Li Xiaojuan's adoptive parents did not adopt her because they were kind-hearted or liked their daughter.

It was because they were lacking someone to give a dowry to their son.

Yes, you heard it right.

Li Xiaojuan's adoptive parents were notoriously lazy men in Lijia Village. Her adoptive father was poor, lazy and unwilling to work, while her adoptive mother was mean and a petty thief. The couple gave birth to three sons in a row.

I really couldn't stand how sloppy they were, their collars were greasy, so others tried to persuade them.

"You two should at least move. Otherwise, with three sons, where will the money come from to marry them off?"

The couple thought, the work is too hard, where will the money come from?

A family in the village gave them inspiration.

The family gave birth to four daughters in a row before giving birth to a son. After marrying off the first daughter, she built two rooms for the family. After marrying off the second daughter, she bought a tricycle for the family. After marrying off the third daughter, she found a wife for her son. After the last daughter married off, she found a job for her son in the county town.

Who wouldn’t envy the people in Lijia Village?

They all praised him: "Genwang is so blessed. He has four daughters. Before they got married, they all worked in the fields with hoes on their backs. They all took care of the household and the outside world. When they grew up and got married, they had everything."

"I don't have to do anything in my life."

"Yes, I have a son, but people still look for daughters to take care of them in their old age. If they have back pain, they look for daughters."

Li Xiaojuan's adoptive parents suddenly came to an understanding. Looking at their three sons behind them, they wondered how they could afford to build a house and find wives.

It just so happened that there was a family in the neighboring village whose parents died in an accident. The uncle had many children and didn't want to support them, so the couple brought the girl, Li Xiaojuan, back home.

He was four years old when I brought him back.

When Li Xiaojuan was four years old, she started squatting in the washbasin to wash her brothers' smelly socks and rub their trouser legs. At the age of five or six, she stood on a stool to cook and wash dishes. When she was older, she went to work in the fields, picking branches, picking fruits, pulling weeds, catching insects in the vegetable fields, etc.

There are many miscellaneous tasks in the fields that children can do.

She only went to school until the third grade, and then she stayed at home to serve her adoptive parents, washing dishes, cooking, washing clothes and folding quilts. She was very diligent and did a good enough job, but the neighbors still heard the sounds of beating and scolding coming from her house every day.

She is the punching bag of her entire family. Anyone who is in a bad mood can scold her or beat her.

I think of Li Xiaojuan’s even more tragic fate in the future.

After Li Yutong helped her deliver the pig grass, she took the opportunity when Li Xiaojuan went out to see her off and whispered, "If you have any problems in the future, come to the county town to find me."

Li Xiaojuan smiled innocently: "I'm fine."

She is afraid of troublesome people.

Li Yutong just smiled and left with her sister Li Yuhan.

Li Xiaojuan turned around and just as she returned to the yard, she heard her adoptive mother's voice shouting, "Why did you come back so late? Hurry up and pour me a bowl of water. I'm dying of thirst."

"I know, Mom." She hurried into the house and brought the water to her foster mother's kang.

The foster mother has been sleeping till now, and her whole body aches: "I am so tired from working day after day. Have you fed the pigs?"

"I'll feed it right away." Li Xiaojuan said quickly.

"Why don't you go quickly? If the pigs become too thin, you won't be able to sell them at a good price during the New Year. I'll beat you to death." The foster mother glared at him fiercely and cursed.

Li Xiaojuan quickly put down the bowl and went to feed the pigs.

Li Yutong brought Li Yuhan back to the county town and discussed with her grandmother what to do in the future.

"Keep doing business, or you won't be able to find other work." Her grandmother Chen Xiaoying sighed, "Don't worry about family matters for now."

This is what Li Yutong meant. You can only make money for one day's business. Now you can only take one step at a time.

She is very short of money now. She knows clearly which places are going to be demolished and which places are going to be renovated. If she doesn't buy them now when they are cheap, it would be like watching the opportunity fly away.

She doesn't have too big ambitions. At present, she just wants to have two houses, one for herself and one for her sister Yuhan, and three or four shops. In the future, she can collect rent from them. The two sisters won't have to worry about their livelihood, and they won't have to worry about their parents' retirement.

But now, the small restaurant is rented and it only has that one collective housing unit.

The next day, the restaurant opened again and continued to do business.

Today is Sunday. Li Yutong has nothing to do, so she is helping out here. When she was collecting the dishes, the glass next to her was knocked. She turned around and took a look. It was He Mingliang?

When she put down the dishes and went out, she found someone standing next to him, Shen Jiaze.

It goes without saying why Shen Jiaze came.

"What's wrong?" He Mingliang asked first, while Shen Jiaze stared at her quietly.

Li Yutong told the truth: "Hei Lao San asked for at least three months to repay the loan. My aunt has no money. My grandma and I have some savings, but we can't afford to lose them. So let's leave it at that for now."

In short, after working for several days, there was no result.

"Don't you need my help?" Shen Jiaze couldn't help but ask, "You are a high school student, you have to study hard so that you can get into a good university and change your destiny."

Li Yutong nodded: "I know, Shen Jiaze, thank you."

Shen Jiaze always seemed a little worried, afraid that he would stop moving forward for the sake of a small achievement.

Shen Jiaze felt a little disappointed when he saw that Li Yutong was not going to let him help.

"Actually, I have a solution."

"I know." Li Yutong nodded. First, she was afraid that his method might not be suitable for the local environment. After all, he was from another place and didn't know the actual situation of the local area or Laowagou Village. Second, this matter involved a loan dispute. She thought his family didn't want him to use his connections on a person like her who had no relatives or friends. This was a troublesome matter.

She was very grateful to Shen Jiaze, but she didn't want to go this far when she was forced to do so.

Li Yutong is open-minded, so Shen Jiaze can only let it go for now.

Li Yutong said, "It's better to do it today than today. Let's do it this afternoon. I'll treat you guys to hotpot."

If it's not possible today, then it will have to be next week, and who knows if I will still be free next week.

"Okay." He Mingliang agreed immediately.

Shen Jiaze glanced at He Mingliang and nodded.

"Shen Jiaze, call He Zixuan as well." Li Yutong did not forget He Zixuan.

Ever since she entered the county's No. 1 high school, she has been either studying hard or thinking about how to get rich. She has basically made no friends, except for one deskmate. She doesn't even know where the person lives, and she doesn't know where to call him.

After making an appointment, Li Yutong went to the market to buy ingredients and started to stir-fry the hot pot ingredients. The fresh, fragrant and spicy aroma wafted to everyone eating in the restaurant.

"Boss, what delicious food did you make? It smells so good."

“It smells like hot pot ingredients.”

There is nothing to hide. Li Yutong's grandmother Chen Xiaoying smiled and said, "She is just frying hot pot ingredients. My granddaughter is going to treat people to hot pot tonight."