Chapter 353: Reborn in the 90s: The Tyrant Flower Chapter 354 Little Darling

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Chai Mi's face showed no expression; she merely nodded. "Alright, I understand. Eldest Aunt, stop crying first. Crying yourself to death here won't bring the house back." She paused, looking at Su Wan. "Mom, get Eldest Aunt some water to drink, wash her face. Qiu Shui, you run fast — go to the corner store, buy some dried noodles on credit. We're out of noodles at home. And grab a few cans; Eldest Aunt definitely hasn't eaten all day."

Song Qiushui let out an "Aye" and immediately ran out.

Su Wan hurried to pour water. Chai Mi walked over to the kang table and said to Chai Xiu, who was still in a state of shock, "Xiu'er, put your matters aside for now. Put away the books and notebooks, go help boil some hot water for Eldest Aunt to wipe her face."

Chai Xiu let out an "Oh" and tidied up her things nimbly.

"Dad, go check on the calf. Although it seemed better these past two days, it's still having a bit of diarrhea." Chai Mi said.

Chai Youqing went out as well.

For the moment, only Su Wan remained in the room, tending to Su Jin who was still sobbing. Chai Mi walked to the kang cabinet where she slept, unlocked it, and fished out a small cloth bundle wrapped in several layers of old handkerchiefs from the very bottom layer.

She unwrapped the handkerchiefs layer by layer, revealing rolls of banknotes tied up neatly and evenly inside. This was the money she had earned burning the candle at both ends during this period.

This money was originally saved for Xiu'er's tuition and school supplies, and for family emergencies.

She counted out three thousand five hundred yuan, a thick stack.

Chai Mi looked at that stack of money; her eyes held not the slightest ripple, only a stretch of stillness.

Eldest Aunt had still been very, very good to her.

Chai Mi had anticipated this matter to some extent. Sun Guoyou belonged to the same gang as the swindlers, or perhaps he didn't know what was going on either, but he took the money, then recruited people to join in, and he took a cut. He was probably the one with the greatest guilt anyway.

That Liu San and his wife were actually the theoretical next level down. They also took a cut...

Of course, they were also victims.

But as for Sun Guoyou, he wasn't just a victim; he was the instigator type. He definitely cannot escape.

As for Liu San and his wife's situation, it's hard to say right now; whether it's a crime or not, the court has the final say.

However, those two definitely squandered the money away.

For this, Chai Mi was mentally prepared.

After this battle, Liu San and his wife would definitely be impoverished and unable to recover for many years.

But Chai Mi never, ever expected that those two would even mortgage the house.

Truly fucking little darlings.

She repacked the remaining money properly, put it back in its original place, and locked it. Then, holding that three thousand five hundred yuan, she walked up to Su Jin.

"Eldest Aunt, here." She stuffed the money into Su Jin's ice-cold, trembling hands.

Su Jin froze, staring at the thick stack of money in her hands, as if scalded. "Chai Mi... this... this won't do! This money... this money is your hard-earned sweat and blood! I... I can't take it..."

"Take it!" Chai Mi's tone was resolute and final; she pressed down on Su Jin's hand that tried to push it away. "Go redeem the house first! That is the place where you and Uncle make your living! Without the house, where will you live? Sleep on the main road?"

"But... but this money..." Su Jin's tears welled up again, this time mixed with shock, shame, and an indescribable bitterness. She never, ever expected that in her most desperate hour, the one extending a helping hand would be her niece.

"Money is a bastard; if it's gone, you can earn it again!" Chai Mi said with a smile. "You being unharmed is stronger than anything. Secure the house first. Liu San is inside; the money can't be recovered — that's a fact. You and Uncle have to live on properly. Take this money, go repay the mortgage money first thing tomorrow morning. As for the rest, we'll think of something later."

Su Jin clutched that heavy stack of money, her lips trembling, unable to utter another word of refusal, only stifled sobs she couldn't suppress.

She suddenly threw her arms around Chai Mi and burst into loud, wailing cries: "Chai Mi... who knows what year of the monkey it'll be before I can pay you back... ai..."

Su Wan watched from the side, tears also pattering down; her heart ached for Eldest Sister, yet also faintly worried for the hardships ahead of her.

"Eldest Sister, as long as you're alright. That kind of thing happened, there was no way to stop it. Chai Mi advised Liu San too, but those two were possessed. They just had to... ai..."

Chai Mi had indeed advised them at the time, but she couldn't stop them.

And this matter is far from over.

Liu San also hoodwinked many relatives into investing money; later everyone's going to come demanding it back from him...

Chai Mi got a splitting headache just thinking about this.

Back then their heads got hot, and they invested click-click.

Result: a total mess.

Especially Eldest Aunt's family — although the house is saved, what about the old couple's source of livelihood from now on? Chunyan's side is probably also a total mess... then how will relatives even interact? So difficult...

