As a mother, she couldn't tolerate others touching her children. Li Zhaodi felt the same way. Her two children were her weakness.
If Mu Jingzhe hadn't cleverly escaped and the children hadn't run away, Mu Jingzhe would have been defiled and forced to get married.
Who could tolerate this?
Shao Qiyun felt as if her entire scalp was about to be ripped off by Li Zhaodi. She screamed in pain and pleaded with her mother for help.
However, Zhao Lan couldn't even fend for herself now, so how could she save her daughter?
Mu Teng didn't hit women, so he only beat up Yang Qing and the other two men.
Yang Qing was hit again before he could recover and was almost beaten to death by the furious Mu Teng.
"Dad, stop hitting, or you'll end up killing them."
Mu Jingzhe stopped him. "What they did was illegal. We'll take them to the police station."
Only then did Mu Teng stop.
The villagers were also enraged by this. How could they come to someone's house and force a girl to get married? How was it any different from kidnapping?
They unanimously decided to take them to the police station after the rain stopped. Yang Qing and the other two men were tied up and locked up by the village chief.
Finally, everyone's gaze landed on the two culprits, Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun.
Shao Qiyun denied the accusations immediately. "I don't know anything."
Zhao Lan also defended her daughter, claiming that it was her idea.
"Bah, I don't care whose idea it was. I won't let the two of you off!"
Li Zhaodi was furious, and Mu Teng's countenance was also dark. He waited for Li Zhaodi to finish speaking before he spoke.
"Cut the crap. Jingzhe had good intentions and couldn't bear to leave the children behind, so she stayed behind to take care of them. In the end, her good intentions were regarded as worthless, and they even tried to ruin Jingzhe like that."
Mu Teng looked at the five kids, then turned to Mu Jingzhe. "As your father, I have made a decision today. Jingzhe, let's go home. Do not stay in this wolf's den anymore. I don't want you to be sold and ruined by the Shao Family."
"We're not dead yet. Your old man is still alive. I can't let you suffer such humiliation and grievance."
He looked at the villagers. "Everyone, you are a witness. Our Jingzhe has already done her best. From this day onward, Jingzhe will no longer have anything to do with the Shao Family and the children."
He held Mu Jingzhe's hand. "Let's go, Jingzhe. Dad will take you home."
Mu Jingzhe was stunned and couldn't help but look at the children.
She had also thought of teaching Zhao Lan and her gang a lesson, but she hadn't expected this to happen.
However, from the standpoint of Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng, who were her parents, this was a normal choice.
Now that such a thing had happened to their daughter, they naturally had to take her back.
She understood, but she wasn't prepared for this. She had no intention of giving up on the children.
The five kids were also stunned.
Everything had happened too quickly. A second ago, they had still been filled with hatred and they'd wished they could tear apart the people who had bullied Mu Jingzhe.
A second later, Mu Jingzhe was about to leave.
This was not the way they had thought she would leave, though—by getting married and stopping to care for them. Instead, she was being brought back to her maternal family by the Mu Family.
They stood there in a daze until Mu Jingzhe was pulled away.
"No." Shao Dong and Shao Xi stood in front of Mu Teng. "Please don't."
"Don't take Mommy away." Little Bei and Xiao Wu's eyes were filled with panic. "Don't take Mommy away."
Mu Jingzhe panicked and was about to say something, but Mu Teng pulled her away forcefully. "You're not allowed to speak."
Little Bei and Xiao Wu instantly burst into tears. "Mommy, don't go. Don't leave us behind."
Little Bei ignored the rain and chased after her. She hugged Mu Jingzhe.
Xiao Wu descended the stairs too quickly and ended up falling down. He stumbled to his feet and ran after her. "Mommy, don't go."
"Go back quickly."
Mu Jingzhe's eyes warmed up. For a moment, she couldn't tell if it was the rain or tears. "Go back quickly."
However, they weren't the only ones who didn't go back. Shao Dong, Shao Xi, and Shao Nan all ran out to chase after her. Shao Dong spread open his arms and blocked the door, his entire body trembling and his eyes filled with supplication.
Shao Xi and Shao Nan tugged at Mu Jingzhe's clothes, their eyes filled with unprecedented panic.
Previously, they had always said that they wouldn't rely on Mu Jingzhe, that they wouldn't call her Mommy, and that they wouldn't get attached to her emotionally. However, at that moment, they panicked.
