Thankfully, in this life, in this era, she had no blood-sucking relatives. There was only her mother — a mother who loved her with her whole heart.
Shen Anran slowly unclenched her fists and opened her eyes. They were red and wet. The moment she saw Liu Meilan's worried face hovering over her, she burst into tears.
"Mother… wuehh…" she sobbed uncontrollably.
She wanted to promise her mother that she would be careful, that she would protect herself well in this life. But how could she explain something that hadn't even happened here? How could she tell her mother about a past life filled with schemes and betrayal?
"It's okay," Liu Meilan said gently, stroking her hair. "Mother is here."
Her voice was calm, steady — like warm water flowing over cold stones.
"It's all in the past. Don't worry."
Shen Anran nodded weakly. She knew her mother must be thinking about Zhao Jianwei. After all, in this life, he and that incident were the reason she had suffered so much heartbreak. Liu Meilan probably assumed the nightmare was related to him.
After a while, they both calmed down and went to bathe.
Since they started running the stall, Shen Anran had made sure they never lacked oil, seasoning, or meat. She bought proper body soap and laundry soap that left a fresh scent on their clothes. Their life was slowly improving in small but visible ways.
After bathing, they prepared lunch, having missed breakfast entirely. The once sparse parlor now had a few chairs neatly arranged. It no longer looked empty and lifeless.
Shen Anran looked around quietly.
She would work harder.
She would change her mother's fate.
"Mother, how much did we make yesterday?" she asked while setting the bowls down.
"Ah!" Liu Meilan's face lit up immediately. "Almost 200 yuan!"
Almost 200 yuan in one day.
Quick money.
Shen Anran nodded thoughtfully.
"We'll need to buy fresh ingredients before tomorrow morning," she said calmly. "Later in the evening, take the money we set aside and return it to the neighbors."
She paused, her expression turning serious.
"Don't argue with anyone about what we do to survive. It's not their business. Just… don't let their stares get to you."
Then she began eating.
This was the best meal she had eaten since transmigrating. Not because it was luxurious — but because it was earned with dignity.
Liu Meilan nodded while eating, but her expression showed she was still preoccupied.
Shen Anran noticed immediately. "Is there something else you want to say?"
Liu Meilan hesitated before nodding.
"It's about the opposite stall. They also opened a breakfast stall. What if they steal our business?"
Even though business was good now, fear still lingered in her heart.
Shen Anran smiled faintly.
"In the future, there will be many breakfast stalls like ours. Competition is normal. As long as we don't cut corners, prepare our food well, and maintain hygiene, customers won't leave us."
Her tone was steady — mature beyond her years.
Liu Meilan felt a strange comfort. It was as if her daughter had grown up overnight.
She finished her meal peacefully, temporarily forgetting about the opposite stall.
By 4:35 p.m., Liu Meilan had returned every yuan she had borrowed.
She forced herself to stay composed, even when she caught the hidden meanings in certain remarks.
"Aiya, I know how hard you worked for this," one woman said, deliberately stressing the word hard.
Another smiled falsely. "You shouldn't have troubled yourself."
Then the intentional whispers,
"Her daughter has led her astray."
Liu Meilan clenched her fists.
If wearing good clothes and looking presentable meant going astray, then she didn't mind being astray.
Shen Anran had insisted she wear a simple cheongsam that suited her perfectly. With light makeup, she looked at least five years younger.
On her way home, some men whistled. Others threw teasing remarks her way.
She understood what they implied.
She had been only twenty-eight when her husband died. Beautiful and young, many widowers in the village had proposed remarriage, but she rejected them all. Now, with rumors spreading, their gazes felt heavier — dirtier.
The pain in her chest was sharp.
She didn't know how she managed to hold back her tears until she reached home.
Inside, she saw Shen Anran washing dishes in the small kitchen area.
Liu Meilan walked quickly into the inner room, closing the door softly behind her.
Only then did she allow her composure to crack.
She did not want her daughter to see her break.