Chapter 1 Cuifeng Village
“You Jin, went up the mountain again? Carrying such a heavy bamboo basket, are you not afraid of crush.”
She was carrying a bamboo basket full of pig feed on her back when she heard someone call her.
Yue You Jin, who initially had buried her head while walking, raised her head and greeted the woman by the roadside with a smile: “Fifth Shenzi.”
Looking at her thin body, the middle-aged woman in her early thirties who called, Fifth Shenzi had a flash of heartbreak in her eyes.
She said with distress, “Your grandmother sent you out to work again?”
Yue You Jin was already accustomed to villagers' eyes of pity and sympathy.
She nodded with a smile: “Grandmother said that there was no more pig feed at home.
This year's hopes are all on the few pigs, so they have to be treated well.
Only then there be money for my mother to birth a little brother.
“
“Yes, your mother’s stomach looks different from before.
If it were a son, you sisters could have a better life …” Thinking of the chaotic life at Yue Family, Fifth Shenzi sighed faintly.
They were all unfortunate people!
“Fifth Shenzi, I won't talk anymore.
When I came out, Grandma said that the pigs at home were almost jumping over the pigsty door, so I have to go back soon.” Seeing that she had more to say, Yue You Jin hurriedly interrupted her.
After saying that she walked forward toward home carrying the heavy bamboo basket.
Remembering that old Mrs.
Chen treated each granddaughter crueler one after another, Fifth Shenzi didn't hold her back anymore.
Looking at the tottering thin figure with a bamboo basket on her back, she sighed.
This was an eleven-year-old girl and she looked like six or seven years old.
The Yue Family ’s heart was really hard!
***
Turning from the village's main road to the intersection where Yue Family's home was located, there were few households away from the door of Yue Family's home.
Yue You Jin saw several villagers standing at the door of her own home and were probing the situation inside.
A sharp female voice that Yue You Jin heard for eleven years emerged in the courtyard: “It's just some money-wasting thing, still want to call a doctor? And also want japonica rice porridge?”
Accompanied by a sharp female voice, was also a thin cry of a little girl.
And then a voice like a female duck sounded.
It appeared to be comforting but instead actually fanning the fire: “Sister-in-law quickly make the children stop crying.
The luck of the family is being cried away, that …
“
When she heard her say that, the owner of that sharp female voice was even more furious: “All day long only know to cry and eat.
Try crying again, see if I will beat you money-wasting things to death!” The sound just ended, a powerful sound of a whip appeared.
The few little girls were beaten so badly but could only bite their chapped lips, and dare not make any more noise.
Hearing the movement at home, Yue You Jin hurried through the crowd, and pushed open the courtyard door with a gap: “Grandmother, I'm back!”
The old Mrs.
Chen, who was vigorously beating, got interrupted became very unhappy and viciously glared over.
But when she saw the villagers crowded outside as they peeked in, she was even more displeased and motioned for Mrs.
Chen to close the gate.
While old Mrs.
Chen wasn't paying attention, Yue You Jin rushed to stand in front of the huddle of beaten little girls, all in gray and fluttering clothes.
She pretended to berate them, “You few, Sister just went out for a little while, and you made Grandmother angry again, didn't you? All of you go back to the room and kneel down!” Having her back toward everyone, she winked a few times at the second sister, Yue You Yin when nobody was watching.
Goes without saying, Yue You Yin received her sister's wink and hurriedly dragged her two younger sisters back to the west wing, leaving Yue You Jin alone to face the old Mrs.
Chen.
Old Mrs.
Chen saw that the money-wasting things had run away, she transferred all the dissatisfaction to Yue You Jin: “What took you so long? I only sent you to cut pig feed.
Where did you go?” The bamboo whip she held seemed to be ready to greet Yue Yue Jin at any time if she made a mistake.
Yue You Jin hurriedly walked to old Mrs.
Chen's side to support her and smiled: “Recently, the pig feed on the mountain has lessened, I had to go a little farther.
