Even though the sun had already risen outside, the workshop still appeared dark and damp.
The overhead lights, judging from the edges of their tubes, should have been incandescent white, but due to their age, they now emitted a yellowish glow, making the room even darker.
All the female workers were making preparations before starting work. Soon the machines started running, which meant that another day, which was repeating itself endlessly, had begun.
Xu Keke stared blankly at her metal lunchbox.
Su Ying was worried about her, so she took the opportunity while she was moving things to come and check on her.
Su Ying must have washed her face with cold water, because the palm-sized red spot on the left side of her face became more distinct, a bright red patch covered with dense bumps.
The original owner of this body had once envied her, wishing she had a face like that. Then she wouldn't be bullied. Unfortunately, her genes were too strong; even after enduring so much hardship and not even having a full meal every day, she still remained fair-skinned and delicate, like a flower.
To prevent her from drawing too much attention, Su-young stopped letting her wash her face afterward.
Su-young was the sweet spot the original owner encountered in her short life.
The original owner was sold into the family at the age of five, and the person she slept next to was Su Ying. Seeing that she didn't know anything, Su Ying, who was more than ten years older than her, took the initiative to take care of her, teaching her how to do chores and how to avoid being beaten.
From then on, the original owner always followed Su Ying.
Although the master-apprentice relationship wasn't strictly observed in this dilapidated factory, their relationship was, in a way, somewhat like that of a master and apprentice.
Suying was a different kind of person in the factory. Because of the red sores on her face, no one paid attention to what she looked like. So no one had any bad intentions towards her. On the contrary, she was a considerate person and generally didn't cause trouble for Zhaodi or the foreman. Therefore, she was one of those people in the factory who could barely survive on her own.
Before the original owner was ten years old, Su Ying took her everywhere she went and took good care of her.
In her previous life, after being taken away by her family, the original owner went directly south. She lost contact with Su Ying and never heard from her again.
Seeing that she was still standing there blankly, Su Ying thought she was still afraid of what happened that morning, so she stuffed half a pancake into her hand and said, "Don't think too much. Be careful when you're doing it, so you don't burn your hands. Your hands will hurt after applying the ointment."
Xu Keke refused and pushed the pancake back. She knew that Su Ying had saved it from last night. They had a limited amount of food, and if she ate it, Su Ying wouldn't have any left.
Suying understood what she meant and was about to break the pancake in half and hand it to her.
Zhao Di sauntered over with her entourage. Her hair was styled in a bun, glistening with slicked-back oil. Her jacket was also different from the others; it had a small floral pattern and clung tightly to her body, making her arms look like hams.
In the original owner's memories, this was her usual attire, reflecting Zhao Di's own aesthetic sense. Judging from her smug expression, it was clear how satisfied she was with this outfit.
She raised her chin slightly, and the flesh on her face jiggled with the movement.
She looked at the female workers following behind her, put the basket containing the white cocoons on the ground, and called out to the female workers inside the house, "I've put it here for you."
Then he swaggered away.
Xu Keke heard Su Ying let out a soft sigh, so soft that Xu Keke wouldn't have heard it if she hadn't been standing next to her.
The female workers around them were all expressionless, numb as if they had no idea that these tasks were forced upon them by Zhao Di.
They walked to the basket as if it were a routine, picked it up, and put it inside.
Su Ying didn't care whether Xu Keke wanted it or not, broke the pancake in half, stuffed it into her hand, and hurriedly left. The original workload had increased again; if they didn't finish quickly, they might not even get lunch.
While Xu Keke went to check her water, she glanced at the oil can next to her. It was used on the machine. If the machine became sluggish, the female workers would come over and apply some oil to the machine's pulleys.
As if sensing something, Xu Keke turned around. The boy named Yun Sheng was staring at her intently with his large, bright eyes. His expression was as blank and expressionless as the other female workers'.
Xu Keke's thoughts were unreadable. His eyes, however, were dark and clear, like a deep, unfathomable pool.
This boy grew up surrounded by women. In his previous life, Huifang was raped and killed within two years, and he disappeared without a trace. No one mentions it because no one cares anymore. Asking wouldn't help him.
Seeing that Xu Keke was staring at him, Yun Sheng turned his head to the side. But his body was still facing Xu Keke, and the awkward posture looked somewhat funny.
Xu Keke couldn't laugh; she hadn't laughed since she woke up in this world.
It wasn't just this place, but also the original owner's memories. These repressed emotions made her feel like even breathing had become heavy.
Her mind was suffering unprecedented torment. Everything was telling her four words: helplessness. This was something she disliked, even loathed.
The original owner was powerless to change her own life, and powerless to change her life here. Even the sky here was gray.
The original owner of this body was bound by fate and the injustices of the world, powerless to resist. She had no choice but to accept her fate, endure, compromise, and wait for redemption.
An eight-year-old child, facing forces several times, even dozens of times, greater than her capabilities, could do nothing.
The weak are crushed. Women and children are the vulnerable in this world. Because they are weak, they are violated. This made Xu Keke extremely uncomfortable. She felt tightness in her chest and shortness of breath.
Xu Keke knew she had a psychological problem, but there was no therapist here. No one could help her solve it; she had to rely on herself.
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