Because she despised Xiao Wu, Shao Qiyun wasn't even willing to go home. Of course, this might just be an excuse, but Zhao Lan often used this as an excuse to scold Xiao Wu.
As a daughter Zhao Lan had given birth to in later years, Shao Qiyun had always been very favored. She hadn't expected Mu Jingzhe to dare treat her like this.
"Mu Jingzhe, have you eaten a bear's heart or a leopard's gall? How dare you treat me like this when you so eagerly married into my family? Shouldn't you feel ashamed?"
"Why should I be ashamed? You're the one making a fuss in my house. You're the one who has eaten a bear's heart or a leopard's gall. How dare you hit Xiao Wu!"
Shao Qiyun hadn't expected Mu Jingzhe to be so shrewish. She glared at Shao Zhong. "So what if I hit him? Who asked him to suddenly come over and scare me?"
Shao Zhong was so frightened by her glare that he involuntarily called Mu Jingzhe 'Mommy' and asked for help.
Mu Jingzhe was about to respond when Shao Qiyun suddenly exploded. "Who are you calling 'Mommy'?!"
Startled, Mu Jingzhe quickly went to hug Xiao Wu. "Why did you suddenly raise your voice? What business is it of yours that he calls me Mommy?"
Shao Qiyun scowled at them. She was about to lash out at them but ultimately held herself back.
"Mu Jingzhe, I don't want to argue with you like a shrew. Just you wait!"
Shao Qiyun tossed her head and left, her dress twirling in the air.
Mu Jingzhe frowned as she watched her leave. She squatted down and looked at Xiao Wu. "She didn't hit you, did she? Are your hands alright?"
"No." Xiao Wu shook his head. "Mommy, all I did was greet her."
Xiao Wu knew how to speak now, but he was timid and used to silence. Even when he went to the art school to learn, he was always alone.
Mu Jingzhe had encouraged him to talk more and communicate with others, hoping that he would befriend little kids his age. She had also instructed him to greet anyone who came to their house.
Xiao Wu was very obedient and did as he was told. When the villagers came, he would greet them seriously before calling for Mu Jingzhe.
When Shao Qiyun had come in, Xiao Wu had known that she didn't like him and didn't even want to see him. He would get scolded every time, but because of the task his mother had assigned him, he had still stepped forward obediently. He hadn't expected to be pushed away as soon as he'd approached Shao Qiyun.
"Xiao Wu, just ignore people like her who push others away rudely. Our family doesn't welcome rude guests like her," Mu Jingzhe immediately advised Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu was still a child. He would be the one at a disadvantage if Shao Qiyun went crazy. Xiao Wu was such a precious baby that he should stay away from a shrew like her.
"Okay."
Xiao Wu was actually quite sad to be hated so much by someone, so it was impossible for him to not mind. However, after Mu Jingzhe comforted him, he wasn't that sad anymore.
Mu Jingzhe had just appeased Xiao Wu when Zhao Lan came looking for her and demanded to know what was wrong with her. Why would she treat her sister-in-law like that, especially since Shao Qiyun rarely came back?
Mu Jingzhe was speechless. "Before you said so much, why didn't you take a look at what your daughter did? The first thing she did was push Xiao Wu. How can there be such an overbearing sister-in-law?"
When Zhao Lan heard that, she suddenly felt short of breath and left after saying a few words.
Shao Qiyun snorted and said that she had nothing to say to her. She then left to look for Mu Xue.
In the book, Shao Qiyun liked Mu Xue and only acknowledged her as her sister-in-law. Later on, she sucked up to Mu Xue a lot and hated Mu Jingzhe with a passion.
Mu Jingzhe shook her head as she watched her leave. "She's actually quite good-looking, but why is her personality like this?"
In terms of facial features, Shao Qiyun was even more exquisite than Mu Xue. The dress she was wearing was also beautiful and pleasing to the eye.
However, God was fair. He had given Shao Qiyun a beautiful appearance, but he hadn't given her a lot of brains.
After looking at Mu Jingzhe and Shao Qiyun's back, Xiao Wu suddenly said, "I'll also buy beautiful dresses for Mommy in the future."
Mu Jingzhe looked down and couldn't help but stroke his head. "Okay."
She didn't know why he would think of buying her dresses, but Shao Qiyun's dress was indeed quite pretty. She would also buy it when she had the chance in the future.
When they returned to work, everyone knew that Shao Qiyun was back. Seeing that Mu Jingzhe didn't object, they started gossiping about Shao Qiyun.
Like her two brothers, Hai and Yang, Shao Qiyun was also very pretty thanks to her father.
This led them to discuss these mysterious genetic and hereditary issues.
Zhao Lan looked very ordinary, but Old Man Shao was very handsome and didn't at all look like someone from the countryside. He was cultured and exuded a celestial air.
Back then, Zhao Lan had married him because she had taken a fancy to Old Man Shao's face.
