In her previous life, Tang Chunlan's days had been much the same as they were now.
She had been constantly bullied by Tang Yulan, deliberately humiliated and embarrassed in front of others whenever the opportunity arose. Yet Tang Chunlan had never been weak-hearted. She endured everything in silence, swallowing every grievance without complaint.
Because within her heart, she carried dreams far greater than the narrow cruelty of the Tang household.
Tang Chunlan often spoke about the future.
One day, she said, she would become a university student.
One day, she would take her mother far away from Taonan County, far from the suffocating shadows of the Tang family.
Whenever she spoke of the future, her voice would become lively with excitement.
She would talk endlessly about Beijing and Shanghai, those distant cities that seemed to shine like lanterns in the darkness of her life. She imagined wide streets, grand universities, and a life where she and her mother could finally breathe freely.
Whenever she spoke of those dreams, her eyes would sparkle with hope.
Hope of escaping.
Hope of breaking free from the Tang family's iron grip.
But in Li Shuying's previous life, those dreams had remained nothing more than dreams.
As early as their second year of school, Tang Yulan had already begun pressuring Tang Chunlan to drop out.
The threats came again and again.
Bullying, beatings, insults, humiliation in front of classmates—Tang Chunlan endured them all.
Yet she remained stubbornly resolute.
She believed that if she could only hold on for a few more years… everything would change.
But fate had never been kind to the desperate.
The following year, a great famine swept across the land.
Food shortages became a national crisis.
In those harsh years, suffering spared no one. Even cadres holding important positions in large factories struggled to obtain enough grain.
Under such circumstances, Tang Chunlan and her mother—who were already living on the margins—fell into even deeper hardship.
Tang Chunlan's mother worked in the Steel Factory as a permanent worker, responsible for cleaning and general labor.
Their survival depended almost entirely on the state-issued ration grain allocated through the factory.
But during the famine, the Tang family shamelessly seized control of their ration tickets.
What little food remained was taken away.
Mother and daughter were left to survive on almost nothing.
In the midst of those bleak years, Tang Chunlan's mother grew increasingly weak.
Months of hunger had drained her strength.
Her cheeks had hollowed, her body thinning until she resembled a fragile reed battered by winter winds.
At one point, in utter desperation, she even attempted to become an "earth-eater"—one of those starving souls who dug up clay and soil to fill their stomachs.
Tang Chunlan discovered her just in time and stopped her.
But hunger is a relentless enemy.
In the end, her mother's frail body could endure no longer.
One silent night, without a sound, she passed away.
Meanwhile, Li Shuying's own life during that time had already descended into hell.
Her father had been executed more than half a year earlier.
Soon after, her elder brother Li Jianhua disappeared while traveling to Beijing in search of work.
The weight of misfortune crushed her family from every direction.
During that period, Li Shuying had been traveling with her younger brothers, Li Jianmin and Li Jianguo, desperately searching for Li Jianhua.
Because of that, she knew nothing about the tragedy unfolding in Tang Chunlan's life.
It was only later, when the two girls finally met again, that Li Shuying learned the truth.
When Tang Chunlan spoke of her mother's death, the composure she had maintained for so long finally shattered.
The two girls had collapsed into each other's arms, weeping bitterly.
In those dark years of famine and despair, they had become each other's only support.
Two drifting leaves clinging together in a storm.
Later still, when Li Jianguo fell into the trap set by Zhao Hongmei, Tang Chunlan had done everything in her power to help him.
She ran everywhere seeking help, pleading with people who had neither the will nor the courage to intervene.
But fate was merciless to them all.
In the end, nothing could be changed.
And if Li Shuying's memories were correct…
Some months later, Tang Chunlan had quietly walked to the river outside the county.
Without leaving a word behind, she had stepped into the cold water and ended her life.
No one ever discovered the true reason.
Perhaps it was despair.
Perhaps exhaustion.
Or perhaps the weight of too many broken dreams.
But one thing Li Shuying could never deny—
Even while carrying such unbearable burdens herself, Tang Chunlan had always stood beside her with unwavering sincerity.
She had offered support without hesitation.
Without conditions.
Without asking for anything in return.
In this life…
Li Shuying would not allow that tragedy to repeat itself.
Tang Chunlan's fate must change.
And the first step toward changing that fate…
Was to free both Tang Chunlan and her mother from the suffocating control of Tang Yulan's family.
Li Shuying lowered her gaze.
Her eyes settled upon the old aluminum lunch box resting quietly on the desk.
A soft sigh escaped her lips.
If she wished to truly help Tang Chunlan…
Then first—
She needed to give the girl something she had never possessed before.
A sense of security.
Only then would Tang Chunlan believe in her.
Only then would she finally open her heart and confide to her.
Meanwhile, not far away at Taonan County High School, the lunch bell had just rung.
The quiet discipline of the morning classes dissolved at once as students poured out of the classrooms in waves, their chatter filling the corridors.
Among the crowd were the three Li brothers.
Having finished their morning classes, Li Jianhua, Li Jianmin, and Li Jianguo made their way toward the school canteen together.
