Ch 18: The Unfilial Children Trembles in Fear (QT)

That day, Yun Xi and Xiao Zhang went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy some things. They were preparing to leave early for Beijing so they could get settled and adjust to the environment before school started.

After finishing their shopping and getting back on their bicycles, they spotted Dong Zhiyong running a street stall not far away.

When Dong Zhiyong saw Yun Xi, he grinned broadly.

“Old lady! Long time no see, old lady!”

Yun Xi rode over and got off her bicycle.

“So you’ve started a small business?”

Dong Zhiyong nodded smugly.

“What do you think? Didn’t expect this, did you? I’ve only been at it for two days and I’ve already made back my costs. I’m actually making money now. Who would’ve thought you could earn this much just setting up a roadside stall?”

He glanced sideways at Xiao Zhang.

“I’m not like that new son of yours who knows how to study and got into Qing University. I know how to make money. That’s real ability.”

With a snort, he continued,

“He’s already in his twenties, earning a salary, and he’s still going to school? By the time he graduates, he’ll be nearly thirty, right? What, his salary’s going to double or something? Even if it doubles, how much could that be?”

“Unlike me. I’m making big money in my early twenties. By the time I’m thirty, I might even be driving my own car.”

“Old lady, don’t you like cars? When’s your new son going to get you one?”

Then he noticed the bicycles loaded front and back with purchases.

Jealousy flashed through his eyes.

“I think he’s just after your money. It can’t be easy for an old woman to save up her retirement money, but you’re spending it all on this new son of yours. Tsk, tsk. What are you going to do when you’re old?”

Yun Xi looked over his stall.

There were eggs, popsicles, Spring Festival couplets, peanuts, melon seeds, candy.

With the New Year approaching, of course those things sold well.

But the assortment was far too random.

It was obvious he had no real plan and was simply selling whatever happened to be profitable.

Yet why did vegetable vendors stick to vegetables, and steamed-bun sellers stick to buns?

Because storage requirements, customer groups, and supply chains were all different.

Constantly switching merchandise made it impossible to build repeat customers. It also disrupted daily operations. One careless mistake and inventory could spoil.

This wasn’t the kind of business that could last.

Yun Xi sneered.

“My son is the provincial top scorer and got into Qing University. The bonuses from the province and city alone equal ten years of my salary. Why would he care about my little bit of money?”

“My son is extremely filial. The moment he received the bonus money, he gave all of it to me.”

The bonus was actually common knowledge by now.

But Dong Zhiyong had been busy buying and selling merchandise recently and hadn’t heard.

He remembered that Yun Xi earned thirty yuan a month.

Ten years meant thirty-six hundred yuan.

For the last two days he’d been working from dawn to dusk, hauling goods back and forth between the village and city, so exhausted he felt like he was falling apart. He’d earned thirty yuan and had been feeling quite proud, thinking he’d matched Yun Xi’s monthly salary.

Now Xiao Zhang had earned thirty-six hundred yuan from a single exam?

And given it all to Yun Xi?

Was he insane?

That much money was more than many families would earn in a lifetime.

Seeing him speechless, Yun Xi continued,

“I told you long ago that you’re too impatient. Progress comes from being steady and grounded. You never listened. One day you’re stealing money, the next you’re cutting corners.”

“Now you’ve finally found a legitimate line of work with this stall. You should focus on doing it properly.”

“But the moment you make a little money, you start bragging to the heavens and rushing over to mock me.”

“Let me tell you something. If you and your siblings become so poor you can’t afford food, don’t come looking for me. And if you become rich enough to be dripping in wealth, I still won’t come looking for you.”

“If you keep being this impulsive, sooner or later you’re going to take a hard fall. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. People need to keep their feet on the ground and think carefully about what they’re doing.”

“Anyway, keep selling. We need to go buy tickets to Beijing.”

Xiao Zhang had wanted to say something the entire time.

But Yun Xi had already dismantled every argument before he got the chance.

In the end, he only left one sentence:

“I’ll take care of my mother myself. An outsider who doesn’t even call his own mother ‘Mom’ doesn’t need to worry about her.”

Then he rode away with Yun Xi.

Dong Zhiyong, a man known for his sharp tongue, was nearly driven unconscious with rage.

He cursed loudly, threw a few items around, and snorted.

“We’ll see who’s laughing in the end. One day I’ll be a big boss. All you people know how to do is read books. You don’t know a damn thing. This is the age of businessmen!”

Of course, Yun Xi hadn’t warned him out of kindness.

She had deliberately pointed out his weaknesses.

