The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 563 - 554: The Stepmother Who Refuses to Be a Stepping Stone 42

"It’s all because of that Wang Baozhu."

Li Jingyan wouldn’t budge.

In front of her own mother, she wasn’t polite either, pouting and complaining to Anning: "She incited my dad to sell our houses, both my sister and I were infuriated. Who does that? Coming back and straight up wanting to sell the house, how are we supposed to live in the future? If dad is willing to sell the house now because of what she said, will he want to sell me and my sister later on?"

Li Jingyu was relatively meeker compared to Li Jingyan, but she was also calculative.

"We will not give in on this matter, if we give in this time, what about next time? What will she want to sell next? If we keep retreating, in the end, she might just sell us off."

Liu Yuzhen moved a little stool and sat beside them, she watched Li Jingyu with a smile, but the moment she heard about selling the house, her eyes went wide in shock: "Selling the house? How can they sell the house? Sister, you don’t know how much the house prices have increased in Provincial City, what was the price when we bought and what is it now? They should at least inquire about this. I’ve heard from my classmates that the prices will increase even more."

Li Jingyan really didn’t know about this.

She quickly grabbed Liu Yuzhen asking, "Really? How much did it increase?"

"It increased by several hundred these past two years."

Liu Yuzhen was talking about an increase of several hundred per square meter, while speaking she also began calculating: "Our houses are almost the same size, around a hundred and eighty square meters each, let’s just say an increase of five hundred, that’s an increase of over nine hundred. And now it’s more than just five hundred, which means, we’ve earned over one hundred thousand yuan just like that, without doing anything. Sister, count this, if the prices keep going up, how much more could it be?"

"So much?"

Li Jingyan was also stunned.

She looked at Li Jingyu, Li Jingyu looked at her, both sisters saw the excitement in each other’s eyes.

One hundred thousand yuan, for the two girls, it was a staggering sum, and this was just from the increase, not considering the total value of the house itself which could be worth hundreds of thousands yuan each. That much money... was truly a lot.

"The house cannot be sold."

Anning decisively announced: "It’s okay if the adults suffer a bit, but the property must not be touched, children’s education cannot be compromised. Our houses are right next to Provincial First Middle School. When I arranged for Yuzhen’s transfer, I made sure of it; the school’s exam results are the best in the province every year. Recently, many students want to study at First Middle School. Both of you having houses here will make exams much easier. If we sell the houses, not to mention financial issues, even studying will become tough. Jing Yan’s studies are better, with some effort she might make it, but for Jingyu it’ll be hard without a house."

Li Jingyu was silent.

She lowered her head in thought for a while.

Li Jingyan angrily said: "She’s up to no good, coming back this time who knows what she’s planning. Maybe she wants to trick dad into selling the house and then run off with the money."

Indeed, that’s what both Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan thought.

They didn’t see any care for Li Zhifang in Wang Baozhu’s eyes, and considering her past actions, they really thought Wang Baozhu came back just to mess with the finances.

"No matter what she’s thinking, just make sure you two are doing fine."

Anning sighed, then ushered Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan to take a bath.

Once they finished bathing, Anning took their dirty clothes to wash and hang.

Li Jingyan came up to Anning all smiles: "It’s so comfortable being with mom. I’m just not at ease at home now, every time I see Wang Baozhu, I feel sick."

Anning patted Li Jingyan’s head: "Don’t talk like that, she’s still your biological mother. Even if you don’t like her in your heart, you can’t say that out loud, otherwise people will say you’re being disrespectful."

"I know."

Li Jingyan wrinkled her little nose: "I only talk like this with mom, I definitely wouldn’t say this in front of others."

She affectionately hugged Anning’s arm: "Mom, can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Sure, sure."

Anning playfully tapped on Li Jingyan’s forehead: "Getting clingy the second you come back. Help me tidy up later, tonight the four of us will sleep together."

"Hehe." Li Jingyan laughed heartily.