Zhao Lan had only been given such an opportunity because Old Man Shao's health hadn't been good since he was young.
Back then, many people said that the two of them weren't compatible. Their union was referred to as 'a flower planted in cow dung', and Old Man Shao was the flower.
In their marriage photos, they looked like a bandit leader and her captive husband.
Though Zhao Lan liked Old Man Shao's face, when it came to her children, she favored Eldest Brother Shao, who resembled her.
Among the four children, only Eldest Brother Shao resembled her. He had average looks and was short, unlike his younger siblings. Every time they went out, he would be ignored, and no one would believe that they were biological siblings.
However, they were indeed biological siblings. It was just that he resembled his mother and the three of them resembled their father.
Eldest Brother Shao was actually very angry about his mediocre looks. Unfortunately, his wife, Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao, also had average looks. That was why Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ had ended up with a mediocre appearance as well. To sum it up, the eldest branch hadn't benefited from Old Man Shao's good genes at all.
In the past, Li Zhaodi used to often tell Mu Jingzhe how glad she was that Shao Qiyun and her brother didn't take after her and took after Mu Teng.
Though Shao Qiyun took after her father, Zhao Lan doted on her a lot, as she was her only daughter.
She was good-looking and ambitious, so she felt that she would definitely marry a rich person. Zhao Lan felt the same way. If she managed to meet a rich person, she would easily be able to marry him.
However, they had been saying the same thing since she was 16, and she was now 23 and still unmarried.
This was because they were too picky and looked down on ordinary suitors. They were typical people who aimed high but ended up landing low.
Right now, Shao Qiyun was a dormitory keeper at the county's No. 1 Middle School. One could not underestimate a dormitory keeper. It had taken her a lot of effort to get that job.
To Zhao Lan, this was already something to be proud of.
When Shao Qiyun returned home, joyful laughter was finally heard from next door instead of the quarreling noises they heard all the time.
The voices of Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ currying favor with Shao Qiyun and calling her Aunt could be heard clearly over there.
Every time Shao Qiyun came back, she would bring delicious snacks with her, such as canned fruit, walnut cookies, brown sugar, and white sugar. Then, Zhao Lan would brag to the entire village. Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ sucked up to their aunt because of all these goodies.
However, Shao Dong and the others weren't envious at all, as Shao Qiyun would never share it with them, especially with Xiao Wu.
Mu Jingzhe was afraid that the children would be sad, so she comforted them. "When I go to the county city tomorrow, I'll buy you guys some canned fruit too."
"No need. Learning a foreign language beats eating canned fruit," Shao Dong replied, indicating that he wasn't envious.
However, Mu Jingzhe still wanted to buy two cans for them to satisfy their craving.
The next day, Mu Jingzhe woke up early and took the children to the county. Surprisingly, she ran into Tang Moling again.
"Get in the car. I'll drive you there."
Tang Moling didn't say that he had come specifically to give Mu Jingzhe and the kids a lift.
He had yet to achieve his goal. Unwilling to give up, he'd decided to press on.
Seeing that Tang Moling was sincere about giving them a ride, they thanked him and got in. After all, compared to a bicycle, riding in a car was naturally more comfortable. Besides, they were a bit more familiar with him now.
Although she didn't know why Tang Moling had suddenly gone crazy and started taking care of them, Mu Jingzhe wasn't afraid. She would deal with whatever came her way.
Sorry to trouble you again."
"It's no trouble." Tang Moling listened to them as he drove. Halfway through, he asked Mu Jingzhe to help him look for something.
Mu Jingzhe accidentally found a pearl bracelet as she rummaged through the items.
Tang Moling glanced at it and casually said, "This is a pearl bracelet. Take it if you like it."
Though he might look nonchalant on the surface, he was actually carefully observing Mu Jingzhe's expression in the mirror.
He was doing that on purpose. He had decided to work harder to uncover her true colors, so while buying Mu Xue a pearl necklace, he'd thought of Mu Jingzhe and bought this bracelet as well.
The pearls on this bracelet were much smaller than those on the other necklace and weren't worth much, but to someone of Mu Jingzhe's status, this was already a rare item.
She would definitely fall for it if she was short-sighted.
The bracelet would look good on Mu Jingzhe's slender, fair wrist. Any girl would be tempted.
In the end, Mu Jingzhe merely glanced at him strangely. "Thank you, but there's no need."
Was this indeed a trap? Was it a sugar-coated bomb? Or was he trying to defraud her or something?
However, she hadn't provoked Mu Xue in the past few days. With those thoughts in mind, Mu Jingzhe placed the bracelet back very carefully to avoid giving him a chance to extort her.
Tang Moling: "???"
He couldn't help but tilt his head. "You don't like it?"
"No, it looks pretty good."
"Then why don't you want it?" Tang Moling glanced at her. "I'm in a good mood today. That's why I said I would give it to you."
He then said meaningfully, "Don't worry, this is nothing."
