Yuanyuan is the last life steward system in the future world. After 5023, all mankind has entered the era of mechanization. Unfortunately, she will be destroyed. After being destroyed, Yuanyuan discovered that she had actually traveled to the 1980s when supplies were scarce.
She became the second cannon fodder who abused her nephew and niece. She was finally cleaned up by her husband who was an officer. She was abducted and trafficked to her death in the mountains.
Shen Huai has a handsome face and extraordinary aura. As soon as Yuanyuan approaches him, she has a steady stream of energy supply, filling her with energy. There is such a good energy in front of her. She can't get a divorce when she says nothing. She sees a man's body compare with each other day by day. A good day, but the look in her eyes is getting more and more wrong. (TN: part of me feels it meant to say 'his' eyes as in the ML but I can't be sure so I'm leaving it)
I heard that Shen Huai brought back a daughter-in-law from a rural town. Everyone thought that the girl from a small place had never seen the world, she must be ugly in a big city, and she didn't understand etiquette. I didn't expect this girl to stun everyone with her fluent English. The state banquet chefs clapped their hands for good dishes. The Shen family thought that this was already very good. They didn't know that the girl could cut, cultivate, animal husbandry, pharmacy, acupuncture, brewing, craftsman, the whole decathlon. While everyone was envious, jealous and hated, they all sighed that Head Shen really picked up the treasure.
Everyone in the army heard that Shen Huai was often in a daze because he missed his little wife at home, and his comrades all wanted to know how beautiful his wife was, so that the cold and abstinent head could not think about it. On the day Chen Yuan entered the military hospital, she was said to have caused a sensation because of her high appearance, which led to an increase in the registration rate.
One-sentence introduction: Relying on food to conquer the cold husband's intention: work hard to make progress every day.
Chapter 1
"The system is turned on, Yuanyuan Smart Butler is here to serve you!"
"The system energy has only 2% remaining, please recharge in time!"
The furnishings in the house are very simple, with a red paper calendar with a sense of age, a black and white imported TV, some books on the bookshelf, and an antenna cash register. Lying on the bed is a young woman with a plaid shirt and braided hair.
When she heard the urgent alarm, she slowly opened her eyes. She was probably in her twenties, with a pair of willow-yellow eyebrows and red phoenix eyes, which was very charming, her skin was white and delicate, her face was delicate and small, and there was a red mole under her teary eyes. The thick eyelashes trembled slightly when her eyes opened suddenly, a blue light flashed in her pupils, her body moved stiffly, and she controlled her body to make some simple movements.
Yuanyuan's learning speed is very fast. After a few hours of integration and repair, she already knows the information of the original owner like the back of her hand, and her approximate habits can be imitated by 80/90%. However, the only problem now is to replenish energy. With the remaining energy, she could only end up lying on the bed as a dead machine, unable to do anything.
The energy stone is the main fuel required by the system robots in the future era, and it is also one of the ore industries unique to the federal country. She goes to work in various employers' homes, and the employer will pay with the energy materials, and the quantity is usually very sufficient. Such shortages are rare. She comes from an SS-class life intelligent machine produced by a system factory in 5023. Due to the continuous development of technology, all human beings will be mechanized in the future. They no longer need to use this semi-machine system, causing them to be old and facing destruction.
This body memory comes to mind. The original owner's body is a vicious cannon fodder-like character in the childhood memory chapter of the novel "Entrepreneurial Life" by the male protagonist. He started a company from scratch, became the president of the Shen family in the shopping mall, and married his childhood sweetheart the heroine. Who would have thought of the tragic experience of the successful entrepreneur Mr. Shen in his childhood. Many interviews in the article The hero mentioned many times in his life that the most regretful thing is that his missing little sister was never found. Because the sister was lost and turned against his own brother, he regrets that they have not reconciled for half his life.
The original owner of Yuanyuan's body was named Chen Yuan, the newly married wife of Shen Qingxuan's second uncle Shen Huai, who was an officer, a vicious second aunt who deliberately married her second uncle. The third uncle who suffers from cerebral palsy, this so-called second aunt was their childhood nightmare and the beginning of all misfortune.
After the original owner was found to have abused and scolded children, she was divorced by her husband and kicked out of the house. After that, the original owner had no money to work, and when she encountered traffickers, she was abducted to the mountains to marry an old man and died miserably in childbirth. She did not appear in the rest of the book, but the description shows that the original owner is extremely selfish.
A system like Chen Yuan already has a certain high-level thinking and self-awareness, so its IQ is not worse than ordinary people, and even much higher than that of ordinary people. After analyzing the ending of the original owner, it is entirely because of self-inflicted suffering, one cannot blame others. Young children and the disabled are a vulnerable group in the Federation, and it is never too late to take care of them. Those who abuse children will be punished, and even get a the death penalty in serious cases.
She remembered that when the original owner and her husband Shen Huai were on their way back from the city, they had a big quarrel in the hotel and she smashed a military thermos on Shen Huai's head, causing the other party's head to bleed. It was because the original owner asked Shen Huai to arrange a job for her in the provincial capital. This was also one of the reasons why she chose to marry Shen Huai at that time, but when she returned to the city, Shen Huai received an urgent notice that he was going to the south for emergency rescue, and the time of his emergency return was uncertain. The husband is not trustworthy, and this caused a big fight.
The original owner's husband had no choice but to leave with a head injury and ask one of his comrades to send the original owner back. When the soldier left, he looked at her with hate and disgust. He probably never thought that an excellent leader like Shen Huai would marry such a woman.
This is the second day after the original owner came back and stayed at the Shen's house. Naturally, she didn't have a good temper with Shen Huai's two nephews and nieces. As soon as she came back, she threw the children's bedding into a cold and wet room and occupied the largest bedroom in the house, but didn't expect to be catch a cold, and what woke up was the consciousness of a living system in 5023.