Li Jingyu has just taken a bath, still lounging on the sofa, seemingly reluctant to move.

Anning touches her belly: "Reincarnated as a starving ghost, huh? You ate so much for dinner, now you’ve got indigestion, right?"

Thinking of the clothes the sisters had brought, she pulled Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan up: "Come on, let’s take a stroll downstairs, and buy you two some new clothes to change into."

Li Jingyu didn’t want to move, but Anning forcefully dragged her, with Liu Yuzhen cheering them on, eventually managing to pull her out of the house.

Leaving the complex, a night market was not far away.

The four women strolled around in the night market. Li Jingyan wanted to eat some snacks there, but Anning, fearing it would upset her stomach, did not buy any. However, she did buy some clothes for them to change into.

After wandering around and coming back, the kids weren’t so stuffed anymore. Anning then gave them some hawthorn slices to eat before taking the three children to bed.

Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan hadn’t seen Anning for a while. Now, lying together, the four of them started reminiscing about those particularly cold winters, especially when it snowed heavily, they would all snuggle up with Anning on the big heated brick bed.

The bed was warm, and everyone, adults and children, sat around minding their own business.

The kids would study, and Anning would sit on the bed sewing clothes and shoes for them. Whenever they grew tired of studying, Anning would tell them stories.

Anning was truly exceptional at storytelling. She would talk about things happening in the village and odd stories from earlier years, even knowing about bandits in the village before liberation.

They would listen so joyfully, always feeling that Anning’s stomach was filled with stories, and they never seemed to get enough of them.

Li Jingyan, lying next to Anning, then coaxed her: "Mom, I can’t sleep. Tell us another story, please."

Anning smiled, "Alright."

Not long after, the three children drifted off to sleep to the slow, soothing sound of Anning’s stories.

Anning watched as the three children fell sound asleep, then she got up.

She stood on the balcony, gazing at the city’s night view and the lights in the nearby residential buildings, deeply entranced.

Anning felt that she had really fulfilled her duty this time, truly sinking her heart to experience the mortal world. It felt quite extraordinary, and she indeed liked it a lot.

Initially, when Anning bought the house, she had anticipated this moment.

In her past life, she knew nothing about financial management. Focused solely on earning money with Li Zhifang, saving all they earned without investing, leading to a large sum in Li Zhifang’s possession when Wang Baozhu returned with more money. Both not lacking money, naturally they treated the children well.

And yet, after so many years of hardship, she ended up with nothing, tragically leaving the Li family with her children.

She never left Li Jiazhuang; instead, she moved back to live in the small courtyard of the Liu family.

This made it easier for Wang Baozhu to tarnish her reputation.

In fact, at that time, the Li brothers all felt somewhat guilty towards Anning, advising Li Zhifang not to handle matters so ruthlessly, to give some money to Anning. But Li Zhifang, brainwashed by Wang Baozhu, was unwilling to part with the money for Anning.

The Li brothers couldn’t just kill Li Zhifang, so they could only try to compensate Anning later, helping Liu Qi and Liu Ming build houses and marry, finding a marriage for Liu Yuzhen—these were compensations made by the Li brothers.

This time, Anning didn’t just save her money; she invested in real estate, buying and refurbishing houses over the years, leaving Li Zhifang with no money.

When they divorced, Anning had three houses for the kids, not worried about having no place to live. She decisively moved the kids to Provincial City.

Being far away meant Wang Baozhu had to seriously consider any slander.

Moreover, she took Wang Baozhu’s money, leaving neither Li Zhifang nor Wang Baozhu with any, pushing Wang Baozhu to consider targeting the kids’ possessions.

Anning wasn’t afraid of Wang Baozhu’s crooked schemes; she was more concerned she wouldn’t make a move.

The more Wang Baozhu plotted, the more the kids distanced themselves from her and the more disillusioned they grew with Li Zhifang.

Step by step, Anning would push this despicable couple to abandon each other and ultimately perish amidst despair and mutual torment.