“Other than having no one to talk to and accompany, you still have to consider your own school fees and living expenses. However, the moment you start working and have the money to support yourself and your studies, your younger siblings might come look for you saying ‘Oh, our lives at our relatives aren’t good, we need your financial support…’”

“What would you do then? You think your younger siblings are very pitiful; you think that as the older sister, now that your parents are not around, you have to take responsibility for everything. You’ll then withdraw from school, but because you’re still a minor, the amount you’ll be able to earn is quite pitiful. Yet, you still want to give the entire sum to others? But reality is that they won’t be thankful, because you’re both a girl and the elder sister, so it’s par for the course.”

“Your parents might be able to end their term early, but things still won’t change. Your younger brother will tell your parents how much he’s suffered over the years, then you would be blamed by them for not properly taking care of your younger siblings, completely disregarding the amount of effort you’ve made over the years…”

“The necessary living expenses would increase, yet your parents won’t have the ability to take care of the family. You would have to continue to be the backbone and breadwinner of the family and you might even need to continue working so hard for your younger brother for more than a decade till he has settled down in both his career and his family. By then, you would be too old. All your neighbours don’t like your family, your parents have had jail time before, so after racking their brains, they could probably only find you an older man to marry…”

“You’d think you’d be able to finally relax and just be a good wife, but your parents would still want you to keep sending money back to your maternal family…”

Jing Yun Zhao squinted, every word and every sentence were said as if she was narrating reality.

After a person weakens, wouldn’t that mean they could be bullied?

After Jing Xiu listened, her body shivered sharply and she swiftly shook her head, completely unbelieving.

Still, even though she firmly didn’t want to admit it, she understood what kind of future she would be facing deep down. It wouldn’t have any difference from Jing Yun Zhao’s words, she might even be putting it lightly.

To be frank, she kept having nightmares recently. She dreamt about being chased down and beaten into the ground, and she also dreamt about her parents giving her things to do nonstop, it was never ending.

Jing Yun Zhao took a glimpse at her and pursed her lips.

Humans. They would only change after experiencing something drastic.

What she had experienced was death, before rebirth.

“I…What should I do…I don’t dare…” Jing Xiu suddenly started crying. Kneeling on the ground, she buried her head into herself and started bawling.

What did she not dare to do? She did not dare to resist. Because everyone said that girls should be like this and like that; to be the assistants of your parents, to get everything ready for your younger brother. Ever since she was young, neighbours would always praise her, but she never liked to hear such praises coming from them, saying she was ‘obedient’ and ‘filial’.

Because she knew deep down that her obedience ‘obedience’ and ‘filial’ was merely to see, hear, and obey. If there were things to do, do it. If there was nothing to do, find something to do. She couldn’t have free time at home. She even had to tell her parents that she’d work and make money to raise them when she grew up and also raise her younger brother. Since her parents let her go to school, she’d go. If they wanted her to ask for a leave of absence, she mustn’t hesitate. Even if they wanted her to quit school, she could only grit her teeth and accept it…

She honestly did not like even a tiny smidge of this.

“What’s there to not dare? As long as you just take a single step forward, those people wouldn’t be able to touch you anymore. But if you were to remain in your spot, then you can only wait for others to surround you once more. This all depends on your choice,” Jing Yun Zhao explained lightly.

How to choose? I can choose?

An expression of bewilderment.

“If you agree to it, I can help you transfer schools and find someone to help you change your name. Before, the video didn’t manage to catch you clearly. You can cut your hair short for now. No one will be able to connect you and the Jing Xiu from Shui Chang Village once you change your hairstyle. I won’t stop you, but if you want to go back to being Jing Xiu, everything you’ve borrowed from me, you have to return it.”