While processing the memory, she suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the gate. Chen Yuan moved her body and reluctantly walked out of the room. She looked outside and saw two thin boys, one tall and one short, looking a bit similar, it looks like they should be brothers, but she doesn't know why they got into a quarrel with another fat kid with a short hair.
The little fat boy said with arrogance and contempt, "Shen Erbao, you are not raised by a mother. I said that you are a child without a mother. What did I say wrong?" When Shen Erbao heard the words, it touched the most sensitive point in his heart, the tears on the tip of his nose were like running water, he burst into tears, and shouted breathlessly: "I have a mother, I have a mother! You are talking nonsense."
Shen Dabao stepped forward and grabbed the other party's neck collar, and said angrily: "You are too much, how can you say that, be careful of the sores in your mouth." Gao Gao gloated, thinking that he had touched the pain points of the two brothers, and said proudly, "Am I wrong? The reason why your mother ran away with others must be because you were disobedient, she didn't want you."
Erbao kept shouting, until his voice became hoarse: "That's not true! We are very well-behaved and obedient, and we don't make trouble. Mom still wants us, she just has something to do, She'll be back when it's over, woo woo woo."
Listening to Er Bao's cry, Da Bao's tears fell uncontrollably one by one. The word mother is the most sensitive word in their hearts. Usually the Shen family rarely mentions this, but it does not mean that they are not aware. Every word of the Gao Gao is like a dull knife, piercing into their hearts little by little. The two children stood there alone with despair on their faces, their young bodies shivering in the cold wind. Although they tried their best to cover up, they couldn't stand the cold and cruel facts before them, and they were almost suffocating with pain.
The chubby boy Gao Yaowu said proudly: "This is a lesson for the two of you today. If I see you in the future, you better hide and leave, or I will hit you once I see you…" Before the fat boy could finish speaking, his body was tightly grasped from behind, and a faint female voice rose from behind him: "Whose family are you, why are you so uneducated."
"Let go of me, let go of me, who are you to care about me."
The fat boy turned around and saw a strange woman he hadn't seen before. He panicked immediately, struggling to break free from the other party's hand, but the other party looked soft and weak, but the strength in her hand was very strong and couldn't break after struggling.
Dabao and Erbao still had tears on their poor little faces. They looked at the woman in front of them in a daze, and stammered, "Second Aunt."
Chen Yuan came out and suddenly found that a data progress bar appeared on the top of the two children's heads. At the same time, she found that a happiness panel option appeared in front of her.
There are two names on it: [Shen Qingxuan] [Shen Yaohui]
Shen Qingxuan is the older boy, so he is the male protagonist in this novel. At this time, his happiness index is [-150], the entire progress bar has turned black, and the younger child named Erbao , it is his younger brother Shen Yaohui who has less happiness index, only [-170].
[Shen Yaohui] There is a line of small characters at the bottom indicating that the title [Extreme Pain] has been obtained.
Chen Yuan also noticed a small red warning at the bottom of the interface: [If the character's happiness index is lower than -200, there is a risk of suicide] The green small print is: [This character can be exchanged for 2 energy for every 10 points of happiness index increase]
All the functions of the living system, including GPS positioning and one-click search, require energy to support the humanoid encyclopedia. If the energy-saving mode is turned on, 2 energy support is not a problem for more than two days. If there is a serious shortage of energy, it will face a series of serious failures, which will greatly shorten the service life. Under normal circumstances, the service life of an intelligent system is only 30 years, and it is also faced with various maintenance tests every year, and the latest updates are updated every month and has to always maintain its peak state so that it will not be disliked by employers.
But now she has transmigrated into a complete human being. If there are no accidents, she can live to an old age and die normally. It is also possible to take good care of herself and no longer be subject to all kinds of constraints and rules, and to a certain extent she has turned herself into a master and gained true freedom.
However, the need for energy is still inseparable from the fate of the system. The only way is to collect energy as soon as possible to support the operation of the brain. The best solution now is to change the status quo of the Shen brothers. She can exchange energy according to their happiness index. Analyzing the situation in front of her, the little male protagonist and brother are being bullied, and their bullying has become her top priority.
Looking at the little black fat man badly, this is the stumbling block on the children's road to happiness: "At such a young age, you are so uneducated, how will you be when you grow up, you can't bully the Shen family's children and I'll give you a taste of it."
The chubby face turned green, and he kept resisting, trying to hit Chen Yuan with his hands. He was used to being a bully at home and at school. Now that he was treated like this by the other party, he felt like he was offended and urgently needed to regain his face, shouting "Do you know who my parents are? If you don't let me go, I'll let them teach you a lesson!"
Chen Yuan looked at Xiao Pang's hand that stretched out several times, and almost hit her a little bit: "What about who your parents are? I'll educate you today for your parents."
As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Yuan quickly slapped his buttocks using little force, but the strike was not heavy. It was mainly to deter the boy and calm him down. Feeling the slight pain in the buttocks, Xiao Chuan burst into tears. He has never suffered this kind of grievance before and If someone touched him at ordinary times, it would be like plucking the hair on a tiger's buttocks. "Why do you care about me, why?"
I don't know if it was an illusion or not. After Chen Yuan beat the fat boy, the progress bar on the Shen brothers' heads increased slightly.
Chen Yuan immediately said again, "Just because you bullied the Shen brothers, If I see you bullying them again in the future, I won't forgive you so easily." The little fat boy covered his buttocks with tears on his face and said fiercely to Chen Yuan: "You dare to hit me! I will tell my parents when I go back. They will definitely not forgive you, and they will sort you out then!"
Chapter 2
"Haha, do you still dare to threaten people? It seems that the two hits just now were too light. Looks like we need to add a few more."
