Chapter 7: The Most Venomous Woman's Heart

Qin Ye remembered that the day before yesterday, during the celebration, he had used up the last bit of his family's grain.

He had planned to go up the mountain last night to gather some things and then exchange them for some grain and money, but he had not expected such a serious accident to occur.

"Qin Yu, go and see the team leader, see if you can borrow some rice. When we settle the work accounts in a couple of days, let him deduct it." You can't just stand by and watch his whole family starve to death, right?

With his condition now, he would be out of action for at least two months.

Thinking about it, his eyebrows and eyes took on a touch of gloom.

"Right, and mention that I'm injured and can't move, ask for half a month's leave from the team leader."

Hearing this, Qin Yu's gaunt face showed some difficulty. Asking for leave was fine, but borrowing grain? Would the team leader agree?

"…Okay."

After a single response, he was ready to run out.

"There's no need to go," Rong Yan stopped him, "I still have some grain, and there's no need for leave either. Everyone in the team is resting now, what's there to ask for? Let's talk after the New Year."

One month, with someone else treating him, he definitely wouldn't get better, but with her and the medicinal herbs that could be grown in the "space," one month should be about right.

The Qin siblings, all three of them, focused their eyes on her as soon as she mentioned she had grain.

The original owner had moved all her belongings here on her wedding day; they were in a corner of the room.

Of course, there was certainly no grain among them, she would have to get it from the "space."

"You two go to the kitchen and boil some water first, I'll be there in a moment."

The siblings glanced at their eldest brother.

Rong Yan: ...

"Stop looking at him; from now on, you listen to me."

Her tone was domineering, but not off-putting.

Instead, it gave the three siblings, who were full of holes and anxiously uneasy, a sense of security.

Qin Mei, although timid, was quick to react and dashed off outside. In her heart... the sister-in-law was a very impressive person.

Qin Yu gave Rong Yan a glance and also quickly walked out.

He even thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

The room was suddenly left with only those standing and those lying down.

Qin Ye didn't know what to say at this moment, after struggling for a long time he finally managed, "Thank you... I'll trouble you with this..."

Rong Yan looked at him, raised an eyebrow, "There's no need for thanks, but later on, you'll have to listen to me as well."

Qin Ye's heartbeat quickened, from his angle, she looked like a fairy.

After a long moment, he squeezed out a word from his dry throat, "...Okay."

If she really wanted to stay, of course, he would listen to her.

His face inexplicably grew hot.

Taking a deep look at him, Rong Yan turned to find her things, grateful that it was a blind spot at her angle of view, which made it convenient for her to operate.

She took out two pounds of rice from the "space," and also took about two pounds of flour and one pound of brown sugar.

Other items... the box wasn't very big, and it wasn't appropriate for her to take more at this time.

She carried these items to the small kitchen.

"This is flour, and this is rice, cook porridge in the morning, make it thick."

As for making these two kids work, she didn't feel any burden at all.

Besides, if she didn't make them work, they might get ideas and might not even dare to eat.

Qin Mei and Qin Yu hurried over when they heard her instructions... shiny rice? Flour whiter than snow by three shades?

They had never eaten such things.

"Sister-in-law... are we really going to cook it?" Qin Yu didn't notice his own tone had become closer.

Rong Yan was very generous, "Cook it, and add more rice."

Looking at their scrawny figures, in connection with the ending in the book... they really were people who had never had a good day in their lives.

It was too miserable.

Qin Yu's eyes lit up, but still, when taking the rice, he was hesitant, only grabbing two small handfuls.

Rong Yan couldn't stand by and watch, so she took matters into her own hands.

Her handling of those two handfuls really pained Qin Yu's heart.

"Enough, enough..."

"You guys keep cooking, I'll go outside and look around." Rong Yan walked out.

After she left, Qin Mei quietly said to Qin Yu, "Second Brother, sister-in-law is so kind!"

Pretty in appearance, and just as kind-hearted within.

Before, everyone in the village had called her Sao Baxing!

Whoever saw her would disdainfully avoid her, fearing they'd catch her bad luck.

Qin Yu: ...

Though he didn't admit it openly, he deep down agreed with his younger sister's words.

To venture alone into the mountains to save his elder brother, she was a benefactor to their family.

After some mature consideration, he said, "Let's just cook! Make it thick..."

His eyes shifted away from the rice quickly.

It hurt his heart.

This one meal could have lasted them for several more.

Qin Mei was delighted, she had never cooked such bright white rice before.

The porridge would surely be fragrant.

Meanwhile, Rong Yan strolled out and found her way to the team leader's home.

The team leader's family was at dinner, and their gazes all focused on her as she entered.

"Team leader, you're eating!" Rong Yan said with a smile as she walked in confidently.

Team leader: ...

Are you blind?

What modest girl would visit when others are eating?

"Comrade Rong Yan! What brings you here?"

He didn't offer her any food.

After all, in these times, no one had extra food to spare.

"Team leader, I came to see your wife about something. Auntie, do you have any eggs? I'd like to barter some Brown Sugar for them."

Huang Cuihua initially frowned upon hearing the request for eggs.

The nerve, thinking of laying claim to her family's eggs.

But the mention of trading for Brown Sugar turned that frown upside down, especially when she saw the actual bag of sugar in her hand, revealing a smile with all her yellow teeth on display.

Hurriedly standing up from the dining table she asked, "Sure, how many eggs do you want to trade?"

Rong Yan's smile deepened as she saw the shift in attitude, "Could I trade them for twenty eggs? Yesterday evening, our Qin Ye went up the mountain to collect firewood but was bitten by a snake and fell off a cliff, breaking his leg. So I was hoping to trade for some eggs to help him recover."

Her words startled the team leader's family.

"How is he doing now? Does he need to go to the hospital?" The team leader felt obliged to show concern. "The leg is very important."

Huang Cuihua was uneasy, her mind racing with other worries.

Rong Yan spoke of trading Brown Sugar for eggs, but what if... she was actually here to borrow money for Qin Ye's medical expenses?

That thought made her smile wane.

Rong Yan didn't miss the change in her expression, scoffing inwardly.

But her face remained unfazed, "I've reset his broken leg and wrapped it up, it's just..."

She sighed, "I reckon he'll need two to three months to recover, and by then, he won't be able to work."

The team leader, however, caught something else in her words, "You said you reset Qin Ye's bones?"

Could this girl be hating Qin Ye's family's poverty, seeking an opportunity to do him in?

His wife Huang Cuihua harbored the same suspicion.

Was this girl plotting to cripple or kill Qin Ye so she could return to the city?

Ah, the viciousness of a woman's heart!