Mu Jingzhe chuckled. "Yes, I know."
'I know very well just how rich you are because I've read the novel. I don't need you to tell me that. I'll have money in the future too!'
Mu Jingzhe clenched her fist.
Tang Moling raised his brow upon seeing her actions. "Woman, if you like it, just take it. There's no need to hold yourself back. Go ahead and take it. It's just a small item."
His tone was especially wild and arrogant. Mu Jingzhe couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Had he just called her 'woman'? Gosh, he truly sounded like the male protagonist of a novel filled with sweet, doting love!
It hadn't been so bad when she had read about it in the novel, but hearing him say that in reality was too tacky and hilarious.
It made Mu Jingzhe feel like she was watching an ancient idol drama.
"Ha ha ha…" The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't help but laugh.
Tang Moling: "What are you laughing at?"
Could she have seen through his plans? But it didn't look like it. It seemed like she was laughing at him.
She actually dared to laugh at him?
Seeing his dark expression, Mu Jingzhe quickly restrained her laughter. "Ahem, I just remembered a joke."
Tang Moling didn't feel comforted by this.
After all, this was completely different from what he had imagined. He had plotted so meticulously to see her make a fool of herself, but in the end, he was the one being regarded as a joke?
Tang Moling pursed his lips. Never mind if the first attempt had failed. He could try a second or third time. Surely she wouldn't continue to act like this?
Therefore, he 'bumped into' Mu Jingzhe again in the afternoon. Upon seeing her and the kids holding two cans of fruit as if they were treasures, he snorted in his heart and asked casually if they wanted to go to the best restaurant in the county to eat.
Seeing how much they cherished even something like canned fruits, Tang Moling felt that Mu Jingzhe and the kids definitely wouldn't refuse.
In the end… he was rejected again, and they happily went away with their precious canned fruits.
Tang Moling: "Are canned fruits really that delicious?"
After failing to achieve his goal, Tang Moling was so mad that he slammed the steering wheel.
Later on, he deliberately bumped into Mu Jingzhe, who was going to the city to deliver goods. Coincidentally, he was also going to the city to handle some business. This perfectly showed off his identity and everything he owned once more.
He then casually gave her some gifts, including lipstick and perfume, things that girls found hard to reject.
However, Mu Jingzhe still refused without any hesitation.
Tang Moling started suspecting himself. How could Mu Jingzhe remain unmoved in the face of items that even a young miss would be tempted by?
However, Mu Jingzhe was indeed not moved. She had seen everything in the modern era, and even if she was tempted, she would refuse. After all, those things belonged to the male lead, and she was merely the supporting character.
After being rejected thrice, Tang Moling was all the more determined to expose her true colors.
Following some reflection, he changed his strategy and started giving presents that targeted the kids instead—such as calligraphy paper and fountain pens that were especially beneficial for children.
Mu Jingzhe couldn't refuse this time, and Tang Moling finally felt better.
However… he soon received Mu Jingzhe's reciprocal gift.
The best local tea leaves and specialty ginseng wine that was said to do wonders for the body. Now, they were even.
Tang Moling could bring the tea leaves and ginseng wine back with him and give them to his family or anyone he pleased.
The value of this gift was equivalent to the value of the fountain pens, so she hadn't taken advantage of him.
Tang Moling finally understood what kind of person Mu Jingzhe was.
Who said she was a shallow thinker and was deliberately pretending to ignore him to attract his attention? It was nothing like that.
She had her own considerations and knew what she was doing.
He hadn't managed to expose her true colors. On the contrary, he'd truly understood Mu Jingzhe. Over time, he became more and more interested in her and found it increasingly difficult to hate her.
After all, she had been genuine from the start and truly treated the children very well. Furthermore, her knowledge and the way she spoke were completely different from what he had imagined. Her knowledge and upbringing had far exceeded his imagination.
He would occasionally show off what he knew, but in the end, she knew everything. She could hold a conversation on all sorts of topics, as if she knew everything. Furthermore, she had many opinions that he had never heard before.
Although he didn't want to admit it, he had a lot in common with Mu Jingzhe, even more so than with Mu Xue.
Not only was she knowledgeable, but she would also say things that inspired and amazed him sometimes.
Tang Moling was conflicted.
Meanwhile, Mu Jingzhe's attention was completely focused on the children's final exam.
The final exam took place as scheduled. Although she knew that their results were pretty good, Shao Nan and Little Bei had to take the grade-skipping test this time. They had to do well in order to successfully skip grades.
Seeing their younger siblings work so hard, Shao Dong and Shao Xi didn't want to fall behind either. Before the fourth grade even started, they were already planning to skip grades and go to the fifth grade next year.
Mu Jingzhe was also nervous.
After the nerve-wracking examination ended, the children were quite confident. The moment Little Bei returned, she said, "Mommy, when school starts, I'll be in the third grade."
"Me too," Shao Nan added.
"You guys are amazing, but don't work too hard."
