Chương 3: The Unparalleled Family of Grandmother
Shen Ting was an orphan, abandoned by her parents before she turned one. She had a faint recollection that perhaps it was because she was deemed too ugly that she was cast aside.
According to her grandmother, she discovered Shen Ting while rummaging through trash in the park. The emaciated child appeared unsettling, yet the kind-hearted grandmother took her home, providing her with milk, bathing her, and never leaving her alone. Instead, she wrapped her in cloth and took her along to scavenge for a living.
The grandmother herself was a victim of misfortune, having toiled her entire life to raise two sons, only to see the younger one go astray, constantly mingling with unsavory characters and neglecting to return home, returning only to extort money from her, resorting to theft when refused.
The elder son was honest and dependable, but after marrying a domineering wife, he became spineless, never daring to contradict her. He remained silent even when his own mother was driven out by the malicious daughter-in-law.
He would secretly slip money to his mother, but once his wife discovered this and raised a commotion, he ceased altogether. From then on, the grandmother relied on scavenging, living in a makeshift shelter by the roadside.
Shen Ting and her grandmother spent five spring and autumn seasons in that ramshackle shelter, and later, with government assistance, they moved into their current home.
Though the house was barely twenty square meters with poor lighting, it felt like paradise for the inseparable pair of grandmother and granddaughter.
The individuals sitting on the tattered sofa before her were the relatives who had come a week before her grandmother's passing. Their intention was not to bid farewell to the elderly woman but rather to lay claim to the dilapidated house, which was slated for demolition.
Shen Ting sat on the sofa with a blank expression, her mind racing through past memories. Previously timid, she felt utterly lost after her grandmother's death, completely powerless against the ruthless traffickers and domineering women, swiftly being driven out.
She had no idea who would ultimately inherit the house, nor did she care to know.
In her past life, her grandmother had suffered a stroke and was hospitalized without having written a will, leaving no indication of who should inherit the property.
Legally, it would be difficult for the house to be awarded to Shen Ting, the granddaughter.
Although these relatives had failed to fulfill their obligations towards the elderly woman, they could still claim very little legally. Shen Ting was certain that even if she took them to court, the house would likely not end up in the hands of a girl with no connections.
Shen Ting had no desire for the house; she resented not having been reborn at an earlier age.
Even a year or six months earlier, armed with the knowledge of having lived an additional life, she might have been able to prevent her grandmother's death. A stroke, if managed promptly, could have been treated and allowed for a gradual recovery.
Yet, her grandmother had perished solely due to a lack of funds for treatment, a pain that would haunt Shen Ting for a lifetime. She never imagined that even with a second chance, she wouldn't be able to rectify her regrets.
"Mom, it's so dirty here! I want to go home!" A little girl stubbornly refused to sit on the worn-out sofa, squirming on her mother's lap.
"Yueyue, be good. We'll go home soon," the woman patiently reassured her daughter.
Then, turning her head with impatience, she addressed Shen Ting, "Hey, you know why we're here today. Hurry up and bring out the property deed; honestly, we still need to get our hair done later."
Shen Ting lifted her eyelids, staring at her like she was a corpse. The woman's expression froze, and she instinctively leaned closer to her partner. What a peculiar girl, with such an unsettling gaze.
Shen Ting was aware of her own lack of beauty. Whenever she looked at someone with a blank expression and her eyes half-closed, it conveyed a sense of lifelessness. In her previous life, this had led to many misfortunes, but now, that gaze seemed quite effective.
The small man lit a cigarette and slammed his lighter down on the table, casting a glance at Shen Ting. "If the little girl doesn't want to suffer, she should hurry and bring out the deed, or things might get messy."
Shen Ting clenched her jaw. This thug had tried to kidnap and sell her upon their first meeting in her past life. Fortunately, her grandmother had intervened with all her might, or she would still be oblivious to her current fate.
"The property deed can be retrieved, but who will it go to?" Shen Ting's voice was soft, her gaze flickering between the small man and the woman.
Though she had no means to change her fate now, she could certainly cause a bit of trouble. Wasn't that what they wanted? Let the battle begin.
In matters concerning personal interests, no one was willing to concede even the slightest amount.
Instantly, the woman sarcastically retorted, "Old Two, you've taken quite a lot from the old lady over the years. This tiny house won't fetch much; how about we just give it to your elder brother?"
Old Two was not one to back down either; before the woman could finish, he erupted in anger: "You filthy woman, why should I let go of the old lady's house? Dare to provoke me, and I'll have someone take care of you."
"What's wrong with you? I'm talking to you civilly; look at your brother," the woman sneered, poking her partner, who sat next to her in a daze.
The man rubbed his nose and spoke up, "Second brother, since Mom just passed, shouldn't we hold off on discussing the house?"
The small man scoffed, mockingly laughing.
The woman looked at her husband in disbelief, punching him on the shoulder and shrieking, "Are you out of your mind? We must settle this house today, or you'd better not come home tonight; just sleep outside!"
"Wife, don't say that. Mom…"
"You useless thing!" The woman angrily pushed him away, shouting at the small man, "I don't care; this house will belong to us. If you dare send someone after me, I'll call the police and expose all your dirty little secrets. Who's afraid of whom?"
"You old hag, you've lost your patience!" The small man exploded, raising his hand to slap the woman, only to be intercepted by his brother.
In an instant, chaos ensued. The two men began to brawl, while the woman fanned the flames, and the brothers became increasingly ferocious, turning the place into a battleground.
What an ugly scene. Shen Ting rose, coldly turning back to her room to gather her belongings.
Watching them fight like they were on the brink of death, it was clear the house would no longer be hers. Taking advantage of the fading daylight, she decided to pack her things and find a humble hotel to stay at, avoiding the risk of spending the night on the streets.
Fifteen-year-old Shen Ting had only two changes of clothes and a pair of white sneakers, which her grandmother had bought for her two weeks ago. She touched the sneakers, her nose stinging with unshed tears—Grandmother...
Taking a deep breath, she composed herself, placing the sneakers into her slightly discolored backpack. She glanced at the door, ensuring no one was watching, and reached under the bed to retrieve a plastic bag.
Quickly stowing the plastic bag in the innermost compartment of her backpack and zipping it up, Shen Ting straightened her bag and slung it over her shoulders. With one last look at the room she had inhabited for nearly a decade, she stepped out, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
The relatives were still at each other's throats, the situation spiraling out of control. Shen Ting cast a derisive glance at them for a moment before silently laying the red book on the floor and slipping out of the house.
Let them continue their ruckus; these scoundrels would do well to harm each other. It was beyond her comprehension how such scum could arise from a grandmother as good as hers.
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