As Chen Yuan waved her hand, the chubby boy let out a frightened cry, smeared oil on the soles of his feet, and slipped away. Before leaving, he left a harsh remark, "Wait for me! I won't let you go!"
The Shen brothers snapped back to reality, their faces covered in snot and tears, crying like little kittens. They stood a few steps away, staring at Chen Yuan in confusion. The two children were experiencing a mix of emotions and were particularly concerned about their completely transformed second aunt. They felt an indescribable fear because, on the previous day, she had thrown their bedding out of the room as soon as she arrived and had made them sleep in the cold living room. The memory was still fresh in their minds.
Now that the second aunt had easily dealt with the chubby boy, they were even more uneasy. Dabao and Erbao wondered if it would be their turn next and imagined the pain of being spanked.
Shen Dabao held back his tears and stood in front of Erbao, saying to Chen Yuan, "Second aunt, it's my fault. If you want to beat someone, beat me. Don't bully my brother. He can't handle being beaten."
Erbao ran over anxiously and said, "It's not my brother's fault. Beat me instead."
"..."
Chen Yuan had never seen someone who wanted to be beaten or rushed to be beaten. Without saying a word, she walked straight toward the two children.
Dabao and Erbao instinctively wanted to hide, but the beating they anticipated never came. Instead, their little hands were suddenly held firmly by a pair of slender and warm hands. A comforting warmth enveloped their bodies. Chen Yuan led them away while saying, "Why are you being so timid? If he bullies you again, just fight back. He won't dare to be so arrogant next time."
The two little boys were completely stunned. They had never been treated so tenderly before. The last time they experienced such warmth was too long ago to remember. All they knew was that it felt really good. Warmth was a luxury they rarely experienced. Auntie's hands were so warm. They couldn't believe they had gotten into trouble. In a daze, they followed Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan felt a familiar force coming from Erbao's little hand, and the happiness page showed [Shen Yaohui +10].
On the other hand, Dabao's index was very small, almost imperceptible. It had only increased by 1 point at a glance. However, she was satisfied with the improvement in Erbao's case. She hadn't expected such a small action to result in such quick progress. It was truly fascinating. And unexpectedly, these indexes could be converted into energy automatically, instantly elevating her mental state.
The second elder of the Shen family and their children lived in several neighboring houses. Shen Huai's house was divided by the unit. When he was still single, Dabao and Erbao's father had passed away. Their mother remarried a wealthy businessman who had good conditions and went abroad with him. However, the wealthy businessman didn't accept the three children of the Shen family and sent them back to the Shen family without taking them along.
The situation in the Shen family was also quite complicated. Shen Huai's father came from a reconstituted family. He had three sons. The eldest brother had passed away due to illness, and the third brother was a disabled child with cerebral palsy, struggling in life. He had been sent to work as an apprentice in a woodworking factory by his relatives. The daughter of the stepmother and her ex-husband had changed her surname to Shen Xiu and worked as a cadre in the Women's Federation. Her son, Shen Cheng, worked in a state-owned factory. Usually, most of them lived in dormitories. There was also a young daughter from Shen's father. She hadn't been admitted to the local high school and went to study abroad.
Now that the eldest Shen's children had returned to the Shen family, Father Shen believed that they were the ones responsible for the death of their eldest son and didn't want to see these children. Consequently, their days in the Shen family were often ignored. The only second uncle who treated them well was frequently away on missions. Originally, he had hired a nanny to take care of the children, but for unknown reasons, she had been dismissed. Currently, their stepmother was looking after the three children, but the condition was that Shen Huai had to pay 40 yuan as labor costs every month. Additionally, he was responsible for the food expenses of the Shen family, while the children's tuition and living expenses were not included.
As Chen Yuan entered the small alley, she saw a little girl who appeared to be about three years old standing outside the door. Her short legs wobbled as she walked, her body swayed and twisted, and she looked uneasy. Her eyes were round like two black grapes, and her cute little face resembled a doll from a New Year's picture.
Upon seeing Dabao and Erbao, the little girl's eyes sparkled with excitement, and her short legs ran over. "Brother, brother, Niu Niu is hungry," she said while touching her empty belly.
When Dabao saw her, he picked up the little girl and asked his sister, "Niu Niu, you'll have something to eat when we get home, but what about our milk?"
Niuniu pouted and replied, "The milk is at my aunt's house. I didn't have any."
"When did you leave, and how long has it been since you last ate?"
"Left in the morning, and I've been hungry since then," Niuniu said, touching her deflated belly.
Upon hearing this, Dabao and Erbao became angry. It was already evening, which meant that Niuniu had gone the entire day without eating anything apart from a little milk in the morning. How could a three-year-old be hungry? They were worried and upset. The thought of Niuniu being hungry at such a young age weighed heavily on their hearts.
Douding, the little girl, had a progress bar above her head labeled [Shen Rou]. Its initial value was -130, but it was decreasing rapidly.
"Brother, Niuniu is hungry," every time Niuniu said this, a -1 symbol appeared above her head.
Hearing Niuniu's pitiful voice, [-1] started to appear above Dabao and Erbao's heads as well. The three children looked at each other, their stomachs rumbling loudly. Chen Yuan realized that the character was constantly hungry, and if her value continued to decrease, she would be in danger. Food needed to be provided promptly.
"Where is the food that your second uncle brought back yesterday?"
"It's all stored in the storeroom," Dabao and Erbao weakly replied.
Afterward, Niuniu chimed in after a moment of thought, "The milk was given to my aunt."
Chen Yuan didn't need any further explanation. She remembered that Shen Huai had rushed off, leaving behind the three children in the Shen family's care. She had even sent a letter to the stepmother, hoping that she would take care of the children properly and ensure they received adequate nutrition. She never expected the stepmother to not only keep it from Shen Huai, but also to give special treatment to her own daughter. Shen Huai had never imagined that his three nephews would be left hungry and malnourished in the Shen family.