With Dong Zhiyong’s personality, there was no way he would accept criticism. He would stubbornly do the opposite.

Which meant he would stumble even sooner.

Forget “parting peacefully and living separate lives.”

Yun Xi had accepted a mission when she came here. She had no intention of letting them have an easy life.

Fortunately, they weren’t particularly difficult opponents. An occasional blow to their pride was more than enough.

Most of her energy was devoted to exploring this era instead.

Yun Xi took leave from work and personally accompanied Xiao Zhang to Beijing for university.

In truth, Xiao Zhang had already visited Beijing for training before. He wasn’t scared, nor would he have trouble settling in.

The real reason he wanted Yun Xi to come was because he wanted to take her sightseeing in the capital.

Back home, being able to brag about visiting Beijing could last for more than a decade.

The benefits Yun Xi had brought him were impossible for outsiders to understand.

She had changed the course of his entire life.

It was almost as if he had been given a second life.

He wanted to repay her.

Long before departure, he had arranged for sleeper tickets.

After boarding the train, he fetched hot water for her, made her bed, and took care of everything.

An elderly man in the neighboring berth praised him.

“Little sister, your son is truly filial. He’s prepared everything for you.”

Yun Xi looked immensely proud.

“The thing that makes me happiest is having this son. He’s smart, sensible, and filial…”

As Xiao Zhang listened to Yun Xi chatting with others and praising him over and over again, the corners of his mouth couldn’t stop lifting.

His mood soared.

He’d never realized how much he enjoyed being praised.

Fortunately, he hadn’t slacked off in his studies and had achieved excellent results.

He had brought honor to his godmother.

His godmother had suffered so much in the past.

From now on, he would earn all the respect and pride she deserved.

When she first boarded the train, Yun Xi found everything fascinating.

Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. She had never seen a machine powered by coal and fire that could move so many people.

People could sit, lie down, and even eat in a dining car.

Watching the scenery roll by outside while traveling was wonderful.

But after an entire day of rattling along the tracks, she started feeling dazed.

When would technology become as advanced as it was in the original host’s memories?

In those memories, the journey from home to Beijing took only a few hours, and the ride was smooth.

Now it took two days and two nights of constant clattering.

Her bones felt like they were coming apart.

There weren’t even commercial flights available to ordinary people.

Even if you had money, you couldn’t simply buy a plane ticket.

Thinking about it, Yun Xi decided that until technology improved, she’d rather stay in one place and avoid long-distance travel.

She truly couldn’t endure this kind of journey.

When they finally arrived in Beijing, Yun Xi stepped off the train feeling as though the ground beneath her feet was soft and spongy, like walking on cotton.

Xiao Zhang said,

“You’ll be fine after resting for half a day. The train ride was exhausting anyway.

“Let’s find a guesthouse near Qianmen, get settled in, lie down, and get some sleep. Tomorrow we’ll start sightseeing.

“When I came here before, I stayed in the training dormitory. Some locals recommended a guesthouse nearby. It’s in a great location, close to a lot of famous attractions and good food.

“We’ll spend a few days exploring, and then it’ll be time for me to report to school.”

Yun Xi nodded.

“You can make all the arrangements. I’ll follow your lead.”

Their provincial capital was more prosperous than their city.

But Beijing was even more prosperous than the provincial capital.

There were many more bicycles and automobiles.

People dressed much more fashionably too.

Compared to everyone else, Yun Xi and Xiao Zhang looked a little rustic.

So after getting some rest, Xiao Zhang immediately took Yun Xi shopping for clothes.

Yun Xi bought plenty for him as well, outfits for every season so he would have things to wear at university.

They watched the flag-raising ceremony, toured the Forbidden City, and visited the zoo.

The moment Yun Xi saw the animals, she burst out laughing.

“They’re so tiny!”

The animals she had known before were magical beasts capable of cultivation, each one larger than the last.

Compared to those creatures, these zoo animals seemed almost miniature.

Only the pandas impressed her.

To her surprise, this era still allowed visitors to take photographs with pandas.

Both she and Xiao Zhang posed beside one.

They also took photos near the tiger enclosure.

Many nearby visitors looked nervous.

Seeing Yun Xi, who appeared to be a pretty woman in her thirties, they were astonished.

“Comrade, aren’t you afraid?” they asked.

Yun Xi smiled and said, “What’s there to be afraid of? Doesn’t the zoo have everything arranged already? If you ask me, they should probably keep the animals enclosed and let them roam freely inside their own areas. But the zoo must have its own reasons for doing things this way. Besides, I’m strong. I’m not afraid.”