Grandmother, please go rest.
I will feed the pig.”
Looking at her shabby clothes stained with mud, and then looking at her semi-new clean cotton clothes on her body, she pushed her away: “Go, go, go.
Don't get in my face.
Go feed the pig.
Those pigs nearly broke the pigsty door.
If the pig ran away, just you wait! ” She dismissively harrumphed and brought the spectator, Mrs.
Chen, back to the main room.
Making sure old Mrs.
Chen and others have left, Yue You Jin just let out a sigh of relief, and then hurriedly carried the pig feed to the pigsty.
***
The majority of Cuifeng Village was surname Yue.
There are about 70 to 80 households in the village.
Although the Yue Family can't compare with the top-notch household within the village, they aren't too poor.
Back in the days, Yue Family patriarch, Yue Da Fu followed the merchants for many years, so he saved a lot of assets.
He returned to Cuifeng Village and purchase more than 30 acres of fertile land.
He also built a large and spacious brick and tile building.
Within Cuifeng Village he can be regarded as a respected person.
Yue Da Fu married Chenjia village's village head's youngest daughter, Mrs.
Chen and had three sons and a daughter.
His life was quite smooth.
Now that he was old, he can be considered a reputable person in the village.
If there were something he wishes for in this life, it was simply two things: first, grandson's imperial examination.
Patriarch has worked hard all his life and have seen many people's warmth and coldness, so he knew a family with a descendant with an official position can grow the family's roots.
Since his grandson was intelligent from his childhood, Patriarch Yue put all his hopes on him.
The second was the second son's family has never been able to give birth to a son.
The Eldest son's family has four sons and one daughter, and the third son also has two sons and one daughter.
It was only the second son's family that has seven daughters in a row.
Now Mrs.
Su was pregnant with another in her stomach, Patriarch Yue was also looking forward to birth one with wee-wee to pass on the incense to the second family.
Because the second branch started a family for fifteen years now and had seven daughters in a row, Yue Chang Lu's couple position at home was very low.
Because of not having a son.
Yue Chang Lu can't even lift his head, so he beat his wife and children frequently to vent.
Mrs.
Su has the heart to protect her several daughters, however, she was helpless.
Her own maternal family doesn't have anyone and she was also incapable of protecting herself.
She just hoped that this belly is a big fat baby boy, that way her and her seven daughters can have a better life.
You Ting from the first branch was the eldest, and You He from the third branch was the second, and then the second branch's Jin, Yin, Zhu, Bao, Ling, Luo, Chou, the seven daughters.
Therefore, You Jin was the eldest daughter in the second branch, however, she was also the third (in Yue Family's younger generation).
The twins, seventh sister and the eighth sister, You Ling and You Luo had cried themselves to sleep.
Fourth sister You Yin was holding the two-year-old ninth sister, You Chou as she coaxed.
While coaxing, she wiped her tears.
Must have been beaten a little fierce by the old Mrs.
Chen.
Seeing elder sister have returned, You Yin hurriedly stood up as she held ninth sis: “Elder sister, Ninth Sis have a fever.
Grandmother refuses to call a doctor.
What to do?”
When she heard that Ninth Sis had a fever, You Jin rushed to take Ninth Sis out of You Yin's arms to look.
What consciousness does little Ninth, who's thin face have already flushed red from fever, have?
“Elder Sister, if continue to burn like this, will Little Ninth …” Yue You Yin recalled with tearful eyes and looked at her elder sister in desperation, pinning all hope on her.
“Where's father and mother?” You Jin checked Little Ninth's forehead.
It was estimated that she had already burned to high temperatures.
Little Ninth was only two years old and going on like this will cause her to die, if not become a fool!
“Dad said that he going to Liutun Town to find a job this morning.
Mother on the kang.
Her stomach hurt, so Fifth Sis and Sixth Sis were keeping watch.” You Yin had cried so much her throat was a little hoarse.