Dabao and Erbao were sighing when they heard the second aunt say, "Let's go and take back what your second uncle brought."
Erbao was a little scared and hesitated, "But... but..."
Chen Yuan interrupted, "If you don't take it, there won't be any stewed meat for dinner."
"..."
Erbao's eyes lit up at the mention of meat. His lunchbox had broken due to the heat at school earlier in the day, and he had to share his lunch with Dabao. Two and a half bowls of food were barely enough for them. They usually couldn't get enough food for two servings, and now they were even more hungry. Despite the hunger, they endured, thinking that if they could have meat, it would be worth enduring a beating.
Dabao glanced at Chen Yuan in surprise and raised both hands in agreement. Why should Nian and Gu get to eat what their second uncle had brought? Nian and Gu weren't good to them at all. If it weren't for their concern for Erbao and Niuniu, they would have already wanted to take the things out themselves.
With the assistance of the three children, Chen Yuan successfully found the spare key hidden on the eaves and unlocked the door to the Shen family's old house. The main room and the north room were locked, and there was nothing valuable outside.
At that moment, Shen's father hadn't finished work yet, and the stepmother had gone to her daughter's house again, leaving Niuniu alone at the neighbor's house. Niuniu could come out on her own, indicating that the stepmother had no confidence in taking care of the child. The three-year-old girl would wander off easily. It was no wonder they said that a lost child was hard to find. The majority of the blame for losing a child rested with the Shen family.
There was plenty of rice and noodles in the storage room. The coarse grains mainly consisted of corn and sorghum rice, while the fine grains included rice and white flour. There were also two buckets of lard. The room was filled with daily necessities, fabrics, and nutritional supplements. Chen Yuan quickly assessed the situation, then led the three children to gather wooden carts and transport everything that could be eaten and used.
In addition to the rice and noodles, Chen Yuan discovered a wooden barrel in the storeroom filled with ice cubes, with half a piece of frozen pork. There were cut marks on it, indicating that Shen Huai's stepmother had taken it to her daughter's house. The stepmother was pregnant, and her milk had often been taken care of by Shen Huai's aunt. Niuniu had been left at Mrs. Sun's house next door. Mrs. Sun was a widow whose children were no longer around, and she rarely went out. Mrs. Sun and Niuniu were not related, so it was unlikely that she would take care of Niuniu. Originally, the stepmother was supposed to take good care of Niuniu in exchange for the labor fee Shen Huai paid her. However, she hadn't fulfilled her responsibilities and would have been fired if she were working for someone else.
Therefore, Chen Yuan didn't hesitate to take everything she should take. These items were all bought by Shen Huai's relatives and uncles, and she believed she had every right to claim them.
After gathering everything, the children returned with their carts full. Dabao and Erbao had never been so excited before. Their faces were red, and their eyes were filled with energy. They had never seen so much food. It truly felt like New Year's Day, or even New Year's Eve, especially since there was pork to eat. Erbao thought to himself, "Auntie is so nice. Besides Uncle Er, she might be the best person I've ever met."
Dabao followed closely behind Chen Yuan, his eyes fixed on her actions. He had just felt a little affection in his heart, but it was quickly suppressed by the wariness within him. No one knew that Dabao had actually had a terrifying dream not long ago. In the dream, he saw that when his second uncle returned, he brought back a woman who would treat them poorly. She would beat and scold them, mistreat Erbao and Niuniu, and make their lives even worse than before.
The dream was vivid, as if it were a reality. In the dream, they couldn't get enough food, and the woman denied them meals and withheld their tuition fees. She called their third uncle, who had cerebral palsy, a fool and a burden. She bullied him, even mixing sand into his meals and forcing him to eat it. Everything in the dream was a terrifying nightmare, distressingly real.
Initially, Dabao didn't believe it, but then he had several similar dreams. For example, in one dream, he saw that when his second uncle returned, he brought back a woman, but he couldn't come home for the time being because of a mission. There was also a flood in the south.
Chapter 3
When she had seen this woman for the first time yesterday, she had thrown their quilt out. Dabao had already concluded that what happened in his dream was true. The woman had looked at them with disgust and wanted to drive them out. At that moment, Dabao's thoughts about this woman had been far from positive. If he couldn't mess with her, he wouldn't mess with her. It was okay to endure a little suffering as long as it ensured the safety of his younger siblings.
But today, she suddenly became kinder to them, which puzzled Dabao. He couldn't figure out whether the wicked woman in his dream was the same as the second aunt standing in front of him. The difference between the two was too significant.
Chen Yuan made stewed potato pork noodles. When she cooked, she followed specific instructions in her mind. The first step was to search for the recipe for pork ingredients, and she extracted the necessary information. The second part started after receiving the instructions. She picked up the knife and expertly cut the pork into square pieces. She then put it into the pot to fry with sugar and soy sauce. Her actions were precise and skillful.
Cooking was a necessary skill for a life steward system. In Chen Yuan's hands, any ingredient on Earth could be turned into a delicious dish. Considering the ages and various physical conditions of Erbao, Niuniu, and Dabao, Erbao and Niuniu had the weakest physical constitution, with Dabao being slightly better but still very thin. Prolonged malnutrition could lead to various health issues in humans.
To ensure a balanced meal, Chen Yuan also cooked a nutrient-rich vegetable porridge with radishes and leafy greens. She also made a few tortillas, a traditional dish she had come across while searching for information.
When Chen Yuan brought out a whole pot of meat from the kitchen, the three children transformed into free birds, rushing over happily, picking up their chopsticks and bowls obediently. They watched the fragrant steam rising from the pot, their mouths watering.
