Chapter 2. Second Branch
Sure enough, fifteen minutes after You Jin returned to the west wing with Little Ninth, old Mrs. Chen sent someone to call her to go to work. Yue You Ting stood outside the door of the west wing and raised her voice and shouted, "Yue You Jin! Grandmother is calling for you!" Not caring whether anyone inside heard or not, she turned away.
Sighing, Yu Jin comforted Mrs. Su again. "Little Ninth's fever has gradually faded away. Mother, better take care of the little brother in the stomach. Don't be sad." Then she took You Yin to the main room.
Looking coldly at the two annoying granddaughters, old Mrs. Chen said coldly, "Why are you still standing so foolishly? Still not cooking, do you want to starve the whole family to death?" Yue Family's cooking, feeding pigs and such works were rotated between the two branches as the third branch lived in the county town all year round. Each branch rotated on the 15th. Today was the last day of the second branch's turn.
Yu Jin's heart was resentful, however, the year in and year out of forbearance made her accustomed to the old Mrs.Chen's bias and viciousness. The current her doesn't have enough ability and counterattack, so she can only hold in her inner emotions and say nothing. She silently headed to the kitchen with You Yin.
The Yue Family hasn't split up yet. The three branches have 21 people altogether. Besides Yue Wen Tao and Yue Wen Li brothers who are studying in the county town's academy and also the third branch family living in the county, there are 15 people to feed in the family. Because of this, cooking was also a difficult project.
Yue You Jin was only eleven years old this year, and Yue You Yin was only nine years old. However, the two sisters have been working along with Mrs. Su since the age of five or six. The works in their hands were done very fast. Yue You Yin squatted in front of the stove and started the fire. Yue You Jin cut the eggplants with 'tuk,tuk,tuk', then stir-fried a large pan of eggplant with pork beans. Next, she fried cabbage and dinner was done.
She divided the two dishes into two portions. The larger portion was to be placed at the table where the Yue Family's male was sitting. The leftover one-third of the dishes ended on the table headed by the old Mrs. Chen.
The Yue Family's food has a certain quantity every day. Even though it wasn't old Mrs. Chen who cooks, but the power of food amount was always firmly in her controls. Old Mrs. Chen filled herself with a full bowl first and then slightly-favored Yue You Ting stuffed her bowl full. Afterward, it was Mrs. Chen's turn. Only then leftover brown rice mixed with many sorghums was divided between the second branch's seven daughters and it was just a half bowl for each.
In fact, the Yue Family already counted as a wealthy household in Cuifeng Village. But because of funding two grandsons to study in the county academy and old Mrs. Chen was always stingy, the food wasn't really good.
After You Yin busied for the whole day today, her stomach was so hungry it growled. She held her chopsticks and picked a few pieces of eggplant. Before her chopstick left the dish, the eggplant was swiftly hit back into the pot by a pair of a chopstick from old Mrs. Chen, who had her eyes on it.: "All day, only know to eat. Would you starve to death from eating less? Really are some starving ghost reincarnated as money-wasting goods !"
You Yin did nothing and got berated in her face by grandmother. Instantly her eyes became red but she didn't dare to cry out. She lowered her head and silently sobbed. In the family, they can eat meat twice a month. There are children salivating. But how could You Yin dare to stretch over her chopstick to get the meat? However, she didn't see the meat wrapped by the eggplant.
You Jin hurriedly stopped the old Mrs. Chen's next move with a smile, and swiftly put the piece of meat that You Yin had picked up by mistake into old Mrs. Chen's bowl: "Grandmother must be tired today, eat more."
Old Mrs. Chen shot a stare at her angrily: "Don't think that I don't know what idea you have in mind. Each one of you are white-eyed wolfs and money-wasting goods!"
You Jin was scolded by her for eleven years. Naturally, she was already immune to her abuse. She treated as if she didn't hear what she said and put some vegetables in You Yin's bowl. Of course, there was no meat.
Old Mrs. Chen still wanted to flare up, but was interrupted by Yue Da Fu at the next table: "Enough, it's been noisy all day. Will you let people eat peacefully?"
After seeing Yue Da Fu say this, old Mrs. Chen shoot daggers at the two sisters You Jin and Yue Yin and then sat back down. You Jin turned a blind eye to that and openly gave some eggplants to You Zhu and You Bao. Although there was no meat, it was also stained with some tiny meat. These sisters were too thin. If they can eat more, then they have to eat more.
