Upon Father Xu's reminder, Xu Zhaodi examined herself carefully. Her hands were smooth and delicate, and the clothes she wore were also valuable.
This was nothing like the life Zhong Qingyun could have had in her previous life. Reason gradually returned, and she remembered everything from this current life. Xu Zhaodi still found it somewhat unbelievable. Had Zhong Qingyun also been reborn? And before her.
That bitch had actually driven her out of the Zhong family like this. How could the Xu family's circumstances raise a child properly?
Why couldn't she stay with the Zhong family? It was simply detestable. She hadn't offended or harmed her in her past life, so why would she harm her like this?
Xu Dafu: "Dad, the new sister's eyes are so fierce."
"Why do you care about her? Eat your meal quickly."
"Okay, okay."
Mother Xu sat by the sofa solicitously and touched Xu Zhaodi's forehead.
"Child, how are you feeling? This is your home from now on. Our family might not be as wealthy as the Zhong family, but Mom will treat you well."
Xu Zhaodi looked at her teeth, which were yellow and black. As she spoke, her saliva splattered onto her hair. And the dirt under her fingernails.
It made her feel nauseous, and she shifted uncomfortably to the side. Mother Xu withdrew her hand. "Are you hungry, child? Come, let's eat together as a family."
Xu Zhaodi picked up her bowl and chopsticks. There were no delicate plates with prepared dishes on the stovetop, only a large iron pot with stew.
Father Xu and Xu Dafu constantly stirred the pot with their chopsticks, completely spoiling Xu Zhaodi's appetite. She silently ate plain rice.
Halfway through the meal, she saw a dead mosquito in her bowl. Xu Zhaodi screamed in fright, and with a clatter, her bowl fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
Father Xu got up to hit her. "You little brat, don't bowls cost money? What kind of behavior is this, being so clumsy."
Mother Xu quickly stopped him. "The child is still young, why are you so harsh on her? She just came home and isn't used to it. She'll get better slowly."
In her previous life, Xu Zhaodi had always been pampered and had a smooth life, but she was a frail little crybaby. When faced with problems, her tears flowed like water, and she cried miserably.
While crying, she shouted, "There's a mosquito in the food, it's so disgusting. Eating like this is so unhygienic, I'll get sick. Wuwuwu~"
"So delicate."
Father Xu snorted and sat down to continue eating. Xu Dafu also made a face at Xu Zhaodi playfully and even spat on her.
Xu Zhaodi was so disgusted she wished she could rub a hole in her clothes. She cried even more miserably. Only Mother Xu wiped her tears and comforted her.
"Mom knows you lived a pampered life before, but times have changed. We country folk aren't that particular. If you don't eat this, you'll go hungry tonight."
"I'd rather starve to death than eat such disgusting things."
"Sigh, forget it. Mom will go and cook some plain congee for you, alright?"
Father Xu heavily put down his bowl and threw his chopsticks down.
"You've gone too far! Who calls the shots in this house? If you spoil her like this now, what will happen later? Eat it if you want, or don't."
Xu Zhaodi sulkily refused to eat and watched them finish. Mother Xu busied herself with clearing away the bowls and chopsticks.
She then asked, "I'm tired. Where is my room? And I need to take a bath."
"Hmph, so particular," Father Xu said before returning to his room to sleep.
Mother Xu sat on the sofa and said earnestly, "The house is small, Zhaodi. Why don't you sleep with us?"
Thinking of the slovenly and disgusting Xu family, Xu Zhaodi immediately rejected this option.
"Where did Zhong Qingyun sleep before? I'll sleep in her bed. I'm this old, sleeping with my father and brother is not proper. Also, don't call me Zhaodi anymore. My name is Xu Qingjian."
"Yes, yes, Qingjian is good. The names of educated people sound nice. The person who slept in the living room before..."
"The living room is so small, where will she sleep?"
"Just on this small sofa, give her a worn-out quilt. Country children aren't that particular."
"Then you mean I can only sleep on this worn-out sofa?"
"Didn't I ask you to sleep with us? Good girl, don't be angry. When Mom earns some money by doing odd jobs in a few days, I'll buy you a new bed, okay?"
"Who cares about your broken junk? Ahhh, why aren't you rich people? Why didn't you run further away when the children were switched? You made me suffer with you."
As she spoke, she wildly hit Mother Xu. The drastic difference in circumstances sent her into a frenzy. She couldn't stand this environment for another moment.
But the Zhong family wouldn't accept her now, and she hadn't even met Brother Yechuan yet. What should she do now?
Wuwuwu~ Thinking of this, Xu Zhaodi began to pity herself again. She was truly the most pitiful person in the world.
No matter how much she fussed, the dilapidated state of the Xu family would not change one bit. She was destined to sleep on the small, dirty sofa tonight.
The quilt she was covered with, when inhaled at night, would draw in a large mouthful of dust. Xu Zhaodi didn't sleep well all night. Just as she finally fell asleep, she was awakened playfully by Xu Dafu.
"Lazy pig, lazy pig. The sun is already high in the sky, and you're still not up." As he spoke, he used his slingshot to flick small stones at Xu Zhaodi's quilt.
One accidentally hit Xu Zhaodi's forehead. When she woke up, she was filled with rage.
How could the outstanding younger brother she later spent a fortune cultivating be such a mischievous and troublesome child in his childhood? It was truly detestable.
"Are you crazy? Why did you hit me?" As she spoke, she pulled him over and raised her hand as if to hit him.
"Mom, help! Mom, help! The good-for-nothing is going to hit me."
Mother Xu rushed out to rescue Xu Dafu. Unseen by Mother Xu, Xu Dafu provocatively taunted Xu Zhaodi.
"Zhaodi, you're so old now, how can you bully your younger brother?"
"How did I bully him? He's the one who provoked me first."
Mother Xu had reached her limit. Although she doted on her daughter, her son was her lifeblood. She raised her hand and slapped Xu Zhaodi without hesitation.
Xu Zhaodi looked at her incredulously, tears welling up in her eyes. "You... you hit me. Wuwuwu~ You actually hit me."
"Zhaodi, don't use the fact that Mom dotes on you to bully your brother. You are the only male heir in our Old Xu family. He's still young and doesn't know any better, why can't you humor him a little?" Mother Xu looked at Xu Zhaodi with disapproval.
"Why should I humor him? I've never suffered such humiliation since I was young."
"Times have changed. If you want to live in this house, you have to humor him, or neither your father nor I will spare you."
"You... you... wuwuwu~"
Shui Wa: "Sigh~ The suffering diary of a female protagonist, Xu Zhaodi is on the list."
Jun Jiu Li: "Hahaha, she deserves it."