"It smells so good, so good, a thousand times better than milk rice!" The three children exclaimed in unison. Dabao, who had been observing the entire cooking process, shared the same sentiment. He believed that the second aunt was reluctant to use too much oil when cooking with oil. When she cooked with milk, she barely added a small amount of lard, resulting in dishes with clear soup and a watery texture.
Compared to the pot of meat, it was like comparing heaven and earth. Apart from the fresh ingredients, the food made by milk was never served at every meal. A large pot of stew could be reheated and eaten for two or three days. Sometimes, if they cooked too much, the food would spoil easily. In such situations, milk scolded them for wasting food and forced them to eat it, causing several stomach issues.
Niuniu's teeth had already grown, but the Shen family didn't pay much attention to her diet. Usually, she ate similar food to what Dabao and Erbao ate. Her body was thin, her arms were as thin as two little fingers, and a gentle breeze could blow her away. Today, she had only eaten a bowl of batter, and she felt dizzy from hunger.
In the quiet atmosphere, the sound of the children continuously swallowing could be heard. Chen Yuan emerged from the kitchen after serving the last bowl of vegetable porridge and said, "You can start eating, but take your time, or you might burn your mouth."
As soon as she finished speaking, the three children quickly picked up their chopsticks, grabbed a piece of richly colored and beautifully amber pork belly, and stuffed it into their mouths. The moment it entered their mouths, the succulent juices burst on their tongues. The pork belly was perfectly tender and cooked, releasing a burst of flavor as the crispy, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth meat soaked in oil.
The potatoes, soaked in the pork's oil and braising sauce, became fragrant, tender, and delicious, while the noodles were equally delightful.
Dabao and Erbao took a bite of the tortillas and immediately noticed the stark difference from the ones made by milk, which were as hard as stones. They could tell that white flour had been added to the tortillas. Among the three children, Niuniu had the softest teeth. She didn't struggle at all while eating the pancake and swallowed it in two or three bites. It was evident that she was truly hungry. The vegetable porridge was made with fine rice, resulting in a delightful fragrance and delicious taste.
Chen Yuan didn't hold back with the pork and cooked it all. There wasn't much to begin with, and it would shrink after being stewed. So she simply stewed everything, ensuring that all three children could eat their fill. As a machine, she also needed to eat. After tasting the food she had prepared, she was pleasantly surprised by its deliciousness. She savored the hard-earned pleasure and sighed, wondering why people in the future chose to mechanize everything.
Half an hour later, the dishes and bowls on the table were empty. Nothing was left. Chen Yuan had eaten too much oil, and the children's stomachs couldn't handle it anymore. She returned the remaining food to Shen Huai and made a pot of fragrant jasmine tea to help with the greasiness.
Niuniu's belly was round, and she leaned back in her chair, not wanting to move at all. Dabao and Erbao, having possibly eaten the most delicious meal of their lives, were ecstatic.
Chen Yuan looked down at Dabao [-130], Erbao [-150], and Niuniu [-100]. The happiness index of the three children was rapidly improving. Their eyes were hazy, their pupils were watery, and their joy was evident on their faces as they immersed themselves in the delicious meal.
She was about to pick up Niuniu and extract power from her body to convert into energy when a scream came from the neighboring house.
The neighborhood had poor soundproofing, so they could hear it clearly.
"It's a disaster! How could there be thieves! Damn it! How did everything get stolen?"
The three children instantly panicked upon hearing the sound. Oh no! It must be milk who had returned and discovered that everything in the warehouse was gone.
With that fright, the children's happiness index plummeted visibly, and Chen Yuan felt a pang of distress. Going back to square one would render all her hard work useless. The energy she had gained would just dissipate.
There was a forceful banging on the door, and a middle-aged woman's angry voice rang out, "You little brats, get out here! Did you take the things? If you don't come out, I'll report it and have you sent to the police!"
Zhang Guilan had returned home and saw the open door, immediately sensing that something was wrong. She glanced at the warehouse and realized that everything had been stolen. Once outside the yard, the aroma of meat wafted from the opposite house, and she could tell that it was incredibly delicious. Following her nose, she quickly concluded that these two little brats must have stolen it.
"You ungrateful brats! I've been providing food and shelter for you, and you dare to steal from me? Look at me today, I'll peel your skins off."
The three children inside the house were no longer as elated as before, and they were about to rush out in a panic. However, Chen Yuan stopped them, positioning herself in front. Just as Zhang Guilan was about to forcefully break down the door, Chen Yuan opened it from the inside. Surprised that she emerged so quickly, Zhang Guilan was met with the sight of a beautiful woman with sharp eyebrows standing before her, the same woman Shen Huai had entrusted with the letter yesterday.
In fact, when Shen Huai had returned yesterday, they had only exchanged greetings from a distance. He appeared weak and unassuming, as if he had never toiled hard. Shen Huai's father was furious about the marriage, looking down on the woman's humble background. He also didn't particularly like this new daughter-in-law. As she lived in Shen Huai's house, it wasn't an issue if she didn't exist. Shen Huai planned to discuss the matter once he returned.
Chen Yuan recalled from the original owner's memories that when she had first married into the Shen family, Shen Huai wasn't at home, and no one in the family paid her any attention. This led to resentment in the original owner's heart, and she took it out on the children. By the time Shen Huai returned, their relationship had deteriorated to an irreparable state, and they divorced not long after. The original owner had even quickly left the family.
Zhang Guilan was momentarily stunned, not expecting to encounter Chen Yuan. However, she ignored her presence and pointed at Dabao and Erbao, who were hiding behind Chen Yuan, angrily demanding, "You little brats, come out! Where are all the stolen items? Hand them over immediately, or I'll have you sent to jail."
Chen Yuan protected the three children and said coldly, "These are the items the children's uncle bought for them. Why should you take them back? If you have the ability, go to the police. Let everyone in the neighborhood see how Shen Huai's stepmother abuses her nephews. You must be aware that Shen Huai provides you with a significant amount of labor and food expenses every month. How much of that actually goes to the children? And now you dare to come and demand things? You have no conscience."