While Yun Xi was posing for a photograph beside a tiger, the tiger, which had been lying down, suddenly decided it wanted to sit up.

The moment it moved, people gasped in alarm and stepped back in fear. Even the keeper hurried toward them.

Yun Xi immediately wrapped one arm around the tiger’s head and pressed it back down.

Then she called to the photographer, “It’s getting impatient. Hurry up and take the picture!”

The photographer quickly snapped the photo.

Yun Xi stepped away at once.

Sure enough, the tiger refused to cooperate anymore. It stood up and paced around a few times before the keeper led it away.

Everyone marveled at how brave Yun Xi was.

Even Xiao Zhang had been startled.

He repeatedly warned her not to take such risks in the future. If she got hurt, it would be a serious problem.

Yun Xi casually brushed it off.

As a demonic cultivator, she loved adventure.

Besides, this was nothing.

She intended to try much more exciting things in the future.

The mother and son spent several carefree days sightseeing together.

Money flowed out like water, but neither of them minded.

Both knew how to earn money.

They had taken enough photographs to fill an entire album.

They had also bought countless souvenirs.

Xiao Zhang simply mailed most of Yun Xi’s purchases home so she wouldn’t have to carry so much luggage onto the train.

During those days, Yun Xi was also observing Beijing closely.

Large cities always developed faster than smaller ones.

And this was the nation’s capital, closest to the center of political power.

Many new policies appeared here first.

She noticed that there were all kinds of private businesses operating everywhere.

Every imaginable trade seemed to exist.

And many of them were earning impressive incomes.

Seeing how closely she was observing all this, Xiao Zhang asked curiously,

“Mom, are you thinking about doing business in Beijing?”

Yun Xi nodded.

“I have considered it. But first I want to go back home and start a business there.”

Xiao Zhang didn’t understand.

“Why not just start here directly?”

Yun Xi couldn’t exactly explain that she still intended to deal with those ungrateful children.

Instead she said,

“The Mayor has helped me a great deal. He’s taken good care of me. Now that opportunities are appearing, I want to go back and help him in return.

“Maybe in a few years I’ll come here.”

“You focus on your studies. During vacations, don’t rush home. Stay here and learn useful things. Broaden your horizons.”

“And remember, live your own life well. Don’t get mixed up in unnecessary trouble, and don’t let anyone fool you.”

Xiao Zhang smiled.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I know what I’m doing.”

Yun Xi stayed through the New Year with Xiao Zhang before returning home.

Back when Xiao Zhang had become the provincial top scorer, the Zhang family had caused trouble.

They accused him of being unfilial.

They accused Yun Xi of stealing the fruits of their labor.

They insisted that Xiao Zhang was a talent their family had raised.

At the time, Xiao Zhang had listed every injustice they had done to him since childhood.

How they falsely accused him.

How they let him go hungry.

How they punished him unfairly.

How they tried to stop him from continuing his education.

Then he handed them five hundred yuan and formally severed ties.

The family refused to accept it.

Somehow, Xiao Zhang found people who began harassing them.

Every night there would be knocking and scratching on their walls.

One night a dead rat would appear.

The next night someone would splash chicken blood around.

The family was frightened into complete submission.

Yun Xi didn’t want Xiao Zhang returning home because she didn’t want him tangled up with them again.

She herself had unfinished business.

But Xiao Zhang was an outstanding young man.

He was intelligent and talented.

In this era, he should shine brilliantly and contribute to the country.

He shouldn’t waste his time dealing with petty family problems.

The moment Yun Xi returned, her coworkers crowded around her photo album.

They listened eagerly as she described Beijing.

What it looked like.

What attractions it had.

What people there were like.

As they looked at the photographs, they imagined each scene vividly.

Many were deeply envious that Yun Xi had been able to visit the capital.

When they saw how many things she’d bought, they praised Xiao Zhang endlessly for being such a filial son and congratulated Yun Xi for raising such a good child.

Word soon spread through the village that Yun Xi had returned.

Villagers arrived carrying gifts and New Year’s greetings.

Many of the students who had gotten into university came as well, along with their families.

The room became packed.

Everyone gathered around the photo album while Yun Xi told the Beijing stories all over again.

When they returned to the village, they excitedly retold everything they had heard.

And most of all, they praised Yun Xi’s adopted son.

The Dong family hated hearing it.

They were Yun Xi’s biological children.

Yet now everyone only talked about Xiao Zhang.

In another few years, would people start thinking Xiao Zhang was actually Yun Xi’s real son?

What kind of situation was this?

But that wasn’t even the biggest blow they received.

The two educated youths who had married into the Dong family were about to leave for university.

