Chapter 9: Took a Good Beating

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Anrong Liang sampled a candied bayberry. "The flavor is a bit off, but it looks pretty good. Tomorrow, let's try selling them in town. If it makes money, I'll take over from now on!"

"Wait a minute, Ningning, where did you get the sugar? Sugar is so expensive now, and our family doesn’t have the money," Cinian Fang spotted the inconsistency.

"Today, Xingyun Si came to pay his respects to us. I took advantage of the situation," Ning Fang said.

"Paying respects to us?"

Anrong Liang and Cinian Fang exchanged glances.

"There's something suspicious about him. We need to make money quickly and call off this marriage."

If she really had been reborn with knowledge of the plot, she didn’t want her family—who had just barely survived—to be wiped out again!

"Let’s listen to Ningning," Anrong Liang said without hesitation.

"Mom, you tend to Dad’s wounds; I’ll cook. Oh, by the way, the old lady gave us two pounds of rice today."

"Seems like the old lady is tough on the outside but soft at heart. We should visit the old house more often; maybe one day the relationship will mend," Anrong Liang said optimistically.

Cinian Fang agreed.

But neither of them expected someone to come from the old house.

"Uncle, Grandma wants you to come to the old house," the one calling was none other than Hong Fang.

After tasting the candied bayberries, Hong couldn’t stop thinking about them.

So when the old lady heard the eldest son was back and sent for him, he came right away.

Cinian Fang had no choice but to go to the old house with Anrong Liang.

Hong Fang didn’t leave.

The candied bayberries inside made his mouth water.

Seeing Ning busy in the kitchen, he approached her.

"What are you doing?"

"Cooking."

"Stop lying. You definitely can’t cook. Unlike us, you’ve always helped out at home."

Hong Fang used to avoid the original owner, but now he actively spoke to her...

Ning Fang could see through the kid’s little schemes.

She deliberately ignored Hong.

After waiting a while with no response, Hong braved it and said, "Hey, if you beg me, I might consider helping you!"

"No thanks. I’ll do it myself. Who knows if you’ll end up burning down our house."

"I'm not you! Don’t think of me with your nasty mind!"

"Oh."

Ning stayed silent again.

Hong grew anxious.

He really wanted those candied bayberries.

"I’ll start the fire for you. Will you give me five candied bayberries?"

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Ning glanced at him.

Hong blushed immediately. "Three will do."

"Oh, so you just want the candied bayberries. Didn’t you say you’d never eat them?"

"I... I..."

"And you hate me too."

Hong was annoyed and embarrassed. "I won’t eat anymore!"

He stormed out of the kitchen.

Ning chased after him. "Hey, if you help me with the fire, I’ll give you ten. Deal?"

Hong wanted to refuse with pride, but the thought of the candied bayberries made his legs betray him.

"Did you just say that?"

"Yeah, will you help?"

"Help!"

What’s pride compared to candied bayberries?

Hong smiled brightly and returned, squatting by the stove, actually managing to start a fire properly.

"Will you still hate me?"

"If you keep acting like this, I won’t."

What an easily won-over kid.

But that was good; at least someone at the old house was willing to accept her—a good start.

Hong didn’t just start the fire; he helped carry water and wash vegetables.

For ten candied bayberries, he was surprisingly diligent!

Ning soon learned that Hong still wet the bed at his age. For those ten candied bayberries, he sold himself completely and, under Ning’s influence, saw her as his best brother.

Ning felt no guilt—she planned to trick him again next time.

While the two kids quickly built a brotherly bond, things were rough for Cinian Fang at the old house.

No sooner had he stepped inside than the old lady, wielding a feather duster, started beating him.

She scolded as she hit him: "You good-for-nothing! You’ve ruined a perfectly good kid! At such a young age, you’ve taught them to live off others. If I’d known this, I’d have strangled you back then to save myself the grief!"

After decades without a beating, Cinian Fang was stunned, jumping in place.

"You’ve brought shame to the family, you scoundrel! Today I’ll beat you to death! How can you be such a terrible father? Cheating and deceiving is bad enough, but teaching Ningning to be a deadbeat too?"

Cinian dared not fight back, curling up to protect his head.

The old lady chased him around the yard, causing chaos. Anrong Liang tried to intervene but couldn’t stop her, ultimately having to side with her husband.

Only when the old lady grew exhausted did she stop, panting but continuing to scold.

Cinian Fang felt wronged but dared not speak.

"Mom, please don’t be angry anymore. It’s bad for your health..."

"Get lost! Don’t block my sight and make me mad."

The old lady gave Cinian no chance to defend himself and kicked them both out.

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Bang!

The courtyard gate slammed shut.

Cinian Fang: "..."

Anrong Liang stifled a laugh. "My poor husband, you’ve suffered."

"Honey, don’t be so obviously glad. Ouch... this is an undeserved disaster."

"All because of your ‘son’."

"My ‘son’ is not wrong!"

In a father’s eyes, his daughter is always right.

"Alright, alright, just spoil her then."

"I'm just a kid myself. If I don’t spoil her, who will? Ouch, honey, be gentle, don’t touch there, it hurts..."

Cinian Fang limped home, supported by Anrong Liang.

Seeing Cinian Fang dirty and beaten, Ning felt guilty.

No wonder the old lady hadn’t said anything to her—she’d sent her husband to be beaten.

"Uncle, you got beaten again!" Hong was unfazed. "You should learn from Ningning and stop making Grandma angry."

Cinian Fang was speechless, casting a long look at Ning.

Feeling uneasy, Ning hurried forward to help. "Dad, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Ouch, be gentle. Grandma hits hard."

"Sorry, Dad. It’s all my fault."

"Child, Dad’s alright." Cinian Fang concealed his pain, trying to appear normal.

Ning rolled up his sleeve.

Good grief, the old lady was tough as ever—his arm was covered in marks. She really had hit hard.

If only he hadn’t mooched off his "fiancée."

"What’s cooking? Go check the pot, don’t let it burn. As long as I’m here, your dad is fine," Anrong Liang urged Ning to the kitchen while helping Cinian Fang inside to treat his wounds.

"Did your dad get beaten because of you?" Hong couldn’t resist poking. "Don’t do stupid things again!"

Ning glanced at him. "Even candied bayberries can’t shut you up?"

Hong immediately zipped his lips.

After Ning finished cooking, Hong ran off, refusing to eat there.

Ning let him go.

…

The next day.

Cinian Fang stayed home with his injuries.

Ning and Anrong Liang carried a basket of candied bayberries out the door.

Fate was cruel; just arriving in town, they ran into the same gang who had scammed them yesterday.