Her eyes gradually filled with tears, and she bit her lower lip, kneeling before Liu Cuilan with a "thud."
The sudden action startled everyone.
"Aunt, please let see Grandma. If I can’t bring the things back, I’ll be beaten to death!"
As she spoke, she knocked her head hard on the ground, and a dark red mark quickly appeared on her forehead.
"What are you doing, child? Old Three, quickly help your cousin up."
Liu Cuilan’s eyes were full of pity, and she hurriedly instructed Su Xiaoxiao to help the person.
Su Xiaoxiao responded and helped her up, Liu Cuilan sighed, "If you want to see her, go ahead. But as for Grandma, she’s quite stubborn, and whether she will give you the things is not my concern."
Su Pan hurriedly nodded, "Thank you, Aunt."
She went to the west wing where Wang Chunhua lived, but just a few minutes after entering the room, a stream of indistinct scolding could be heard.
The old lady was not articulate, but her scolding was vigorous.
Su Pan erged from the room with reddened eyes, bowed to us, "Aunt, I’m going back now."
Liu Cuilan, seeing her pitiful state, quickly called her back, "It’s so late, you probably won’t have dinner at ho. Stay and have so with us."
Su Pan stood in place, her expression conflicted, but her stomach rumbled.
Su Xiaoxiao walked over and unceremoniously pulled her to sit at the dining table, "We are real relatives, stay and eat, what’s the worry?"
"Thank you."
After a mont of silence, Su Pan spoke softly.
Su Xiaoxiao noticed her eye rims were scarlet red.
The dinners at the Su Family have recently been quite sumptuous.
A big pot of braised pork with potatoes, two plates of stir-fried vegetables, and a soup, considered pretty good als for this era.
The two younger brothers lit up at the sight of the dishes and started eating eagerly.
Su Xiaoxiao picked up a piece of braised pork with her chopsticks, but before putting it in her mouth, she saw Su Pan staring blankly at the cornbread in her hands.
"What are you looking at? Hurry up and eat. We’re all family here; no one sees you as a guest."
Knowing she was embarrassed, Su Xiaoxiao turned the braised pork in her hand directly into her bowl.
Su Pan was a bit surprised and delighted, "Thank you, Cousin. I... I can manage myself."
For the first ti, soone was so kind to her. Su Pan stared at the at in her bowl, her eyes reddening further.
Su Xiaoxiao unceremoniously added another piece to her bowl, urging, "Eat quickly, or Little Four and Little Five will finish it all."
This child was so thin that she looked like skin stretched over a skeleton, it was truly heartbreaking.
Seeing Su Pan hesitate to use her chopsticks, she added a few more pieces of at to her bowl.
Su Pan nodded forcefully, then carefully picked up a piece of at and put it in her mouth.
The pork belly, both fat and lean, carried an enticing aroma. It was the first ti she tasted such delicious at. Previously, if at fell to the ground or was dirty and spoiled, it would never be her turn.
Her mother often told her that girls were outsiders, destined to be married off one day; everything belonged to her brothers.
So when her brothers went to school, she was left to work in the fields and tend to the household.
Her mother said this was a girl’s fate, to work, marry, go to her husband’s ho, give birth, and work, spending a lifeti like this.
But...
She looked at her cousin, smiling warmly at her, and suddenly asked an unrelated question, "Cousin, my mom says girls don’t deserve to go to school or work outside, is that true?"
Su Xiaoxiao was indignant, not expecting this second aunt to be so heartless.
The Qing Dynasty has fallen for so many years, yet she’s still clinging to the outdated notion of valuing sons over daughters.
She put down her chopsticks and took Su Pan’s hand, speaking earnestly, "Pan, let tell you, n and won are equal. We can do everything boys can do. Aren’t there female emperors and generals in history?"
Su Pan’s eyes glistened as she looked at her, "Cousin, you are more capable than my mom. What you said must be right."
After saying this, she smiled, but her smile was bitter, "I wish I were Aunt’s child. Cousin, I envy you."
Su Xiaoxiao didn’t know how to comfort her. The mindset of people in this era was conservative and backward; many believed a woman’s place was to assist her husband, educate children, and care for the family.
She couldn’t tell her that n and won would be equal in the future, so she quietly added another piece of braised pork to her bowl, "Eat well. When you grow up, you can leave ho and do what you want."
Su Pan nodded forcefully, picking up the at and focusing on her food.
She ate quickly, a skill honed at ho; without help, people learn to protect themselves.
After the al, the two younger brothers rubbed their round stomachs and burped in unison.
Su Pan hurriedly stood to help Xu Zhaodi clear the dishes. Sotis their gazes t, like looking into a mirror—one reflected the past, the other the future.
Suddenly, Su Xiaoxiao felt a strong urge to help her little cousin.
If this continued, she would beco another Xu Zhaodi.
But how to help?
Before she could figure it out, the courtyard door was pounded fiercely.
The noise was loud, as if venting anger.
Su Wenbing quickly went to open the door, and found Zhang Guifang standing there, looking furious.
Zhang Guifang raised her head, seeing Su Pan in the main room, her face turned long.
"You wretched girl, only knowing how to play outside. Do you know what ti it is? Hurry back ho and cook!"
"Do you intend to starve us?"
As she spoke, seemingly displeased, she grabbed the sturdy stick propping the courtyard door and swung it at Su Pan.
Su Pan was caught off guard and her arm got hit, her eyes imdiately reddening, yet she stood still, not daring to move.
Whenever she was beaten at ho, if she dodged or resisted, she would only get beaten harder.
Zhang Guifang, seeing her silently endure and showing such a wronged expression, beca even more enraged, "Raising you isn’t worth raising a dog, you heartless dog. Hurry up and get back ho!"
As she spoke, she was about to bring down the stick, but Liu Cuilan grabbed and threw it aside, "She’s your own daughter, how can you be so cruel?"
"What’s it to you if I discipline my own girl?"
Zhang Guifang glared viciously at Liu Cuilan, but was intimidated by her aura, reluctantly dropping the stick.
"What are you waiting for? Co ho with !"
Unable to vent her anger at Liu Cuilan, she directed it at Su Pan.
Su Pan timidly called, "Ma."
"Aunt, cousin, I’m leaving."
She thanked them before following Zhang Guifang step by step.
"Why are you walking so slowly? There’s so much work waiting for you at ho. Co on! There’s still plenty of work left in the field; finish cooking and head to the fields afterwards."
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