Lin Xiaoye patted Huo Li's thigh as she put on her clothes. When she finished dressing, she saw that Huo Li had immediately raised his head and was still looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Hurry up, it's almost dawn."

She also thought it was strange and thought she would wake up this morning to the sound of Huo Li wiping his bow. She didn't expect Huo Li to still be snoring even after she woke up.

They hurriedly packed up their things and then went up to the mountain. They were a bit late today and it was already dawn when they got to the mountain.

Huo Li couldn't go hunting anymore, so Lin Xiaoye asked him to help her gather medicinal herbs.

At this time, people have come one after another in the mountain. Most of them come to pick wild vegetables since today's weather is not bad. Wild vegetables grow well in the mountain and can feed the whole village for a long time.

"Eh, isn't that Old Huo's wife? Yesterday, I heard that Old Huo's wife broke ties with Lai Wengui, so that she can turn a new page."

"That's not necessarily the case. Whether she had really changed or not, don't they all say that bad habits are hard to change? How could she change that fast?"

"But it's not bad seeing her coming up to the mountain to help with work this early in the morning."

"It should be that Old Huo had taught his wife a lesson at home..."

These people were picking wild vegetables while chatting and they were talking about Lin Xiaoye. At this time, she was being criticized to relieve everyone's boredom.

As for Lin Xiaoye, she was wholeheartedly picking her own herbs, so she didn't have the time to care about all that.

She didn't think about it, but someone still took it all in.

"I thought you really had changed."

A little girl's voice sounded from above her head and with a hint of anger.

Lin Xiaoye was taken aback. She looked at the straw shoes and the little feet that had already turned black. It seemed that the child wasn't that old.

Lifting her eyes, she saw a little girl with two worn out whips staring at her with a pair of round eyes and a pouting mouth.

This girl is really cute.

This was her ten year-old younger sister from this era. She held a sickle in her hand. However, she doesn't look friendly at all.

Lin Xiaoye looked up and smiled: "Xiaoya."

Unexpectedly, Lin Xiaoya angrily glanced at her, before walking away in a flash.

"Mother, don't worry about it. Let's finish cutting the pig grass and go back earlier."

Lin Xiaoya walked in front of Wang-shi, squatted and began to cut the pig grass.

Lin Xiaoye was stunned.

Mother?

In a flash, she saw a skinny woman crouching beside Lin Xiaoya, wearing a set of grey patched clothes and as she stared at Lin Xiaoye, her eyes were filled with distressed and helplessness. Lin Xiaoye seemed to be able to see a bit of tears in her eyes and her face was filled with worry.

According to age, Wang-shi was only in her early thirties, but her face was full of wrinkles and her entire body was shriveled. She looked like an old lady in her forties or fifties.

Wang-shi still couldn't hold back. She put down the things in her hand and walked in front of Lin Xiaoye.

"Xiaoye, Mother heard that you were having a bad time a while ago?"

With that, Wang-shi looked at Lin Xiaoye with a pained expression again. She reached out her hand to touch Lin Xiaoye's face, but the mud on her hand really made her feel rather embarrassed.

Lin Xiaoye quickly smiled and grabbed Wang-shi's hand.

"Mother, that was all in the past. Don't you see that I'm fine now?"

Only then did Wang-shi nod her head with satisfaction. "Mother knows that Mother is incapable, causing you to suffer so much. You can only blame that Mother is useless."

Saying that, Wang-shi began to cry.

Lin Xiaoya immediately stepped forward, "Mother, don't cry. Don't you still have me? "Don't worry, I won't be like my Sister, who doesn't have a clear mind and can't tell good from bad."

With that, Xiaoya couldn't help but roll her eyes at Lin Xiaoye.

Lin Xiaoye was momentarily stunned. She looked at her little sister and immediately shook her head.

Original owner, ah, original owner, just look at her, your little sister can even distinguish right from wrong and is so filial. You're the older sister, but you actually turned your elbow the wrong way. I really don't know what's inside of that head of yours.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiaoye raised her hand and subconsciously hit herself on the head.

Upon seeing this, Xiaoya and Wang-shi were momentarily stunned. Following which, Wang-shi immediately pounced in front of Lin Xiaoye and hugged her.

"Xiaoya, this is your Elder Sister. You can't speak of her like that. Your Elder Sister's life is also miserable. It's all because Mother is useless and didn't let your Sister marry the man she likes, so she ended up like this."

On the other hand, Xiaoya rolled her eyes at Lin Xiaoye. However, when she thought about how Lin Xiaoye had indeed suffered a lot in the past, she decided to speak less.

When Lin Xiaoye heard this, she immediately felt a cool breeze blowing from the back of her neck, scaring her to the point where she immediately shuddered.

She didn't need to look to know that Huo Li was staring at her coldly.

Lin Xiaoye quickly swallowed her saliva and said, "Mother, don't...don't say that, I'm pretty good right now. Look, Huo Li is still accompanying me to gather herbs. Our lives are getting better and better now. I won't be doing those silly things anymore."

After she said that, Lin Xiaoye was worried that Wang-shi wouldn't believe her, so she immediately jumped up and held Huo Li's hand, even though she saw that Huo Li's eyes had turned colder.

Seeing this, Wang-shi and Xiaoya were stupefied.

Xiaoya frowned and looked at Lin Xiaoye.

What's wrong with Elder Sister? Could it be that what they said is true, and that Elder Sister had really changed?

But in Wang-shi's eyes, this was very heartbreaking.

This child still refused to get close to her!

As she thought of this, Wang-shi's whole person sank into grief. Suddenly, without even being able to catch her breath, she fell backwards.

Everyone was shocked, "Mother! Mother, what's wrong with you?"

Lin Xiaoye hurriedly hugged Wang-shi while Xiaoya supported her. Only then did Wang-shi regain her balance.

"Huo Li, hurry up and get some water for Mother to drink."

Huo Li immediately handed the water he had brought over.

Lin Xiaoye carefully fed Wang-shi a bit of water, causing her to ease up a bit.

When everyone heard the commotion, they all gathered around as well, looking like they were just joining in on the fun.

As for Xiaoya, she was already in tears.

"Mother...Mother, don't scare Xiaoya, Mother!"

When Lin Xiaoye saw Wang-shi's appearance, she quickly looked at Xiaoya.

"Xiaoya, did Mother not eat breakfast?"

Xiaoya immediately wiped the tears off her face and angrily said, "It's more than not eating breakfast. Mother hasn't eaten a single piece of food since yesterday."

Hearing that, Lin Xiaoye was stunned.

That shouldn't be the case. Even if the Lin Family were poor, aren't there still many people in the family to let them pass their days? How could she not even have a bite of food?

Just as she was thinking, she heard Xiaoya's voice.

"Stop pretending to be good. If it wasn't because you always help Grandma bully mother, how could mother be bullied? Moreover, why would they leave a mouthful of food to us?"

Translator's Note:

*shi - used after a woman's married name to introduce the family name by which she was known before she married

*turning your elbow the wrong way - to favor an outsider instead of your own people