Ruan Jiaojiao also smiled, as if she saw the wonderful life ahead, her heart brimming with joy.
From then on, not only did she have a family, but also a group of family members who loved her dearly!
Ruan Jianguo walked around with Xiu Xi and Ruan Jiaojiao for another while before letting Ruan Jiaojiao down to play by themselves.
As it got closer to noon and the sun started to shine, Ruan Jiaojiao didn’t want to play outside anymore. Considering that Xiu Xi also needed more rest, they walked back hand in hand.
Before they entered the yard, they heard that unwelcoming voice again.
"Grandma Ruan, can I put this here?" It was Wa Yiting again!
Ruan Jiaojiao furrowed her little brow, huffed in irritation, let go of Xiu Xi’s hand, and rushed in with pursed lips.
As expected, upon entering the yard, she saw Wa Yiting helping out again, assisting the Ruanlin Family in sun-drying pickled vegetables.
The Ruanlin Family was also filled with helplessness.
She didn’t know why this little girl loved to run to their house when she had nothing to do. Seeing her own little vinegar jar rush in huffily only made her feel more troubled. She said to Wa Yiting, "Xiaoting, you don’t need to do these things. You should go back now. Auntie Wu will come looking for you soon."
"It’s fine, Grandma Ruan, I’ve already finished all the chores at home before I came out," Wa Yiting said, tilting her head and smiling in a flattering way, as if she couldn’t understand the rejection in the Ruanlin Family’s words.
When she caught sight of Ruan Jiaojiao returning, she subtly moved closer to the Ruanlin Family, as if they were close.
Ruan Jiaojiao was very angry now, her little mouth almost pointing to the sky.
She gazed at the Ruanlin Family with big pleading eyes. Even without a word, just one glance would make the Ruanlin Family’s heart feel shattered.
She quickly beckoned her over, tenderly wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, saying, "You must be overheated. Go inside and rest; don’t stay in the sun." She turned and said to Xiu Xi, "Xiaoxi, you too. Don’t stand under the sun; you might get a headache later. Go lie down in the room for a while."
Ruan Jiaojiao looked at Wa Yiting, who was still sun-drying vegetables, unwilling to go inside. She tiptoed to reach for the dustpan in the Ruanlin Family’s hand, wanting to help with the sun-drying, but the Ruanlin Family wouldn’t allow her to do such work.
"My dear girl, there’s no need for you to do this. Quickly, go inside and rest; don’t tire yourself out." The tone was as if standing in the sun for a while would exhaust her.
Wa Yiting, who was bending over spreading out vegetables, bit her lip hard, her eyes turning red.
Never before had she felt such intense jealousy towards Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi as she did at that moment.
The news about the Xiu Family had spread throughout the village that morning, and Auntie Wu, who loved gossiping, had been chatting at her door early on. Every sentence was about how the Ruanlin Family had grown senile, keeping an unrelated boy for no reason.
But when Wa Yiting listened, she was filled with envy and yearning.
If only—if only Grandma Ruan would also keep her, how wonderful that would be?
She would be more capable than anyone else, certainly not lazy! More capable than Ruan Jiaojiao, even more than Xiu Xi.
That was why she had hurriedly finished all the chores at home that morning and rushed to the Ruan Family, to show the Ruanlin Family how capable she was, hoping they would take her in as well.
She would eat the least amount of food and do the most work, and she would surely do better than Ruan Jiaojiao.
But dreams are beautiful, and reality is cruel.
As long as Ruan Jiaojiao was there, Grandma Ruan would never notice how well-mannered and capable she was.