Chapter 1: Dressed as the Originator of the Poor and Busy
"Water, I want to drink water!"
Before Chen Yao woke up, someone fed her a mouthful of rice soup with a spoon. It was sweet and sticky. Spoonful after spoonful slid down the corners of her mouth into her neck. The discomfort all over her body forced her to open her eyes.
Just one glance and I fainted again!
Her fainting frightened the little girl who was serving her by the bed. Her hands were trembling as she fed her the last mouthful of rice soup under the woman's scolding.
Chen Yao woke up again, it was almost dusk. After digesting the memories of this body, she forced herself to sit up. Every time she moved, the straw under her made a rustling sound.
Looking around, the gray-brown earthen walls were cracked, cold wind was blowing everywhere, and spider webs were hanging on the black beams. How could it be described in one word?
To be honest, she was really miserable. She was a sophomore agricultural student. She fainted due to hypoglycemia while harvesting experimental rice. When she woke up, she became a 16-year-old cowherd in Xiahe Village.
The original body had the same name as her. His parents were tenant farmers. Because they could not pay the rent, one of the family members had to go to the eastern suburbs to serve.
But after the autumn harvest, my mother Huang Xing fell ill and my father Shen Qingshan broke his leg while hunting.
The original owner had to take care of his parents and herd official cattle, so he couldn't leave his family without anyone. So he followed his uncle's advice and picked out the good-looking Yang Jizong from the exiles to marry into the family instead of serving in the army, and promised to take care of his sister Yang Wenying.
It was already late September, and the Daduo Dynasty had just been established. The fertile land was controlled by the powerful and wealthy. The emperor came from a humble background, and the first decree he issued after taking office was to replace criminal punishment with labor service.
It was unknown what crime this brother and sister had committed, but they were exiled here to dig canals. Although they were both convicts, they were very outstanding in appearance, and their temperament showed that they came from a wealthy family, which was different from the working people at the bottom of society like them.
At that time, many tenant farmers wanted to recruit Yang Jizong to replace them in service, but he brought a burden with him.
The tenant farmers were not fools and they had some calculations in their minds. Even if Yang Jizong was handsome, it would not be enough. One more person in the family would require more food. They had thrown their own children into the mountains because they could not raise them. How could they have extra food to feed his sister?
In the end, Yang Jizong was chosen by Chen Yao.
After Yang Jizong and Shen Yao paid their respects to their parents that day, they went to the eastern suburbs to serve with Shen Yao's uncle, leaving their sister to help at the Shen family.
In my memory, Yang Wenying is incompetent at everything. She is always unyielding and always belittles Shen Yao's family.
The original person had a dull personality, and since she had promised Yang Jizong to take care of her, she didn't bother with her.
Not only was there no one to share the burden of the family, but after finishing farm work in the fields, I still had to do laundry and cook for the whole family. I was as exhausted as an old ox.
If the original aunt had not come home today, Chen Yao would have died without Yang Wenying even noticing.
Chen Yao listened to her aunt's scolding and Yang Wenying's crying coming from the kitchen, smacked her lips, and decided to go and see if she should continue to keep Yang Wenying in the Shen family.
"You still have the nerve to cry. My Ayao is soft-hearted and invited your brother to marry into the family and gave you a place to stay. But you are acting like a young lady in the Shen family. If anything happens to Ayao, I will skin you alive!"
Huang Mei finished scolding and pulled out two sticks of firewood from the stove. She looked at Yang Wenying standing beside her and became furious again: "Didn't I just teach you at noon? You can't even start a fire. The Shen family would rather have a dog than you. A dog can guard the house. What else can you do besides eating?"
Such a big thing happened at home, but this damn girl didn’t even go to find anyone for help!
As soon as the voice fell, Chen Yao leaned against the door frame to slow down, then stepped inside: "Aunt, why are you here? The fields are busy now!"
The firelight from the stove made Huang Mei's eyes light up. She walked quickly towards Chen Yao and helped her sit on the bench. "Ayao, you're awake. Are you still feeling unwell?"
Chen Yao ignored Yang Wenying's pleading look and shook her head at Huang Mei: "I've been drinking the rice soup my aunt made, and I'm feeling much better now."
Huang Mei rubbed Shen Yao's cold little hands to warm them up, feeling a wave of fear in her heart: "It's good that you're fine. Auntie has been very flustered since this morning. Fortunately, I came, otherwise, Yao, you would have been killed by this cruel girl."
When Huang Mei thought about how she hurried to her sister's house and saw the quiet yard and her niece lying on the bed, breathless, she glared at Yang Wenying, who was worse than a dog.
After hearing what her aunt said, Chen Yao's eyes fell on Yang Wenying's face.
The original body was only one year older than Yang Wenying. They both cooked from the same pot, but Yang Wenying's complexion was obviously much better than the original body's.
"I, I didn't hurt you. It's you who can't get up. What does it have to do with me!" Yang Wenying felt that she was not wrong. She wiped away her tears and yelled at Chen Yao.
As soon as she opened her mouth, Chen Yao's expression changed immediately. Looking at the half-sack of brown rice on the stove, she had already made up her mind: "You should go back to dig the canal tomorrow. A convict can earn a steamed bun by digging a canal for a whole day. If you stay in my house, I'm afraid you will only starve to death or die of exhaustion."
Most of the people in Xiahe Village are tenant farmers. After paying the rent for the grain they grow, any surplus is exchanged for brown rice. However, because Chen Yao's parents are seriously ill, all their food rations are exchanged for silver to buy medicine. Now, only soybeans are left in the family.
This small half bag of brown rice must have been given by Huang Mei to help the Shen family. There was no reason to let Yang Wenying stay and eat and drink for free.
Chen Yao's words made Yang Wenying feel uneasy.
