Chapter 35 - 33: Fancy Car and a Beauty, an Ugly Pork Rib

Chapter 35: Chapter 33: Fancy Car and a Beauty, an Ugly Pork Rib

As Xia Yu was driving out of the village, she passed her third uncle’s house.

"Eh? Isn’t that Little Yu?"

Her third aunt—Xie Chunlan—had sharp eyes. She first recognized the luxury car, then immediately recognized Xia Yu in the driver’s seat and hurriedly called out.

As if she hadn’t heard, Xia Yu stomped on the gas and sped away.

Xie Chunlan froze for a moment.

’Did I get the wrong person?’

She thought back carefully and confirmed she hadn’t been mistaken, but Xia Yu’s car was already gone. Xie Chunlan stood there awkwardly, then spat a thick glob of phlegm on the ground in anger and cursed, "What a poorly raised brat."

’She found it very strange. Where did Xia Yu get so much money to buy such an expensive car?’

’Did she hook up with some diamond bachelor?’

’It must be.’

’That stinking bitch, selling her body.’

’If only she were a little younger, with her figure and looks, she could have snagged a rich man too.’

「In the car.」

Xia Yu eased off the accelerator, resuming a normal speed.

There was, of course, a reason for her actions just now.

A few years ago, her third uncle and aunt had wanted a few acres of her family’s land. They had threatened to destroy her parents’ belongings if she didn’t give it to them.

In Xia Yu’s eyes, the land was naturally not as important as her parents’ belongings, so she had agreed.

From then on, she completely cut off all contact with her third uncle’s family.

They were to have nothing to do with each other until the day they died.

She didn’t want to waste a single word or even an expression on people like that, which was why she had decisively floored it and left.

RING RING RING.

Her phone rang.

’Her eldest uncle?’

Seeing this, Xia Yu was puzzled. ’They just signed the contract, is he going to back out already?’

"Hello."

She answered the call.

"Uh... Little Yu, uh... *cough cough*... I forgot to tell you just now. The news has spread through the family. The village is going to be demolished to build a highway. You can’t sell your family’s homestead to your boss for a low price."

Xia Hongzhong’s voice came through the phone, "If you regret it, your uncle can tear up the contract. Once you’ve negotiated a better deal, we can draw up a new one."

Hearing this, the detached look on Xia Yu’s face softened.

’Her eldest uncle was the same as ever. He hadn’t changed.’

’Unfortunately, the Apocalypse was coming. Even if there were demolition plans, there wasn’t enough time.’

Her tone softened as she casually told a lie. "Don’t worry, Uncle. Our village won’t be demolished, and they won’t be building a highway. I have reliable information about this."

"My boss is buying our family’s homestead for other reasons. Please do your best to help me keep this quiet."

Hearing this, Xia Hongzhong breathed a sigh of relief and readily agreed.

The call ended.

He straightened his back, a smile returning to his face as he said, "Little Yu is all grown up. She knows how to look out for her uncle."

Xie Chunlan, who was still fuming, saw Xia Hongzhong and immediately put on a smile. "Big Brother, what are you muttering about?"

Big Brother’s family was doing better and better, and she still needed their help from time to time, so how could she dare to show him a sour face?

"Just now..."

Xia Hongzhong remembered Xia Yu’s instructions and shook his head. "It’s nothing."

’Fine, don’t tell me then.’

Xie Chunlan smiled and took a ticket out of her pocket. "This is a ticket to the Joyful Picking Garden. How about we go have some fun before the New Year?"

Her son worked at the Joyful Picking Garden and had gotten a few free tickets, which were perfect for repaying favors or making others owe her one.

Xia Hongzhong immediately waved his hand in refusal. "We’re all country folk, why would we go to a picking garden? No, no, it’s a waste of money. Besides, I have things to do."

With that, he walked away.

"Tch."

Xie Chunlan pursed her lips and muttered, "Fine, suit yourself. I’ll go by myself. Vegetables are pretty expensive right now anyway. I’ll go to the greenhouses there and pick some extra to take home."

’With her son there, it wouldn’t cost much to take things.’

’Her mind was buzzing with her little scheme.’

...

...

「Back home.」

"Sis, where did you go? The food’s gotten cold."

"Also, why are you wearing so little again? It’s getting cold, be careful not to catch a cold. The New Year is almost here, and getting sick is bad luck. Most importantly, it’s bad for your health."

Xia Tian, who had been on his laptop hacking into secret foreign websites to look up detailed information on the Mist Event, saw his sister walk in. He instantly closed the site, cleared his browsing history, and got up to turn on the stove and heat up the food.

"I went out with a friend to take care of something."

Hearing her brother’s concerned nagging, Xia Yu’s heart warmed, and her tense nerves began to relax. Only at home could she find a moment of peace. She casually kicked her shoes onto the floor, slipped into her cotton slippers, and said lazily, "You haven’t eaten either, have you?"

"Nope."

Xia Tian shook his head.

"Remember to eat on time. How many times have I told you?"

Xia Yu frowned. She put on a stern face and was about to start lecturing him, but Xia Tian, anticipating this, spoke first. "If you don’t eat, Sis, I won’t eat either."

"You’re not even setting a good example, so how can you make demands of me?"

Xia Yu faltered.

’He’s talking back now?’

’Very good.’

"Since you want to follow my lead, fine."

"In a bit, you’ll eat exactly as much as I do."

"I plan on eating two bowls of rice and half a plate of braised pork today. You’d better learn well from me, or else..."

She put on a ’vicious’ look, shook her fist, and threatened, "It’s time for some family discipline!"

Xia Tian’s expression changed.

He couldn’t possibly eat that much and hurriedly begged for mercy. "Please spare me, my most brilliant, most outstanding, most beautiful sister! *Cough cough... cough cough...*"

He couldn’t help but start coughing after saying so much so quickly.

’Her brother has gotten weaker.’

A flicker of hidden worry crossed the depths of Xia Yu’s eyes.

However, she didn’t let it show. Instead, she leaned back on the sofa, stretched lazily, and said, "Hmph."

"Seeing as you’re such a sweet-talker, I’ll let you off the hook this time."

Xia Tian: "..."

Soon.

The food was served again, now hot.

"This piece of rib is too ugly, I don’t want to eat it. Here, you have it."

"Oh dear, I got too much rice, I can’t finish it. You take the rest. You can’t waste food, or it’s family discipline for you."

"By the way, do you have enough money? Your big sister got paid. I’ll transfer you 3,000 first."

"Actually, never mind. I’ll make it 5,000."

...

In the warm room, the brother and sister ate their hot meal.

Warmth.

Harmony.

It was an enviable scene.

「At the same time.」

Amidst the howling north wind, Xie Shaokun was hiding under a blanket, shivering uncontrollably. He gnawed on a piece of cold bread, occasionally staring out at the pitch-black world, wary of being captured.

ACHOO.

"Alas, I have fallen ill."