Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Speechless (Slight Revision) Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Speechless (Slight Revision) Chapter 53: Speechless
“From now on, Grandpa will definitely protect Little Little no matter who she faces,” Chiang Songhai touched her head.
Chiang Xiao pursed her lips.
She could only choose to believe his words for the time being.
But in the future, she would not resort to such methods again. Once her health was restored, she would have to protect herself and, moreover, her grandparents as well.
If anyone dared to lay a hand on her, she would fiercely fight back!
After a moment of silence, Chiang Xiao said, “I know I’ve been too lazy before, Grandpa. I realize my mistake, and from now on, I will diligently do the household chores and earn money to one day take you and Grandma to live in the city.”
“All you need to do is study hard,” Chiang Songhai said with a relieved smile, “Your grandma and I can handle the housework. Once you get into college in the future, you’ll naturally be able to go to the city. It doesn’t matter where your grandparents are.”
At this, Chiang Songhai felt a heavy weight in his heart.
Next term, Chiang Xiao would start junior high school and would have to go to the town for schooling.
The middle school in town charged a slightly higher tuition fee—one term cost four yuan and fifty cents. With additional miscellaneous fees, it was estimated to be around six yuan and fifty cents.
However, Siyang Village was quite far from the middle school in town, so it was definite that she couldn’t come home for lunch. She had heard that students needed to bring an iron lunch box, bring rice and vegetables and then pay a little extra for the school cafeteria to cook the meals.
The family was truly poor now.
They had to start saving earnestly. As they were getting older each year, how many more years could they work? The cost for the three years of high school would surely be even more.
If Little Little managed to get into college…
How could they possibly follow her to the city?
So, in Chiang Songhai’s eyes, Chiang Xiao was merely daydreaming.
But he was moved by her having such a wish.
Chiang Xiao also knew that it was too early to talk about this now, as she had not yet found a good way to make money.
“Little Little, tell Grandpa, why did your Second Uncle hit you today?” Chiang Songhai had not forgotten about this matter.
Chiang Xiao would have told him about the incident even if he did not ask.
So she recounted how Chiang Baohe had suddenly barged in and berated her while she was nicely staying at home. Of course, she did not mention that she had intentionally provoked him, running outside to lead him on a chase.
“Grandpa, Second Uncle also accused me of seducing Ji Desheng, but I really didn’t,” Chiang Xiao said with a cold face, fury building in her heart at the mention of Chiang Baohe, “Aunt and the others scolded me in the same way; you heard how ugly their words were.”
“You always say that they are my elders and I should respect them, but do they really act like elders by cursing me ?”
Chiang Songhai was left speechless by her counterquestion.
Chiang Xiao continued, “Since I was little, the villagers have called my dad a dog and said my mom should be dunked in a pig cage, calling me a bastard. Ding Dani and the others always bullied me, claiming our family was bringing disgrace to Siyang Village’s customs…”
She paused, looked at Chiang Songhai, and went on, “Aunt and my uncles and aunts also cursed me like that, Grandpa, how are they any different from the others?”
Chiang Songhai was struck by her words.
Indeed, were these relatives? Were these elders?
“Aunt always called me a little wretch, but my mom is your daughter. In Aunt’s eyes, what does my mom represent? Grandpa, does it mean that even if Aunt and the others were to beat me to death, you’d still want me to respect her? Today, I nearly got killed by Second Uncle, you can ask Sister-in-law Shi Zhuang if you don’t believe me. If I really had been killed, would you still tell me that he is my uncle, an elder, and to not bear a grudge?”
Ge Liutao stood at the door with a bowl of medicine, already in tears.
“Little Little…” Chiang Songhai’s throat felt dry.
Looking at him, Chiang Xiao added another sentence, “In short, I don’t want to be bullied anymore in the future, not even by my elders.”