Mu Jingzhe praised them but didn't crush their confidence. "You're still young. You can take it slow. There's no hurry. Regardless of whether you skip a grade or not, you're the best.
"You guys have worked hard for the past two days. I'll kill a chicken tonight to nourish your bodies." She could also take this chance to let Shao Dong eat the drumstick.
Shao Dong also thought of it when he heard that. He scratched his head. "It's just an exam. It was not hard."
In the past, no one used to care if they did well in the exams. Zhao Lan definitely wouldn't praise them or say they had worked hard.
Yet now, Mu Jingzhe even wanted to kill a chicken. This was too grand.
"Why don't we eat it after the results are out?" Shao Xi, who also didn't think the exam had been hard on them, suggested.
"We'll eat another chicken when the results are out." Mu Jingzhe waved her hand. "It's fine. Our family is rearing chickens now, so we don't lack them. We can always raise another later."
Xiao Wu clapped his hands and said that his siblings had worked hard. He couldn't help but ask Mu Jingzhe.
"Mommy, when can I go to school? I want to go to school too. I also want to score 100."
He also wanted Mommy to praise him!
Children who loved to go to school were really adorable. Mu Jingzhe patted cute little Xiao Wu's head. "You can go to school when you're a little older."
When other children were on holidays, they were over the moon, like wild horses that had broken free from their reins. However, Shao Dong and his siblings weren't like that at all. Xiao Wu was still thinking about going to school.
That night, true to her word, Mu Jingzhe killed a chicken and stewed it. She gave Shao Dong a drumstick and gave the other one to Shao Xi.
"Your two older brothers usually indulge you guys. They should have the drumsticks today."
The two chicken wings were given to Shao Nan and Little Bei, while the chicken head was given to Xiao Wu, who said he liked the chicken comb.
Then, the two chicken feet were given to Mu Jingzhe and Shao Qiyang, which was nice, because she happened to like chicken feet.
Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ had rather sharp noses. While they were eating, those four brats came over, wanting to scrounge a free meal.
In the past, Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ loved to eat meat, whilst Shao Dong and his siblings hadn't even gotten to drink the soup. Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ never wanted to share any of it with them.
While they felt nervous, Mu Jingzhe closed the door without hesitation.
The children snickered. They had been afraid that Mu Jingzhe's heart would soften.
A smile flashed across Shao Qiyang's eyes as he looked at Mu Jingzhe. He had been in a difficult position just a moment ago, but now, everything was fine.
Zhao Lan's scolding echoed outside the door. As she scolded them, everyone felt that the chicken tasted even better.
The next day, summer break officially arrived. However, the children started learning by themselves after waking up, like they always did.
It was only in the afternoon that Little Bei's friend came to their house and asked them to go play on the mountain. "Let's go dig for dandelion greens."
Dandelion greens could dispel heatiness, so the five kids were a little tempted.
Mu Jingzhe was prone to getting heaty. After eating chicken yesterday, she was feeling a little heaty today.
While they hesitated, Mu Jingzhe waved her hand and made the decision for them.
"Go ahead. Summer vacation is here. You should relax and play for two days."
Children their age were all mischievous and playful. Mu Jingzhe also hoped that they wouldn't be too sensible and would play when necessary.
"Be careful on the mountain. Hit the ground with a stick. Don't step on a snake and don't hit the snake if you come across one."
During this time of the year, there were many snakes, but the children of Great Eastern Village were also bold. When they gathered in a large group, they would get bold and start hitting the snakes. Mu Jingzhe's hair had stood on end when she'd seen this previously.
Mu Jingzhe prepared a small basket for them and two hoes. "Dig as much as you can. Come back when you're more or less done. Don't go too far away."
"Okay."
Mu Jingzhe had been busy the entire afternoon. Then, the sky suddenly turned dark, obscuring everyone's vision. As it was almost time to wrap up anyway, she told them they could knock off.
The workers had just left when Shao Qiyun suddenly came over.
Mu Jingzhe was puzzled. Why was she back again? Didn't she use to hate coming back to the village in the past?
"Second Sister-In-Law, I bought brown sugar. Mom made brown sugar eggs, so I brought you a bowl. Eat them while they're hot."
Alarm bells went off in Mu Jingzhe's head when she heard Shao Qiyun call her Second Sister-In-Law and say she'd even brought her brown sugar eggs. "Just put them there. What's the matter?"
"Just something minor." Shao Qiyun handed a long red dress to Mu Jingzhe. "This is a dress I bought. It's a little tight on the upper body for me, but I think it'll fit you nicely. I'm giving it to you."
She shot a glance at Mu Jingzhe's chest, clearly hinting that she was much more voluptuous than Mu Jingzhe.
The corners of Mu Jingzhe's mouth twitched. "No need. I have clothes myself."
When one was unjustifiably solicitous, one had to be hiding evil intentions. No way would she fall for it.
