B5SB -Chapter 40 Returning Home

When Gu Yihan stood in front of her own home, Maomao seemed to sense her presence, happily barking toward the gate from inside the yard.

As soon as she opened the door, Maomao wagged his tail excitedly and ran toward her, rubbing his body against her calves. Gu Yihan reached down and patted his head.

She glanced at Maomao’s bowl and noticed it was empty. “You must be starving. I’ll make you something to eat in a bit.”

Gu Yihan went back to her bedroom. Because the space had been upgraded, she wanted to see if her body could enter it—but after trying for a while, she still couldn’t.

Really?

She took a fruit and a small half-bowl of water from the space, intending to test if it was poisonous by offering it to the chickens.

Maomao’s sense of smell was sharp. As soon as Gu Yihan took out the fruit, he seized the opportunity and snatched it before she could react.

“Ah, Maomao! That could’ve poisoned you! How can you eat anything like that? What if it kills you?”

Gu Yihan held Maomao’s mouth to make him spit it out. When she pried it open, the fruit was gone.

There was nothing she could do, so she watched him all morning. Maomao was still lively and jumping around, proving it wasn’t poisonous.

Seeing he was fine, Gu Yihan playfully smacked his head.

“I told you not to eat random stuff strangers give you, understand?” she warned, tugging his ear.

Maomao, thinking his owner was playing, obediently lay on the ground, belly up, following her strength.

This made her laugh. “Silly dog.”

She had raised Maomao for half a year and had watched him grow little by little. He was now about the size of an adult dog.

With no shortage of food, his fur was smooth and glossy.

Gu Yihan mixed the remaining half-bowl of water with the chickens’ bran feed, poured it into the chicken trough, and collected the eggs from the coop.

Thanks to these few chickens, they laid eggs daily. Since then, she hadn’t eaten eggs from the space—home-raised chicken eggs were more nutritious.

“Mom! Mom! Don’t hit me! It was an accident!” suddenly, a piercing cry frightened Gu Yihan, nearly causing her to drop an egg.

The sound came from the neighbor’s house on the right.

“I told you not to be careless! You useless brat who only spends money and earns nothing, I’ll beat you to death, you debt collector!” a loud woman’s voice bellowed.

Although Gu Yihan didn’t see what was being used to hit her, she could hear the sound of a heavy object striking someone’s body.

“Ah, ah, stop hitting me! Mom, I’ll never do it again! I’ll be careful washing the dishes from now on!”

“Bang, bang, bang!” The sound of blows made Gu Yihan wince just listening.

Cautiously, she stepped outside, with Maomao following closely behind.

“Xiao Han, you’re home? Haven’t seen you for days,” Aunt Wu said, sitting on a bench at her doorway, smiling and waving.

As Gu Yihan approached, Aunt Wu whispered, “Your neighbor on the right is beating Lin Fang again.”

“You just moved here, so you don’t know their family situation. That woman from the Lin family had a difficult childbirth when giving birth to Lin Fang—it took a whole day and night, leaving her injured.”

“And now she blames Lin Fang for it. That girl just got into high school this year, but they’re refusing to let her attend.”

Aunt Wu sighed. “Poor child… I heard she’s quite bright.”

“This alley is always full of drama because of that family. Lin Shan is a level-eight worker and even connected with the director of the steel factory, which is why they got this private compound.”

“Their eldest daughter got involved with the steel factory’s son even before being engaged.”

Gu Yihan didn’t comment. Without her grandmother, she might not even compare to Lin Fang.

This was also why she sent remittances every month—regardless of whether her grandmother had ulterior motives, Gu Yihan was grateful.

“Is it because they favor boys?” Gu Yihan asked, puzzled.

Aunt Wu’s eyes were full of disdain. “Favor boys? Not at all. Their eldest daughter, Lin Xiaofen, is treated well. Lin Fang just happens to be a girl, and giving birth to her was a misfortune for the mother.”

“When her mother-in-law found out she had a girl, she almost ate her up—blaming all her misfortune on Lin Fang.”

“Lin Fang’s grandmother isn’t kind either. If Lin Fang’s mother hadn’t given birth to Lin Baoning, who knows how that madwoman would have acted?”

After absorbing all this, Gu Yihan said goodbye to Aunt Wu and went back home.

Early the next morning, Gu Yihan fed Maomao and the chickens, seeing that the chickens were lively. She also confirmed the water from the space was safe to drink.

She cooked a pot of porridge with the space’s water, drinking half herself and letting Maomao have the other half.

After finishing, she picked up her keys and headed out—the day’s plan was to go to school and find Teacher Shen.

Maomao, seeing her about to leave, hurried in front of her. “Maomao, stay at home. I’ll be back soon.”

Gu Yihan noticed Maomao had grown smarter. He drooped his ears as if pretending not to hear, standing outside with his back to her.

With no other choice, Gu Yihan grabbed Maomao’s ear. “We’re taking the tram. Dogs aren’t allowed, so go home now. Next time, I’ll take you along.”

Maomao waddled his chubby little behind back home, letting out a whimper, clearly displeased.

Gu Yihan was surprised—had he really understood her? She had never trained him. Was it natural intelligence, or the fruit he had eaten?

No time to think. She hurried to school.

As she locked the door and turned, she saw two girls from the Lin family walking out. One wore a pretty blue dress.

The other was small and thin, dressed in patched indigo homespun clothes.

Aunt Wu had told her Lin Fang was sixteen, but this girl looked no older than thirteen.

“Big sister, why did you tell Mom not to let me go to school?” Lin Fang grabbed her sister’s clothes, questioning her.

Lin Xiaofen slapped her hand away. “Take your rough hands off me. Don’t scratch my clothes.”

Hearing this, Lin Fang curled her fingers inwards, tears brimming in her eyes.

“Big sister, please tell Mom to let me go to school, okay?” she pleaded humbly.

Lin Xiaofen enjoyed seeing Lin Fang beg. “Why study so much as a girl? Look at me—I didn’t go to high school and work at the supply and marketing office, and it’s fine.”

“I even found you a job as a foot masseuse in the men’s bathhouse. Most people can’t even get that job!”

“I won’t go! I want to study!” Lin Fang cried and ran out of the alley.

Lin Xiaofen glanced at Gu Yihan standing nearby. Upon seeing her face, jealousy flickered in her eyes. “Eavesdropping, how well-mannered.”

“Your family’s influence is really something. Did you build this road, or do passersby need your permission to walk on it?” Gu Yihan shot back, refusing to tolerate her.