Chapter 2 – Inner Thoughts
As time went by, the days passed by.
Xu Jinning once again felt grateful for being a person who takes things as they come, with a strong tolerance and a laid-back attitude, a Buddhist style of living.
Xu Jinning didn’t get up after waking up. She lay there from morning until noon, only getting up when she heard the noise outside and smelled the tempting aroma of chicken soup.
Covering her empty stomach, Xu Jinning couldn’t help but appreciate the delicious fragrance.
At this moment, Zhang Ailian pushed the door open and saw the awake Xu Jinning.
“Ningning, you’re awake. Get up and have some chicken soup.”
“Okay.” Xu Jinning naturally wouldn’t refuse.
She was wearing gray-blue clothes and pants with quite a few patches – the original owner’s own clothes.
In fact, even though the original owner had lived the life of a real rich daughter before, her days with the adoptive parents on the farm were not easy due to their status.
On the other hand, Xu Fangfang, while living in the Xu family, received the love and favor from the original owner’s parents and siblings. Although it was in the countryside, she had the best of everything among people of the same age.
After Xu Fangfang left, she didn’t take her clothes with her.
Those clothes were much better than the original owner’s, but the original owner refused to wear them.
Now, in Xu Jinning’s shoes, she also wouldn’t want to wear someone else’s clothes.
After putting on her clothes and going outside, Xu Jinning heard the voice of her eldest brother.
“Mom, give me this chicken leg. Maybe if Educated Youth Sun eats this chicken leg, she’ll agree to be my girlfriend.”
Unable to hold back, Xu Jinning rolled her eyes and silently complained in her mind.
【Is this Xu Xiangdong stupid? Doesn’t he know that being a ‘licking dog’ leads to having nothing in the end? This Educated Youth Sun probably sees him as a tool for food, drink, and labor. She likes Educated Youth Fu who is educated and has a high status in the educated youth spot. How could she like you?】
Currently grinding the chicken leg, Xu Xiangdong, full of anticipation, suddenly changed his expression. He turned around and said, “Who, who was talking about me just now!”
Xu Xiangdong’s sudden outburst startled Xu Jinning.
She didn’t say anything; she was just silently complaining in her mind.
At this moment, Xu Xiangdong scanned the room and eventually fixed his gaze on Xu Jinning.
That voice sounded like the new little sister who had just arrived.
At this point, Father Xu spoke, “Xiangdong, what’s gotten into you? There was no one talking just now.”
Xu Xiangdong fell silent. He knew his dad wouldn’t lie to him, but he was sure he heard Xu Jinning talking just now. Could he have misheard?
Xu Xiangdong just frowned for a moment, didn’t dwell on it further, and continued grinding the chicken leg with Zhang Ailian.
“Mom, let me pick up this chicken leg.” Saying this, Xu Xiangdong deftly picked up the chicken leg and put it in his bowl.
At that moment, Xu Jinning happened to look over.
The aroma of the chicken soup and the tender chicken leg stewed to perfection looked very appetizing.
Xu Jinning recalled that the novel mentioned Zhang Ailian’s cooking skills were top-notch.
The taste of this stewed chicken soup was even more fragrant than anything she had tasted in the 21st century.
And that chicken leg…
If it were in the 21st century, she definitely wouldn’t consider trying it, but now…
【This chicken leg looks so delicious, and the aroma of the chicken soup is truly tempting. Why are my mother’s cooking skills so good?】
【Xu Xiangdong, if you don’t want the chicken leg, give it to me. Why give it to that Educated Youth Sun? If you give it to Educated Youth Sun, she’ll quickly offer your chicken leg as a gift to Educated Youth Fu. It’s better to give it to your real sister.】
Zhang Ailian and Xu Xiangdong happened to hear these two sentences.
Zhang Ailian found it strange; Ningning hadn’t spoken just now. Why did she hear Ningning praising her cooking? Although her cooking was indeed quite good.
Strange, how did she hear that? Could her ears be playing tricks on her, hallucinating?
Meanwhile, Xu Xiangdong once again clearly heard the words spoken by this new sister. Now, including the previous sentence, it was definitely Xu Jinning who said those things. Surprisingly, even Dad was covering for this girl.
As Xu Xiangdong glared angrily at Xu Jinning, ready to speak.
The voice continued.
【Ah, why is Xu Xiangdong looking at me like that? It’s so scary.】
【Being so fierce to your own real sister, treating others so well, being such a ‘licking dog’, but not realizing that others are just using you. That person Educated Youth Sun is not just stringing you along; she’s also doing it to Zhao Hongxing from the village. Every time, she pretends to be innocent and asks for things from both you and Zhao Hongxing. You’re silly, haven’t figured it out, only know how to give.】
【Unlike Zhao Hongxing, who figured it out a long time ago, knowing to exchange things for favors. If I remember correctly, tonight at seven, Zhao Hongxing and Educated Youth Sun will meet in the grove behind the hill. Zhao Hongxing will give Educated Youth Sun some peach pastries in exchange for a kiss.】
Xu Xiangdong’s face turned serious as he looked at Xu Jinning, who appeared frail and innocent, with a shocked expression.
Finally, he realized that Xu Jinning really hadn’t spoken just now.
But, but he had truly heard Xu Jinning speaking a moment ago.
If she didn’t speak just now, what did he hear?
Could it be… what she was thinking in her mind?
Xu Xiangdong speculated in his mind, his expression genuinely shocked.
However, what did Xu Jinning say, and how could Educated Youth Sun be that kind of person?
Educated Youth Sun is such a pure and virtuous person. How could she be involved with Zhao Hongxing, the village troublemaker? Moreover, though Educated Youth Sun didn’t explicitly say it, Xu Xiangdong knew from her actions that Educated Youth Sun must have feelings for him. That’s why she accepted his gifts. How could she possibly like that Educated Youth Fu? Even though many female comrades and village girls liked Educated Youth Fu, Educated Youth Sun definitely wasn’t one of them.
Xu Xiangdong didn’t dwell on the fact that he could hear the inner thoughts of this girl.
He glared harshly at Xu Jinning, then turned around, carrying a bowl full of chicken soup and a large chicken leg, and left.
“Xiangdong, aren’t you going to eat first?”
“It’s lunchtime, and Educated Youth Sun must be hungry too. I’ll take the chicken soup and chicken leg to Educated Youth Sun first.”
As Xu Xiangdong walked out of the room, he faintly heard Xu Jinning’s voice.
【My chicken leg and chicken soup… forget it. When the love brain encounters green tea, there’s no hope.】
Already completely outside, Xu Xiangdong snorted. What love brain? What green tea? He hadn’t heard of such things.
But Xu Jinning must be lying. Educated Youth Sun must be a good person!
The Xu family had one of the few brick houses in the village, built several years ago. Although not large, it was relatively new.
In the middle was the main hall, facing south, with two rooms on either side—East Wing and West Wing.
There were also two small rooms—one was the kitchen, and the other was a storage room, with a cellar underneath.
In the East Wing, the larger room housed the couple, Xu Aiguo and Zhang Ailian.
The smaller room in the East Wing belonged to the eldest sister, Xu Fanghua.
In the West Wing, the larger room was occupied by the two brothers, Xu Xiangdong and Xu Xiangbei.
The remaining room in the West Wing, previously occupied by the real rich daughter, Xu Fangfang, was now Xu Jinning’s.
**TN
Licking Dog – it refers to someone who is overly devoted or subservient to their romantic partner, often to the point of being clingy or excessively affectionate.
Green Tea (B*tch) – a person who pretends to be sweet and innocent but is dishonest.
Pah, these people gonna treat her good just bcs of her ability.