You Jin and her sisters finished their meal and brought a half bowl of rice and a few pieces of cabbage and eggplant to Mrs. Su, who was resting. Mrs. Su held the porcelain bowl with a few mouthfuls and her eyes reddened as she looked at the six daughters standing at the bedside in line and Little Ninth, who was lying sickly beside her: "It's been tough on you sisters. It's all because Mother is useless! "
Although You Jin did not see what happened today, she did hear most of it from You Yin's recollection of the event. Initially, Mrs. Su’s pregnancy was unstable. Today she was pushed by that old biddy, old Mrs. Chen and got miscarriage symptoms. So she can only be returned to bed and lay down. No one even gave her medicine to drink.
In her mind, she also knew that Mrs. Su was an unfortunate person. Then You Jin comforted her: "Mother, can't blame you for today's matters. Now Little Ninth has taken medicine and in a few days, she'll be fine. Mother still needs to take care of little brother in the tummy." You Jin was a 21st-century person and doesn't think there is any difference between a daughter or a son, as the state propagates that boys and girls are the same. But she inexplicably came to this world for eleven years, it goes without saying she knew how important a son was to these pedantic ancients. !!
Seeing how sensible the eldest daughter was, Mrs. Su sighed: "Mother knows that you sisters are good and obedient. Don't blame your grandmother, she just has a bit of a sharp-tongue ..."
How was it just sharp-tongue? These years, how many times did that black-hearted old biddy with poisonous method do bad things? That year, when Mrs.Su gave birth to the twin daughters, she still wanted to drown them. If she didn't secretly follow her and took the twins out of the bucket filled with water, then Little Fifth and Little Sixth would have been long ago! You Jin sorted a few times but said nothing on the surface, but just said, "Daughter knows, Mother eat the food soon."
The mother and daughters conversed in the west wing. Mrs. Su still wanted to say something, but was interrupted by a berating voice: "Where did everyone bloody go off to? Lao-zi worked hard outside to earn some money while you few money-wasting goods only know to open your mouth to eat for the whole day. Didn't you see that Lao-zi back? "It turned out that it was Yue Family's second child and the father of the seven young sisters, Yue Chang Lu.
Hearing Yue Chang Lu's scolding and calling outside the room, Mrs. Su was struggling to get up to go out to serve him inside the room. But was stopped by Yu Jin: "Mother, quickly have your meal. I will serve my father." She motioned for the You Yin to stop Mrs. Su and turned around, pulled up the tattered door curtain to go out to face another annoying person in the Yue family.
Seeing that Yu Jin came out with a cold face, Yue Chang Lu picked up the shoes that had been stitched several patches in his hand and aimed it over: "A money-wasting goods, won't come out after I called for half a day. Are you deaf or dumb?"
There was a flash of ruthlessness in You Jin's eyes, but she soon returned to normal. Now she was only eleven years old. She wasn't these beast's opponent. So she can only endure it, picked up the shoes thrown by Yue Chang Lu and placed it next to the other shoe: "I'll get water to wash Father's feet." Then she ignored Yue Chang Lu's grumbling and swearing, exited the west wing, entered the kitchen and sat down as she boiled water on the stove.
After finally finished serving Yue Chang Lu, this master who said to be making money outside, but he was obviously carrying a bad-quality woman's thick powder aroma, You Jin's eyes became few degrees colder. She had caught wind about Yue Chang Lu's stupid matter, but however, considering Mrs. Su's pregnancy, she has never dared to tell her. What's more, watching Mrs. Su's weak personality that even allows a three-year-old kid to bully her and won't fight back, she knew there was no use even if she knew Yue Chang Lu was messing around outside.
After draining the dirty water used by Yue Chang Lu, she returned a basin of hot water for herself and six younger sisters and they washed their feet and wiped their bodies. You Jin took her few younger sisters to the outer kang and laid side by side to sleep. Covered with a black and hard quilt, she half sat and half laid sideways as she watched the sleeping face of her six younger sisters. You Jin could not help but sigh deeply. What should she do!
How can she take her younger sisters with her out of Yue Family, this people-gobbling fire pit? If it was just herself, it would be easy to escape from Yue Family. But what would happen to her six younger sisters if she left? You Jin was an orphan without a father, mother, and brother in her last life. In this life, she got six younger sisters, watched them grow up from young and the younger sisters are all very well behaved. This made her very reluctant to part with this different world's familial relationship.
However, remembering of Yue Chang Lu's inferior thick powder fragrance, and then thinking about the few sisters' life in the Yue family, You Jin began to ponder carefully. She must come up with a good way out.
Every day when people are not paying attention, she secretly grabbed a broken earthenware and boil the medicine for Little Ninth to drink in her room. After five or six days, Little Ninth's fever finally completely withdrawn. She saw the thin and yellow little face became thirty percent skinner.
