After breakfast, those going to work went to work, and those going to school went to school.
The village was still implementing collective labor, earning work points, sharing grain during the autumn harvest, and dividing money at the end of the year.
Currently, there are four laborers in the family, so they receive a considerable amount of grain, and their life is actually not bad.
Now, Wang Miaomiao and Wang Jia Bao are fifteen and attending the second year of junior high at Red Star Middle School in town.
The town is called Red Star Town, and it takes an hour to walk there from Shanghuang Village.
There were no bicycles at home, so the whole family had to walk.
"Miaomiao, Jia Bao, Aunt Liu..." Just as they were about to close the door and leave, a little girl carrying a net bag appeared at the road's entrance.
"Xiao Hua, are you here to see Miaomiao?" Liu Yulan wasn't sharp-tongued to everyone. At the moment, her face was kind, and she was all smiles.
Of course, it was mainly because she noticed the net bag Xiao Hua was carrying was filled with eggs, and suddenly remembered that Third Uncle from the Li Family said he would bring eggs yesterday.
"Yes, Grandpa asked me to bring some eggs for Miaomiao to nourish her body." Li Xiaohua, the same age as Wang Miaomiao and her classmate, had an indifferent relationship with her. "Oh my, Miaomiao, how did the wound on your head become so serious? If it leaves a scar, it'll look bad..."
There was a hint of secret schadenfreude in her tone, which Liu Yulan and Wang Jia Bao didn't catch. But who was Wang Miaomiao? Having navigated the marketplace for over a decade, she was the best at reading people. The little girl's skills were still too shallow.
"Yes, it's a bit deep. Sigh... My elder sister can't control her strength, it hurt me to death..." Wang Miaomiao looked aggrieved. At this time, a few neighbors on their way to work passed by. Seeing Wang Miaomiao's wound and hearing her words, they couldn't help but show a sympathetic expression, adding words of sympathy, "Oh, really. Hopefully, it won't leave a scar..."
Although Wang Miaomiao wouldn't actively seek revenge on Wang Zhaodi, she wouldn't suffer in silence either.
In the village, because of Wang Zhaodi's faintly acted grievances and feigned weakness, almost everyone accused Liu Yulan of being sharp-tongued.
But was Wang Zhaodi truly innocent? Others might not know the truth, but she learned from the book that the main character wouldn't let things slide easily, having always known how to playact since childhood, and Liu Yulan hadn't gained much from her.
And so, Liu Yulan had become infamous in the village.
After all, the main character was the main character, so one couldn't confront her directly or cause trouble for her.
Wang Miaomiao also feared backlash, hence she wouldn't take this risk.
Naturally, scheming wouldn't work either, as the main character had a high chance of exposing it, making it a futile effort.
But she could work on subtle, inconspicuous little things, planning slowly, with the main goal being to restore her mother Liu Yulan's reputation.
No rush, she had time and could wait for opportunities...
"Yes, I'll take her to the town clinic; it's likely to leave a scar. I wonder if it can heal, sigh..." Liu Yulan worried as she listened.
"Go quickly, this can't be delayed. Young girls need to take good care of their faces." The village wasn't all bad; sometimes people just went with the flow.
The eggs were unceremoniously accepted by Liu Yulan. Li Xiaohua looked at the now empty net bag, feeling very reluctant.
After all, those were their family's eggs, sigh. It's all Zhaodi's cousin's fault, learning to hit people now.
Showing capability, not pretending anymore? Hmph...
Some people still managed to see certain truths. They just preferred to keep out of others' business unless their benefits were affected, which planted a slight malice.
She and Wang Zhaodi were just distant cousins, their familial bond wasn't strong. Moreover, because Li Sanfu occasionally supported Wang Zhaodi, the younger Li family members didn't quite welcome her.
"Thanks, Xiaohua. Thank Grandpa for me too when you get home." Wang Miaomiao saw her reluctance and added fuel to the fire, "Sigh, my parents said not to accept the eggs, but Grandpa insisted that, as a Li Family member, they'd help to clean up after Zhaodi's trouble..."
Hearing this, Li Xiaohua got angrier, secretly cursing: What Li Family member? Her surname is Wang, alright! Grandpa's losing it in his old age.
Why provoke Li Xiaohua? Mainly because Shanghuang Village was largely composed of people with the surnames Wang, Li, and Zhang. These families had intermarried over generations, creating a complex web of relations where everyone was somehow related.
For instance, Wang Zhaodi's mother, Li Jinfeng, married Wang Baoxing, while her second aunt, Li Yinfeng, married into the Zhang Family to Zhang Rongfa.
In this way, the Li, Wang, and Zhang families all had connections.
Wang Miaomiao believed that the rumors in the village saying her mom mistreated her stepdaughter were likely spread by these close relatives. After all, who else but close relatives would persistently focus on someone else's trivial matters?
Initially, Liu Yulan hadn't beaten Wang Zhaodi, merely ignored her, filling her stomach then tying her to the table's leg to keep her in the house.
During busy farm times, wasn't every family doing the same?
The origins of the initial rumors, having passed so much time, were untraceable now. In the present, she thought that a thousand-mile embankment could be destroyed by an ant nest. As long as there's a hint of discord planted between Wang Zhaodi and those relatives, it would eventually have some effect over time...
Seeing the timing was about right, Wang Miaomiao casually changed the subject, "Oh, Xiao Hua, you smell really nice, what did you put on?"
After all, the little girl was at an age of innocence with a love for beauty; her thoughts were quickly diverted.
"Nice, right? My mom bought me Yashuang, a new cream from the supply and marketing cooperative in town. It's much better than Bai Que Ling and clam oil." Li Xiaohua smugly boasted.
Wang Miaomiao applauded, eyes filled with envy, "Really, the smell is indeed very nice. Xiao Hua, your mom treats you so well."
After saying this, she felt something was wrong, considering her mom was behind her, lest she misunderstood...
Quickly, she added, "My mom treats me well too. She mentioned this morning about buying me malted milk to nourish my body. I had to persuade her not to buy it. We're so lucky to have good mothers..."
"Oh, why didn't you want it? Malted milk is really tasty." Li Xiaohua missed the point, feeling regretful over the malted milk.
"I've grown up and am sensible now; how can I still be as greedy as when I was a child?" Wang Miaomiao seized the moment to establish her new image. Her former image as someone who loved to eat and was lazy was indeed bad and needed gradual change.
Growing up sensibly seemed like a good excuse.
"Wow, Miaomiao, impressive..." Li Xiaohua wasn't concerned about the truthfulness of Wang Miaomiao's words, or perhaps her belief didn't matter, as her tone carried a sense of teasing and doubt.
Wang Miaomiao smiled. Whether Li Xiaohua believed her didn't matter, as long as Liu Yulan, following behind, felt even the slightest stir in her heart.