The moment they stepped inside, a rich aroma greeted them.
Steam rose from the serving windows where cooks ladled out bowls of food, and the fragrance of sorghum rice, pickled vegetables, and soybean stew filled the air.
Li Jianmin's eyes lit up immediately.
He sniffed the air exaggeratedly and said happily,
"Elder Brother, Second Brother—do you smell that?"
He inhaled deeply again, his stomach already rumbling.
"It's so fragrant! It smells even better than the food from the commune canteen back in the village."
Li Jianguo smiled faintly.
"That's true."
He glanced toward the serving counters, where large metal pots steamed steadily.
"Just smelling it makes me even hungrier."
He chuckled softly.
"Let's hope it tastes as good as it smells."
Li Jianmin nodded eagerly.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked,
"Do you think the food at the middle school canteen is as good as this?"
His thoughts quickly turned elsewhere.
"What do you think Little Shuying is eating right now?"
As they talked, the three brothers joined the queue forming in front of the serving window.
The line moved slowly, students shuffling forward one step at a time.
But after standing there for a moment, Li Jianhua's brows gradually furrowed.
He glanced around the canteen with a puzzled expression.
"Something feels strange."
Li Jianmin turned his head.
"What do you mean, Elder Brother?"
Li Jianhua gestured subtly toward the students around them.
"Why is everyone carrying their own boxes?"
The two younger brothers followed his gaze.
Only then did they notice it.
Every student in the queue was holding a round aluminum lunch box in their hands. Some had the lids tied with cloth strips, others carried them in worn canvas bags.
For a moment, both Li Jianmin and Li Jianguo stared blankly.
Then suddenly—
Li Jianguo slapped his forehead.
"Ah! How could I forget?"
He looked slightly embarrassed.
"To eat at the school canteen, you have to bring your own lunch box!"
Li Jianhua blinked in realization.
"That means…"
He spoke slowly.
"We need to buy lunch boxes first before we can even eat here?"
Li Jianmin nodded helplessly.
"That's right."
But Li Jianguo's expression quickly turned troubled.
He lowered his voice.
"But an aluminum lunch box costs one yuan and five jiao, and you also need an industrial coupon to buy it from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative."
He did a quick calculation in his head.
"If we buy one for each of us… that would be six yuan in total."
The moment those words were spoken, the brothers fell silent.
Six yuan.
That was not a small amount.
Li Jianguo sighed softly.
"After buying all the supplies yesterday, we don't have any money left."
Li Jianhua's expression darkened slightly.
He also fell into deep thought.
After all, they had already paid their school canteen deposits.
The money their father had given them for the month was already stretched thin.
If they wanted to buy lunch boxes now, they would have to wait until next month's allowance arrived.
But until then…
How were they supposed to eat in the canteen?
Just as the three brothers stood there silently, a loud burst of laughter suddenly rang out behind them.
"Hahaha!"
The laughter was crude and exaggerated, completely out of place in the orderly canteen.
The brothers turned around instinctively.
Standing a short distance away was a familiar figure.
It was Li Guofu.
He stood there with his hands on his round belly, laughing so hard that his shoulders shook. His face was flushed with amusement, as though he had just heard the most entertaining joke in the world.
Li Jianmin frowned slightly.
In the past, he would have felt uneasy whenever this uncle appeared.
But now…
For some reason, that fear had faded.
Perhaps it was because he had witnessed his little sister Li Shuying beating this man soundly.
Thinking of that scene, Li Jianmin's confidence rose unconsciously.
He stepped forward and asked,
"Uncle Guofu, what's wrong with you?"
His tone was no longer timid.
Instead, it carried a hint of firmness.
Li Guofu finally stopped laughing.
He wiped the corner of his eye dramatically, then snorted.
"I just overheard you brats talking."
His eyes swept over the three brothers mockingly.
"So you're poor again?"
He clicked his tongue loudly.
"Tch, tch… spent all your money on supplies yesterday and now you're penniless again?"
He shook his head with exaggerated pity.
"There's an old saying—"
He leaned forward slightly, his grin full of malice.
"Poor ghosts stay poor for three generations; mud can't be molded into a golden statue."
He sneered.
"Some people are just born with the fate of beggars.Throw them a few coins and they'll still end up hungry the next day."
Then he folded his arms and looked at them with open ridicule.
"What's the matter? No lunch boxes, so you can't even eat at the canteen?"
His eyes glinted with schadenfreude.
"Serves you right."
Li Jianguo's temper flared instantly.
"Uncle Guofu," he said sharply, his voice no longer carrying the timid tone it once had, "just because we respect you as an elder doesn't mean you can trample over us."
He straightened his back.
"So what if we don't have lunch boxes today? We can always buy them later."
Beside him, Li Jianmin also spoke up, his eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Exactly. We'll buy them sooner or later."
Then his gaze fell deliberately upon the aluminum lunch box in Li Guofu's hand. A mocking smile slowly crept onto his face.
"But look at you, Uncle Guofu. You have a lunch box, sure enough."