"Second Sister-In-Law, why are you so vigilant? I have no ulterior motives. After that day, I went back and reflected on myself and realized that my attitude toward you wasn't right. My second brother is already gone, but you stayed with the Shao Family to take care of his five kids. You're a good person, which is why I wanted to get close to you.
"Of course, I also want to get some hair ornaments from you. I heard that your hair ornaments are now being sold in the city and in other places."
So it turned out she had said all those nice things and brought that dress because of the hair ornaments?
"The goods have already been pre-ordered by people. I don't have spare ones to sell them to you." Mu Jingzhe directly refused, not planning on interacting with her.
Shao Qiyun was sent away by Mu Jingzhe, but she still left behind the dress and the bowl of brown sugar eggs.
"Second Sister-In-Law, try on the dress first and see if you can wear it. If you can't, we'll talk about it later. Don't let the brown sugar eggs get cold."
Eggs with brown sugar were rare and good stuff in this day and age, but Mu Jingzhe didn't plan on touching the things she'd brought over. Who knew if they had put something in them.
Mu Jingzhe looked at the darkening sky and was worried about the children, who had yet to return.
Just as she was wondering if she should go take a look, it started pouring.
Helpless, Mu Jingzhe put on a homemade raincoat made from thin film and got ready to head out to fetch the children with an umbrella. Just as she was about to leave the house, she bumped into Shao Qiyun, who was followed by Zhao Lan and three men.
When she was about to leave, a trace of surprise flickered past Shao Qiyun's eyes. "Second Sister-In-Law, why are you going out in the rain?"
"I'm going to pick up Shao Dong and the others. They're not back yet. What are you…"
"They'll come back. What's there to pick up? Even if you pick them up now, they'll already be wet anyway. Second Sister-In-Law, there's something urgent to take care of."
She blocked Mu Jingzhe's path and said, "Second Sister-In-Law, this is a big boss from the city who wants to buy your hair ornaments. He wants a lot. You've got to have a nice talk with him."
"Boss Mu, right? I'm Yang Qing."
Yang Qing, who was standing in the middle, was short, looked ordinary, and had a short neck. He stuck out his hand, wanting to shake hands with Mu Jingzhe.
Standing beside him, Shao Qiyun explained that he was someone she knew. He had heard that she sold hair ornaments here, so he had come to take a look.
"Hello, Boss Yang."
Mu Jingzhe gestured at the things in her hand. "This is not a convenient time for me. Can I talk to you after I pick up the children?"
"Boss Yang is a busy person. He rarely comes…" Shao Qiyun interrupted her.
Mu Jingzhe ignored her and was just about to leave when one of the men behind Yang Qing suddenly whipped out a folding fruit knife.
Another person closed the door casually. "Boss Mu, you should talk to us first."
Mu Jingzhe took a step back. "What's the meaning of this?"
She looked at Shao Qiyun and Zhao Lan. Zhao Lan was guilty and didn't dare look at her, but Shao Qiyun said directly, "It's nothing. I just wanted to tell you that the kids have already been picked up by someone. You have something important to attend to now."
Mu Jingzhe's expression turned cold. Shao Qiyun quickly raised her hand. "Don't get agitated. I heard from Mom that you're very strong, but no matter how strong you are, it's futile in the presence of a knife. Let's have a nice talk. You wouldn't want to see blood spilled, would you?"
Mu Jingzhe wasn't invulnerable, so she naturally knew that she was at a disadvantage. She shouted as she retreated.
"Is anyone there?"
Shao Qiyun didn't show any signs of panic. "The rain is really heavy. Everyone has gone back. Nobody's going to hear you."
The sound of rain would indeed block out most of the noise. Mu Jingzhe didn't continue shouting. "What do you want? To force me to sell to you? To rob me?"
"Second Sister-In-Law, you must be joking. Why would we do such a thing? We only betrothed you to someone."
Shao Qiyun pointed at Yang Qing. "This is the groom we found for you. Now, it's time for you to get married."
Mu Jingzhe frowned. "What? Get married? Betrothed?"
"Yes, we've betrothed you to him. He's here to pick you up. Your situation is different, so you can drop the formalities. The two of you can just hold the wedding ceremony right here right now and enter the nuptial chamber."
Mu Jingzhe laughed out of fury.
"Shao Qiyun, don't be ridiculous. In this day and age, you have no right to arrange my marriage. It's illegal to force a marriage."
"Don't say that, Boss Mu." Yang Qing and the three men surrounded her, and he said with a smile, "I genuinely want to marry you. I'll treat you well. Look, I'm a businessman too. After we get married, we can work together."
"No, I refuse." Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Qiyun. "Did you arrange all this? To think your second brother treated you so well. Is this how you repay him?"
"What's wrong with me? Second Brother liked Mu Xue, not you. He had no choice but to marry you because he was forced to. He wouldn't give a damn if you remarried."
Shao Qiyun snorted. "Be a good girl and do as we say. The person I found for you is quite a catch."