"What does it have to do with you? You don't need to meddle. Hand them over quickly!" Zhang Guilan viewed Chen Yuan as an outsider. Even though she had married Shen Huai, the Shen family didn't acknowledge her. Divorces were common these days, and there was no guarantee that their relationship would last. The things Shen Huai had entrusted her to retrieve belonged to Zhang Guilan once they entered the Shen family's house. Why would she hand them over to anyone?
"I will handle this matter today." Chen Yuan watched the children's happiness index rapidly decline, feeling more distressed than if her own life were in danger. This stepmother was like a time bomb, ready to explode their happiness. It had to be eliminated without mercy.
Zhang Guilan angrily retorted, "Do you think you can stop me? Look at you, relying on nothing but your beauty. If you can't handle it, you'll end up as an unwanted woman. Go back to wherever you came from. What kind of authority are you trying to wield? But if you kneel down and apologize politely, maybe I'll consider forgiving you."
Chen Yuan glanced at her without saying a word, then directly hugged Niuniu and took Dabao and Erbao out of the house. They stood at the door between the old house and the yard, and Chen Yuan shouted loudly:
"The three sons of the eldest of the Shen family are truly pitiful! Their father died early, and their mother is absent. They are left alone, falling into the hands of their heartless step-grandmother. The second uncle went through great lengths to bring back food, but it all disappears without a trace. The food is sent to her pregnant daughter for nourishment. The old lady takes the 40 yuan per month given by others to care for the children. It's heartbreaking to think of how she treats them."
1
"At such a young age, she refuses to leave them any means to survive. When the time comes, Boss Shen will give Dabao and Erbao dreams where they scold you, the indifferent grandmother. Don't be surprised if he haunts you from the ground in the middle of the night!"
Chapter 4
Chen Yuan's voice grew louder, quickly capturing the attention of those around her. Eventually, the elderly Mrs. Sun from next door, despite her bad legs, came out to see what was happening. Living in a close-knit community, she was familiar with Boss Shen and knew about the three children who seemed to lead a pitiful life, not being raised by their own parents and now entrusted to their step-grandmother. She never expected such a situation to unfold, involving Zhang Guilan. Despite her usually kind and gentle demeanor, it seemed that there was more to the story, and things were not as they appeared.
Zhang Guilan's expression turned sour as she retorted, "Don't speak nonsense! A woman from a small town lacks manners. I am your elder, and you should show respect when talking to me."
Chen Yuan didn't want to be drawn into a moral argument and replied, "Respect should be mutual. You are treating these three poor children so cruelly, and their father would not approve if he knew."
At that moment, Zhang Guilan was taken aback and struggled to find a response. The mention of Boss Shen seemed to unsettle her, and she wanted to explain herself. A crowd had gathered in front of the house, and they overheard discussions of "step-grandmother," "heartless ghost," and "stepmother." Zhang Guilan's face turned pale.
As she entered, she caught the tail end of Chen Yuan's statement: "I believe that the eyes of the public are sharp. Time will reveal the truth, and justice will be served to the children. If nobody believes me, I can install a tape recorder with a loudspeaker on the roof and play back my words 24 hours a day for the neighbors to hear. I believe that Boss Shen, in the spirit of fairness, will understand me."
"What! You want to broadcast it through loudspeakers? Let the neighbors hear?" Zhang Guilan exclaimed.
In the crowd, Shen Changan, the father of Boss Shen, heard all of this. Did he, a prominent figure in the tax bureau, want his reputation tarnished in the neighborhood? He realized that his inaction had led to this situation. He glared at Zhang Guilan and yelled, "Isn't this embarrassing enough? Go back inside!"
Zhang Guilan seethed with anger, her teeth clenched as she stared fiercely at Chen Yuan. She wished she could tear open Chen Yuan's mouth, but she knew that her husband valued his reputation above all else. At this point, the discussion had already spread among the neighbors, and the situation seemed to have no end in sight.
Despondently, Shen Changan and Zhang Guilan retreated into the house, closing the door tightly. They began discussing the day's events, their faces filled with grievances and anger. Zhang Guilan expressed her frustration, "This new daughter-in-law is so uncouth. She left without saying a word, taking away all those things. It's a direct slap in the face of our elders. We must retrieve those items, or else we'll have no face left."
As she spoke, Zhang Guilan realized that Shen Changan was not as angry as she had expected. He questioned her, "What more do you want? Isn't this embarrassing enough? You want to make it known to everyone to satisfy yourself?"
Zhang Guilan's face changed. She never anticipated that Shen Changan would react this way. She had given pork to her daughter yesterday to avoid attracting attention, but the other items hadn't been distributed yet. She didn't want those three little bastards to benefit from them.
"You can't just let it go. Can you swallow your pride? Go and see. Comrade Shen Huai brought back all those things, and not a single item is left. Can you bear with it?" Shen Changan continued.
Shen Changan felt that if this matter were to become public, it would be his own reputation on the line. After all, the items were originally intended for his own nephew. He had read the contents of the letter that Shen Huai had brought back, which focused on the well-being of the three children, not even mentioning their parents. And now, without a word, they had disappeared. He didn't inform the family about his marriage or seek his father's opinion. This angered Shen Changan, leading him to avoid meeting his new daughter-in-law.
Realizing that Shen Changan was concerned about his own reputation, Zhang Guilan became flustered. She had always been cautious in her actions, maintaining a harmonious facade. Otherwise, after all these years of being Shen Huai's stepmother, nobody would speak highly of her. But it seemed that Shen Changan's thoughts were already clear. It wasn't because he didn't object, but because he found her actions excessive.
Did he have the right to accuse her of being unfair to those children?
