Chapter 93: The Control Group for the Farm Family’s Lucky Baby 3

Mother Ren bought a great deal of supplies at the market, including over a dozen baby chicks. Ren Xin carried the chirping chicks on her back, huffing and puffing as she followed Mother Ren home.

“Mother, did you forget that you didn’t buy any fabric for me?”

“I didn’t forget. I plan to send you to learn embroidery, so it’s better to buy ready-made clothes to look presentable. Although Qingmei’s mother is annoying, she was right about one thing: a woman should have a craft to support herself. That way, you can hold your head high in your husband’s house after you marry.”

Ren Xin disagreed. “I don’t want to learn that. I just want to feed the pigs.”

Mother Ren completely ignored her refusal. “It’s settled then. I’ll take you to find a master tomorrow.”

Ren Xin: “…” Mother, how about listening to what I actually want for once?

Mother Ren’s expression said it all: Message seen, no reply!

“Book Spirit Number One, open the gift pack for me. Let’s see if there’s anything that can save this ginseng’s life.”

【Congratulations to the host for obtaining the reward: Top-tier Color Coordination Concepts.】

“Host, look! The reward gave you another brain! Your system is truly excellent, isn’t it?”

“…”

Her life wasn’t saved; if anything, she was being escorted to her execution!

Ren Xin was officially relieved of her duties as a swineherd, and her replacement was Father Ren. He said with a beaming smile, “Daughter, you just focus on your studies. When the time comes, I’ll take the pouches you embroider and hang them on the pigs so everyone can have a good look.”

“Aren’t you considering wearing one yourself?”

Father Ren politely declined. “I am the proprietor of a pork stall, after all. I can’t afford to lose face like that.”

Ren Xin: “…”

Learning embroidery was a difficult and tedious affair. First, she had to learn how to separate the silk threads. Ren Xin had the foundational skills, but she lacked patience. Even when she received praise from the master, she wasn’t particularly excited. However, the female lead, Zhang Qingmei, who sat beside her, was highly competitive.

Feeling that she had been outshone by Ren Xin, Zhang Qingmei was indignant. She practiced incessantly, vowing to surpass Ren Xin.

Ren Xin carried the heavy aura of a weary corporate slave; her entire ginseng soul felt drained and listless. She was the polar opposite of the energized Zhang Qingmei, who looked like she had been injected with adrenaline.

When classes ended and it was time to go home, Zhang Qingmei made a show of inviting Ren Xin to walk with her. “I’m going to find my brothers. You go ahead, I don’t want to walk with you.”

Zhang Qingmei feigned regret. “Alright then. You should be careful on your own. Don’t forget to practice the techniques we learned today when you get home. I see you don’t work hard at all once you leave, and I’m truly worried for you.”

Ren Xin shot back dismissively, “You sure have a lot of free time. If you’re really that worried, come over to my house and muck out the pigpens.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Exactly. Whether I practice or not, what does it have to do with you? You must have eaten too much salt¹ to be this salty and meddlesome.” After Ren Xin finished speaking, she turned on her heel and strutted away.

She left Zhang Qingmei behind, stomping her feet in rage.

“Big Brother, Second Brother! Look who’s come to see you.” Her two brothers took after Father Ren; both were big and burly. According to Mother Ren, Ren Xin took after her grandmother, who had been a renowned beauty for miles around.

Ren Xin looked at her current “small potato” appearance and didn’t see anything that could be called beautiful.

“Little Sister, why are you here? We were just discussing taking turns to have a break so we could head home and visit. Also, take this. I saw the girls in town wearing hairpins like this and thought it looked quite pretty, so I bought one for you. And your Second Brother prepared some snacks for you; take them home to eat…”

After she returned home with the gifts, Mother Ren said somewhat jealously, “You only think of your sister and not your old mother. It seems I’ve raised these sons for nothing.”

Ren Xin nodded in agreement. “Raised for nothing.”

Mother Ren shot Ren Xin a look, amused by her ungrateful comment. She laughed and scolded, “You only know how to bully your brothers. Before it gets dark, go practice your needlework. I’m telling you, if you let that annoying girl next door beat you, don’t expect to eat any of the pork during the New Year².”

That wouldn’t do. The pigs she raised herself had to be eaten by her to count as a proper return on investment!

Ren Xin didn’t go back to her room. Instead, she boiled the pig feed as usual, fed the pigs and the chickens, and then followed behind Mother Ren to help with dinner.

How could a ginseng be this virtuous and hardworking?

“Host, it’s time to take the water in your brain³ and use it to water the ‘Bitchy Tree’ in your heart.”

Translator’s Notes