The Fang Mother and Daughter

"Here, Xiaoting, have some braised ribs." Fang Qin, with a cheerful smile, placed a piece of charred rib in Shen Ting's bowl. Seeing her expression change, she waved her chopsticks and promoted the dish, "Don't be fooled by the color—it tastes amazing."

Under Fang Qin's bright gaze, Shen Ting steeled herself and took a bite. Instantly, her taste buds were assaulted, and her facial muscles froze. Was this really food made by human hands?

"Pfft!" Fang Kelu, who hadn't touched a single dish since sitting down, couldn't suppress her laughter, the schadenfreude in her eyes impossible to ignore.

A trace of embarrassment crossed Fang Qin's face. She had still harbored a glimmer of hope in the kitchen—her cooking wasn't terrible, she simply hadn't found someone who appreciated it.

But now, it seemed clear: her cooking was indeed terrible, beyond any excuse or redemption.

"Aunt Fang, if you don't mind, how about I take over the cooking from now on?" Shen Ting suggested, after spitting out the rib and looking up at Fang Qin.

Having a second chance at life, she valued it greatly, and such disastrous cooking could be lethal.

Fang Qin rejected her without a second thought. "You're so young, how could you know how to cook? At worst, we can just order takeout from now on."

Takeout was expensive and unsanitary, far worse than home-cooked meals, but Shen Ting didn't say this aloud. Instead, she picked up her bowl and stood. "I'll make some fried rice. Aunt Fang, you can try it and see how it tastes."

Just as Fang Qin was about to stop her, her daughter nudged her leg under the table. Fang Kelu rolled her eyes at her mother. "Your cooking is awful, and you won't even let someone else try? Just sit back."

Fang Kelu had suffered enough from her mother's culinary experiments. If Shen Ting could actually cook well, that would be a blessing.

Shen Ting made a large pot of fried rice, filling three bowls to the brim. She served Fang Qin and Fang Kelu first, and by the time she returned from the kitchen, they had already eaten a third of their portions.

They weren't exactly devouring the food, but the expressions on their faces told Shen Ting her cooking had hit the mark.

"Xiaoting, your cooking is excellent," Fang Qin said, patting her stomach with satisfaction after the meal. "I'll refund you the 50 yuan, and from now on, all our meals are in your hands."

Shen Ting didn't refuse. She urgently needed money; the high school tuition fees were a looming problem. Although there was a summer break after the entrance exams, she wasn't confident she could scrape together the amount in just two months.

After dinner, Fang Qin went to wash the dishes, and Shen Ting was wondering how to strike up a conversation with Fang Kelu when Fang Kelu approached her, expressing a desire to chat.

The two went up to the rooftop of the house and sat down by the edge.

The evening breeze was a bit chilly. Shen Ting closed her eyes, savoring the tranquility of the night. Beside her, Fang Kelu lit a cigarette, the glowing tip as red as her hair.

"I'm curious why you chose to stay at my house. Didn't you hear any gossip on the way here?" Fang Kelu's voice was tinged with a roughness that seemed beyond her years. Her expression showed a trace of sarcasm, though not directed at Shen Ting.

Gossip. Shen Ting thought of the old woman with her face full of disdain and wrinkles. Pressing down her curiosity, she shook her head. "No, Aunt Fang invited me in. The house looked decent, so I stayed."

These two—mother and daughter—they must have their stories, Shen Ting thought.

Fang Kelu's expression softened slightly. She expertly flicked the ash from her cigarette and glanced sideways at Shen Ting. "My mom said you're from First High School. The students there are all top of the class. You must be pretty impressive."

Shen Ting detected a hint of jealousy in her words. No matter how hard she tried to act mature, some feelings couldn't be hidden—they were still just kids after all.

"First High has both good students and bad ones. I rank near the bottom of my class; my grades are average." Shen Ting spoke the truth. In her previous life, her grades had indeed been terrible. Even with the will to improve, the oppressive environment made it impossible to focus on studying.

"Really?" Fang Kelu's tone was doubtful, but she didn't pursue the matter further.

They fell into silence. The air was quiet for a moment before Shen Ting, remembering the troublesome task at hand, tentatively asked, "Since I'll be cooking from now on, do you have any dietary restrictions? Like no spicy or sour food?"

To capture a man's heart, one must first capture his stomach. The same principle applied to friendship—knowing someone's likes and dislikes was key, right?

"I don't eat anything bitter, but I'm not picky about the rest," Fang Kelu said, extinguishing her cigarette and standing up. She looked down at Shen Ting from her height.

"Since you're living here now, don't let the outside gossip get to you. If I ever find out you've joined in with those people talking behind my mom's back, I won't let you off." As she spoke, a cold gleam flickered in Fang Kelu's eyes.

Shen Ting was momentarily stunned. Seeing Fang Kelu still standing there, as if waiting for her response, she nodded.

Satisfied with her answer, Fang Kelu left the rooftop, leaving Shen Ting behind, her curiosity about the mother and daughter piqued.

There was no man in this house, which meant a woman without a husband and a child without a father. But surely that wasn't enough to provoke the neighbors' disdain. So why did Fang Qin, so open and cheerful, attract such scorn?

This curiosity was quickly pushed aside by the tension of having to go back to school the next day. As Shen Ting lay in bed, memories of her former teachers and classmates flooded her mind, making her temples throb.

Nearly everyone believed that adolescence was the happiest time of life, but for Shen Ting, those years were a nightmare.

There were times in the middle of the night when she would wake up drenched in cold sweat, terrified by memories of those days.

Bullying existed in every school. Even at First High, a school renowned for its strict discipline, it wasn't absent. The bullying there was done in secret, out of sight of teachers.

There were no delinquent students openly fighting at First High, only those who appeared to excel in their studies and support their classmates, but behind closed doors, they were ruthless, using others as outlets for their stress.

In her previous life, Shen Ting had been an easy target because of her plain looks, introverted nature, and quiet demeanor. Naturally, she became the scapegoat for everyone's frustrations.

She still vividly remembered the class monitor in her third year of middle school. That pretty girl, loved by both teachers and students, who always ranked at the top of the class.

In front of others, she was sweet and accommodating. But behind closed doors, she was vicious, a lunatic who would chase and beat Shen Ting. And she had a group of followers—like loyal hounds—who would hit Shen Ting wherever the class monitor pointed.

Third year was a nightmare for Shen Ting. During that time, she was constantly covered in bruises. She didn't dare tell her grandmother, fearing she would worry.

The result of enduring in silence was that Shen Ting became visibly thinner. Several times, she fainted during gym class. Once, she was even diagnosed with a mild concussion.

Having been given a second chance at life, Shen Ting was filled with gratitude. Not only had fate granted her the Venus No. 001, but it also allowed her to face her past once more. This time around, she wouldn't let anyone bully her again.

With the mind of an adult facing a group of minors, who had the upper hand? Tomorrow, they would see.