Make a Fortune and Become Well-off [90] - Chapter 28

The only thing from her childhood that Jiang Ning felt guilty about was secretly picking a peach from her uncle’s family. She couldn’t recall whether it was due to greed or hunger, but it was something she remembered for many years.

In time, an internet joke emerged called “holding Doudou while eating and sleeping”. At first, Jiang Ning found it amusing, but then her smile faded, and she fell silent.

She realized she was that “Doudou”.

(TL note: A “doudou” is a soft object, like a stuffed animal, blanket, or piece of fabric, that provides comfort, especially during times of separation anxiety or stress, I suppose.)

When her eldest brother got into trouble, her mother beat her. When her second brother got into trouble, her mother beat the second brother and her. And when both brothers got into trouble together, she was the one who bore the brunt of the punishment.

As the younger sister, she never intervened or persuaded her brothers to stop their mischief. In her mother’s eyes, she was useless.

Her mother’s mantra was, “If I don’t hit you, I’ll hit you.”

But her mother never truly harmed her; she only lashed her with thin bamboo silk.

After Mother Jiang burst in and whipped her while she was bathing, she was haunted by fear during baths for many years, unsure of what she was truly afraid of—just fear itself.

It felt as though the securely locked door could suddenly burst open, unleashing a monster she couldn’t resist.

She wasn’t even safe when asleep.

Mother Jiang would sneak into her room while she returned quietly, thinking she hadn’t been noticed, and would beat her until she had nowhere left to hide.

She couldn’t help but reach up and touch her short hair. Well, she didn’t plan on letting it grow back.

Jiang Ning couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Mother Jiang attempting to pull out her hair, but the laughter was hollow. She found herself laughing and crying again.

After wiping away her tears, she ascended the mountain step by step until she reached her grandfather’s place to spend the night.

The mountains were simultaneously serene and bustling.

As it was a forest ranger’s dwelling, the house couldn’t be situated at the mountain’s base or deep within it. Instead, it stood on the mountainside at the entrance to the three mountains. From the doorway, one could see a single room comprising a bed, an outdoor stove, a dining table with chairs, and another stove.

Noticing it wasn’t yet dark, Jiang Ning ventured nearby to collect firewood, returning to boil water for washing.

Realizing her grandfather likely hadn’t eaten, she quickly cooked rice. With no vegetables available, she simmered some of the previously pickled salted fish and carried it to her grandfather in the dark of the night.

The mountain forest at night was still very scary, with the sounds of various animals coming and going.

Grandpa Jiang didn’t yet know that she had come to the mountain at night, and he might worry once he found out. When she went to the field with his meal, she didn’t say anything, and Grandpa Jiang didn’t ask, so they both remained silent.

From the pocket of his coat, Grandpa took out a wad of money, including ten cents, twenty cents, and fifty cents. Folding them together, he rolled them into a ball and stuffed them into her hand.

“School will start in a few days. You can use it for school. Buy a notebook and pens. Don’t starve yourself,” Grandpa said. “If it’s not enough, I’ll give you more later.”

In addition to being a forest ranger, her grandfather sometimes scavenged scraps to sell in his free time. In spring, he also gathered mushrooms and bracken from the mountains to sell.

Despite his modest means, he occasionally managed to catch prey, selling some alive and pickling the rest. During Jiang Ning’s holiday visits, he would cook them for her to take to school.

However, due to his age and declining health, he couldn’t venture deep into the mountains. It was rare to encounter prey in the outer areas, mostly just pheasants and hares. Hunting had also been banned in the mountains in recent years.

Meanwhile, Mother Jiang continued her loud curses at home, blaming Jiang Ning for everything. One moment, she threatened to pull out her hair; the next, she said vile words.

Father Jiang, sitting silently by the stove, couldn’t contain his anger any longer. He shouted, “Enough! She just said a few words, and you hit and scolded her relentlessly. You’ve been at it for so long without a break.”

This statement reignited Mother Jiang’s anger. “Where did I hit her? She’s grown wings now and can run faster than a rabbit. Why would I hit her? Shouldn’t I scold her? What did she say? She just won’t let us live a good life.”

Father Jiang didn’t entirely agree. He didn’t see the necessity of raising crayfish, especially since they were so abundant in the current environment.

Yet, deep down, he felt a vague sense of doubt, and he found himself slightly swayed.

“That’s what she said,” Father Jiang admitted helplessly.

The failure of their chicken farm venture seven or eight years ago had shattered his confidence and left him burdened with debt. It was Mother Jiang who had persevered with him through those tough times, so he always deferred to her, recognizing her years of dedication to the family.

Whenever he entertained any aspirations, Mother Jiang would swiftly shut him down, insisting that he couldn’t pursue them unless she died.

She was so terrified by the overwhelming debt that she didn’t even dare to spend New Year at home, fearing that creditors would come knocking. Instead, she sought refuge in the mountains, spending New Year’s Eve in a forest ranger’s hut. She couldn’t bear to live in constant fear of threats, so they repeated this pattern for several years.

They didn’t dare to return home until they had slowly paid off all their debts.

Mother Jiang was haunted by memories of those days when fear and desperation consumed her, scrimping and saving every penny to repay their debts. She dreaded the possibility of Father Jiang embarking on another risky venture and plunging them into debt once more.

Reflecting on this, Mother Jiang’s voice wavered as she spoke, “I’m afraid she’s forgotten the days when creditors would come knocking at our door, refusing to leave. When asked where her parents were, she would say they were not at home.”

At that time, not only were the adults under immense pressure, but the children were also in a pitiable situation. The adults had absconded to evade debts, leaving only three children at home. Unable to locate the adults, the creditors turned their inquiries to the children, who found themselves besieged in their own home.

Trembling with fear upon realizing their family’s predicament, the children felt overwhelmed.