They only hoped that Mu Jingzhe wouldn't leave.
Xiao Wu and Little Bei hugged Mu Jingzhe and wailed. "Mommy, don't go…"
"Mommy, you said that you liked us the most. We'll be obedient in the future. Please don't leave."
They cried so hard that they made other people's hearts ache. Many of the onlookers had red eyes by then.
Mu Jingzhe felt like a knife was being twisted in her heart.
She wanted to go back, but her hand was held back by Mu Teng's trembling hand and Li Zhaodi's pleading gaze.
"Don't go back, Jingzhe. Don't be soft-hearted. You can't take care of them forever," said Li Zhaodi.
Though Mu Teng didn't say anything, Mu Jingzhe understood the emotions that were revealed in the depths of his eyes.
At that moment, Mu Jingzhe felt like she was being torn into two.
"Mommy, don't go."
"Get out of the way. Don't block Jingzhe's path."
Li Zhaodi chased them away with a choked voice. She wanted to push Little Bei and Xiao Wu away, but they refused to let go.
She had tried to rip Shao Nan and Shao Xi's hands off, but they stubbornly clung to her.
Little Bei begged Li Zhaodi. "We'll be obedient in the future. Don't take Mommy away. I want Mommy."
"What are you doing? You're causing Jingzhe's death. Jingzhe isn't your biological mother. What else do you want? Get out of the way."
Li Zhaodi was driven crazy by them.
However, they couldn't hit the children, so they'd reached a stalemate.
Shao Dong looked at Mu Teng and mustered up the courage to say, "Uncle, I want to talk to you. Please."
He didn't call Mu Teng 'Grandpa' because he knew that Mu Teng wouldn't like it.
Mu Teng's countenance was dark. However, when he looked at the surrounding onlookers and then at Mu Jingzhe, who couldn't escape, he could only agree with a dark expression.
Mu Teng led Shao Dong out of the house. "Let's talk here. What do you want to say?"
Shao Dong clenched his fists tightly. "Uncle, I want to beg you not to take her away. We only have her. She's our mother. It wasn't easy for us to finally have a mother. We can't leave her or bear to part with her."
Mu Teng was unmoved. "I know, but she can't take care of the five of you for the rest of her life. She has to get married in the future and have her own children."
"We'll be good and filial to her, even more filial than a biological child. We're not asking that she supports us forever. If she finds someone suitable in the future and wishes to get married, we definitely won't stop her. We'll even prepare a dowry for her, but please don't take her away now.
"We've already started earning money and we've grown up. We'll protect her and give her the best of the best. We definitely won't let her get in danger again."
Mu Teng still didn't agree. "You make it sound so nice. Who doesn't know how to say nice things like that? Yes, you're smart. I also believe that you'll amount to something in the future, but you're still too young.
"I don't want her to have such a hard life. I just want her to be safe and sound." He took a deep breath. "Now that you've said what you wanted to say, stop pestering me. Go deal with your younger siblings, or don't blame me for being ruthless."
Mu Teng turned around and left. Shao Dong's eyes were filled with despair. He closed his eyes and knelt down.
"Uncle, please, please don't take Mommy away…"
StMu 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.
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Contact - ToS - Protection StatusMu 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.
Shao Dong knew very well that they had too little. Even if they took out their hearts, they'd still be a burden.
However, he really didn't want Mu Jingzhe to leave.
After living with Mu Jingzhe for half a year, their lives and everything else were tied to her. He couldn't imagine how they would survive without her.
They were already used to the warmth Mu Jingzhe brought them. How could they go back to the way they used to live?
She had promised them that she would take care of them. She had also said that she would fulfill 100 of his wishes, and there were still so many unfulfilled wishes.
They had agreed to be filial and repay her in the future, but they hadn't yet had the chance to fulfill their promise.
How could she leave? How could they bear to see her leave?
Alas, they didn't have any bargaining chips. In the end, Shao Dong could only dig out his heart and beg with it in his hands, using the method he'd hated in the past—kneeling.
Even so, he had to beg. He had to use all his strength and all the means available to keep Mu Jingzhe there.
Shao Dong knelt in the muddy water and lowered his head, begging Mu Teng not to take Mu Jingzhe away.
"Please, Uncle. Please don't take away Mommy… We can't live without her."