It was Shen Changan's lack of action that had led to this situation. Zhang Guilan prioritized taking care of her own daughter and the child she was carrying, unwilling to invest in those little bastards.
But once news of her mistreatment of the children spread, it would jeopardize Shen Huai's monthly support of 40 yuan, as well as various educational and miscellaneous expenses. This money was essential for their future, and the thought of losing it pained her.
How could the feeble new wife take care of other people's children so diligently? Now she appeared compassionate, righteous, and moral, as if she wanted to replace Zhang Guilan and take care of the children. She pretended to be virtuous, but Zhang Guilan suspected that this act would last only until she conceived her own child, at which point she would grow tired of Dabao, Erbao, and the others and return them to Zhang Guilan without hesitation.
With this perspective, Zhang Guilan believed that Chen Yuan's façade would not last long. The labor fee would remain in her possession, and this new daughter-in-law would inadvertently create her own downfall. It wouldn't be easy for her to establish a virtuous reputation, and Zhang Guilan eagerly anticipated her eventual failure.
Dabao, Erbao, and Niuniu had a momentary scare, causing their palms to sweat. They had thought that their belongings would be taken away and that they would be beaten. Though beatings and scoldings were commonplace for them, nobody wanted to be subjected to them.
While the situation eventually calmed down, Chen Yuan checked and found that the children's happiness indices remained stagnant. Although there was some progress, it quickly diminished after the fright. Ultimately, she could only absorb 2 points of energy.
In the evening, Dabao and Erbao started their homework. Niuniu, now full from her meal, fell asleep on the bed unknowingly. Chen Yuan noticed that it was getting dark outside, and the dim lights in the room were inadequate. She stood up and turned on the lights.
The feeble illumination barely reached their eyes, and even those with good eyesight might struggle to read the words on the page. Chen Yuan suspected that the yearly cost of running this light bulb couldn't keep up with her daily usage.
When Dabao and Erbao saw the sudden light, their pen movements quickened, their pens scratching against the paper with a faint squeaking sound.
Chen Yuan believed that the light from the lamp was too dim. Children who spent long hours reading and writing were prone to developing myopia. In this era, there were no protective desk lamps for the eyes, and even corrective surgeries for myopia were impossible. It was necessary to take precautions. She decided to buy a larger desk lamp and a special reading lamp. Tomorrow, she would visit the mall to see if there were suitable options available.
Before long, Dabao and Erbao finished their homework for the day. The first thing they did was turn off the lights in the living room, leaving only one light on in the small bedroom. They tidied up their books and approached Chen Yuan.
"Auntie, let's go outside to read for a while and come back later."
"Go outside to read? At this late hour?" Chen Yuan, now the sole guardian of the three children, was concerned about their safety. She didn't understand why they had to go outside to read. Was the lighting insufficient inside? But it seemed even darker outside, and she couldn't comprehend their reasoning.
Dabao explained, "The milkman said it consumes electricity, so we'll read outside. The streetlights are bright, and we can use the public lighting without spending any money."
Erbao chimed in, "She also mentioned that the electricity bill is too high, so we should try to save some. Originally, we had large shed lights, but she replaced them with smaller ones to reduce the electricity usage."
"..."
Chen Yuan couldn't fathom the cost of electricity for a light bulb, especially when such a dim light could harm their eyes. Protecting their eyesight should take precedence over wasted electricity expenses.
Besides, Shen Huai's house had various electrical appliances, including a black-and-white TV, a small washing machine, and a radio. While cleaning, Chen Yuan noticed a seal prohibiting their use. Dabao and Erbao explained that Zhang Guilan had placed it there to prevent unnecessary electricity consumption.
In her heart, Chen Yuan scolded Zhang Guilan for her stinginess. She turned on the lights in the living room once again so that Dabao and Erbao could continue reading without worrying about the lighting. Then she rummaged through a box and found a rusty flashlight, an old one with no batteries. However, she discovered that the batteries behind the radio were still functional.
With the flashlight's assistance, Dabao and Erbao could read their books with less strain. They seemed more focused than ever, undisturbed by external factors.
The next day, Erbao's lunchbox broke due to high temperatures, leaving a large crack that rendered it unusable. Chen Yuan wrapped two burritos with shredded potato filling in oil paper for the children to take to school. Although it was a simple meal, consisting of two fried eggs, some vegetable leaves, and a simple soy sauce-based sauce accompanied by crispy shredded potatoes, the children were overjoyed. This kind of delicacy was something they had never experienced before.
When people are deprived of food, they don't care about the taste as long as it staves off hunger. Previously, Dabao, Erbao, and Niuniu had constantly struggled to have enough to eat. But after eating Chen Yuan's meal, they realized that food could be delicious and their perspective on life had shifted.
Chapter 5
The streets in the 1980s didn't look very spacious as there were very few motor vehicles on the roads. Young people rode bicycles to get to work, and horse-drawn carriages pulled goods at the market.
Chen Yuan, a young woman who came from the south and then went to the north, passed the central market back and forth at least twice. Each time, she either looked around or stopped, giving the impression that she was lost.
Chen Yuan had exceptionally keen eyesight. She could accurately assess the contents of every store, shopping mall, and fixed stall. She knew where clothing stores, hardware markets, schools, factories, and government departments were located. She even noticed what the old vegetable seller had in his basket.
Chen Yuan's eyes were sharper than machine scanners. The advanced system she possessed was just one of her many skills. She had a strong desire to understand the information of this world. After all, even though she had settled in the future, it turned out to be far behind her expectations.
Her purpose for going out that day was to shop for her family. The previous owner had brought money from home, totaling 762 yuan and 65 cents. Part of the money belonged to the previous owner herself, but most of it was the dowry money her father had sold cattle to save for, fearing that his daughter would suffer when she went out into the world.
