Transmigrated as the Villain Boss's Precious Darling-Chapter 151: School Has Started

"If you were any good, you would’ve cured our second daughter-in-law’s problem long ago. Would I still need to go searching for remedies elsewhere?" Raina snapped impatiently. Byron Thorne was speechless, a sheepish look on his face.

As a barefoot doctor, he’d never formally studied medicine. Sure, he’d trained at the health clinic for a few days, but that only qualified him to treat colds, coughs, and bandage wounds. If he could cure a condition as complex as infertility, would he still be stuck on Millstone Peak as a barefoot doctor?

’Hmph, I’d have a post at the town hospital by now. I might even have taken a shot at the county hospital!’

Byron Thorne didn’t think much of it. It was just roots and bark from the mountain; it’s not like they would kill anyone. He decided to just let the old woman do as she pleased. Otherwise, if she couldn’t vent her pent-up frustration, she’d only take it out on him, which was an incredible pain.

Phoebe Thorne and her daughter were staying in Frederick Thorne and his wife’s house, where the bed and bedding were all provided. Since arriving, Amanda Chapman hadn’t stopped working for a moment—stoking the fire, washing vegetables, clearing the dishes. When Phoebe Huxley told her not to do the dishes, she wiped the table and swept the floor instead. She was exhausted but didn’t dare to stop, afraid she would displease them.

Neither Raina nor Phoebe Huxley took any notice of Amanda Chapman, nor did they see anything wrong with her doing so much work. After all, there was a certain distance; she was a Chapman, not a Thorne. Raina had little affection for this granddaughter, and Phoebe Thorne had already gone to rest early. As the large family sat around chatting and drinking tea, no one thought to pay Amanda any mind.

Tang Xiaonan hadn’t noticed at first either. But then she happened to see Amanda Chapman’s exhausted face. The girl was yawning nonstop, yet she forced herself to remain standing, not even daring to sit down. She was off in an out-of-the-way corner, looking like a pitiful, abandoned soul, and it was a heartbreaking sight.

You couldn’t really blame the Thorne family for their lack of concern for Amanda Chapman. They were generally a rough-and-tumble lot. Taking Amanda in was considered a great kindness, and ensuring she had enough to eat was the full extent of their responsibility. They naturally weren’t going to trouble themselves with the finer details.

"Mom, I want to sleep with my cousin."

Tang Xiaonan walked over and took Amanda Chapman’s hand. Feeling its warmth, Amanda’s anxious heart suddenly settled a little. ’At least my little cousin is thinking of me!’

Phoebe Huxley, of course, had no objection. She told the two girls to wash up and go to bed. Tucked into the thick, warm bedding, Amanda felt even more at ease. ’Here at Grandpa’s, the food is good, no one scolds me, and Mom doesn’t have to suffer... It’s so much better than at home. I’ll have to work even harder tomorrow, so Grandma and Auntie won’t think I’m eating too much.’

"Cousin..."

Tang Xiaonan called out, hoping to ask about what had happened that day, but Amanda didn’t respond. She had already started to let out a soft snore. Tang Xiaonan couldn’t help but smile. She switched off the light, and it wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep as well.

********

The Awakening of Insects soon passed, and with it, the villagers’ leisurely days came to an end. The busy spring planting season began, and school was back in session. Howard Thorne was in high school and Patrick Thorne was in middle school, both attending the school in town. Jim Thorne went to elementary school in the neighboring Xavier Village, while Tang Xiaonan was in their own village’s kindergarten.

However, Tang Xiaonan had already convinced Felix Thorne to let her enroll in the first grade at Xavier Village. Anything was better than being stuck with the snot-nosed toddlers in kindergarten. Tuition was only one-and-a-half yuan per semester, and students had to bring their own lunch.

Howard Thorne and Patrick Thorne boarded at their school, returning home once a week. They had to bring their own rice, which the school cafeteria would steam for them. The cafeteria also offered prepared dishes, but few students could afford them, so most brought food from home instead.

The most common food to bring was preserved mustard greens. A single enamel mug of it could last for half a month. Students from better-off families might add some sugar and lard, making the greens fragrant and a perfect, savory accompaniment to rice.