Mu Teng turned around and glanced at Shao Dong. It wasn't that he wasn't moved, but… he couldn't be soft-hearted.
Mu Teng went back and pulled Mu Jingzhe away, ignoring Xiao Wu and Little Bei's cries.
"If you still regard us as your parents, come with us."
Li Zhaodi also gazed at Mu Jingzhe with a pleading look in her eyes. She didn't say anything, but she had already said many things previously.
She had always wanted Mu Jingzhe to go back to live with her. She didn't think it was a good idea for her to stay and take care of the children. She'd said that she had seen too many such cases. In this world, blood relations were more reliable, but even biological children weren't necessarily filial, let alone children who weren't related to you by blood.
Although Mu Jingzhe was doing better than before, Li Zhaodi was still worried. She had even said that she might as well be like her old self and snatch Tang Moling from Mu Xue. It was better than focusing on taking care of the children.
These words sounded very ignorant, but they were based on Li Zhaodi's life experience.
Mu Jingzhe looked into Li Zhaodi's eyes and couldn't help but think of Mu Teng and Li Zhaodi's ending in the book.
According to the original plot, Mu Jingzhe failed to seduce her younger brother-in-law and even made Little Bei go deaf, causing her to become the target of public criticism.
Later on, she couldn't take it anymore and went to the big city to work.
She had thought of earning money before coming back, but that turned out to be wishful thinking on her part.
Instead of becoming a female worker at some big city factory, she was tricked into entering the sex trade.
By the time she realized it, it was already too late. She was defiled that very night.
In the book, while Mu Xue was pregnant, the original Mu Jingzhe contracted an STD, and her mind wasn't clear anymore. She went crazy and disappeared one night after running out.
Later on, Li Zhaodi went to look for the original Mu Jingzhe. She didn't care if her daughter was sick or crazy. She just wanted to find her.
They begged and searched everywhere, but they ultimately didn't manage to find her. Gradually, there was no news of her anymore, and she ended up being a rotting corpse beside a garbage dump.
Mu Teng then embarked on the path of finding his wife and daughter. For the rest of his life, he only wanted to bring them back.
In the end, he didn't get what he wanted and died with everlasting regret.
Now that the original Mu Jingzhe was gone, Mu Jingzhe had replaced her as their daughter. She couldn't break their hearts again.
Li Zhaodi blocked the children and prevented them from following her.
Shao Dong stood in the rain and watched Mu Jingzhe being pulled away by Mu Teng.
Mu Jingzhe's red dress gradually disappeared in the rain.
"Stop chasing her." Seeing that Little Wu and Little Bei still wanted to give chase, Shao Dong stopped them.
"You're not to chase after her. Let her go back."
"No, I want Mommy." This was the first time Little Bei was disobedient and made a fuss.
Xiao Wu didn't listen either and cried, "I want to find Mommy! Mommy!"
However, Shao Dong still didn't change his mind. Ignoring their struggles, he carried them back. "You're not allowed to go."
They couldn't selfishly keep Mu Jingzhe by their side.
At that moment, Shao Dong was only glad that the rain was heavy enough.
No one could see his tears.
Mu Jingzhe was pulled back to the Mu Residence by Mu Teng and Li Zhaodi.
"Stop crying. You'll get used to it in two days."
Li Zhaodi felt extremely regretful upon seeing Mu Jingzhe cry all the way back.
"If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have listened to you. I should've insisted on bringing you back then. They're not even your biological children, but you look as upset as though they are."
Li Zhaodi felt upset, and so did Mu Teng. However, he had to steel his heart. He couldn't let Mu Jingzhe stay there and continue raising the children.
Mu Jingzhe was at a loss for words for a moment. She couldn't ignore the wishes of the two elders, but she felt terrible when she thought of the children she had left behind.
Li Zhaodi was about to say something when Old Madam Mu's impatient voice rang out.
"Come in quickly since you're back. Why are you standing at the door?"
Mu Jingzhe followed Li Zhaodi in. The first thing she saw was stern-looking Old Madam Mu. Beside her were Tang Moling and Mu Xue, who were shaking their umbrellas.
As Tang Moling often came to the Mu Residence, everyone liked to joke that he was like a live-in son-in-law.
Due to the rain, Tang Moling had gone to pick up Mu Xue, who had been grading papers at school. The duo had just returned and didn't know what had happened.