She let go of Eldest Aunt, her tone returning to its usual crisp efficiency: "Alright, Eldest Aunt, stop crying. Wipe your tears dry; matters still have to be handled one by one. Mom, is the food ready? We're all hungry. Xiu'er, stoke the fire harder! When Qiu Shui gets back, boil the noodles. After eating, Eldest Aunt is staying at our place tonight; tomorrow early I'll accompany you to town to repay the money."

Su Wan hurriedly wiped her tears: "Aye, aye! The water's almost boiling, putting the noodles in right now! Eldest Sister, you have to eat too; don't think about anything. Eat something first, talk about the rest later. As long as people are alive, it's fine. Liu San and his wife were just momentarily muddle-headed; I almost got on the path myself that day."

Su Jin also forced back her sobs, messily wiping her face with her sleeve.

Chai Xiu responded loudly from outside: "Hao La, Sister! The water's boiling, the fire's going strong!"

"Aiyo! How come the raindrops came just like that! It was bright and clear just a moment ago!"

Su Wan's voice carried urgency; she was the first to notice the sudden weather change, worried about the grain drying in the sun and the vegetables in the courtyard.

In the time it took to speak, the rain arrived, and it looked like it wouldn't be light.

"Quick! Chai Xiu! Hustle! Come with me to the wall root and pick those old winter melons! If they get rained on any more they'll rot in the field!"

Chai Mi reacted swiftly; those few winter melons had been ripe for a long time. Chai Mi had been too busy to pick them; if they rotted from the rain it would be too much of a pity — they had to be harvested in a rush.

"Ah? Picking winter melons again? Sister, that pile in our wall corner is practically becoming a winter melon mountain! Besides, the rain isn't heavy..."

Chai Xiu was a bit unwilling; she felt there were too many winter melons to finish eating, and with the light rain she wanted to slack off.

"Less nonsense! 'Rain not heavy'? By the time you feel it's heavy, the cucumbers and vegetables will all be cold! Those winter melons, dried properly, can last a whole winter! If one rots, I'll make you go hungry for a meal! Hurry up!"

"Dock it, dock it... just knows how to use money to scare people..."

Chai Xiu muttered softly in dissatisfaction, but still submitted to her sister's "tyranny," knowing resistance was invalid.

"Chai Mi, slow down a bit, the ground is slippery! Xiu'er, you too, watch your footing!"

Su Wan followed behind; watching Chai Mi run so fast, her heart was always suspended, worried the girls would slip and get injured.

"Mom, go back inside! This bit of rain is nothing! We'll be done in a moment! Go back and empty the sack for the winter melons!" Chai Mi felt sorry for her mother's poor health and didn't want her to get drenched in the rain.

"Sigh... sigh... then you two hurry up..." Su Wan knew she couldn't win against her eldest daughter, and also worried about causing trouble, so she obediently retreated back under the eaves.

"Ouch! This broken leaf cut me! Sister, look, it's all red!" Chai Xiu had her hand cut by the rough edge of the leaves while picking winter melons, and couldn't help but complain.

"Spoiled! Complaining as soon as you do some work! Acting like a young lady? Hurry up and pick! That little red mark won't kill anyone! After you're done picking, go back and I'll rub some dirt on it!"

"Rub dirt? Ugh... I don't want to! I'd rather dig some mud myself and blow on it!" Chai Xiu said, pouting.

But her movements became a bit more nimble.

"Don't want to? Forget it! Be nimble, there are still three big ones... that's all, hold them, go back inside!" Chai Mi saw that the winter melons were almost collected, and holding the winter melons, she walked back.

When the two carried the heavy winter melons back inside, their clothes were already soaked.

"Ouch, you're finally back! Wipe yourselves, don't catch a cold! How many did you pick?" Su Wan hurriedly handed over a piece of cloth and asked with concern.

"Enough to eat for a while! That pile of old ones in the corner is almost cleaned out, so they won't rot and attract bugs. Mom, where's the sack?"

"Here it is, here it is! Is Xiu'er's hand okay? Let me look?" Su Wan dragged over the prepared sack, still worrying about her younger daughter's hand.

"It's fine! Just got pulled a little, and my sister wants to rub dirt on me, it's so embarrassing!" Chai Xiu hurriedly hid her hand behind her back, not wanting her mother to make a fuss, and also told on her sister.

Chai Mi didn't think much of it, but suddenly discovered her aunt was gone.

"Where's my aunt?"

"She left."

Chai Mi frowned, she left in the rain......

Sigh... forget it.

"Your aunt's house is temporarily saved, but that breath in her heart isn't so easy to let go? When she left her eyes were still swollen, holding my hand she kept shedding tears, saying she was sorry to you, that she dragged you down..." Su Wan sighed incessantly.

"What dragged down or not, family shouldn't say such outside words. Money is earned by people, if it's gone, earn it again. As long as people are fine, that's better than anything. She and her husband will have tighter days from now on, but at least they have a nest." Chai Mi said in a flat tone.

She felt that mutual help among relatives was natural, and she valued actual results more—people safe, house saved.

She looked at money very openly, if it's gone, earn it again.