This was why Shao Qiyun had come back.
The last time Shao Qiyun had come back was because Yang Qing had gone to her to inquire about Mu Jingzhe, as she and Shao Qiyun were both from Great Eastern Village. He had said that her hair ornaments were selling extremely well and he wanted to collaborate with her.
She hadn't believed it at first. It was only when she'd come back that she had found out it was true.
At first, they had it all planned out and wanted to use this opportunity to earn money. They hadn't expected Mu Jingzhe to be so uncooperative. Ever since they'd split up the family assets, she had been earning money by herself and hadn't cared about the eldest branch.
Shao Qiyun felt that Mu Jingzhe had gone overboard. Even though they had split up the family assets, they were still a family. It wasn't right of her to do this.
If they couldn't earn money together, what use was it for Mu Jingzhe to earn money?
The eldest branch and Mu Jingzhe had been at odds for a long time and would scold Mu Jingzhe whenever they spoke of her. However, they couldn't do anything to Mu Jingzhe. She was strong, and the fence-sitters in the village were on her side. No one helped them.
Shao Qiyun wondered, 'Since Mu Jingzhe isn't cooperating, why not get rid of her?'
How could they get rid of her? It was simple. They could simply marry her off. Why not do that?
Since they loathed her this badly, they could just marry her off.
Zhao Lan had still been hesitant, feeling that they probably weren't capable of making such a decision. After all, Mu Jingzhe had even turned down a great marriage proposal previously.
Shao Qiyun had taken on the responsibility and made all the arrangements today.
"Mu Jingzhe, don't blame us for not discussing this with you. Who asked you to be so selfish? You ate meat yourself, yet you didn't even allow us to drink the soup. In that case, we can only marry you off."
"You have no right to marry me off." Mu Jingzhe emphasized this. "It's against the law to force someone into marriage. Arranged marriage has long been outlawed. If I call the police, you'll have to go to jail."
"Who are you trying to scare? You and Boss Yang now answer to your parents and the matchmaker. It's legal."
Shao Qiyun wasn't afraid. "Since you've married into the Shao Family, we're a family. Why can't we make the decision?"
Zhao Lan nodded vigorously. "That's right. Once you marry into the Shao Family, dead or alive, you belong to the Shao Family. We call the shots."
"You're crazy." Mu Jingzhe couldn't understand at all. "Shao Qiyun, you've been in junior high and are even working at a school now. Are you really that ignorant?"
"What am I ignoring?" Shao Qiyun told her the story of the biological sister of a student from the county's No.1 Middle School.
When she'd passed away after getting married, her in-laws had arranged a posthumous marriage for her sister. The biological sister's birth character was good, and she had died at a good time. When someone had come to their door, the in-laws had agreed and even accepted the betrothal money, preparing to get their son a second wife.
If they could even make a decision for someone's afterlife, how could they not make a decision when the person was still alive?
Zhao Lan kept nodding from the side and added, "We could have sold someone like you for money in the past. Now, we're merely marrying you off. We did absolutely nothing wrong."
They had merely accepted a considerable amount of betrothal money, that was all.
Two days ago, Shao Qiyun had gone out to look for Yang Qing to discuss the betrothal gift.
Rather than doing business with Mu Jingzhe, why not marry her and earn money at the same time?
Yang Qing was a businessman and knew how impressive Mu Jingzhe was, so he agreed. As for the betrothal gifts, he felt that he could earn back the money through the profit Mu Jingzhe would make in the future.
Yang Qing emphasized again that he genuinely wanted to marry her.
"Genuinely? You have the nerve to act genuine!" Mu Jingzhe sneered. "I'll cut to the chase. A marriage is impossible. If you don't want to die, get lost."
Zhao Lan felt her hair stand on end upon seeing Mu Jingzhe act so ruthlessly, but Shao Qiyun's face fell.
"You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Mu Jingzhe, did you think we wouldn't be prepared at all?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why do you think the kids never returned? They're in my hands! If you want them to be safe, listen to me and cooperate. Don't even think about resisting."
"You actually took them? They're your nephews!"
"I have many nephews. It doesn't matter if one or two go missing." When Shao Qiyun had heard that Mu Jingzhe had been treating the five kids well, she'd felt that this was a godsend opportunity.
She had been afraid that Mu Jingzhe would have no weakness.
"As long as you're obedient, nothing will happen to them." Shao Qiyun smiled. "I've brought you the bridal clothes. Hurry up and change into them. It's that red dress I brought you earlier."
She had it all planned out. First, she had brought the red dress and a bowl of brown sugar eggs.
Logically speaking, Mu Jingzhe should have eaten the brown sugar eggs and changed into that red dress. After all, Mu Jingzhe used to be vain and greedy. She definitely wouldn't be able to resist the temptation.
She had calculated it quite well. When Mu Jingzhe woke up, everything would be settled.