This month's stay at the Shen family was so much better than at the exile camp that she forgot her own identity and blurted out without thinking: "My brother is doing hard labor for you, you can't chase me away!"
Snap——
Chen Yao slapped him, her face as cold as ice. "It's true that your brother serves my family, but since he married into my family, he's mine. I'll find a way to redeem him, but my family doesn't owe you anything. I found a way for you to survive, but you won't go. What's going on? Do you want to stew the bones and blood of the three Shen family members into soup and continue to feed you for free?"
Yang Wenying was stunned by the slap. From childhood to adulthood, she had never been beaten by anyone. Even when she encountered a pack of wolves during exile, her family members protected her with their lives.
Since her parents passed away, her brother is the only relative she has. Her brother married into the Shen family for her, and she feels sorry for him.
How could a mere tenant farmer of the Shen family be worthy of his brilliant and successful brother?
She never thought that Chen Yao would redeem her brother.
It wasn't just Yang Wenying who was confused at the moment. Huang Mei had never seen her niece act so tough, let alone hit someone.
But then I thought, my niece must have figured it out after her near-death experience. The only way she can avoid being bullied is to stand on her own two feet.
Huang Mei was worried that Chen Yao might get angry again, so she advised: "How can she be a fugitive? Auntie will send her away now, and tomorrow I will ask your cousin to come and help you turn the soil."
Chen Yao felt warm in her heart, her eyes full of gratitude towards Huang Mei. She sincerely called her aunt and thanked her.
"Good boy, we are a family. If you say thank you, it will be alienated. Family members should help each other. I hope you don't blame your aunt for coming late."
"How could that be!" Chen Yao agreed to her aunt while paying attention to Yang Wenying's expression.
After Yang Wenying came to her senses, she bit her lower lip. Although there was reluctance in her eyes, there was also regret: "I won't leave. I want to stay and redeem my brother with you."
When Chen Yao heard the voice, she looked over and saw the little girl with a determined look on her face, and she was quite stubborn.
"Think carefully, my family is just tenant farmers. We're not those wealthy families you talk about every day, with land and crops. If you stay, you'll have to learn farming from me, manage household affairs, and find ways to make money. Can you endure this hardship?"
Chen Yao's words reminded Yang Wenying of her past behavior. She blushed with shame and bowed her head before her: "As long as you give me a chance, I will definitely study hard. If you still think I'm not good enough in the future, send me away and I will have no complaints."
Yang Wenying was afraid that Chen Yao was determined to send her away, so she added hastily, "I will find a way to return the food I've eaten from your family during this period."
Chen Yao raised her eyebrows. She didn't expect her to say such words. It seemed that the little girl was not a bad person.
Chen Yao didn't show it on her face, but in her heart she was willing to keep her, so she looked at Huang Mei, "Aunt, do you think her words are credible?"
The niece asked whether it was trustworthy, not whether Yang Wenying would stay or go.
Huang Mei reacted and said, "Then trust her for once. If she's lazy and gluttonous again, send her away immediately!"
"Okay, Ayao will listen to your aunt!" Chen Yao leaned against Huang Mei's arm and acted coquettishly with her.
Huang Mei patted the back of her hand, scooped half a bowl of brown rice into the pot, and told Yang Wenying, "Watch the fire. If you ruin the porridge, I'll send you back to dig canals tonight."
"Yes." Seeing the two leave the kitchen, Yang Wenying moved a low stool and sat in front of the stove to guard it. Half of her face was burning with pain. The slap from Chen Yao completely woke her up.
If she could redeem her brother early and save him from two years of hard labor, she would be willing to work like a slave for the Shen family.
On this side, Chen Yao was pulled by Huang Mei into her parents' main house. She was still a little scared when facing her original parents, fearing that her original parents would find out that she was a fake.
With the help of the daylight, Chen Yao could clearly see her father sitting outside the bunk bed in the room. He had a pair of cheekbones high on his sunken cheeks, a shallow valley between his eyebrows, and his eyes were full of worry and concern when he looked at her.
When Shen Qingshan saw his elder sister leading her daughter in, he was anxious to get up, but his legs were out of control and Huang Mei pushed him back.
"Sister, Ayao, what happened at home? Why do I hear someone crying?"
Chen Yao moved a bench for her aunt and sat down with her.
Huang Mei quickly explained what had happened to Shen Qingshan: "Brother-in-law, you and my sister only have one daughter. You can't spoil other people's children, as it will only bring hardship to your own family. A Yao handled today's incident very well. You are not allowed to scold her."
The child was almost exhausted, but he, as a father, didn't know it. How could he have the nerve to blame the child?
Shen Qingshan's heart ached: "It's all because of me, your father, that Ayao has been implicated. Big sister, you are right. If it doesn't work, send him back to the camp. Ayao, whatever you want to do, your father will support you."
The last sentence undoubtedly gave Chen Yao a reassurance.
"Thank you, Dad." Chen Yao looked at Shen Qingshan, whose eyes were red, and leaned forward slightly to comfort him, "Dad, take good care of your injuries. When you get better, I want to go hunting rabbits in the mountains with you like when we were little!"
Shen Qingshan felt a pang of sadness at his daughter's understanding, but he managed a smile: "Dad promises you will get better soon."
Yang Wenying stood outside the door for half a cup of tea before she raised her hand to knock on the door, but she didn't know how to call everyone in the Shen family.
So I just stood outside and shouted, "The porridge is ready."
Chen Yao opened the door, looked at her, and walked towards the kitchen.
Yang Wenying followed closely behind her. Seeing her scoop out the brown rice porridge from the pot and put it into the earthenware pot, she couldn't help but ask her, "When are we going to the eastern suburbs to see my brother?"
When will we meet? That would have to wait until she had a full stomach.
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