"What's wrong?"
As he asked this, he saw Mu Jingzhe walk in through the rain.
This was the first time Mu Jingzhe was wearing a dress. She was wearing a red dress that was extremely eye-catching.
Tang Moling was stunned for a moment, surprise flashing across his eyes.
He had already noticed that Mu Jingzhe had been becoming increasingly beautiful and pleasing to the eye, but he'd subconsciously ignored that.
Until this moment.
If Mu Xue was described as an elegant daisy, then Mu Jingzhe could be likened to a rich ink painting of a landscape that was both breathtaking and unforgettable.
Tang Moling could even hear his heart racing.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
It felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.
"What's going on?" Old Madam Mu asked coldly, pulling Tang Moling back from his thoughts.
He came back to his senses and awkwardly retracted his gaze.
Yes, what was going on?
This was the first time he had seen Mu Jingzhe cry. Her head was lowered, and she was looking listless.
She was completely different from her usual energetic and vigilant self. This was the first time he saw that Mu Jingzhe could be so fragile.
Seeing Mu Jingzhe's reddened eyes, Tang Moling looked at Mu Teng.
Mu Teng looked livid as he briefly explained what had happened.
"They went too far." Old Madam Mu's expression darkened. She then turned to Mu Jingzhe angrily. "I didn't agree with you rushing to marry Shao Qihai in the first place. See what happens when you chew off more than you can bite? What a disgrace."
Mu Teng was unhappy. "Mom, what are you saying? Jingzhe isn't at fault here."
Old Madam Mu wanted to retort, but Tang Moling interrupted her.
Tang Moling was furious.
He hadn't expected to hear such a disgusting thing. "Why didn't you come back and call for help when you encountered such an issue? We have to hit back and smash their heads. Let's see if they'll dare to do this again in the future."
No wonder Mu Jingzhe had suddenly worn a red dress. It turned out that she'd been forced to marry and this was her bridal dress.
Tang Moling was furious. He looked at Mu Jingzhe and couldn't help but say, "Why are you crying? It's not your fault! Aren't you strong? Hit them! Punch them until they become impotent!"
She had been so impressive in front of him previously!
No one had expected Tang Moling to suddenly lose his temper. They stared at him in shock.
Tang Moling didn't notice and only looked at Mu Jingzhe with a dark expression. His gaze searched for a while before stopping on her arm.
"You even got injured?"
He gritted his teeth, worry and fury clouding his eyes. He picked up a tool that was lying aside and got ready to leave. "Come on, let's go back and give them what they deserve."
"What are you doing?" Mu Xue quickly pulled Tang Moling back.
Old Madam Mu also looked at him strangely. "It's already been settled. Why are you so agitated?"
Under Mu Xue's suspicious gaze and Mu Jingzhe's strange gaze, Tang Moling slowly calmed down.
He was stunned. That's right. Why was he so angry? Then, he came up with a reason.
"I just can't stand seeing them bully people like that. Before they hit the dog, they ought to see who its master is."
Old Madam Mu's expression relaxed. "You just have to protect Xiao Xue from now on."
Mu Xue lowered her head and smiled. Mu Teng's face darkened. Who was the dog?
It took Tang Moling a long time to realize what he had said. He wanted to explain, but he didn't know where to start.
He couldn't help but look at Mu Jingzhe, but Mu Jingzhe didn't look at him. She just frowned and looked outside, seemingly lost in thought.
He couldn't help but frown. The people from the Shao Family really needed to be taught a lesson, especially that wretch Shao Qiyun.
As he was thinking about it, he heard Mu Xue say, "The rain doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. Will it be troublesome for you to go back?"
Only then did Tang Moling remember that he was supposed to leave after returning. He glanced at the smudge of red out of the corner of his eye and suddenly wondered if he should sleep here for the night.
Tang Moling was about to say something when he heard Old Madam Mu speak.
"What's there to be afraid of when he has a car? It's not like he'll be walking. Moling has important matters to attend to. We can't hold him up. It's getting dark, so he should leave quickly."
Tang Moling could only swallow his words and get in the car while Old Madam Mu and Mu Xue watched him leave.
Mu Jingzhe had already been pulled back to her room by Li Zhaodi and hadn't come out yet.