You Jin couldn't help but sigh: "Tomorrow Sister will go up the mountain to gather pig feed and see if I can find a bird's nest or something. It'll be great if I can find some bird eggs for you to supplement the nutrition." Starting from last year, You Jin head to the mountain to get pig feed every day and from time to time she foraged some bird eggs for few younger sisters to eat. Occasionally, she secretly roasted a pheasant on the mountain, teared it up and brought it back to them to nourish them with meaty food. Otherwise, just relying on the stuff old Mrs. Chen gave them, afraid that the sisters would have already starved to death. And won't be alive and well like now?
Little Ninth also knew to feel heartache toward her elder sister, so she obediently drank the bitter medicine and hurriedly chewed a few sour leaves to get rid of the bitter taste in her mouth. She declared in her baby voice, "Little Ninth don't want to eat bird egg." Although she said it like that, her eyes that were too large because of her thinness, were full of food cravings.
Seeing her so sensible, You Jin pulled her into her embrace with a smile. She rubbing her yellow, rough hair like dry grass: "What does Little Ninth want to eat? Elder sister will go to get it for you, okay?"
Little Ninth recalled the fragrant smell of meat that she smelled as she passed by Li Chang's house last time and the roasted pheasant legs secretly brought back by the elder sister last time, she swallowed hard. "Little Ninth wants to eat... ”
Hearing her voice became quieter and quieter, the smile on the corner of You Jin ’s mouth was still there and observed the little sisters sitting on the side of Little Ninth, “Sister will definitely let you all eat meat in the future. Believe in Elder Sister. "
Six little sisters with big eyes all looked at the You Jin seriously, and then nodded hard: "We believe in Elder Sister!"
Looking at the clear eyes of the six younger sisters, You Jin's internal belief also strengthened a bit: I will definitely protect you and give you a richer life!
Sure enough, fifteen minutes after You Jin returned to the west wing with Little Ninth, old Mrs. Chen sent someone to call her to go to work. Yue You Ting stood outside the door of the west wing and raised her voice and shouted, "Yue You Jin! Grandmother is calling for you!" Not caring whether anyone inside heard or not, she turned away.
Sighing, Yu Jin comforted Mrs. Su again. "Little Ninth's fever has gradually faded away. Mother, better take care of the little brother in the stomach. Don't be sad." Then she took You Yin to the main room.
Looking coldly at the two annoying granddaughters, old Mrs. Chen said coldly, "Why are you still standing so foolishly? Still not cooking, do you want to starve the whole family to death?" Yue Family's cooking, feeding pigs and such works were rotated between the two branches as the third branch lived in the county town all year round. Each branch rotated on the 15th. Today was the last day of the second branch's turn.
Yu Jin's heart was resentful, however, the year in and year out of forbearance made her accustomed to the old Mrs.Chen's bias and viciousness. The current her doesn't have enough ability and counterattack, so she can only hold in her inner emotions and say nothing. She silently headed to the kitchen with You Yin.
The Yue Family hasn't split up yet. The three branches have 21 people altogether. Besides Yue Wen Tao and Yue Wen Li brothers who are studying in the county town's academy and also the third branch family living in the county, there are 15 people to feed in the family. Because of this, cooking was also a difficult project.
Yue You Jin was only eleven years old this year, and Yue You Yin was only nine years old. However, the two sisters have been working along with Mrs. Su since the age of five or six. The works in their hands were done very fast. Yue You Yin squatted in front of the stove and started the fire. Yue You Jin cut the eggplants with 'tuk,tuk,tuk', then stir-fried a large pan of eggplant with pork beans. Next, she fried cabbage and dinner was done.
She divided the two dishes into two portions. The larger portion was to be placed at the table where the Yue Family's male was sitting. The leftover one-third of the dishes ended on the table headed by the old Mrs. Chen.
The Yue Family's food has a certain quantity every day. Even though it wasn't old Mrs. Chen who cooks, but the power of food amount was always firmly in her controls. Old Mrs. Chen filled herself with a full bowl first and then slightly-favored Yue You Ting stuffed her bowl full. Afterward, it was Mrs. Chen's turn. Only then leftover brown rice mixed with many sorghums was divided between the second branch's seven daughters and it was just a half bowl for each.
In fact, the Yue Family already counted as a wealthy household in Cuifeng Village. But because of funding two grandsons to study in the county academy and old Mrs. Chen was always stingy, the food wasn't really good.
