Chapter 5

Yun Changxi went to the main hall. Seeing him protecting Yun Xi again, Yun Fugui pointed angrily at his nose. “Eldest Brother, what's wrong with you? Are you sick in the head? Little Fool is my daughter. I can beat her or scold her whenever I want! Why do you keep sticking your nose into other people's business every single day? Just mind your own affairs!” Yun Changxi ignored him and looked directly at Old Madam Yun. “Mother, Xi'er doesn't understand much. Why bother arguing with a child?” Old Madam Yun glanced at him, her tone full of disgust and blame. “Enough. Keep an eye on that girl. Otherwise, people will start saying that this old woman is mistreating the younger generation.” She disliked Yun Xi, and she disliked the entire eldest branch even more. They hadn't come from her womb, so they were outsiders after all. If the family's farmland didn't need people to work on it, she would have found a way to drive them out long ago. Yun Changxi didn't mind her attitude. He simply nodded. “I understand!” With that, he strode out of the main hall. “Eldest Brother, you...” Yun Fugui had never thought much of his eldest brother. He took a couple of steps after him, but the movement pulled at his injured groin. He grimaced in pain. Unable to continue arguing with Yun Changxi, he bent over and began groaning. “Ow! Ow!” Wang Chunlan hurriedly supported him, calling out in a sweet, delicate voice. “Brother Fugui, where does it hurt? Would you like me to massage it for you?” Chen Xicui found the sight unbearable. She snorted coldly and returned to her room. Yun Xi followed Qiao Xuemei and her sons to the backyard. Unlike the front courtyard, where every building was made of gray bricks and red tiles, the backyard contained only a row of low mud-brick houses. Yun Xi cursed inwardly. That damned old woman certainly knew how to treat people differently! Upon entering the room, she saw an old square table and four worn-out benches that had clearly been repaired several times. Yun Tang, the second daughter of the eldest branch, was sitting by the window doing needlework. When she saw them enter, she put down her needle and thread and stood up to greet them. “Mother, Younger Sister Xi'er!” Yun Tang was around fourteen or fifteen years old. She was pretty, with delicate features and a graceful, slender figure. Qiao Xuemei released Yun Xi's hand and turned to Yun Tang. “Tang'er, go get some hot water and wet a cloth. Bring it over so we can apply a warm compress to Xi'er's arm.” “Did Second Uncle hit Xi'er again?” Yun Tang hurriedly went to fetch some water. After soaking a cloth, she carefully placed it against the swollen area on Yun Xi's arm. “How heartless! Xi'er is still just a child. How could he bring himself to hit her so hard?” Yun Xi remained silent, watching as Yun Tang gently applied the warm cloth to her arm. She could genuinely feel the care and concern this family had for her. Yun Changxi returned from outside and glanced at Yun Xi before letting out a sigh. “Xi'er, from now on, remember to stay away whenever you see the people from the front courtyard.” This child was so foolish that even after being beaten, she still wandered toward the front courtyard. The second son and his wife were utterly heartless. They didn't treat this child as their own daughter at all. “Understood, Eldest Uncle!” Yun Xi blinked, looking obedient. Who was she, after all? A formidable woman who had survived the apocalypse. She had a profound understanding of the saying, One good turn deserves another. A gentleman could wait ten years to take revenge. But Yun Xi never waited longer than the very same night. Tonight, she would definitely sneak out and have a little talk with her scumbag father and that hypocritical third uncle. “Father, Mother, it's time to eat!” After applying the warm compress to Yun Xi's arm, Yun Tang put away the cloth and left the room. Before long, she returned carrying a basket of coarse black flour flatbreads and placed it on the table. The eldest son, Yun Song, came in carrying a basin of thin porridge that was almost entirely water. The youngest son, Yun Bai, followed with bowls and chopsticks. “Xi'er, would you like to have lunch at your eldest aunt's house?” Qiao Xuemei spoke gently as she led Yun Xi to a seat. She filled a bowl with thin porridge and placed it in front of her, then picked up a black flour flatbread and put it into her hand. The entire eldest branch sat down together. They had been working all morning and were already starving. The Yun family owned fifty mu of farmland. Thirty mu had been rented out, while the remaining twenty mu were cultivated entirely by the eldest branch. Yun Xi looked at the hard flatbread in her hand and felt her teeth ache just thinking about eating it. Although she had survived in the apocalypse, constantly struggling to stay alive and often running for her life, she had never eaten anything this coarse. Yun Changxi and his two sons wolfed down their flatbreads, clearly accustomed to this kind of food. “Xi'er, hurry and eat while it's still warm.” Seeing her sitting