The small room that Mu Jingzhe had originally stayed in had been converted to Mu Xue's study by Old Madam Mu so she could grade the students' assignments there.
Although Old Madam Mu wasn't very willing, she didn't stop them from converting the study back to Mu Jingzhe's bedroom.
The sky turned completely dark. Old Madam Mu pulled a long face and said that she wanted to eat.
Mu Jingzhe didn't have much of an appetite and Old Madam Mu had a sullen expression on her face while facing her at the dining table. However, she didn't kick her out either. Compared to before, her attitude was actually quite good.
Mu Teng's face darkened. When he returned to his room, he said that they would build a house after saving up more money.
In the future, whenever Mu Jingzhe returned, she would have her own room and wouldn't have to put up with Old Madam Mu.
The Mu Family was quiet, but the Shao Family wasn't calm at the moment because Shao Qiyang had returned.
Shao Qiyang was already drenched by the time he returned. He greeted them as soon as he reached the courtyard. "I'm back."
In the past, whenever he came back, the house would always be lit up, and there would be warm food. However, there was nothing today.
No one answered.
Shao Dong had changed into dry clothes with his younger siblings and was just starting the fire. Little Bei and Xiao Wu had kept crying until they'd fallen asleep.
Shao Xi, Shao Nan, and Shao Dong were all pale from the cold. As soon as Shao Qiyang entered, he felt that something was amiss.
It was a mess outside, and there was something wrong with the children. Mu Jingzhe was also nowhere to be seen.
"What's wrong? What happened? Where's Jingzhe?"
"Uncle." Shao Dong greeted him. He wasn't delighted to see Shao Qiyang or anything.
After all, his return wouldn't change anything.
"Uncle, go change your clothes first."
"Tell me what happened first."
Shao Xi recounted what had happened in a straightforward manner without adding much emotion.
However, Shao Qiyang's eyes widened when he heard that. "How dare they… How dare they! How could they?!"
How could they treat Mu Jingzhe like that? Mu Jingzhe, whom he carefully cherished in his heart and didn't even dare speak his mind to, had been treated this way by them?
Shao Qiyang's eyes burned with fury as he turned around and left.
With a bang, he kicked open the door of the eldest branch's house. Ignoring Big Brother Shao's greeting, he went directly to pull Shao Qiyun up when he saw her warming up by the fire. He gave her a tight slap across the face.
This was Shao Qiyang's first time hitting a woman and the first time he'd ever hit his younger sister.
Due to Zhao Lan's favoritism toward her only daughter, the three Shao brothers had always treated Shao Qiyun quite well. But what had Shao Qiyun done in the end?
"You heartless thing!" Shao Qiyang scolded her as he gave her two more slaps.
"Third Brother, you're crazy!" Shao Qiyun shrieked.
"Those two slaps were me hitting you on Second Brother's behalf." Then, he raised his hand and slapped her again. "This slap is from me."
"Are you crazy? Why are you hitting your younger sister?" Zhao Lan quickly went to stop him, but no matter how hard she tried, Shao Qiyang wouldn't let go of Shao Qiyun and kept hitting her.
"If I don't teach her a lesson today, she'll never know she was wrong."
"Mom, quickly, help me!" Shao Qiyun nearly went mad from all those slaps. No matter how hard she punched and kicked, it was useless. She could only shout for Zhao Lan.
Seeing that Eldest Brother Shao was unable to stop the fight, Zhao Lan gritted her teeth, picked up a piece of firewood, and struck Shao Qiyang without rhyme or reason.
"Let go immediately. How dare you hit your younger sister!"
The firewood struck Shao Qiyang's head and ears, causing him to bleed instantly.
Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao, who had been watching from afar, screamed, "Stop it! You're going to beat him to death!"
Only after Zhao Lan stopped did she see the blood flowing down Shao Qiyang's neck. She screamed and dropped the firewood.
However, even while he was beaten up by Zhao Lan, Shao Qiyang hadn't let go of Shao Qiyun. He merely cast a glance at her and then went back to hitting Shao Qiyun.
"Do you admit you were in the wrong? Are you going to repent or not?"
Zhao Lan kept retreating. "He's gone mad! This is crazy!"
"Qiyun, quick, apologize. Your brother is crazy."
Shao Qiyun, who felt that she was about to be beaten to death, quickly apologized. "I was wrong. I won't dare do it again."