Then, suddenly, neither of their admission letters could be found.

The entire household exploded into chaos.

The Dong siblings refused to hand them over.

They had heard about an educated youth in a neighboring village who had never officially registered his marriage.

Once he got into university, he simply left and disappeared.

Nobody knew where he had gone.

The Dong family feared their educated youths would do the same.

So they tried to stop them from leaving altogether.

Fortunately, Dong Zhiyong’s wife was good with words.

She spent days coaxing him.

She praised his business skills.

She told him how much money he would make in the future.

She painted a bright future for them together.

Eventually, Dong Zhiyong softened and personally saw her off at the train station.

Since train tickets were expensive and traveling cost money, he didn’t accompany her.

Instead, he devoted all his energy to running his market stall.

Dong Zhizhi was heavily pregnant and didn’t dare take the risk.

Then one day, while she was sleeping, her husband secretly found his admission letter and ran away.

Furious, Dong Zhizhi chased after him in the middle of the night.

During the chase, she fell.

The fall triggered difficult labor.

The entire village was shocked.

They rushed her to the city hospital.

After examining her, the doctor said,

“We’ll do everything we can to save both mother and child. But her condition is very serious.”

“The family should prepare themselves.”

The Dong family exchanged uneasy glances.

None of them had expected the situation to be this severe.

When it came time to pay the medical bills, everyone started pushing responsibility onto someone else.

Nobody wanted to pay.

Finally they looked at the Village Chief.

“Chief, we’ve all split into separate households now. Why don’t you pay for it first? She’ll definitely repay you after she finishes her confinement period. She has money.”

The Village Chief wasn’t convinced she actually had money.

The educated youth had run off with the admission letter.

Who knew whether he’d also taken all their savings?

Still, he couldn’t just watch a villager suffer.

So he paid the deposit himself.

At the same time, he became even more convinced that the Dong siblings were cold-hearted people.

No wonder Yun Xi refused to acknowledge them anymore.

As the eldest son, Dong Zhihong insisted that Yun Xi had to be informed.

“She’s her biological daughter. Her life is in danger. We have to tell her.”

He added,

“When another villager had a difficult labor, Yun Xi rushed over and helped arrange everything.

If her own daughter is in trouble and she doesn’t even show up, what will people think?”

Once he put it that way, even the Village Chief couldn’t object.

Not long afterward, Yun Xi arrived on her bicycle.

The Dong family stubbornly refused to greet her.

The Village Chief stepped forward and explained the situation instead.

Behind his back, the Dong family secretly called him a bootlicker.

Yun Xi ignored them completely.

After asking about the educated youth’s situation, she sat down with the Village Chief and began discussing the village vocational training classes.

The Village Chief smiled.

“Everyone’s doing quite well.

Compared to the literacy classes, people are even more enthusiastic about the skills classes.

One apprentice can already handle basic carpentry work. He’s careful and hardworking. I think he’ll become quite skilled.”

Yun Xi was genuinely happy for the young people.

She praised them warmly.

A cheerful smile remained on her face.

Unable to resist, Wang Huijuan muttered under her breath,

“Her own daughter is in there having a difficult labor, and the old lady doesn’t seem worried at all.”

Yun Xi glanced at her.

Wang Huijuan immediately turned away.

She had been beaten and scolded by Yun Xi before.

She genuinely didn’t dare provoke her anymore.

Her comment had simply slipped out because she couldn’t control her tongue.

Yun Xi smiled faintly.

“For all those years when I had headaches, fevers, or even broke bones, I never saw her worry about me.

“So why should I worry about her?”

“Then why did you come?” Dong Zhiyong snapped.

“To watch the show?”

Yun Xi actually nodded.

“Exactly.

You people provide so many entertaining spectacles.

When I stay in the village, I have to travel far to see them.

Since this one is happening right here in the city and I don’t have anything else to do, I came to watch.”

The Dong siblings nearly choked on their anger.

Just as they were about to explode, a nurse approached with a frown.

“What are you doing? No loud talking in the hospital.”

Like many villagers, they instinctively felt inferior around city professionals.

The moment the nurse spoke, they immediately fell silent.

Yun Xi shook her head.

They were all bullies who only knew how to throw their weight around at home.

They had only ever dared to mistreat the original owner.

Seeing Yun Xi’s reaction made them even angrier.

Dong Zhihong finally left, leaving Wang Huijuan behind to keep watch.

The second and third brothers followed him out.

Wang Huijuan couldn’t help muttering again.

“Old lady, aren’t you going to do something?

Look at your son. He dumps everything on me.”

Yun Xi laughed.