He sneered lightly.
"But what's the use of it?"
"For years you've been living off the allowance money my father sent."
His tone grew colder.
"Now that we've taken that money back, how exactly do you plan to pay for your meals next month?"
Li Jianmin folded his arms and tilted his head slightly.
"I doubt anyone else will hand money over to you to deposit."
He glanced at the canteen counter where food was being served.
"So I suggest you stop wasting time mocking us and go enjoy your lunch."
His smile turned sharp.
"After all… this might be one of the last few meals you'll ever eat in the school canteen."
"You—!"
Li Guofu's face flushed red with anger.
He ground his teeth together, his thick brows twisting into a fierce scowl.
"I see," he spat. "So you little brats have grown wings now?"
He jabbed a finger toward them.
"Just because that little bitch beat me once, you think you can talk to me however you like?"
He let out a cold snort.
"Fine. Let's see how long you can keep up this tough act."
Li Jianhua immediately stepped forward, his expression turning serious.
"What do you mean by that?"
His eyes narrowed dangerously.
"What exactly are you planning to do?"
Then his voice dropped into a low, threatening tone.
"Li Guofu… if you dare cause trouble for my little sister, I swear I'll make you suffer far worse than what she did to you."
Li Guofu burst out laughing in disdain.
"You're threatening me?"
He pointed at himself with exaggerated disbelief.
"Did you forget who I am?"
His face twisted into a mocking grin.
"And just because you say I shouldn't touch that little bitch, I'm supposed to listen? Who do you think you are?"
Before Li Jianhua could respond, Li Jianmin stepped forward angrily.
"Do you think this is still the old days when ruffians like you could run rampant?"
His voice rose sharply.
"We're not afraid of you anymore."
He leaned closer and spoke word by word.
"If you try anything, let me warn you now—the matter won't stay within the production brigade. We'll report it directly to the Public Security Bureau."
The words struck Li Guofu like a hammer.
For a brief moment, his legs actually went weak.
After all, he spent his days loitering with hooligans and petty troublemakers. How could he not understand the authority of the Public Security officers?
They still committed their shady dealings, yes—but always in the shadows.
Because once the Public Security Bureau intervened, things rarely ended well.
Seeing the sudden hesitation in his eyes, Li Jianguo smirked faintly.
"So now you understand the consequences, right?"
He gestured toward the queue.
"Then stop blocking our path."
Li Guofu's humiliation instantly turned into burning rage.
His face darkened as he glared viciously at the three brothers.
"You think I'll let you off just because of a threat?"
He spat on the ground.
"Dream on."
With that, he turned abruptly and strode away, his shoulders stiff with fury.
The moment he left, Li Jianmin and Li Jianguo could no longer hold back.
They burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Their laughter echoed through the canteen.
To Li Guofu's ears, it sounded like open mockery.
His fists clenched tightly.
In that moment, he felt an overwhelming urge to strangle those little bastards.
But he could only swallow the anger boiling inside him.
Because only he knew the miserable situation he had been facing lately.
Ever since his mother lost control of Li Guoqiang's allowance money, her position within the Li household had quietly collapsed.
On the surface, nothing seemed different.
But Li Guofu could clearly feel it.
Sun Guifeng, who used to keep her head lowered before his mother, had begun openly opposing her.
Even the way she spoke to him had changed—cold, dismissive, as if he and his mother were no longer worth acknowledging.
In that household, their status had fallen sharply.
And the source of all this humiliation…
Was none other than Li Shuying.
Li Guofu hated her to the bone.
Being beaten by that girl had already destroyed what little face he had left.
Yet he could do nothing about it.
He wanted revenge.
But he has no authority to summon gang.
Nor did he have money to lure them into helping him.
Without money, even those so-called brothers would not lift a finger for him.
So he had no choice but to swallow his anger.
And now—
Even these three little brats, who used to scatter like frightened rabbits at the sight of him, were openly mocking and threatening him.
The humiliation gnawed at his heart like a rat chewing through grain sacks.
Grinding his teeth in frustration, Li Guofu returned to the classroom and slumped into his seat.
In the past, he would never have wasted time attending lessons.
He would have skipped class long ago to wander around town with his group of friends.
But now, with no money in his pocket, he couldn't even afford to join them.
So he spent the entire afternoon sitting in class, gnawing on his fingers in irritation while his mind churned endlessly.
Yet no matter how much he thought about it…
He couldn't come up with a way to get his revenge.
When the final bell rang and students began leaving the school grounds, Li Guofu was still without a plan.
But one thing was certain.
He had to take revenge.
Otherwise the anger festering in his chest would drive him mad.
More importantly…
He needed to see fear return to those bastards' eyes.
Only then would his dignity be restored.
With that thought, he grabbed his worn cotton cloth bag and walked out of the classroom.
The late afternoon sun had begun to sink behind the school buildings as students streamed through the front gate in clusters.
Li Guofu had just stepped outside the gate when suddenly—
A voice sounded from behind him.
Calm.
Low.
"We need to talk."