The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 529 - 520: The Stepmother Who Refuses to Be a Stepping Stone 8

Li Jingyan was not as honest as Li Jingyu.

Her nature was stubborn, her temper somewhat fiery, and she already had objections about Anning, her stepmother. When Anning told her to do household chores, her objections grew even more.

"Why should I work? My father married you so you could cook for us. He’s supporting your three children; you should do more work, and your kids should also work harder..."

Anning had been cutting vegetables and upon hearing Li Jingyan’s words, she chopped the kitchen knife down onto the cutting board with a loud thump that made Li Jingyan shiver.

Anning turned around and smiled at Li Jingyan.

Li Jingyan felt as if she had seen the smile of a demon.

She was terrified but still stubbornly retorted: "If you dare to hit me, I’ll tell my father."

Anning didn’t hit Li Jingyan but sneered: "Who told you that marrying your father was a privilege for my family?"

Li Jingyan stood her ground and said nothing.

Anning said coldly: "It’s true your father works in the fields, but all the household chores and the care of the six children, their clothing, food, housing, and transportation, are managed by me. I don’t just cook and wash clothes; I also work in the fields when it’s busy. In fact, I do far more work than your father. He has three children, and I have three children too. Yes, your father earns money for my children, but I also cook and wash clothes for you all. It’s not that you have no mother, or my children have no father; we’re combined into one family in order to have a better life together. There’s no question of taking advantage of anyone here. If you think so, get rid of that idea right now."

Li Jingyan glared at Anning, but Anning ignored her and continued cutting vegetables.

After a while, Li Jingyan deflated.

Having finished cutting the vegetables, Anning said: "Well, still can’t understand? Fine, if you don’t want to, then you don’t have to tend the fire, but then don’t eat the food I cook or wear the clothes and shoes I make."

If Anning had spoken kindly, perhaps Li Jingyan would not have listened. But threatened this way, the child wilted.

She didn’t dare to say she wouldn’t tend the fire and squatted obediently in front of the stove, pulling the bellows.

Anning smiled at her: "That’s more like it. I ask you to work for your own good. Every Miss will do household chores. And I’m not just making you work—when Yuzhen grows up, she’ll have to learn to do this too."

The rice in the pot was done, and Anning served it in a bowl, then started to fry the dishes.

She wasn’t only making Li Jingyan tend the fire; she was also teaching her how to cook while frying the dishes, telling her how much oil to use, how much salt to add, and how to make the flavor better.

Anning didn’t care whether Li Jingyan listened or not; she had told her everything she needed to know.

When it was time for lunch, Anning took the opportunity to brag to Li Zhifang: "Our Jing Yan is so clever. She learned how to tend the fire right away, and she also learned some cooking from me. In a few days, she might be able to cook on her own. That way, when we’re working in the fields in the future, the children can cook for us too."

Li Zhifang was pleased to hear that and looked at Li Jingyan, asking, "Yanzi, is what your auntie saying true?"

Li Jingyan was full of resentment but still nodded in confirmation that Anning’s words were true.

Li Jingyu glanced at Anning and continued eating her meal.

Being older and more sensible than Li Jingyan, she understood that Anning made them work for their own good.

If Anning never made them do anything and always indulged them, that would really be hurting them.

Li Jingyu thought, as she was eating, that perhaps this stepmother was really not so bad.

After lunch, Anning tidied up the children and said they were going to the mountain to gather walnuts, dates, chestnuts, and other such things, and to also pick some mushrooms and tree ears.

Li Zhifang had work to attend to as well; he needed to see Li Zhiping about making a bed and also to store corn on the roof.

Anning took the six children and went to find Zhang Fengfeng first.

When she arrived, Zhang Fengfeng had just finished lunch and was washing dishes.

Seeing Anning coming in with six kids, Zhang Fengfeng was quite surprised: "What’s this all about?"

Anning smiled and pushed the younger Liu Yuzhen and Li Jinghan forward: "You see, Zhifang has work to do this afternoon, so I thought I’d take the older kids for a stroll in the mountains. These two little ones really can’t come along, so I was hoping mom could help watch them for the afternoon."

Zhang Fengfeng thought Anning had come over for something important, only to find out it was to have someone watch the children.

She waved her hand: "Go ahead, leave the kids at home."

While talking, Zhang Fengfeng looked over the three Li family children and noticed how neatly and tidily they were dressed. Both Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan had gotten haircuts, trimmed to a neat length, with short braids—it looked so pretty. She genuinely smiled at Anning: "See, having a mom and not having one really makes a difference. You’ve just entered the family, and the children have changed."

Anning then gave a few instructions to Liu Yuzhen, turned back to Zhang Fengfeng with a smile: "As soon as I entered our family’s door, all the children are like my own. If I were to treat them differently, I couldn’t live with myself. Oh yes, mom knows that Zhifang is straightforward and doesn’t scheme. There’s something I need to tell you."

"Speak your mind."

Zhang Fengfeng washed and dried her hands, then led Anning and the children inside.

Once inside, Anning said: "About the winter clothes for the kids, these three don’t have any shoes, so I wondered if mom has any that have gotten too big. I’d like to borrow a few pairs for this year, and I’ll return new ones to you next year. Also, about Jingyu and Jing Yan. The two kids are growing up and they can’t just play at home all the time. They need to start learning. The children need to go to school, and they should also start to learn housework. There’s also sewing and needlework which I’ll need to teach them properly."

Indeed, the eldest Li Jingyu was a few months older than Liu Qi, an eight-year-old approaching nine, yet she hadn’t started school.

Wang Baozhu, who didn’t plan ahead, thought how much could a country girl achieve. Going to school would be a waste, so she never bothered to arrange for the kids to go to school.

Zhang Fengfeng felt delighted upon hearing Anning’s plan to send the children to school.

"That’s great, all you’re saying are good things. No need to discuss with me, you can make the decisions. The children are following you, and you decide on their upbringing. Don’t be reserved, when they do well or not, you have to scold them if need be, even spank if necessary."

Zhang Fengfeng’s words amounted to an endorsement of Anning.

Li Jingyu was very happy to hear this.

Li Jingyan was also stunned.

In fact, both girls had their own thoughts. They weren’t clueless.

They understood that going to school was a good thing, but since Wang Baozhu would not allow it and Li Zhifang listened to her, they didn’t dare to bring it up.

They hadn’t anticipated that Wang Baozhu, their biological mother, wouldn’t care for them, and Anning, their stepmother, would make such thorough plans for them.

Li Jingyu was quite grateful to Anning in her heart, and Li Jingyan began to seriously consider whether what her grandmother had said before was true.

After leaving Liu Yuzhen and Li Jinghan with Zhang Fengfeng, Anning led the other four children up the mountain.

Along the way, they met quite a few villagers.

Many women, noticing how smartly the two Li family girls were dressed, asked Anning with a smile: "Where are you all headed? Gosh, your girls—I didn’t notice before, but now cleaned up and all, they’re quite pretty."

Anning too smiled: "Exactly, the two kids do look well-formed."

Throughout the walk, Anning greeted people, letting countless villagers witness the transformation of Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan.

Anning didn’t claim any credit and said nothing, but everyone thought that Anning, as a stepmother, was really quite outstanding. She was good to the children, too—otherwise, how could those two girls have changed so much?