Old Mrs. Bai, like her youngest son, Bai Maoyi, was picking at the food without any manners. "Who said it wasn't true? You were so stingy as to ask the Party Secretary to write a note. Who are you trying to protect?"

While eating, the mother and daughter secretly chirped for crickets.

Bai Qiaolan, the eldest daughter, couldn't stand it any longer. She put down her chopsticks and said seriously, "Grandma, my second uncle's family has invited us to dinner, so let's not say such things."

Hearing her granddaughter dare to teach her a lesson, Old Lady Bai was immediately displeased. "Bai Qiaolan! What do you mean? I worked so hard to give birth to my second child, so it's only natural that he invites me over for a feast! How come I owe him something? Oh my, you've really grown cocky, a junior daring to teach an elder a lesson. You've really learned bad habits from Bai Ying!"

Qiao Xiaoling chimed in, "Bai Qiaolan, why are you still speaking for Bai Ying? In our farm families, isn't it the case that the older ones get married first, and then the younger ones? Bai Ying is younger than you, but she got married first. How could she possibly look down on you? It's fine if you're not angry, but why are you still speaking for Bai Ying? Big sister, are you unable to get married?"

“…”

Bai Qiaolan's face turned red instantly, she was embarrassed and ashamed.

She looked at her parents beside her. Her father Bai Maoxiao quickly looked away and just lowered his head to drink. Her mother Luo Juan was of low status and her words did not count. She moved her mouth but did not dare to contradict Old Lady Bai.

Her brother did speak, but his words were enough to piss her off to death.

Bai Dashan said, "Sister, why are you still so ungrateful? We finally had a good meal, but how can the dishes on the table be enough for so many people? Why don't you hurry up and sneak some from the kitchen!"

Old Lady Bai immediately praised her precious grandson, "Good grandson, you still care about grandma. Bai Qiaolan, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go to the kitchen to get some meat. Don't let my two precious grandsons starve!"

Bai Qiaolan opened her mouth, but being honest and tongue-tied, she really didn't know what to say, so she could only get up and go to the kitchen.

However, she didn't want to steal the meat. Instead, she saw Chu Xianglan busy in the kitchen and wanted to go over to help.

Just as I reached the kitchen door and before I could go in, I suddenly bumped into Bai Ying coming out of the kitchen.

Bai Ying smiled and said, "Sister Qiaolan, why are you here when you're not eating over there?"

Bai Qiaolan is her uncle's daughter, two years older than her. She has had a good relationship with her since childhood. Before the family separated, they played together all day long.

Unfortunately, later on, my uncle's family gave birth to another son, Bai Dashan. My uncle and aunt doted on this son very much. Even though Bai Qiaolan was a better student, she had to drop out of school and gave the opportunity to go to school to her younger brother. She did housework at home and went to the fields to earn work points every day. After just a few years, Bai Qiaolan's face and hands became very rough.

It is very common in rural areas for an older sister to drop out of school and the whole family to support her younger brother's education. On the contrary, it is extremely rare for a sister like Bai Ying, where her older brothers do not go to school and the family supports her younger sister to go to school.

It was also because of the comparison with Bai Qiaolan that Bai Ying later realized how much her parents loved her.

In her previous life, Bai Qiaolan had a difficult life. After earning work points for a few years at home, she was married off by Old Lady Bai for 80 yuan. She married an old widower with two children and became his stepmother. The old widower was particularly violent and would beat Bai Qiaolan whenever he drank. Within a few years, Bai Qiaolan, who was not yet 30 years old, looked as old as she was in her 40s or 50s. She could no longer bear it and took poison to die.

When the news of Bai Qiaolan's death reached Liushu Village, Old Mrs. Bai not only did not feel sorry for Bai Qiaolan's experience, but instead kept cursing and blaming her for not waiting until the old widower died before taking the medicine, so as to avoid the old widower coming to ask for the betrothal gift back.

Because Bai Ying had seen so many things like this in the village, she became more and more confused.

We are all women, so how can you cruelly exploit other women?

Is it true that women like to make things difficult for other women?

Or... some women think that because they have made it, they are superior to other women, so they spontaneously oppress other women, as if doing so can make up for their own experience of being oppressed in the past.

What was the result? Old Lady Bai led the charge, selling her granddaughter for money, but all the money went to her son and grandson. They only needed to hide, enjoying the benefits without having to do any evil, and in the end, they didn't even have to face any criticism.

I can only say that women like Old Lady Bai are really stupid.

Bai Qiaolan was dazzled by Bai Ying's smile and said a little embarrassedly, "Yingzi, grandma is so troubled, I just wanted to see if there is anything I can do to help."

"No need. Aunt Zhang and the other aunts are all helping my mother." Bai Ying stepped forward, took Bai Qiaolan's arm, and led her into her room. "Let's go to my room and talk."

Bai Qiaolan was still thinking about how to refuse, but Bai Ying had already taken her into the east wing.

The east wing was at least a dozen square meters, and Bai Ying lived alone in such a large room. The room was fully furnished, and contained a sewing machine and a tape recorder that Chen Ao had sent. The room was also kept very tidy and clean, just like the house people in the city lived in.

Bai Qiaolan felt indescribably envious.

Her family did not separate out. Her grandmother lived in the north room with her daughter and granddaughter. His family and fifth uncle's family each lived in a wing room. It was okay because fifth uncle's family was small, but her family of four squeezed on one kang, which made it inconvenient for them to change clothes or go to the toilet at night.

Sometimes she wanted to get married early, at least she would have her own room, but Old Lady Bai refused to give in. If the marriage proposal could not offer a betrothal gift that satisfied Old Lady Bai, her dream of getting married would be a distant dream.

"Sister Qiaolan?"

Seeing Bai Qiaolan lost in thought, Bai Ying called out softly, "I'd like to ask you for a favor. I wonder if you can agree to it?"

"What, what help?" Bai Qiaolan came back to her senses and said quickly, "Yingzi, just tell me what you want. As long as you don't think I'm useless, that's all."

"Sister Qiaolan, how can you be useless? You learn everything quickly. Your grades were better than mine when you were in school. You know a lot of things that I can't do."

Bai Ying felt a little sorry for Bai Qiaolan's people-pleasing personality. It reminded her of herself in her previous life, who was full of inferiority from the inside out and felt unworthy all the time.

Bai Qiaolan just thought that Bai Ying was comforting her and didn't think that she was really as powerful as Bai Ying said.

Bai Ying smiled helplessly and changed the subject: "Sister Qiaolan, look at this sewing machine."

Bai Qiaolan followed the direction Bai Ying pointed and fell on the Butterfly brand sewing machine. Her uncle had mentioned it when he came back from the county two days ago. A brand new sewing machine of this brand cost 175 yuan!

When Old Mrs. Bai heard this, her eyes turned red on the spot, and she wanted to go to Bai Ying's house and snatch it away.

"W-What happened?"

Bai Ying leaned on Bai Qiaolan's shoulder and said affectionately, "Sister Qiaolan, you know I've never been good at sewing since I was a child, so can you use this sewing machine to help me make something?"

"What?"

"It's...the kind of little vest that girls wear underneath."