Gu Qingyao said, “I'm not asking you to really submit – you should try your best to protect yourself without allowing anyone to realize what you're doing. You must get everyone to pity you and be repelled by your eldest uncle's family. You must show everyone that you and your younger sister are being poorly treated by your eldest uncle's family. That way, everyone will support you when you move out.

“But you must not show that you want to leave. Just… just say you don't want to burden your eldest uncle's family, that you'll support your little sister when you've grown up, and things like that. You must speak politely, and appear to be terrified of your eldest uncle. You must convince everyone that you've been cowed by the beating and starving in your eldest uncle's house and cannot carry on anymore. You would rather starve to death outside with your little sister than remain there any longer.

“When your eldest uncle beats you, don't just remain in the house and allow him to beat you. Think of a way to run outside and yell loudly. Then run towards the brigade leader's house, and keep admitting that you were wrong. Shout that you won't dare to do it again, that you won't dare to eat the food in the house anymore, that you're a burden on your eldest uncle, and so on. You must be especially filial and let everyone know that you can't remain in your eldest uncle's house any longer. Do you understand?”

Chen Goudan was stunned!

He felt unable to process all this.

“This… this…”

In these times, people were very straightforward and honest. They were simple and did not manipulate each other. Although a child like Chen Goudan was more intelligent than others, he had no experience in these matters.

But he had run wild since he was a child and his brain was a lot more nimble, so he grasped the crux of the plan after some thought. He said smilingly, “Elder Sister Gu, I understand! I know what to do!”

Chen Goudan fell silent after he understood. As they walked, he considered what he should do when he got home. When they came to a fork in the road, each went their own way. Gu Qingyao went home, while Chen Goudan brought his younger sister towards their home.

Gu Qingyao stood half-way up the hill and watched the children depart.

In these times, children were very innocent. So when she said she would be responsible for Chen Xiaocao's food for the next few years, Chen Goudan had believed her. People born a few decades later would certainly be less trusting.

But she was determined to help these two children. In her previous life, she had been so despised and reviled by others that she dared not leave the house. But these two children would often find a way to visit and comfort her.

She had to help them in order to repay them for their friends.h.i.+p. In any case, she had enough food.

When she returned, Gu Qingyao gave the two fish to the older men and women who had been sent to the countryside. They had not joined the brigade to fish. Even her own grandfather and grandma had not gone because they were bad elements, and were undergoing reformation.

They usually had no part in brigade affairs like these.

The sky was growing dark by the time Gu Qingyao got home, but Zhang Xiaohui and Gu Ruoqing had not yet returned. Gu Qingyao could not be bothered with them. It would be best if they stayed away for the rest of their lives.

She had not been in her house for long when she heard a terrible screaming and wailing coming from the foot of the mountain, where everyone in the brigade lived. The sound was like the wailing of a demon or the howling of a wolf.

It was not just Chen Goudan. Even Chen Xiaocao, the little girl who had just turned six years old, and who often had nothing to eat, was also carrying on terribly. This was probably the first time in her life that Chen Xiaocao was exerting so much energy to cry loudly.

Gu Qingyao's lips twitched. These children were so clever.

She quickly ran out and stood in her yard, and looked down the mountain.

At that moment, the Chen house was in chaos!