After You Yin busied for the whole day today, her stomach was so hungry it growled. She held her chopsticks and picked a few pieces of eggplant. Before her chopstick left the dish, the eggplant was swiftly hit back into the pot by a pair of a chopstick from old Mrs. Chen, who had her eyes on it.: "All day, only know to eat. Would you starve to death from eating less? Really are some starving ghost reincarnated as money-wasting goods !"
You Yin did nothing and got berated in her face by grandmother. Instantly her eyes became red but she didn't dare to cry out. She lowered her head and silently sobbed. In the family, they can eat meat twice a month. There are children salivating. But how could You Yin dare to stretch over her chopstick to get the meat? However, she didn't see the meat wrapped by the eggplant.
You Jin hurriedly stopped the old Mrs. Chen's next move with a smile, and swiftly put the piece of meat that You Yin had picked up by mistake into old Mrs. Chen's bowl: "Grandmother must be tired today, eat more."
Old Mrs. Chen shot a stare at her angrily: "Don't think that I don't know what idea you have in mind. Each one of you are white-eyed wolfs and money-wasting goods!"
You Jin was scolded by her for eleven years. Naturally, she was already immune to her abuse. She treated as if she didn't hear what she said and put some vegetables in You Yin's bowl. Of course, there was no meat.
Old Mrs. Chen still wanted to flare up, but was interrupted by Yue Da Fu at the next table: "Enough, it's been noisy all day. Will you let people eat peacefully?"
After seeing Yue Da Fu say this, old Mrs. Chen shoot daggers at the two sisters You Jin and Yue Yin and then sat back down. You Jin turned a blind eye to that and openly gave some eggplants to You Zhu and You Bao. Although there was no meat, it was also stained with some tiny meat. These sisters were too thin. If they can eat more, then they have to eat more.
You Jin and her sisters finished their meal and brought a half bowl of rice and a few pieces of cabbage and eggplant to Mrs. Su, who was resting. Mrs. Su held the porcelain bowl with a few mouthfuls and her eyes reddened as she looked at the six daughters standing at the bedside in line and Little Ninth, who was lying sickly beside her: "It's been tough on you sisters. It's all because Mother is useless! "
Although You Jin did not see what happened today, she did hear most of it from You Yin's recollection of the event. Initially, Mrs. Su’s pregnancy was unstable. Today she was pushed by that old biddy, old Mrs. Chen and got miscarriage symptoms. So she can only be returned to bed and lay down. No one even gave her medicine to drink.
In her mind, she also knew that Mrs. Su was an unfortunate person. Then You Jin comforted her: "Mother, can't blame you for today's matters. Now Little Ninth has taken medicine and in a few days, she'll be fine. Mother still needs to take care of little brother in the tummy." You Jin was a 21st-century person and doesn't think there is any difference between a daughter or a son, as the state propagates that boys and girls are the same. But she inexplicably came to this world for eleven years, it goes without saying she knew how important a son was to these pedantic ancients. !!
Seeing how sensible the eldest daughter was, Mrs. Su sighed: "Mother knows that you sisters are good and obedient. Don't blame your grandmother, she just has a bit of a sharp-tongue ..."
How was it just sharp-tongue? These years, how many times did that black-hearted old biddy with poisonous method do bad things? That year, when Mrs.Su gave birth to the twin daughters, she still wanted to drown them. If she didn't secretly follow her and took the twins out of the bucket filled with water, then Little Fifth and Little Sixth would have been long ago! You Jin sorted a few times but said nothing on the surface, but just said, "Daughter knows, Mother eat the food soon."
The mother and daughters conversed in the west wing. Mrs. Su still wanted to say something, but was interrupted by a berating voice: "Where did everyone bloody go off to? Lao-zi worked hard outside to earn some money while you few money-wasting goods only know to open your mouth to eat for the whole day. Didn't you see that Lao-zi back? "It turned out that it was Yue Family's second child and the father of the seven young sisters, Yue Chang Lu.
Hearing Yue Chang Lu's scolding and calling outside the room, Mrs. Su was struggling to get up to go out to serve him inside the room. But was stopped by Yu Jin: "Mother, quickly have your meal. I will serve my father." She motioned for the You Yin to stop Mrs. Su and turned around, pulled up the tattered door curtain to go out to face another annoying person in the Yue family.
Seeing that Yu Jin came out with a cold face, Yue Chang Lu picked up the shoes that had been stitched several patches in his hand and aimed it over: "A money-wasting goods, won't come out after I called for half a day. Are you deaf or dumb?"