“Isn’t that perfectly normal?

“They bully the weak and fear the strong.

They bully the weak and fear the strong.

They used to bully me.

Now that you’re the eldest daughter-in-law, you’ve become the new target.”

Wang Huijuan thought bitterly that everyone kept talking about what a wonderful mother-in-law Yun Xi was.

Wonderful?

This woman spoke like a knife.

Every sentence stabbed.

After a long wait, the doctor finally emerged.

Looking relieved, he announced,

“Both mother and daughter are safe.

However, the mother’s body has been badly weakened.

She’ll need a long period of recovery and must avoid overexertion.

The family needs to take good care of her.”

Yun Xi nodded.

“Thank you for your hard work, Doctor.

She doesn’t have any family willing to take care of her.

I’ll explain all the precautions to her later.”

The doctor paused, but after thinking it over, realized this was the family’s private matter and did not ask further. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. Soon, the nurse wheeled Dong Zhizhi out and sent her to the ward.

Dong Zhizhi was awake. The moment she saw Yun Xi, she burst into tears.

“Mom! Mom! I was so scared. Just now, I felt so cold, so cold. I thought I was going to die in there. Why is giving birth so terrifying? I feel so weak now. Did I damage my body? Can I still recover, Mom?”

Yun Xi said calmly, “Back then, when I said it wasn’t easy giving birth to you after a difficult labor, you said, ‘What woman doesn’t give birth? Aren’t you fine?’ Today, I’ll return those words to you.”

Dong Zhizhi froze. “Mom?”

Yun Xi shook her head. “Don’t call me Mom. Think about how you’ve treated me all these years. Have you ever respected me in your heart?

“You blamed me for jinxing my husband, causing you to be born without a father. You blamed me for having a difficult labor, saying whenever you got sick that I hadn’t given birth to you properly. You disliked me for being a farming woman, unlike your classmates’ mothers who were bright and polished. You disliked me for being stingy, for saving every bit of food and clothing instead of buying you pretty hair ties.

I truly never expected that now your man has run away, you’ve had a difficult labor, and in the future you’ll have to farm and raise your child by yourself. I believe your life should be better than mine was, right? After all, you only have one child to raise. Back then, I had four.”

Dong Zhizhi cried in disbelief. “I’ve run into such a huge disaster, and you’re standing here making sarcastic remarks?”

Yun Xi recalled, “Back then, my husband died, I had a difficult labor, and my husband’s family drove me out. Your grandmother cursed me for jinxing my husband, refused to give me grain, and cursed me whenever she saw me outside. I still had to work during confinement to feed all of you.

Sarcastic remarks? Do you know what kind of words I heard back then?

You even disliked me for being fierce. If I had been a little gentler, you might have died in infancy.”

Yun Xi smiled.

“One time, you angered me until I cried, and you said self-righteously that you were young and naturally couldn’t understand my suffering. Now that’s perfect. You’ve experienced nearly everything I experienced. In the future, you’ll be able to understand my suffering.

All right. I’ve seen what I came to see. I’m leaving. Good luck.”

Yun Xi turned and left without the slightest hesitation, stunning even the Village Chief.

Dong Zhizhi cried, “Mom! Mom!”

But no matter how she called, Yun Xi did not stop.

The Village Chief sighed. “Enough. You just gave birth. Rest properly. If you knew today would come, why act that way back then? That was your mother. She worked herself half to death raising you. If you treated her that way, how could her heart not turn cold?”

“But she still can’t treat me like this. What kind of mother acts like that?” Dong Zhizhi pulled the blanket over herself and sobbed.

The Village Chief shook his head.

Fine. He should leave too.

The Dong family really was not the kind of family that would improve after encountering a little hardship. Even now, she still resented Yun Xi. She had not changed at all.

But this was also the first time he had learned that Dong Zhizhi had said those words to Yun Xi. What a rotten thing to do. He still remembered how Yun Xi had nearly died from that difficult labor back then.

All he could say was that Yun Xi and these children had no fate. Not one of them remembered gratitude.

Wang Huijuan’s head ached from Dong Zhizhi’s crying. She said impatiently, “Hurry up and feed the baby. You’re a mother now. Do you still think you’re a young maiden? Whatever you do, you have to think about the child. In a bit, the child will be starving.

And where do you keep your money? I’ll go get some and buy formula, brown sugar, and other things first. Did you prepare diapers at home?

It’s not spring yet, and it’s still cold. Did you make a swaddling blanket for the baby? Later, you’ll need fish soup to help your milk come in. Did you prepare the coupons? Oh, right, do you know how to feed the baby formula? After feeding, you have to hold the baby upright and pat her back to burp her…”

Wang Huijuan rambled on and on.