there absentmindedly, Yun Tang urged her. These coarse flour flatbreads were at least easy enough to bite when warm. Once they cooled down, they would become as hard as stones. Yun Xi swallowed and slowly took a bite. The black flour flatbread was so hard that it hurt her teeth. Its rough texture left a slightly bitter, unpleasant taste in her mouth. She chewed for a long time, then took a sip of the watery porridge before finally managing to swallow it. Yun Xi felt a surge of anger as she ate. The Yun family was one of the wealthier households in Linxi Village, yet this was what they fed the eldest branch? They wanted the horses to work but didn't even want to feed them. Old Madam Yun was truly a wicked, black-hearted old witch. Afraid that the eldest branch might notice something unusual about her, Yun Xi forced herself to finish the flatbread. Then she rubbed her eyes and said: “Eldest Aunt, Xi'er wants to sleep.” Qiao Xuemei put down her bowl and chopsticks and smiled affectionately. “Are you sleepy, Xi'er? Hurry and go rest in your room.” “Mm-hmm.” Yun Xi imitated the original owner's behavior, stood up, and skipped back to her room. Yun Xi had her own small room in the backyard. It was another low mud-brick building. The room was fairly clean, containing only a bed made from wooden planks. The bedding was stiff and covered with patches. It seemed the eldest branch had taken quite good care of her. Otherwise, how would the original owner, a little fool who knew nothing about anything, have learned to keep her room tidy? She had only just transmigrated and had already spent the entire morning dealing with one thing after another. Yun Xi was feeling a little exhausted. She took off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, and lay down with her eyes closed. She began thinking about what she should do with her future. She had her portable space, and with all the supplies she had collected inside, there was certainly no need to worry about surviving. However, she was currently known as a fool and was also the daughter of the Yun family's second branch. Her original parents didn't like her at all. They had absolutely no parental affection for her. If she wanted to survive in this world, there were two things she needed to accomplish. First, she had to sever her ties with the Yun family's second branch. Second, she had to regain her normal intelligence. However, these matters would have to be planned carefully. Yun Fugui and Chen Xicui seemed to have lost their minds. It was one thing that they disliked the original owner, but they also went out of their way to make her life miserable. She simply couldn't understand it. If they disliked having daughters, that might have explained things. But the two of them clearly doted on their eldest daughter, Yun He. Could it really be because the original owner was a fool? Yun Xi shook her head. From what she had just heard the villagers discussing, the original owner had been clever and lively when she was five or six years old. Yet she had never been favored by Old Madam Yun or Yun Fugui and his wife. There was clearly something suspicious about this matter. Yun Xi furrowed her brows. Could the original owner have dug up their family's ancestral graves in her previous life or something? Since she couldn't figure it out, she decided to put the matter aside for now. She calmed her mind and began to sleep. If she rested well during the day, she would have plenty of energy to go out tonight. By the time she woke up, it was already dark outside. Without having to worry about anyone plotting against her or mutated beasts launching a surprise attack, Yun Xi had enjoyed an exceptionally deep sleep. She turned over, got out of bed, and stretched. She felt completely refreshed. In the Yun family, the original owner had always been treated like an invisible person. Nobody cared whether she was cold or hungry. Rubbing her growling stomach, Yun Xi pushed open the door and went outside. At this hour, the Yun family was having dinner in the front courtyard. At the Eight Immortals table, Old Madam Yun sat in the seat of honor with her eldest grandson, Yun Chengwen. Below them sat her two sons and their wives. Yun He, the daughter of the second branch, was also there, along with the third branch's children, Yun Chengrong, Yun Mei, and Yun Zhu. Now there was also Wang Chunlan, making the table completely full. Everyone had white flour steamed buns in front of them, while the table was covered with chicken, fish, meat, and eggs. Even during the New Year, the villagers of Linxi Village couldn't afford to eat such a lavish meal. Nobody remembered the little fool Yun Xi, nor did anyone mention her. “Let's eat!” Only after Old Madam Yun gave the order did everyone pick up their chopsticks. Yun Fugui picked up a large piece of meat and happily placed it in Wang Chunlan's bowl. “Chunlan, eat some meat! You need to nourish yourself so you can give me a son in the future.” Wang Chunlan giggled, casting him a flirtatious glance with her seductive eyes. “Brother Fugui, you're so good to me.”