There was a flash of ruthlessness in You Jin's eyes, but she soon returned to normal. Now she was only eleven years old. She wasn't these beast's opponent. So she can only endure it, picked up the shoes thrown by Yue Chang Lu and placed it next to the other shoe: "I'll get water to wash Father's feet." Then she ignored Yue Chang Lu's grumbling and swearing, exited the west wing, entered the kitchen and sat down as she boiled water on the stove.
After finally finished serving Yue Chang Lu, this master who said to be making money outside, but he was obviously carrying a bad-quality woman's thick powder aroma, You Jin's eyes became few degrees colder. She had caught wind about Yue Chang Lu's stupid matter, but however, considering Mrs. Su's pregnancy, she has never dared to tell her. What's more, watching Mrs. Su's weak personality that even allows a three-year-old kid to bully her and won't fight back, she knew there was no use even if she knew Yue Chang Lu was messing around outside.
After draining the dirty water used by Yue Chang Lu, she returned a basin of hot water for herself and six younger sisters and they washed their feet and wiped their bodies. You Jin took her few younger sisters to the outer kang and laid side by side to sleep. Covered with a black and hard quilt, she half sat and half laid sideways as she watched the sleeping face of her six younger sisters. You Jin could not help but sigh deeply. What should she do!
How can she take her younger sisters with her out of Yue Family, this people-gobbling fire pit? If it was just herself, it would be easy to escape from Yue Family. But what would happen to her six younger sisters if she left? You Jin was an orphan without a father, mother, and brother in her last life. In this life, she got six younger sisters, watched them grow up from young and the younger sisters are all very well behaved. This made her very reluctant to part with this different world's familial relationship.
However, remembering of Yue Chang Lu's inferior thick powder fragrance, and then thinking about the few sisters' life in the Yue family, You Jin began to ponder carefully. She must come up with a good way out.
Every day when people are not paying attention, she secretly grabbed a broken earthenware and boil the medicine for Little Ninth to drink in her room. After five or six days, Little Ninth's fever finally completely withdrawn. She saw the thin and yellow little face became thirty percent skinner.
You Jin couldn't help but sigh: "Tomorrow Sister will go up the mountain to gather pig feed and see if I can find a bird's nest or something. It'll be great if I can find some bird eggs for you to supplement the nutrition." Starting from last year, You Jin head to the mountain to get pig feed every day and from time to time she foraged some bird eggs for few younger sisters to eat. Occasionally, she secretly roasted a pheasant on the mountain, teared it up and brought it back to them to nourish them with meaty food. Otherwise, just relying on the stuff old Mrs. Chen gave them, afraid that the sisters would have already starved to death. And won't be alive and well like now?
Little Ninth also knew to feel heartache toward her elder sister, so she obediently drank the bitter medicine and hurriedly chewed a few sour leaves to get rid of the bitter taste in her mouth. She declared in her baby voice, "Little Ninth don't want to eat bird egg." Although she said it like that, her eyes that were too large because of her thinness, were full of food cravings.
Seeing her so sensible, You Jin pulled her into her embrace with a smile. She rubbing her yellow, rough hair like dry grass: "What does Little Ninth want to eat? Elder sister will go to get it for you, okay?"
Little Ninth recalled the fragrant smell of meat that she smelled as she passed by Li Chang's house last time and the roasted pheasant legs secretly brought back by the elder sister last time, she swallowed hard. "Little Ninth wants to eat... ”
Hearing her voice became quieter and quieter, the smile on the corner of You Jin ’s mouth was still there and observed the little sisters sitting on the side of Little Ninth, “Sister will definitely let you all eat meat in the future. Believe in Elder Sister. "
Six little sisters with big eyes all looked at the You Jin seriously, and then nodded hard: "We believe in Elder Sister!"
Looking at the clear eyes of the six younger sisters, You Jin's internal belief also strengthened a bit: I will definitely protect you and give you a richer life!
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Comment below if you want me to choose this as my main project over my covid 19 isolation!
I'm really loving this story! I think I like it better than BTTS, though BTTS features a time period that seems seldom covered in these novels and is also a great story.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving this so far!!
ReplyDeleteThis seems so sweet, thank you very much for translating!
ReplyDeleteThis novel is making me cry so much. You Jin is super unlucky to transmigrate in that family but on the brighter side the six younger sisters are lucky to have her. Screw those member of the other branches and the father! I want them to die from anger and regret as they watched the sisters all become successful someday hmp!
ReplyDeleteGostaria muito de ler a continuação dessa história
ReplyDeleteI want to hug these little darlings and take them home.😭
ReplyDeleteJust few chapters and I am crying already
ReplyDelete