Su Yuanyuan wiped away the thoughts of seeking death; this was definitely not something she did. She couldn't admit it even if beaten to death, even if others thought she was a fool, she couldn't let others think she didn't want to live.
The three women exchanged glances, looking at the little girl's serious, annoyed face, they had already believed her words in their hearts.
"Girl, I'll go make you a bowl of ginger soup. Drink it, but don't get sick, okay?"
"Aunt, it's already late. You all should go back. Thank you for the brown sugar and ginger from the two aunts. I can make it myself later."
The three nodded and left. They all had big families to take care of.
Su Yuanyuan lay in bed, feeling itchy all over, knowing after about ten minutes that no one else would come. She thought about going into the space.
She picked up scissors and cut her yellow, thin layer of hair. At this time, she didn't need to go out, and it would be a few months until spring, by then her hair should have grown out.
Lying in the bathtub, she inadvertently recalled her past life. When her parents divorced during her childhood, she became the unwanted burden, kicked around. She didn't mind though; there was a lot of money thrown at her by her father every time he drank too much, plus the cold cuts she saved up in the space, she figured she could last a few years without issue. However, as she was too young, it was her ailing grandmother who raised her. So she grew up in the countryside.
Her father claimed to be a proud, ambitious grassroots success story. He was terrified of others mentioning his background, hence he divorced her mother, who had only primary education, by any means necessary.
Of course, she was another thing he refused to mention, as she didn't resemble him in looks, being dark and sturdy like her own mother.
So when her grandmother took her in, her father would send five thousand yuan a month for living expenses until Su Yuanyuan turned eighteen.
Though it wasn't much more than a meal to a big boss, for the grandparents in the countryside, it was enough for a comfortable life.
Because she was an unwanted burden, Su Yuanyuan was quiet and honest since young.
And because of the space, she was always solitary, rarely playing with other children.
Her only hobby was collecting things, anything really. Though not to the extent of scavenging, she would certainly keep whatever she found useful for herself.
Her grandmother's health was poor, having nearly starved during the famine era, which caused lasting damage.
The old woman was very frugal. Whatever vegetables could be sold were taken to the market, saving the five thousand yuan received each month and even saving an additional two hundred through penny-pinching. So the two lived having enough to eat, but had to forget about eating well. Still, Su Yuanyuan never complained.
There was Spiritual Spring Water in her space. Don't ask how she knew it was Spiritual Spring Water—after being accidentally hit on the head during her parents' fight, drinking that water healed the wound in less than an hour. If that's not Spiritual Spring Water, what is?
So, the grandparents drank water diluted with Spiritual Spring Water daily, strengthening her grandmother considerably. And she was no longer dark-skinned, eventually becoming a pretty girl.
The two depended on each other for survival; her grandmother loved to recount stories of her own childhood to Su Yuanyuan.
Su Yuanyuan understood the old woman's intent, which was to teach her how to live practically, to not envy the two neighboring girls who only knew how to spend money.
Anyway, she had long known people in the famine era lived like the Long March, eating grass roots and gnawing tree bark. Her grandmother's family originally had six children, but in the end, only two survived—her grandmother and her grandaunt.
Her grandaunt's health wasn't great either and she died unmarried.
Her grandmother married her grandfather and only gave birth to her father. At that time, they nearly didn't make it.
So Su Yuanyuan was always filial to her grandmother, obedient without exception. When asked to go east, she would never go west, always rushing to do chores, and was known as a hard worker in the village. The elders were also willing to teach her farming tips, these were experiences accumulated over the years.
From the age of six to sixteen, she grew up in her hometown. Misfortune struck out of the blue; just when she was going to enroll, her grandmother went to the township station to see her off, watching her board the bus. On her way home alone, she was hit by a drunk driver.
The guy fled, and when she felt something was wrong and returned, she found her grandmother lying in a pool of blood. Even after giving her Spiritual Spring Water, it couldn't save her from blood loss.
Her big boss father came back, found the hit-and-run driver, but the other party offered fifty thousand yuan to settle privately.
Su Yuanyuan refused, insisting the driver pay with his life, but the man was a distant relative of her father's new wife.
In tears, Su Yuanyuan accused him, and her unfilial father decided to give her fifty thousand yuan, plus an additional one hundred thousand, severing their relationship forevermore.
She didn't want the money and repeatedly appealed, stopped attending school, being so stubborn no one could dissuade her. However, the village elders were very satisfied with her, knowing she was a conscientious child.
This, in turn, made the man feel very embarrassed, so he simply ignored it. In the end, the driver was sentenced to death.
Of course, the fifty thousand was gone, and it was finally ruled to compensate her with five thousand yuan.
The man she called father ultimately gave her one hundred thousand yuan, ceasing all contact from then on.
Su Yuanyuan spent two years appealing, finally winning before laying her grandmother to rest. But by then, she couldn't attend high school.
Nonetheless, she was relentless, going to the school repeatedly until the principal was moved and gave her a chance.
In three years of high school, she achieved excellent grades and got accepted into Hai City University.
The village households all chipped in, hosting a graduation banquet for her. Everyone knew the girl had money, but still cared for her tenderly. Besides, what's fifty or a hundred to anyone, since they were just eating together?
That man inadvertently glanced at the newspaper and saw that the daughter he never acknowledged was actually the top-scoring Champion Scholar in the province, with excellent scores that earned her a place in Hai City University.
This really surprised him, but now he had a wife and two children. Due to the incident with the elderly, the child bore deep resentment towards him, so what did it matter if she was capable?
Su Yuanyuan left her hometown where she'd lived for over twenty years. Outside, the sky was the limit; still, during every New Year and festival, she would send a box of pastries to each of the over one hundred households in the village, as a small token of her appreciation.