Unexpectedly, what she had anticipated hadn't happened. Mu Jingzhe hadn't fainted after eating the brown sugar eggs, nor had she put on that red dress.
Fortunately, even heaven was helping them. It was raining.
It was pouring so heavily that the rain perfectly masked all sounds and movements.
Thrilled at the thought of being able to use Mu Jingzhe's betrothal money to buy a watch and leather shoes, Shao Qiyun couldn't help but urge her. "Hurry up. My patience is limited."
"Where did you take the children? I want to see them first."
Mu Jingzhe gritted her teeth as she glared at Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun. No matter how much she disliked them, they were still their biological grandchildren, nephews, and niece. However, they only cared about money.
She had read the novel and knew how horribly they'd treated the five kids, so she knew that they were absolutely capable of those heinous acts.
She had to ensure the safety of the children first.
"Be good. You'll see them tomorrow morning. Go change clothes first."
Mu Jingzhe looked around the room. "Alright, I'll change, but I have to go back to my room to change."
Yang Qing didn't want his two 'brothers' to see Mu Jingzhe change clothes on the spot, so he nodded in agreement.
Shao Qiyun took the knife and followed Mu Jingzhe back to her room, keeping an eye on her constantly.
When the rain stopped, the sky turned much brighter. Shao Qiyun looked at the drawings in the room and sneered.
"What are these drawings? They're a mess."
Mu Jingzhe had bought some crayons for the children. They liked them very much, but their drawing skills were indeed average. The drawings were filled with matchstick figures.
However, Mu Jingzhe didn't mind. She had pasted their drawings in the room, in case they felt that she was too biased.
Mu Jingzhe ignored her snide remark and slowly changed clothes.
Shao Qiyun quickly caught sight of Little Bei and Xiao Wu's drawings, which were pasted side by side. Upon seeing the word 'Mommy' written above the matchstick figure with the short hair, she knew at a glance that it was Mu Jingzhe. Her gaze darkened.
Are you done?" Shao Qiyun urged her impatiently.
Mu Jingzhe glanced at Shao Qiyun. This girl had an angelic face, but her thoughts were extremely malicious.
She had no intention of infuriating her yet. "Yes, I'm going to put on my shoes."
She bent down to put on her shoes and took the opportunity to grab something.
Shao Qiyun didn't notice until Mu Jingzhe stood up.
At first, Shao Qiyun thought that with her short hair, Mu Jingzhe would definitely look hideous in a dress.
Unexpectedly, not only was she not hideous, but she was so gorgeous that she couldn't take her eyes off her.
Mu Jingzhe's curves weren't that voluptuous, but she had a tall and slender figure, and her posture was uniquely graceful. She exuded a unique, candid charm completely different from women with commonplace looks.
At that moment, while standing next to Mu Jingzhe, Shao Qiyun felt that she was a woman with commonplace looks.
Displeasure flashed across her eyes.
She had, in a slipshod manner, chosen the cheapest and least beautiful dress. Why was it so stunning on Mu Jingzhe?
She disliked anyone who was prettier than her.
Shao Qiyun wanted very much for her to take the dress off, but she held herself back at the thought that this was serious business. "Come out quickly."
As soon as Mu Jingzhe went out, everyone's gazes fell on her, a hint of surprise flickering across their eyes.
Without thinking, Mu Jingzhe took advantage of their daze and scattered the chili powder she had secretly hidden in her hand.
"Ah…"
As the chili powder landed in their eyes, cries of agony rang out in the room.
Mu Jingzhe herself didn't manage to dodge completely, causing her vision to blur for a moment, but she couldn't care less about anything else. She endured the pain and started hitting anyone who stood in her way.
Shao Qiyun's back was facing Mu Jingzhe, so she wasn't affected by the chili powder much. She swung the knife at her.
Mu Jingzhe's vision was affected. Although she managed to snatch the knife from her, she felt a stab of pain in her arm, as if it had been cut. However, she didn't have the time to check.
Mu Jingzhe didn't restrain her strength and soon, the few of them could be seen lying on the ground in pain. Amid Zhao Lan's horrific screams, she pinned Shao Qiyun down.
"Where are the kids?" she demanded with the knife in hand.
Shao Qiyun hadn't expected Mu Jingzhe to use this move. "Let go of me!"
"I'll give you another chance. Quickly, spill!"
As Mu Jingzhe was questioning her, there was suddenly a knock on the door. Shao Dong's voice could be heard.
Mu Jingzhe raised her head in disbelief and saw the five disheveled kids standing at the door.
"Mommy!" Little Bei was about to charge over.
"Don't come close, Little Bei."
Before Mu Jingzhe could tie them up, Yang Qing came back to his senses and happened to see Little Bei rushing over. With a ruthless look in his eyes, he reached out to grab her.
Mu Jingzhe yelled anxiously, "Little Bei, get back quickly!"
She shouted as she pounced over, but it was too late. Little Bei had already been grabbed.
