Rebirth: She is Ready for a Counterattack!-Chapter 278 - 277: Family Bonds by Blood

To Xiaoqing’s surprise, it was Liu Ming who cooked dinner.

Liu Ming’s culinary skills turned out to be unexpectedly impressive; the table full of dishes and seafood was an assembly of form, color, aroma, and taste that truly commanded admiration.

This should be considered another aspect of Liu Ming’s virtues; even after Xiaoqing tasted the fresh and fragrant crab, she gave Xiaoying a thumbs up.

Impressive, no wonder he was able to win my sister’s heart so quickly; this man is certainly someone who fits well into domestic life.

Despite his rough appearance, lacking Shang Wenming’s handsome face, Liu Ming’s versatile skills make him the type many women appreciate—a perfect choice for a husband.

Seeing the satisfaction on his sister-in-law’s face as she constantly picked up food, Liu Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems he passed the test.

Every time Xiaoying mentioned her younger sister, it was always with a look of admiration, like none other in the world.

Especially when it came to Xiaoqing’s heroic deeds, Xiaoying had never hidden her past experiences with Shang Wenming from Liu Ming. Therefore, Liu Ming was deeply grateful to this sister-in-law, realizing that without her brilliant insight, he might not have been the ultimate beneficiary of marrying her.

If not for Xiaoqing’s discerning eyes, his soon-to-be wife might have been deceived by certain fraudsters. Hence, Liu Ming harbors complex feelings toward Xiaoqing—respectably intimidated by her influence over Xiaoying; appreciative as he is the final beneficiary.

It’s indeed a mix of emotions.

Liu Ming believes if one day he mistreats Xiaoying, Xiaoqing could say just one word, and Xiaoying might leave with her sister.

Thus, ensuring domestic peace, pleasing the sister-in-law is absolutely crucial.

Gu Xiaoqing surely doesn’t know that Liu Ming thinks this way.

He’s categorized her as a perilous presence in their family.

Through careful observation of Liu Ming in various aspects, Gu Xiaoqing has to admit he’s a good man, devoid of the typical domineering and selfish superiority complex seen in many men, and doesn’t feel uncomfortable due to differences between them.

More importantly, he’s always considerate toward Xiaoying, shelling prawns for her, placing them into her bowl without many words, always adding to her bowl whatever she seems to enjoy.

The affectionate gaze, constantly revolving around Xiaoying in devotion—

It’s the demeanor of a man who cherishes his woman.

Looks like my sister has finally found her own happiness.

In a rare gesture, Xiaoqing shared a few glasses of wine with Liu Ming, purely out of joy. It was her acknowledgment of her sister’s entirely different lifelong happiness—a relief for herself too.

Sister, your younger sister watches over you to live well.

Liu Ming left, and Xiaoqing was thoroughly drunk today.

Eventually carried to her room by Li Xuemei and Xiaoying, even while groggily falling asleep, she was still mumbling: "Sister, you must be happy. You must definitely be happy."

"You will surely be happy in this lifetime."

"Sister, you must be happy. I will guard your happiness."

Wiping sweat off the unconscious Xiaoqing and cleaning the corners of her mouth, Xiaoying cried quietly, feelings stirred—her younger sister always cares for her.

Reflecting on the last time they parted unpleasantly, the suspicion and resentment she held towards her sister, and those unspeakable feelings of imbalance, Xiaoying felt guilty and ashamed, overwhelmed by more feelings of incapability as an inadequate elder sister.

All along, Xiaoqing has shielded and strived for this family with her not-so-strong shoulders since the age of twelve, bringing transformations to this home.

Each change, each struggle—that’s my selfless younger sister.

Xiaoying sees all Xiaoqing’s efforts for the family in her mind’s eye; previously, under Shang Wenming’s deception, she truly felt it unfair, believing all she did went unnoticed, without any acknowledgment.

Feeling that, as the eldest in the family, what she received was disproportionate to what she gave, without showing her value, having lost too much.

She often imagined if she too went to school, would everything be different now? Could she live freely like Xiaoqing, without burdens, enjoying herself, receiving envious glances from others?

But since Shang Wenming’s illusion broke, Xiaoying reflected deeply—it was from a tranquil, profound self-examination.

For the first time, Xiaoying truly saw herself.

She was not Xiaoqing and never could be.

Xiaoqing faced her father Gu Ruhai, who wanted to comply with their grandparents’ plan, intending her to leave school. Confronting such a tearful and troubled father, Xiaoying recalls she had blamed Xiaoqing then, considering her inconsiderate of family.

She was laughably ignorant and foolishly obedient.

Xiaoqing didn’t play the filial daughter role but rose to oppose, breaking the façade of obedience and falsities to secure her educational rights.

Not adhering to Gu Ruhai’s requests, ignoring his pleas and the family’s panic and resentment, Xiaoqing fought for change.

If it were her then, could she have done it?

Xiaoying shakes her head—definitely not. The reason she didn’t attend school wasn’t solely due to Gu Ruhai’s blind obedience, wasn’t it also because of her own views?

She too thought rural girls wouldn’t have great prospects from schooling; she too thought helping with chores and farm work was better, believing literacy was nonessential.

These are two different choices, leading to two different outcomes.

Accepting her father’s arrangements silently, Xiaoying might have ended up marrying a simple farmer, continuing with farming, childbirth, caring for in-laws—a lifetime.

But Xiaoqing led the family through a bloody struggle, the journey tough and arduous with challenges, yet look at their current family conditions, at everyone’s life now.

Xiaoying knows it’s all thanks to Xiaoqing—people aren’t alike.

What’s rare is throughout, Xiaoqing always put family first, always wanting to protect them, just like each time she protected me.

Even amidst cold words, Xiaoqing never thought of giving up on Xiaoying.

This is genuine blood-bound affection.