Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 11

Huang Yaning was born into a merchant family—wealthy but low in social status. Yet, she eventually crossed class barriers to marry into an official’s household. As her husband Sheng Yong’s rank rose over the years, so did her standing. Everyone praised her as a woman blessed by fortune.

Many envied her for raising three accomplished sons and a daughter renowned throughout the capital. Having basked in admiration her entire life, Minmin’s appearance was the first thing that ever made Huang Yaning feel ashamed.

At the time, she felt a tangled mix of emotions toward her newly rediscovered daughter: discomfort, awkwardness, and a faint sense of rejection…

Young Minmin must have noticed something amiss. Flushing crimson, the girl stammered helplessly, her eyes pleading. But what had she done?

She’d merely averted her gaze.

She’d done nothing. Said nothing.

She hadn’t scolded the mocking maid. Hadn’t ordered the insolent servant dragged out and beaten to death. She’d ignored her own flesh and blood—a child who’d suffered for years—leaving her vulnerable to ridicule and disdain…

As if by distancing herself from that “uncouth” girl, the mockery wouldn’t touch her too.

She deserved to die.

“Minmin, I’m sorry…” Huang Yaning whispered, hot tears streaking down her face.

She hadn’t known how agonizing hunger could be. Hadn’t realized that to someone starved, etiquette becomes irrelevant beside the primal need for food. She hadn’t understood the sheer willpower it took for a malnourished 12-year-old not to lick her plate clean…

Her heart felt sawed apart by a blunt knife, the pain so intense her vision darkened.

She would go to the capital to find Minmin. At any cost, she’d beg for forgiveness…

Clutching her chest, Huang Yaning staggered out of the room.

The urgency to reach the capital burned in her, but this body was still too young to travel safely alone—kidnappers lurked everywhere. She needed three things: a trustworthy companion, travel documents, and money.

The first two were out of reach for now, but money? That, she could scrounge up.

She slipped into Xiao Li-shi’s room, uncovering several hidden stashes—10 taels of scattered silver and a string of copper coins. The Feng family hadn’t divided their assets; Old Li-shi controlled all finances. This meager sum likely represented the eldest branch’s entire secret savings. Huang Yaning took it all.

Next, she headed to the backyard. Minmin’s memories hinted that Old Li-shi often lurked near the vegetable plot’s wall, acting suspicious.

“A cunning rabbit has three burrows.” Elderly folk never hid wealth in one place. Huang Yaning guessed more silver lay buried here.

She inspected the wall’s base—Old Li-shi was short, so the spot wouldn’t be high. And since she checked it while “harvesting vegetables,” soil stains would betray the location…

Soon, she found a slightly grimy, loosely set brick at mid-height. Prying it out, her fingers brushed a soft cloth pouch inside.

Two 10-tael silver ingots. Two solid gold bracelets.

The sight of that jewelry flooded Huang Yaning’s vision with crimson.

These were part of the birthday gift she’d given that ungrateful wretch Sheng Mingzhu at age four—a full gold set: headpiece, earrings, necklet, and bracelets. The necklet alone, exquisitely crafted, was worth 1,000 taels. She’d also gifted a fiery fox pelt costing nearly 3,000 taels.

Yet here were the bracelets in the Feng household. Sheng Mingzhu must have rewarded Tao-niang with them.

“You ate my food, drank my wine, used my money to raise your family—then dared abuse my daughter?”

Her fists clenched until they ached. Every one of these enemies would pay.

But first: getting to the capital. The bracelets’ purity and craftsmanship meant they’d fetch at least 100 taels, making the haul 120 taels total—enough for the journey when combined with Xiao Li-shi’s stolen coins.

However, Old Li-shi was no fool like her daughter-in-law. If money vanished, she’d tear the house apart. To avoid alerting her, Huang Yaning left the hoard untouched for now.

After meticulously restoring the hiding spot, she combed the garden for other loose bricks. Soon, she found another cache and hid Xiao Li-shi’s stolen silver there, erasing all traces.

Next, she slipped into the rooms of Feng Dabao and Feng Erbao, planting loose coins beneath their pillows. Every disturbance in the other rooms was carefully concealed.

Finally, she returned to the woodshed.

The space wasn’t small—on the left lay a wooden plank topped with dry straw and a woven grass “blanket”: Minmin’s “bed.” The right side held firewood and kindling.

Exhausted and lightheaded, Huang Yaning checked for inconsistencies on her person. Gripping the shed’s only hatchet, she collapsed onto the straw pallet, though her mind raced.

Had the Fengs been decent, she might have maintained Minmin’s docile facade while plotting her escape. But these monsters treated her daughter like livestock. She loathed them.

Moreover, continued submission would only invite worse abuse—she might not survive long enough to reach Minmin.

No, she wouldn’t pretend. She’d rip away the Feng family’s mask of decency to expose their rot.

Soon, Xiao Li-shi’s shrieks pierced the yard:

“Heavens! How are we supposed to live like this?!”

“Lazy, good-for-nothing brats! Eating all day, never working! My life is so bitter—!”

Xiao Li-shi had noticed “Liuya” hadn’t worked all day. But Old Feng’s morning warning kept her from beating the girl—she settled for howling instead.

Within moments, Old Li-shi stormed in, far fiercer. She barged into the shed, spitting venom:

“Planning to die, you wretched girl? If so, do it outside—don’t dirty our land!”

“Get up and work! Or should I fetch your wash water too—?”

Her shrill voice, flecked with spittle, made Huang Yaning’s skin crawl.

These creatures tormented my Minmin.

She yearned to split their skulls with the hatchet.

But not yet.

She had to endure—for now.