Chapter 21: Xiao Yu, you really should continue your studies.

Xiang Di always hoped her younger sister would have a better life than she did, not like herself, with no hope for the future. So she encouraged her to study and saved money for her tuition.

She subconsciously placed all her beautiful hopes for life onto her sister.

Now, her only secret inner wish was about to be shattered.

She shook her head in refusal, “No, I won’t let them sell you. Mom and Dad wouldn’t do that to you.”

Xiang Yu looked at her calmly. “What’s the difference between how Mom and Dad treat you and me? If they can sell you, why not me?”

Her calmness broke Xiang Di’s composure, and she could no longer hold back her grief. She crouched down and cried bitterly.

The two sisters returned home; it was already half past midnight. Li Meilan was cooking over the stove in the kitchen.

Seeing them, she burst out in curses, “You two dead girls, always disappearing and not coming back. Might as well die out there! Always trying to shirk work. So lazy—how can you embarrass me by getting married? You’re worse than pigs!”

Xiang Yu stared at her coldly, her eyes like an abyss, bottomless and unfathomable.

Li Meilan was intimidated, feeling guilty. She grabbed a firewood stick, ready to strike her. “You little brat, you’re getting bolder every day. Still talking back to me?”

Xiang Di stepped in front of her, her expression unusually serious and weary. “Mom, I have something to say to you and Dad.”

Li Meilan dropped the stick. “What’s there to say? Just finish cooking the meal first. The whole family is starving.”

After cursing, she swept her hand and left.

Xiang Di had no choice but to silently take over cooking with her sister.

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Xiang Yu didn’t want to entertain the guests coming tomorrow, yet she had already cut several pounds of pork belly.

She planned to make some braised pork, some minced and mixed with scallions to stuff into tofu, and some sliced for stir-fried pork.

Xiang Di turned and was startled by the pile of meat on the cutting board. Realizing her sister’s intention, she smiled helplessly.

Her sister’s steadfast protection warmed her heart deeply.

She felt clearly that Xiang Yu was no longer the same — she had grown up, and her ideas were bigger and more righteous.

Tenderly, she stroked her sister’s hair. “Little Yu, you really should keep studying. You’re getting smarter every day.”

Xiang Yu turned her head, eyes sparkling as she looked at her. “Sis, I will. I definitely will keep studying.”

Xiang Di’s eyes lit up with surprise, hardly daring to believe it. “Really? You’ve made up your mind?”

Xiang Yu nodded firmly. “I have. I will give it my all.”

Xiang Di nodded but with some worry in her eyes. The high school entrance exam was tough. If her sister didn’t pass, their parents would never agree to her going to a technical school or repeating a year.

But with the exam coming soon, she didn’t want to dampen her sister’s spirits with such gloomy talk.

Just do your best.

She had heard from a sister at the factory that they could also attend night school nearby, with courses in accounting, fashion design, computer science, and so on.

The tuition wasn’t cheap, though.

But as long as her sister was willing to attend, they could save money together—surely enough for tuition.

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At the dinner table,

Xiang Hao clapped his hands and shouted, “Ah, so much meat! This is great!”

Li Meilan eyed the table full of meat dishes suspiciously. “Why so much meat? Will there be any left for tomorrow?”

Xiang Di felt a little guilty.

Xiang Yu was unfazed. “There’s plenty left. Sis saved it bit by bit from what she could spare to improve our meals.”

With the feast ahead, Li Meilan was in a much better mood and didn’t fly into a rage at Xiang Yu’s sarcastic tone.

She just glared at her. “Look at you now, such a brat, like a thorn in my side. No one will want to marry you if you keep this up.”

Xiang Yu ignored her and took a bite of the stuffed tofu, eating quickly and voraciously.

Xiang Hao grew anxious—he loved that dish too, light and not greasy. He hurriedly nudged Li Meilan. “Mom, Mom, Xiang Yu’s about to finish it all again.”

He still vividly remembered how Xiang Yu snatched his braised pork yesterday.

Li Meilan reached out and served the stuffed tofu onto her son’s plate, scolding Xiang Yu, “You little glutton, born to starve.”