Dong Zhizhi felt lost and frightened.

So becoming a mother required worrying about so many things?

She knew nothing.

Before this, her husband had handled everything. Hadn’t she married him precisely because he was careful and considerate?

But how could she have expected him to run away just like that?

She was still heavily pregnant, yet he had left without caring at all, completely ignoring whether she and the child lived or died.

Thinking this, Dong Zhizhi began crying again.

Wang Huijuan cursed, “You woke the child up. Can you stop crying? If the child doesn’t sleep enough, she won’t grow properly…”

Dong Zhizhi was instantly filled with sorrow.

“The child, the child. All you talk about is the child. Am I not a person? I nearly died giving birth, I was abandoned by my man, and just now my own mother came to laugh at me. Can’t I be sad for a while? What’s wrong with crying a little?”

Wang Huijuan laughed from anger.

“Why are you acting fierce with me? Didn’t you bring all this on yourself? If you had been a caring daughter, would your mother refuse to care about you? If you hadn’t hidden your husband’s admission letter, would he have run away secretly?

If you ask me, you’d better accept reality sooner. The family has already been divided. I shouldn’t even be here taking care of you. You’re on your own now, and you still have to take care of your daughter.

You’re sad? Do you have time to be sad? What you need to think about now is how to raise your daughter.

Fine, fine. I can’t be bothered with you. Figure it out yourself.”

Wang Huijuan left too.

There were two other families in the ward who had watched the whole scene. Seeing Dong Zhizhi still crying, they could not feel any sympathy for her.

They had heard it all just now. She had once said those awful words to her own mother, but now that the same thing had happened to her, she felt unbearably wronged.

She had also hidden her husband’s admission letter and tried to stop him from going to university. Now that the man had run away, it was hard to say whose fault was greater.

The one sister-in-law who had been willing to stay and take care of her had also been angered away.

What kind of person was this?

Dong Zhizhi only felt that the whole world was making things difficult for her.

Unfortunately, no one empathized with her sadness. She could only bear it alone.

Dong Zhiyong watched the farce in his sister’s family and became even more anxious about his wife. Every few days, he called, sent telegrams, and wrote letters. He bought more goods to sell from his stall and made money.

At this time, not many people were willing to set up stalls. Most were still watching from the sidelines. He was one of the first to eat crab, and he really did earn quite a bit. In just three months, he saved one thousand yuan.

Dong Zhihong and Dong Zhijie grew envious and started thinking about selling something too. But neither of them was as eloquent as Dong Zhiyong. They did not earn much money and nearly delayed the farming at home, so they had no choice but to give up the business path and think about what other opportunities there might be.

That day, the city government held another meeting to discuss economic development. The Mayor was somewhat worried. Beijing had already shown a clear attitude, but because the previous years had been so strict, ordinary people still did not dare act. They feared that one day they might again be labeled speculators and profiteers. So the matter was very difficult to advance in the city.

Yun Xi went to the Mayor and offered her resignation.

“Mayor, I’ve always liked trying new things. Now the times have changed, and there are more opportunities for development. I want to try doing business.”

The Mayor was startled.

“Sister Li, you… You’re doing so well at our unit. I was even planning to promote you in another couple of years. Besides, in a few years, you’ll be able to retire and receive a pension. If you really want to try, you can do it after retirement when you have nothing else to do.”

Yun Xi smiled.

“Positions in the unit are precious. Back then, you arranged me here because you were taking care of me. I don’t lack food or clothing, so I shouldn’t compete with young people for a place.

“Besides, in another couple of years, university students will graduate. Wouldn’t it be better for our unit to recruit more university students?

As for me, after experiencing so many things, my greatest realization is to enjoy life in time and not wait.

In the past, I kept thinking I would wait until the children grew up, wait until they got married. After waiting and waiting, I nearly forgot myself.

At my age, if I want to try something, I should do it early and not drag things out!”

“Sister Li, I truly admire you.”

The Mayor agreed, then asked, “After leaving the unit, what do you want to do?”

“I want to apply to become self-employed and sell agricultural products. If business doesn’t go well, I’ll sell them cheaply to everyone, so the goods won’t go to waste. If business does go well, then I’ll be helping the villagers and also setting an example for everyone, encouraging them to do business.”

The Mayor understood.

Yun Xi was far too famous across the surrounding villages. She was a very special existence. Her role as a leading example had been extraordinary before. Even the fact that their village had produced eighteen university students had been driven by her influence. Many working employees had also begun reading, studying, and pursuing their dreams because of her.

