Jing Yunzhao wouldn't have survived if it weren't for what the fortune teller had said. Then again, Jing Yunzhao would rather die out on the streets than live with the Qiao Family and be humiliated, then sent to the prison to be tortured to death.
"Hongye is your younger sister, Yunzhao. What kind of older sister would imply something like this about their younger sister? You are good at studying only because you took after me. Do you think you would get first place in school if Hongye wasn't kind enough to be lenient to you?" Ye Qin said everything in one breath, then started to cough so vigorously that her face turned red.
Ye Qin understood her condition and had accepted her fate, but she couldn't bear to leave her two children behind. She even doubted the fortune teller's prediction about Jing Yunzhao since her life had turned out like this.
"You are right, Mother, I must have taken after you. Hongye must have taken after Father since we don't look at each other at all," said Jing Yunzhao deliberately.
Ye Qin stared at Jing Yunzhao, speechless. She could feel that something was wrong with Yunzhao today; she was unusually harsh and irritable.
"Alright, alright. When did you become so outspoken? Look at how soft-spoken and understanding Hongye is and be more like her. How else are you going to find someone who would want to marry you?" Ye Qin said angrily, beginning to feel even sicker.
Ye Qin had fallen sick out of the blue. She rarely fell ill, but one day she had been admitted to the hospital where they had found a malignant tumor in her liver.
She underwent treatment for a while but not only did it fail, Ye Qin became weak and lost all her hair as a result of it.
The Qiao Family was just an ordinary family. They weren't wealthy to begin with, and Ye Qin's illness had used up a big portion of their savings. When the doctor hinted to the family to prepare for her funeral, Ye Qin knew that her time had come and insisted on going home so she wouldn't die at a sad and lonely place like the hospital.
When Ye Qin started to get well at home, she became even more reluctant to return to the hospital.
Not wanting to argue with Ye Qin, Jing Yunzhao went to the kitchen to look for food.
Yes, she owed the Qiao Family her life; but she also took care of all the household chores and gave them every single cent that she had earned. She very much considered the debt paid off when her previous life ended so miserably.
Also, she had been an outstanding student since young, and had been receiving scholarships from winning all sorts of competitions since primary school. She hadn't spent even a single cent of the Qiao Family's money once she was old enough to earn, but even so she had to behave a certain way at home. How was that fair?
As for the sweet porridge in her room? Thanks, but no thanks.
She had eaten that sweet porridge in her previous life and ended up with vomiting and diarrhea for a week.
She used to think that it was her duty to do everything for this family and that she was blessed to be a part of it, but she didn't think so anymore.
There wasn't much food in the kitchen but Jing Yunzhao was not picky. She had a simple meal and planned her future.
"Isn't there porridge in your room, Yunzhao? Why did you look for food in the kitchen?" Qiao Hongye asked unhappily when she noticed Jing Yunzhao looking for food in the kitchen.
"I didn't dare eat the cold porridge, what if I get an upset stomach from it? We have a test on Monday too. I don't think I'll eat unsafe food like this from now on," said Jing Yunzhao cryptically.
"Are you saying that cold porridge can give you an upset stomach? I think you are just being squeamish, Yunzhao," said Qiao Hongye, panicking at Jing Yunzhao's words.
"Seems like you have a strong stomach and are not squeamish at all, Hongye. Why don't you eat the cold porridge then?" Jing Yunzhao sneered.
"Jing Yunzhao! Why would you make Hongye eat porridge that might be spoiled? What are you up to?" Qiao Weimin roared from behind Jing Yunzhao as soon as she finished speaking.
Qiao Weimin was now in his early forties. He had been a handsome man since he was young, and insisted on dressing up even at this age. He would wear perfume and do his hair regardless of where he was or where he was going.
Though the face was supposed to be the index of the heart but being a perverted man, Qiao Weimin actually looked rather creepy. His face without facial hair at this age made him look like a eunuch.
"I was just being nice and asking why she hadn't eaten the porridge in her room, Father, and she got all worked up," Qiao Hongye whined, happily adding insult to injury.
After all, her parents had told her the truth about Jing Yunzhao. She would have let it go if Jing Yunzhao was really her sister, but she was just an abandoned child her mother had brought home.
Mother also told her that she had only brought Jing Yunzhao home so that she could ward off evil for her. Shouldn't Jing Yunzhao be more humble if that was the case? Why does she have to be such a one-upper?
The teachers at school always went on about how smart the daughters of the Qiao Family were, especially Jing Yunzhao. It killed her every time she heard it, and she wished that she could tell everyone that Jing Yunzhao was really just a lowly orphan.
But she knew that saying that would only make everyone feel more compassionate towards Jing Yunzhao, and they would start thinking that Jing Yunzhao was so strong and ambitious. She was not stupid to let Jing Yunzhao steal the limelight like that.
"Eat the porridge, Jing Yunzhao. I did not provide you with so many things for you to be choosy and bully your sister, you ungrateful girl," Qiao Weimin hissed, and a strange feeling flashed through him as he spoke.
It took a lot of effort to raise a child. He had brought Jing Yunzhao up since she was small and ugly, and never did he expect her to grow up into such a beautiful young lady.
Jing Yunzhao was slightly taller than Qiao Hongye. Although way skinnier than Qiao Hongye, Jing Yunzhao had filled out well during puberty and now had an attractive hourglass figure. Her fair complexion was especially beautiful against her long, glossy black hair, making her look more elegant and graceful than Qiao Hongye.
It was a pity that Jing Yunzhao had to go through what she suffered in her previous life, especially during high school. During high school in her previous life, Qiao Hongye was so jealous about her being popular amongst the boys that she spread malicious rumors about her. Under Qiao Hongye's influence, everyone quickly came to believe that Jing Yunzhao was a promiscuous girl.
When Ye Qin passed away, Jing Yunzhao started working after school to bring in income for the family. Constantly busy and exhausted, her skin slowly became dull. Even then, Qiao Hongye did not let Jing Yunzhao go, and chopped off Jing Yunzhao's beautiful long hair.
Qiao Hongye did not leave Jing Yunzhao alone even after she had been wrongfully imprisoned. She managed to contact some inmates and convinced them to shave all Jing Yunzhao's hair off as soon as it grew.
"Be fair! Not even an animal should be treated like this, so why would you treat me this way?" Jing Yunzhao asked coldly, suppressed her rage.
A loud crack rent the air as Qiao Weimin slapped Jing Yunzhao. Jing Yunzhao's cheek immediately turned red.
The Jing Yunzhao in her previous life would have cried in a situation like this, but not the Jing Yunzhao in this life.
"Eat it! I will beat you up if you don't," said Qiao Weimin hatefully.
Jing Yunzhao knew that since Qiao Weimin and Ye Qin were her legitimate guardians, it would be almost impossible for her to leave their care and be on her own when she was only fifteen. Furthermore, this was only her first day in this life. It would be unwise to be reckless and go off on her own now when she was not ready and did not have any savings at all.
She would be on her own eventually, but she would do it the right way.
The Qiao Family had made her infamous in her previous life, and she vowed to seek retribution against every single one of them in this life. As for this slap… She would remember it well.