Transmigration: The Main Character is Not Becoming the Cannon Fodder!-Chapter 314 - 2: The Famine Years Without Hunger (Part 2)

Chapter 314: Chapter 2: The Famine Years Without Hunger (Part 2)

Thank you for the reward from "Heart as vast as the sea" on Q-read, mwah~

***************************

The original family’s home had two children in total, one was Li Shuning, the other was Li Shujie.

When Li Shuning came over, the original owner was only eight years old, while Li Shujie was already sixteen. Children in that era matured quite early. After Li Shujie graduated from middle school, he directly joined the army.

Afterwards, he went to the military, and stayed in contact with the family through letters.

The most suspicious aspects of the original family were the grandfather and grandmother.

The grandfather was very knowledgeable but also very skillful at working. The grandmother had a lot of grace, even at her age, she didn’t look as unkempt as the countryside elders, always keeping her silver-white hair neatly tied, and her clothes spotless. Her every move was quite elegant.

She treated her daughter-in-law very well and never mistreated her.

Back when Li Rengui married Li Chunhua, the people in the village were greatly surprised.

Li Rengui had some handsome features, and apart from being simple and strong, Li Chunhua’s looks were just mediocre.

No one could figure out why Li Rengui would marry Li Chunhua.

It should be noted that back then in Li Family Village, and also in nearby Gouzi Village and Ma Village, there were plenty of girls who wanted to marry Li Rengui.

Li Rengui had skills and the family owned three rooms, with no siblings.

Li Rengui’s parents lived in one room themselves, so marrying into the family was quite easy.

However, after Li Chunhua married in, many people were convinced.

Li Chunhua was incredibly capable.

She was excellent in the fields and kept the household in perfect order, so Li Rengui had no worries about family affairs while working outside.

Even when Li Rengui’s father wanted to help out in the fields, Li Chunhua would stop him. Of course, during the busy farming season, the whole family would have to pitch in, that’s different.

In this world, at this time, once every family’s fields produced their yield, they had to hand over some to the village chief, who in turn had to deliver it to the town. Thirty years ago, it was during times of war, and Li Rengui’s family came to Li Family Village forty years ago.

Li Family Village was exclusive, but Li Rengui’s parents were very capable. It didn’t take long for them to integrate into the village, and most people forgot they weren’t originally from the village.

If the grain quota wasn’t met, then family items had to be used to offset it, like money, or the family’s pigs, among other things.

Li Family Village was still okay, and they could keep some grains, and the nearby villages were also alright, but some villages were tragic.

All surplus food had to be handed over, so to eat, people had to dig up grass and tree bark.

The past two years especially, natural disasters were plenty, making life incredibly tough for people.

On the contrary, city life was better than rural life; at least there were factory jobs, salaries, and the factories provided lunch and such. And they had money, so some villagers would sell homegrown produce in the city and buy food.

In the story, the original owner’s family was relatively stable; Li Shujie was in the military, receiving a stipend, living and eating there, and often sending money home.

Father Li Rengui and mother Li Chunhua were both capable, and the family had plenty of savings in grain and money.

Coupled with the mysterious grandfather and grandmother, the family lived quietly yet prosperously.

All of that changed when Li Chunhua’s sister returned with her child to Li Family Village.

Li Chunhua’s sister, Li Donghua, back in the village, was a village beauty, and unlike the plain Li Chunhua, Li Donghua was stunningly beautiful and fair-skinned, and her family cherished her naturally.

Li Chunhua’s family had four sisters, Li Chunhua being the second, with the third and fourth also very capable workers.

Only Li Donghua, treated like a young lady of wealth, didn’t do any work, was raised by the family, and married a city man.

Li Donghua was indeed a source of pride for her family.

Her husband worked at a city department store, with good conditions, marrying her for her beauty.

When Li Shuning was nine years old, Li Donghua returned to the village with her daughter Zhao Jing after divorcing her husband.

However, the Zhao Family despised Li Donghua for being unable to bear children, as she only gave birth to a daughter all these years. Li Donghua’s husband Zhao Donglai took up with another woman, who was pregnant and later gave birth to a boy.

Zhao Donglai divorced Li Donghua, leaving Zhao Jing with her.

Li Donghua came back with her child, bringing a sum of money from the Zhao Family, but in those days, divorce was still stigmatized, and the talk in the village was not pleasant.

She was once the happiest among the sisters, but unexpectedly, Li Chunhua, who married the best-looking man in the village, was the one thriving, having married Li Rengui.

Li Donghua grew envious and often visited Li Chunhua, sometimes attempting to seduce Li Rengui.

Li Rengui was sensible; however, his wife’s muddled state couldn’t tolerate such impudence, so eventually, the grandmother intervened, forbidding Li Chunhua from associating with Li Donghua.

Li Donghua could no longer visit, but Li Chunhua still pitied her niece, allowing Zhao Jing to come over often to play with Li Shuning.

Zhao Jing seemed like a good child, quiet and thoughtful, so the grandmother said nothing.

Soon after, Li Donghua got involved with the village accountant and was caught by the accountant’s wife, who gave her a good beating. Li Donghua’s reputation in the village worsened, and some lowlives even approached her, saying she loved to sleep with men, so it was the same if she slept with them.

Afterward, Li Donghua abandoned Zhao Jing and left with the money she got from the Zhao Family.

Li Chunhua’s family was ridiculed by the entire village because of Li Donghua, and Li Chunhua’s mother started abusing Zhao Jing, often cursing her as a burden.

Over time, Zhao Jing became covered in bruises, barely getting enough to eat, while still having to work until she was merely skin and bones.

Li Chunhua couldn’t stand it any longer, and with Zhao Jing pleading for help, she took Zhao Jing in.

Little did she know, this Zhao Jing was not the original Zhao Jing anymore; she was reborn.

In her last life, Zhao Jing was abused by Wang Cuicun and sold by her grandmother at eighteen to a widower.

The widower’s wife was beaten to death by him.

Within a year of being sold, Zhao Jing became lifeless.

When she returned home to visit during the new year, she looked at Li Shuning’s family with jealousy.

Zhao Jing pleaded with Li Shuning to save her, and Li Shuning did tell her parents, with Li Rengui speaking to the widower, but he refused to release Zhao Jing. Another year passed, and Zhao Jing was beaten to death by the widower while drunk.

He claimed with an unruly mother, Zhao Jing must be unruly too, fond of flirting with men. Thus, when the widower got drunk, he would enjoy beating Zhao Jing. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

She returned, back to when she was twelve, when Li Shuning was ten, when her mother ran away, and she was being tortured at her grandmother’s house.

Reborn Zhao Jing was not going to let life go on this way.

Knowing her second aunt was muddled and kind-hearted, she sought out Li Chunhua and moved in with Li Shuning’s family.

Zhao Jing was envious of Li Shuning and also admired her, having loving parents and a good brother.

So she wanted to take it all.

If Li Shuning weren’t there, could she become Li Rengui’s daughter?

Though Li Chunhua treated her well, and Li Rengui treated her well, and she had the same food and clothes as Li Shuning, a worry lingered in her heart.

She felt only if Li Shuning died could her position be assured.