Shao Qiyun's eyes lit up. "Quick, catch them."
As long as they managed to grab the kids, their original plan could resume.
"Little Bei!" Seeing that it was too late, Mu Jingzhe felt despair. She saw Little Bei open her mouth and bite Yang Qing's hand. While Yang Qing screamed and let go, Little Bei kicked him hard in the leg.
Owww! Yang Qing screamed loudly.
At that moment, Shao Dong and Shao Xi also moved. Each of them took on one of the two thugs, who were trying to get up, stomping and kicking at them.
They were uniformly kicking the same spot—the spot between their legs.
Shao Nan had been following his siblings with Xiao Wu. When he saw what was going on inside, he turned around and went to call the villagers.
Mu Jingzhe was stunned for a moment. She kicked Shao Qiyun and quickly ran over to check on them.
"Are you alright? How did you get so dirty?"
"I'm fine. Mommy, are you okay?" Little Bei asked Mu Jingzhe nervously.
"I'm fine." Mu Jingzhe still felt lingering fear. "You kids scared me to death just now."
"We're fine. We knocked them all down."
Little Bei pointed at the few men who were still screaming. "We're not afraid of them."
Despite this special situation, Mu Jingzhe was speechless for a moment. "How did you think of kicking them there?"
"I learned it from you, Mommy. Didn't you say that we were weak and if we couldn't run, we should use our teeth to bite the opponent's weakest spot? We remember that."
After watching the movie, Little Bei had used the move flexibly.
Shao Dong also said that he had learned it from Mu Jingzhe. He still remembered Mu Jingzhe hitting someone previously.
Shao Xi, who had been silent the entire time, was the first to notice that something was wrong with Mu Jingzhe's arm.
"You're bleeding."
Because she was wearing red, the blood wasn't obvious. Still, he had noticed it.
"Where? Mommy, are you hurt?" Little Bei got nervous upon hearing that.
Shao Dong took a look and quickly went to get the small medicine box that Mu Jingzhe had made.
"I'm fine. It's just a small wound."
Mu Jingzhe took a look and saw that there was a cut, but it wasn't serious.
She tied a knot with her handkerchief and bandaged it. "Quick, change clothes so you don't catch a cold. What happened just now?"
"First Aunt stopped us from coming home."
They had wanted to rush back because they'd feared it might rain upon seeing the darkening sky. They could have made it back before the rain, but they'd run into Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao.
Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao had deliberately gone to stop them and insisted on taking them to hide from the rain. She'd refused to listen to their objections and carried Xiao Wu to the thatched house.
The thatched house was where they stored the grains to protect them from the rain. Usually, everyone would seek shelter there when it rained.
Since Xiao Wu had been taken away, they'd had no choice but to follow her. They had wanted to snatch Xiao Wu back, but they'd ended up getting caught in the rain due to the delay.
Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao had refused to let them leave. Shao Dong had sensed that something was amiss and insisted on going back despite knowing they would get drenched in the rain.
Although Mu Jingzhe hadn't said she would be picking them up, Shao Dong felt that based on Mu Jingzhe's habits, she would definitely come to fetch them.
However, not only had Mu Jingzhe not come, but Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao had suddenly come to stop them too. He knew that something must have gone wrong.
Shao Dong and the others had made a fuss about wanting to go back. Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao had gotten impatient and hit them directly upon seeing that they were disobedient.
The children had all been beaten up. After putting in a lot of effort, they'd worked together to escape from Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao's hands in spite of their injuries.
It was pouring heavily, and because they had rushed back, they'd fallen quite a few times along the way. They were a complete mess, and the basket full of dandelion greens they'd worked so hard to dig had been lost long ago.
The kids were only glad that they had run all the way back. Otherwise, things would have been bad.
After they explained briefly, Shao Nan came back with the villagers.
Yang Qing and his gang, who had been beaten up by Mu Jingzhe and the children and couldn't get up, heard the commotion and knew that their plan had completely fallen through this time. They got up, wanting to run, but they didn't have the time.
The villagers had originally been preparing to cook because it was raining, but Shao Nan had called them over and said that something had happened to their family.
Upon hearing that, everyone ran over, including Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng. The moment the villagers arrived, they stopped Yang Qing, Zhao Lan, and the others, who wanted to flee.
"You want to leave? It's not that easy. I already told you that this is illegal."
Mu Jingzhe didn't hide anything and briefly recounted what had happened in a few words.
After hearing her, everyone exploded and started criticizing Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun. How absurd of them to be doing such a thing in this day and age!
Furthermore, they had used the five kids to threaten Mu Jingzhe. Zhao Lan, their biological grandmother, had used her own grandchildren to threaten their stepmother.
It sounded ridiculous and pathetic.
Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng saw Mu Jingzhe in that state and heard what had happened. Without hesitation, they grabbed Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun and hit them.
"You heartless things! How dare you plot against our Jingzhe!"