Who knows when she’ll get here.”

Xu Hongbing was quite satisfied with his brother-in-law’s family’s hospitality; this family wasn’t stingy.

The family sat together for lunch. Sun Yun steamed an egg custard using goat milk for her daughter. The little girl ate delightfully with a wooden spoon, not needing any adult to worry.

Zhao Yanping hadn’t had a full meal in a long time, especially pure cornbread. At the Xiang family, neither she nor her sister-in-law could eat like this, but her sister-in-law fared much better because she could eat her fill.

Now Zhao Yanping finally realized what kind of life she had been living at the Xiang family. It was as though she wasn’t considered human.

Why did she endure it at first? It was Xiang Zhiqiang’s sweet words that coaxed her.

Looking back, she realized how foolish it was, and her life now was all her own doing. It’s her fault; if she couldn’t stand up for herself, no one else would give her anything.

After the meal, the family started discussing how to confront the Xiang family.

”Xiao Ping, we’re asking you once more, are you sure you don’t want to stay with Xiang Zhiqiang?”

”Yes, I don’t want to. I finally realized he never cared about me. Why should I stay with him?”

Now with this decision, they began to plan confronting the Xiang family, waiting for the younger sister as well.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yanli and Su Yuanyuan were also on their way to her brother’s home.

She’d asked her second sister to go to their brother’s house, but still felt she should ask Yuanyuan’s opinion, so she went back.

Today, Su Yuanyuan was at home cleaning the pigsty, a chore she hated the most.

”Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan, my big sister is in trouble.”

Su Yuanyuan quickly came out, and the first thing she did was wash up, while Zhao Yanli followed behind, recounting what had happened.

”Xiao Li, I think what you did was absolutely right. It should be like this. No matter what big sister decides, at least her family’s stance is clear.”