Volume 1, Chapter 4: The Life Growth System

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Send Ye Ling back?
Not to mention that Ye Ling, who was still nursing, knew nothing of their plan.
Liu Qiaohui was also clear-headed.
However, for some reason, from the very first moment she saw Ye Ling, she had taken a liking to her and would never consider sending her away again.
“Sister-in-law, I’ve definitely decided to raise this child!”
Her voice sounded soft but carried an unshakable resolve.
Seeing Liu Qiaohui like this, Li Gai’e didn’t know what to say. She kept one eye on Ye Ling and the other on the milk bottle in her hand. Though she had initially held back, she couldn’t help but speak: “Hey! Liu family girl, it’s just your kindness. If it were someone else, they’d surely have abandoned the child by now. But you, without a man, living in these times, it’s already a hardship, and with this child still needing milk, you...”
Liu Qiaohui knew this was her greatest worry!
But how could a three-month-old baby survive without milk?
“Sister-in-law, can your goat’s milk still...”
Embarrassment was written all over Liu Qiaohui’s face. In these hard times, food was more precious than anything else; she really shouldn’t have asked.
Li Gai’e’s face showed no displeasure, but there was a hint of embarrassment: “Liu family girl, no matter what, this is a child’s life. It’s only right that I give you some of the goat’s milk. But you know our situation—there’s barely any grain, and all year long we trade this goat’s milk for a bit more grain. If it lasts just a meal or two, I can manage to help, but if it goes on too long, I...”
“Sister-in-law, I’m sorry. I was just asking casually. I’m already very grateful you’re helping me!”
Liu Qiaohui spoke honestly.
But Li Gai’e, perhaps moved by this apology, couldn’t help adding: “Liu family girl, it’s actually not that hard to find milk for this child. I heard there are wild goats up in the mountain. People from nearby villages go up to catch wild goats, and some even bring them back to feed their babies. Maybe you should try that!”
Wild goats!
Wild goat’s milk!
Liu Qiaohui understood this might be the only way to secure milk.
After a bottle of goat’s milk, Ye Ling felt a satisfaction she had never known deep in her heart. Just as she was placed on the bed by Liu Qiaohui and was beginning to drift off, a loud noise suddenly echoed inside her mind, startling her awake.
Congratulations, host, you have activated the Life Growth System...
As long as the host grows, rewards will be granted.
Current growth target: drink 300 bottles of milk.
Ye Ling felt her little head suddenly swell twice its size.
Life Growth System?
What on earth was that?
Rewards?
What kind of rewards?
Growth target: drink 300 bottles of milk!
Heavens above!

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Just being able to drink this bottle of goat’s milk today had already cost her this mother half her life.
But 300 bottles!
Wasn’t that asking too much?
Ye Ling didn’t know if she could complete this task, but in front of her little eyes, a string of numbers appeared solidly.
Completed: 1/300
In the village, every household with an oil lamp lit was talking about Liu Qiaohui taking in a child.
How long the gossip lasted, no one knew.
But at the Shen Cuilan family, who lived next door to Liu Qiaohui, their oil lamp burned the entire night.
“Mother! I’m telling you, this is no joke. That child is sinister. What if one day it brings misfortune to our Liu family? Who would we complain to? Your eldest grandson is still young. If he dies because of a child who isn’t even related to us, wouldn’t that be unfair?”
The oil lamp flickered, its light casting shadows on Shen Cuilan’s face and also on a deeply wrinkled face.
Though this person looked unkempt, her eyes were sharp and shrewd.
This woman was none other than Liu Qiaohui’s mother-in-law, the matriarch Jia Zhang.
For some reason, all her attention was fixed solely on her eldest son. She never cared about the second son. When her second son died, it was said the old lady was still sleeping soundly in bed, never waking even when the son was laid to rest.
Though she visited the second son’s family later, there was no sorrow in her words, only talk about the house’s ownership with Liu Qiaohui, her second daughter-in-law.
If the second daughter-in-law hadn’t produced the property deed, the whole yard would have been cursed as the old lady’s, and it might have been lost on the day of the burial.
The old lady’s eyes rolled cunningly.
“Mother, I’ve told you so much. Did you hear me?”
“I heard, I heard. That child can’t stay. Tomorrow I’ll have someone throw it away. But, Mother thinks differently from you, eldest daughter-in-law. You said the whole village pitied the second daughter-in-law before, and we couldn’t get the house. Now with that child, do you think things might be easier?”
As soon as the old lady finished, Shen Cuilan’s eyes lit up immediately.
“That’s right! Mother! We can’t just throw the child away tomorrow; we should use this opportunity to take the second son’s house. Mother, you’re really clever; your daughter-in-law doesn’t have your skills.”
A cup of hot water was respectfully handed to the old lady. The four eyes narrowed into lines as they openly planned the next day’s scheme, their confidence unmistakable.
The next day.
When Ye Ling opened her eyes, soft sunlight was strewn across her face. Nearby, her older brother was sniffling and looking at her, occasionally smiling.
But she couldn’t bear the dirtiness of her brother and burst into tears again.
Liu Qiaohui’s feet moved swiftly like wind and fire as she hurried inside. “Oh dear! Oh dear! Don’t cry, my girl, don’t cry!”
Staggering, Ye Ling felt dizzy. Now she had every reason to suspect that the babies swaying in their mothers’ arms weren’t asleep at all, but had been shaken unconscious.

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“Be a good girl. While you and your brother are here, I’ll go up the mountain to find a wild goat. That way, you’ll have milk to drink!”
Milk!
The mere mention made Ye Ling’s stomach growl again. She watched as Liu Qiaohui gently laid her on the bed, wrapping her snugly in many layers, making sure she wouldn’t move or fall, and also ensuring her dirty brother wouldn’t accidentally hurt her. Then, with a rope in hand, Liu Qiaohui left the courtyard, closing the door with a thud.
Unexpectedly, no sooner had Liu Qiaohui left than Shen Cuilan slammed open the door.
Striding in without a glance at Liu Qiaohui’s absence, she shot a glare at the filthy little figure and scooped Ye Ling up from the bed, heading out.
Ye Ling was no fool; she knew that going with this woman would mean no good.
So she cried out fiercely.
But as soon as she made a sound, Shen Cuilan’s large hands covered her mouth tightly, preventing any noise. Ye Ling felt as if she was suffocating.
“You little wretch, why are you crying? I’m going to throw you to the dogs down the mountain, you unlucky thing!”
“Liu family girl, are you home? I’ve brought you another bottle of milk today. Let the child drink first. I guess the baby must be very hungry now!”
Before Li Gai’e even stepped through the door, her voice rang clearly inside. She hadn’t expected to see Shen Cuilan, and Shen Cuilan hadn’t expected to see her either.
The two women, already at odds, exchanged a sharp glance before Li Gai’e snapped, “What are you doing here?”
“Oh dear, this is my Liu family territory after all. I should be asking you that—what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to bring milk for the child!”
Ye Ling was tucked into a small basket with a cloth covering it, her little mouth firmly covered so she couldn’t make a sound.
“Hah! Bringing milk to that sinister child—be careful she doesn’t bring you bad luck!”
Li Gai’e ignored her, stepping inside like shunning a plague.
Shen Cuilan sneered coldly and strode out.
But Ye Ling knew that with every step Shen Cuilan took away, her own fate grew more uncertain. What could she do?
What could she do?
She was being carried closer and closer to the doorway!
Three meters...
Two meters...
One meter...
Damn it! Shen Cuilan’s heavy foot was about to cross the threshold. If she delayed any longer, Ye Ling would be taken away by her...