Speaking of which, the previous owner's father had been very kind to her. Despite their family not being wealthy, he had done his best to provide her with the best conditions. He ensured that she received an education, attending health school, and arranged an internship at the county hospital after graduation.
Nursing was a stable and respected profession in those days. If one progressed well, there would be no problems in the future. However, the previous owner didn't want to spend her entire life in a small place. She had a fiancé, Shen Huai, who used to be an educated youth there. After their engagement was broken off, he married her cousin shortly after, and the two of them moved to the big city together.
The previous owner couldn't bear this. How could her cousin have a good life while she stayed in a small place, living a predictable and mundane life? Eventually, she left her job in the county hospital and, with the help of Shen Huai, a deputy regiment-level cadre at the hospital, she managed to secure a position in Wucheng, a city with a population of over 7 million. However, life there was not as good as she had anticipated.
But now, Chen Yuan inhabited this body. She had acquired the freedom and individuality that everyone dreams of. In the future world, intelligent systems like her would be burdened with the fate of serving high-level thinkers. They would be constrained and exploited, forever suppressed by the state. Humans would have control over their life and death. With a special virus implanted in the system, all relevant information would disappear completely. No matter how advanced the artificial intelligence was, it couldn't compare to the simple act of raising a hand. Chen Yuan, now a human being, believed that others would envy her. She used to dream, as a system, of being an ordinary human being for her entire life.
Her first stop was the largest state-owned store, where Chen Yuan headed directly to the small home appliance area on the third floor. She wanted to select a comfortable eye protection lamp for the children. At that time, desk lamps still had a traditional style and did not prioritize eye protection or energy-saving concepts. Most desk lamps had bulbs embedded in bowl-shaped lampshades or rectangular lampshades, while others had delicate safflower glaze, which were typically only purchased for weddings.
A desk lamp with a color temperature of around 4000-5000 would be most suitable for reading without damaging the eyes. The light should fall between two shades of white and yellow. The flickering frequency of the light should be reduced, and stable brightness would prevent the eyes from becoming tired.
"This table lamp is new here, and it is said to be very good. Let me turn it on, and you can take a look," the salesperson in the table lamp area suggested, holding a table lamp in her hand.
Chen Yuan glanced at the lamp and quickly determined that its color temperature was around 7000, which was too bright and did not meet her requirements. She didn't even bother to take a closer look.
As the salesperson was about to leave disappointed, her face turned sour. She had never seen anyone so picky, especially someone who seemed poor. She thought Chen Yuan had spent a long time choosing and still hadn't made a decision. She simply ignored her and turned to attend to other customers.
Just then, an elegant old man in his 60s wearing glasses, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit with a hat on his head, entered the lamp area. The salesperson's eyes lit up. She recognized the old man as a professor at Wucheng University who often came to the stationery area to buy supplies. The reputation of this professor was well-known among the sales staff.
"Professor Lin, choose a table lamp. Our new table lamp is very bright, of the highest quality, and sells the fastest. A good table lamp can last ten or twenty years without any issues. You can't go wrong with the best one," the salesperson eagerly recommended.
The old professor appeared somewhat interested and took a closer look at the model she was suggesting. After testing it, he found the strong light emitted from the lampshade to be a little dazzling. He remarked, "It's a little too bright."
Anxiously, the salesperson exclaimed, "Too bright? Who would choose a lamp that's not bright? How can you see things clearly with dim lighting? Your eyes will only get more tired with a dim light."
At that moment, Chen Yuan finally found one among the many table lamps that almost met her requirements. She made a rough judgment based on the power printed on the base and its appearance.
"Can you turn on this lamp for me to test?" Chen Yuan asked, confident in her selection.
Seeing Chen Yuan choose a different lamp, the salesperson's face contorted. However, she reluctantly proceeded to wrap it up for her. The old professor, intrigued by Chen Yuan's choice, decided to follow suit.
Unimpressed, the salesperson muttered to herself, "You're both so particular. It's not bright enough for you, but it's much better than that one. Anyway, it's your decision."
Chen Yuan shook her head, confident in her choice. She paid for the lamp and left, followed by the old professor who had also made his purchase. Chen Yuan then headed to the stationery area and bought numerous school supplies and insulated lunch boxes for Dabao, Erbao, and Niuniu. Strangely enough, she noticed that the old professor had bought the exact same items as her.
Before returning home, Chen Yuan visited the farmer's market to buy pork bones with meat tickets. She purchased baby spinach from the vegetable stall and bought a pound of milk from a milk vendor she encountered. She also visited the hardware store to buy a higher wattage lamp, as well as cleaning tools that were missing at home. She replenished their pots and pans as well.
As Chen Yuan arrived home on a tricycle, she coincidentally saw Zhang Guilan standing by the gate. Zhang Guilan wore an unpleasant expression and quickly entered the house upon seeing Chen Yuan return by vehicle.
Inside the house, Chen Yuan found Niuniu still engrossed in watching a dusty black-and-white TV. When Niuniu saw her second aunt enter, she immediately ran over and greeted her.
"Are you hungry, Niuniu?" Chen Yuan asked.
Niuniu patted her belly and replied, "If you're full, then I'm not hungry."
Satisfied with the response, Chen Yuan said, "Play by yourself, Niuniu. Auntie needs to do some housework."
Niuniu agreed and continued watching the cartoons playing on the TV with great delight. Occasionally, she would burst into laughter, and symbols like [+1] and [+1] appeared above her head.
After an afternoon of cleaning, the house sparkled with freshness. The windows were wiped crystal clear, and items were neatly organized according to their functions. Daily necessities were placed in easily accessible positions, making them convenient to use.
As school was about to let out in the afternoon, Chen Yuan heard angry voices outside Shen Huai's house. Someone was shouting, "The woman who hit our children, come out and give us an explanation for today's incident!"