November 16, 2014.
It was a Sunday.
As an employee of Evergreen Liquid, Aunt Gu rarely got a day without overtime. She was off today and planned to make something delicious for her daughter at noon to help her build up her strength.
On a late autumn morning, the sky was barely bright. A row of single-story houses lay shrouded in faint morning mist, while the breeze carried the dampness of the Hui River, lending the air a slight chill.
Amidst this tranquility, the alarm clock beside Xue Yuantong's bed rang. The pink alarm clock shook with all its might, determined not to stop until it woke her.
Although this was the age of smartphones, and people were accustomed to setting alarms on their phones, Xue Yuantong still followed the traditions of the old days and continued using her little alarm clock.
Xue Yuantong, still under the covers with her eyes closed, fumbled around with her little hand until she found the alarm clock and switched it off.
In mid-November in Yuzhou, nighttime temperatures were around ten degrees Celsius. People had become dependent on their blankets, and in this weather, getting out of a warm bed required a certain amount of willpower.
Xue Yuantong had originally intended to drift back into sleep, but scenes from last night surfaced in her mind.
Last night, she had eaten and drunk lavishly at Jiang Ning's house. Then her mother had come in and informed her that she was to wash the pillows and duvet covers at home tomorrow, exploiting her freedom.
Xue Yuantong had bragged in front of Jiang Ning, flaunting the majesty of being the head of her household. Now, it was time to show her strength! That was precisely why she had set an alarm on the weekend!
*Mom, I'll show