Qin Jiao knew her grandfather wasn't a bad person, but he was extremely misogynistic and rigid.
But she had already achieved her goal of a preemptive strike and successfully annoyed her aunt. She didn't bother arguing with the old man, since it was pointless anyway.
Qin Jiao helped her sister up and said, "Forget it. Let's just say I was making a scene. Xiao Shi, let's go back to our room."
Meanwhile, Feng Lan quickly pulled her son away. Although she was quite feisty, she was a bit scared of her father-in-law.
"My cousin pushed me!" Xiao Tao finally remembered that he was supposed to tattle.
Feng Lan stiffened. She glanced back at the old man sitting at the door and slapped her son on the head in frustration. "Useless! You're always a day late and a dollar short!"
It was definitely too late to go back and cause trouble for that damn girl, Qin Jiao.
Feng Lan fumed.
Back in their room, Qin Jiao pulled her sister inside, then took out a large bag of calcium milk biscuits, five rolls of haw flakes, and a box of Bubble Tape from her travel bag.
Qin Shi's eyes went wide at the sight of all the treats. Since she had just been crying, her face was still a tear-streaked mess.
Qin Jiao's heart ached for what her sister had gone through in their previous life, and she swore to protect her well in this one.
She handed her sister a towel to wipe her face. "What are you staring at? Don't you like these snacks, Xiao Shi?"
"Sis, are... are all of these for me?"
"Of course! They're all for our Xiao Shi, and none for Xiao Tao!" Qin Jiao knew how horribly her sister was bullied. The adults all favored Xiao Tao, which only made that little brat more brazen.
Once, when they were younger, Xiao Tao had even pushed Xiao Shi into the river. Luckily, the water wasn't deep.
Afterward, their aunt had just flippantly said, "Well, she's fine, isn't she?" and let the matter drop.
'So, were they supposed to wait until something terrible actually happened?'
That incident had made Qin Jiao's mother, Su Yun, so angry that she cried.
Though Xiao Shi was overjoyed, she carefully unwrapped the bag of calcium milk biscuits and held the first one up to Qin Jiao's mouth. "You eat first, Sis."
Qin Jiao took the biscuit and bit into it. Only then did Qin Shi pick up a second one for herself, nibbling on it like a little hamster. She was so well-behaved it was heartbreaking.
Qin Shi was so thin and small due to malnutrition.
The Qin family didn't lack food, but Mr. Qin and Old Mrs. Qin usually ate simple, bland meals, and Xiao Shi always ate with them.
In contrast, the youngest uncle's family of three in the front courtyard had meat with every meal. Their food was amazing, and all three of them were chubby and round.
Xiao Shi could only wistfully smell the aromas from the front courtyard while she had her congee and pickled vegetables.
Qin Jiao reached out, stroking her sister's hair. "Xiao Shi, do you want to go to school?"
"Yes!" Qin Shi nodded vigorously, but then her head drooped, her hand tightly clutching the half-eaten biscuit. "But Auntie said the family has no money and that I should start school later. She also said girls don't need an education; knowing how to write your own name is enough, since we just get married off in the end anyway."
Qin Jiao sneered. "Mom and Dad work so hard. They definitely make enough for us to go to school. Auntie only says that because she wants all the money they earn to go to Grandma and Grandpa, which is the same as giving it to our uncle and his wife. Xiao Shi, as long as you want to study, I'll make sure you're in school by September!"
'And not just go to school, but go to school in town!'
Normally, Qin Jiao's parents would be coming back home once around this time. Qin Jiao decided to seize that opportunity to talk to them about sending her sister to school.
In her past life, Xiao Shi had been tricked and abducted precisely because she started school so late. Later, affected by what happened to Qin Jiao, she couldn't stand the gossip and judgment from people at school. She dropped out after only a few days and never got much of an education.
'My sister is only nine now. It's not too late to change everything.'