Now the city hoped the people would voluntarily start doing small businesses, but for the moment, it was difficult to push forward. The Mayor had already prepared himself to wait until good news came from several major cities before the local people would follow.

He had not expected Yun Xi to be willing to use her influence to become a pioneer. This moved the Mayor greatly.

He already understood. Yun Xi did not have to do this. She wanted to make this thing succeed in order to repay him.

A person who valued loyalty and gratitude this much was worth maintaining ties with for a lifetime.

The Mayor immediately agreed and personally called the relevant departments to help Yun Xi handle the procedures and documents.

When her coworkers learned that Yun Xi was resigning, they were shocked.

Among all of them, Yun Xi was one of the best. If there was ever a chance for promotion, it would definitely go to her. Even if she only stayed a few more years, she could last until retirement and receive a pension.

Why was she quitting?

What a loss!

Yun Xi explained her plan to everyone again.

They still could not understand.

Selling agricultural products?

Wasn’t that just selling vegetables?

How much money could that make?

It could not compare to her monthly salary of thirty yuan.

But since Yun Xi had already made up her mind and the Mayor had agreed, no matter how regretful everyone felt, there was nothing they could do. They all said that once her vegetable shop opened, they would go buy things to support her business.

Yun Xi cheerfully told them the opening date and said that in the future, whenever they bought things from her, they would all receive a twenty percent discount.

No one had expected that even the opening date had already been set, or that she had even thought of something like a discount. They laughed and said she was a little too impatient.

Unexpectedly, Yun Xi had already prepared everything. The shop opened remarkably quickly.

She had money in hand, so she bought a storefront. After greeting the Village Chief, the store was soon filled with goods.

There were all kinds of grains, seasonal vegetables, chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs, and live chickens, ducks, and geese kept in cages.

The chickens, ducks, and geese were placed outside by the door. Inside the shop, everything was very clean, sorted and arranged neatly.

Through connections introduced by coworkers, Yun Xi also stocked seasonings like oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar on the shelves.

And just like that, “Sister Li’s Small Shop” opened for business.

Yun Xi became the first self-employed individual in the city to receive a business license.

She bought a loudspeaker and stood outside shouting,

“Come take a look! Come see! Grain, oil, seasonings, eggs, vegetables, and lively chickens, ducks, and geese! Discounted prices, no coupons needed! Grand opening special! Buy two, get one free! Buy two, get one free!”

The words “no coupons needed” and “buy two, get one free” attracted everyone on the street.

Soon, everyone who heard the commotion gathered around. Some even recognized Yun Xi.

“Hey, aren’t you Teacher Li from the city government? What are you doing here?”

Yun Xi smiled.

“That’s me. Isn’t the country vigorously developing the economy now? I’m actively responding to the country’s call and doing a small business.

Everything in this shop is useful for daily meals. Buying more won’t be a loss. For the first three days after opening, it’s buy two, get one free. Don’t miss it.”

“What? You don’t want your job anymore? You’re selling… vegetables?”

People could not understand.

She had been a formal employee at the city government. It was said that she even held two positions and gave impressive lectures. And now she had quit?

“What does vigorously developing the economy mean? When was this call made?”

Yun Xi said,

“If you read more newspapers and listen to the radio more often, you’ll know. Didn’t I go to the capital? Shops like this are already quite common there. We don’t have them here yet.

“Whenever people want to buy things, they have to go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Some stalls exist, but they aren’t fixed.

So I thought I’d open a shop to make things convenient for everyone. Everyone, come support me. With prices like this and no coupons needed, what are you waiting for?”

“That’s true. I was just planning to buy a chicken. No coupons needed is great. Weigh one for me.

“Wait, buy two, get one free? If I buy two, do I get three chickens?”

“That’s right!”

Yun Xi beamed and immediately let her pick three chickens.

When others saw this, they thought that if they bought late, there would be nothing good left to choose. They quickly crowded forward to see what they should buy.

Aside from leafy vegetables, everything else could be stored. Buying more and stocking up would be fine.

Yun Xi collected money until her hands were tired. On the first day of opening, she sold more than half of her stock.

Just as she was preparing to close, Sister Qin and a large group of coworkers suddenly arrived.

Sister Qin said,

“Congratulations, congratulations! Old Li, your business is booming! We originally wanted to come liven things up for you, but there were so many people here, we didn’t want to add to the chaos. We only came after the crowd left to support you. You won’t blame us, will you?”

Yun Xi smiled.