"That's what you say... but that three thousand five... how many days of working from dawn to dark does it take to earn it back? Xiu'er's schooling also needs money..." Su Wan's face was full of worry, the family's financial situation had just improved a bit, then adding some equipment, then a whole warehouse, spending money everywhere.

"Mom! You're at it again! Don't worry about money! I, Chai Mi, have hands and feet, I won't starve to death! I've already set aside the tuition! Selling winter melons can also get some spare change!" Chai Mi hated her mother nagging about money and worrying.

"That's right! Mom, you worry too much! My sister is very capable! Besides, what's wrong with winter melons? Winter melon cakes, winter melon porridge, stewed or steamed, how delicious! Tomorrow I'll help sister pull them to the market to sell!" Chai Xiu said softly.

"You? Pull them to the market to sell? First figure out your 'pheasant and hare in the same cage' before talking! Don't end up not selling the money, and smashing the winter melons all over the ground!" Chai Mi was too lazy to listen to Chai Xiu boasting.

"Sister! You're looking down on people again! My arithmetic is very good! Didn't I get that problem right later!" Chai Xiu argued unconvinced.

"Getting it right is what should happen! If you can't get into Ganzhu'er Primary School, see how I deal with you!... By the way, Mom, did Aunt mention anything about Chunyan Sister? And her husband's family?" Chai Mi asked.

The hardest part of this matter was Chunyan, her son-in-law was probably put inside, the money was gone, and the problem had offended almost the whole village.

This life was pitiful beyond endurance.

"She mentioned it, and it's even more miserable! Chunyan's mother-in-law's family seems to have sold all their livestock, now there are only two broken houses left at home, the land can hardly be farmed anymore. Chunyan cried until she was half-dead, the children were frightened sick... what a sin..." Su Wan said in a heavy tone.

Chai Mi snorted coldly, her tone carrying coldness and a hint of satisfaction: "Hmph, now she knows how to cry? What was she doing earlier? When Sun Guoyou was wearing a broken suit acting like a big tail wolf, everyone was like they drank love potion! Couldn't stop them! Deserved it! Let them not believe in evil!" She remembered the ridiculous sight of Liu San and his wife wearing suits to "pull investment," and her own frustration at failing to dissuade them, feeling that these people suffering because of greed and credulity was their own doing.

"Chai Mi! You can't say it like that! They're all bitter people..." Su Wan couldn't bear her daughter saying such "mean" words, although she also thought the relatives were muddled, her kind nature made her sympathize more with their misfortune.

"Bitter people? Jumping into a pit yourself counts as being bitter?" Chai Mi retorted with a clear attitude, "Mom, kindness must be given to the right people! They believe swindlers but don't believe me, now they've fallen and want to make up for it? I help Aunt because she is my own aunt and treated me well. Others?" She hummed disdainfully, "Good luck to them! I don't have that leisure to pity others!"

Chai Xiu completely stood on her sister's side, nodding hard: "That's right! Sister is right! Just take care of ourselves! By the way, since Aunt left, we're not cooking noodles, right? How about making some winter melon cakes? I don't like eating noodles."

Chai Mi deliberately glared at her sister in a bad mood: "Eat eat eat, all you know is eat! Winter melon cakes? Dream on! Pickled vegetables with corn mian fu! Keep the winter melons to exchange for money to buy you books!"

The rain got heavier and heavier.

Pat pat la la.

Chai Mi shouted outside: "Dad, you're just watching a calf, aren't you coming back?"

Chai Youqing then came back from the cowshed braving the rain, and after entering the house he said: "Damn it, no rain all summer, now the crops are all dead, and now it rains."

Chai Mi pouted: "Normal, when in our place did it not come to nurse only after the child died?"

"Not last year." Chai Xiu said.

Chai Mi frowned looking at Chai Xiu......

"Alright alright, both say a few less words." Su Wan waved her hand, interrupting Chai Mi and Chai Xiu's bickering, her tone carrying comfort after fatigue, "Chai Mi is right, keeping the winter melons is useful. The noodles still need to be cooked, Aunt didn't get to eat them, we ourselves must fill our bellies. Don't care about other people's family matters anymore, just live our own days well."

"Xiu'er, there's no firewood, I'll hold an umbrella for you, you go carry some. Otherwise it won't cook." Chai Mi said holding an umbrella.

Chai Xiu unwillingly "oh"ed, pouting as she walked out, still muttering softly: "Why don't you carry firewood, making me do all the work..."

The next second, Chai Mi gave the umbrella to Chai Xiu.

Chai Xiu looked at the umbrella, raised her head and looked at Chai Mi, silently returning the umbrella.

After all, Chai Xiu was too short, holding an umbrella she couldn't reach Chai Mi.

But Chai Mi was too lazy to listen to Chai Xiu nagging, braving the rain she went out to get some firewood.

Afterwards she came back, not saying anything to Chai Xiu, just simply saying: "Xiu'er, you wait, if you fail your exam next time. See if I deal with you or not."

Chai Xiu:......