“What are you saying? As long as you came, I’m happier than anyone. Come, come. See what you need. Buy two, get one free, and I’ll also give you a twenty percent discount. This is our internal city government price. I don’t give it to anyone else.”

Everyone was delighted.

Although Yun Xi no longer worked there, she still treated them as brothers, sisters, and family. It made them feel especially close to her.

They felt the same. Since Yun Xi’s little shop had opened, no matter what, they had to come support her.

Everyone bought another round of goods, directly clearing out the rest of the shop.

Sister Qin worried,

“Is this all right? Will you have anything to sell tomorrow?”

Yun Xi wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“Don’t worry. The village supplies my goods. Whenever I call, they deliver. They’re very reliable.”

Now everyone felt relieved.

They knew Yangliu Village. Every time the Village Chief and villagers came to the city, they visited Yun Xi. They treated Yun Xi very well and admired her greatly.

Yun Xi opening this shop also meant she intended to look after them.

Everyone felt even more that Yun Xi valued loyalty and affection, and they were even more willing to maintain ties with her. After returning home, they all told their families to promote the shop at their own units and schools.

Just as Yun Xi closed the shop, the Village Chief arrived with two young men.

They were somewhat uneasy. Yun Xi had proposed that the village supply goods while she sold them. They had been worried the goods would not sell.

After all, for so many years, everyone had bought things at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Would people really come to a newly opened shop?

They had even discussed it beforehand. If the goods did not sell, the other items were still manageable, but vegetables spoiled most easily. They would take them back and eat them themselves, so Yun Xi would not lose money.

Who knew that the moment they entered the store, they would be frightened.

“What happened? Was this place looted?”

Yun Xi rolled her eyes.

“The police station is diagonally across from me. Who would dare rob this place?”

After asking, the Village Chief also realized he had sounded foolish.

But the store being sold out was simply too shocking!

Yun Xi explained,

“I started with a promotional event, so the prices were very low. Everyone was willing to buy more and stock up. Later, it won’t sell this fast.

But although I earned less these few days, I spread the shop’s name. Once everyone knows they can buy grain, oil, meat, and vegetables here without coupons, they’ll definitely be willing to come. Business won’t be bad.

The key is that your deliveries have to keep up. We can’t have customers coming to buy things only to find the shop empty, right?”

The Village Chief nodded repeatedly and pointed to the two young men behind him.

“I arranged for these two to bring people to deliver goods. Usually, they can also come help you run errands. If your shop lacks anything, have them hurry back to the village to get it.

Our village may not have much else, but we have plenty of grain, vegetables, chickens, ducks, and the like.”

“Good. In the future, when we grow bigger and stronger and have more stalls, we’ll recruit young men and women from the village to sell goods too. It’ll let them come out and gain experience.”

The Village Chief was instantly delighted.

Now he did not doubt at all that Yun Xi could grow bigger and stronger.

When he thought of the young people in the village having a path forward, he was happier than anyone.

Having someone as incredible as Yun Xi emerge from their village truly was the village’s good fortune.

He really ought to properly thank the Dong family.

If they had not been blind and unfilial ingrates, Yun Xi would not have been provoked into becoming so formidable, and their entire village would not have benefited.

Now he wished he could enshrine Yun Xi.

When the Dong family heard that Yun Xi had quit her job and gone off to sell vegetables, every one of them was furious.

Dong Zhihong kicked over a stool.

“I told you she has long hair and short insight. She doesn’t even want such a good job! If she didn’t want it, she could have given it to me. She really is stupid enough. Selling vegetables? I want to see what kind of miracle she can sell out of vegetables.”

Wang Huijuan snorted.

“The old woman just does whatever idea pops into her head. Before, she looked down on us. What about now? She’s just a vegetable seller. What’s there to be proud of? Let’s see how she curses us in the future.”

Dong Zhijie was so angry he paced back and forth at home, unable to eat or sleep.

“What was she thinking? If she didn’t want to work anymore, she could have given the job to me. She could have sold the job too. But she just resigned? Just quit? Is she sick?”

Wang Xuefen had already begun looking down on him somewhat. She said with disdain,

“You weren’t filial before, and you still expected the old woman to think of you? If you have the energy, fix the roof. The rainy season is coming soon, and it’s going to leak.”

The couple who had once been loving and secretly cooked extra meals outside began arguing after only a few words.

As for Dong Zhiyong, he happily drank a bottle of liquor.

Only a few months ago, Yun Xi had mocked him, saying his stall business would not work. Now Yun Xi herself was selling goods.

Could Yun Xi be more glib and persuasive than him?

He would wait to see Yun Xi stumble and lose everything.

╰───♡───╯