Only then did the panting Shao Qiyang stop. "Remember what you said today. If you dare do this again, I'll really beat you to death."
"I'm not dead yet. Who are you threatening? Shao Qiyang, you didn't even ask what happened to your family. Instead, you only cared about hitting your sister. If we go to jail, I won't let you off!"
Yang Qing and his men were locked up and would probably be taken to the police station tomorrow.
When that time came, Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun probably wouldn't be able to escape either because they were accomplices.
Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun were angry and afraid to begin with, and their hearts were trembling in fear. In the end, when Shao Qiyang came back, he didn't even help them.
Zhao Lan was so furious that she pounced on Shao Qiyang and hit him. "What kind of a son are you?"
Shao Qiyang shrugged off Zhao Lan. "I can't do anything to you because you're my mother, but this is the last time."
Zhao Lan sneered, "Or what? Are you going to disown me?"
Shao Qiyang nodded, his eyes red. "Yes, I'll disown you. You people are not fit to be humans. I'll pretend that I don't have any relatives like you in the future."
Zhao Lan collapsed on the ground, looking enraged. "You won't acknowledge your mother just because of Mu Jingzhe?"
She stepped forward and grabbed Shao Qiyang's collar. "Did you hook up with Mu Jingzhe? I knew it. You two are shameless."
In the end, Zhao Lan still didn't think she was wrong, but it occurred to her that there might be something between Shao Qiyang and Mu Jingzhe.
"Shut up!" Shao Qiyang flung her away. "You're not fit to even mention her name. You called her shameless? The most shameless people are you two."
With such a family, what right did he have to be with Mu Jingzhe?
Shao Qiyang's eyes were filled with hatred. "You disgust me."
"From now on, I will break all ties with you." Shao Qiyang turned around and left.
Zhao Lan was stunned for a moment before she suddenly lashed out. "You ingrate! You unfilial son! Let me tell you something. I don't have a son like you anymore."
Seeing that Shao Qiyang had really left, Zhao Lan slapped her legs in fury.
"What kind of a life is this? Why is my life so bitter?"
Zhao Lan cried for a long time, but no one paid her any attention. Shao Qiyun was throwing a tantrum because of the pain on her swollen, red face.
Since she was young, Zhao Lan had never once hit her. This was the first time Shao Qiyun had been hit.
Shao Qiyun and Zhao Lan cursed angrily. Eldest Brother Shao stomped his feet in regret. "I said it couldn't be done."
Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao pulled him aside and asked him not to add fuel to the fire. Nobody heard him complaining when they collected the betrothal gifts.
After Shao Qiyang came out, he was in a daze for a moment before he went to the Mu Residence. He couldn't let Mu Jingzhe go back like this.
He went to the Mu Residence, wanting to apologize and beg for forgiveness, wanting to ask Mu Jingzhe to go back.
However, Mu Teng chased him away before he even got to see Mu Jingzhe's face.
"What's the use of apologizing now? In the future, the entire Shao Family can forget about setting foot on our doorstep!"
Shao Qiyang stood in the rain, feeling cold all over and almost losing his balance.
Yes, what right did he have to do this? It was too late.
He was never around when Mu Jingzhe needed protection the most. He was always one step too late.
Fate had been messing with him time and again, always making him be one step late.
Furthermore, the people who had harmed Mu Jingzhe were his biological mother and younger sister. What right did he have to ask her to go back?
It rained the entire night and it stopped the next morning, but the skies remained cloudy.
Mu Teng gathered some villagers and sent Yang Qing and his two men, as well as Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun, to the police station.
Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun naturally refused to go. They kept crying and making a fuss. Zhao Lan even wanted to hang herself in a bid to force Mu Teng to give up.
They even found an elder from the Mu Family and persuaded Old Madam Mu to ask Mu Teng to let the matter rest. Their argument was that it wouldn't do Mu Jingzhe any good if this matter were to spread.
After all, Mu Jingzhe was going to get married in the future. They were all from the same village and would meet frequently. They shouldn't be so ruthless.
However, the more Zhao Lan and the gang acted like this, the more insistent Mu Teng became. He didn't even listen to Old Madam Mu.
Before Mu Xue's birth, Old Madam Mu had actually doted on Mu Teng a lot because Mu Teng had a glib tongue and knew how to coax people.
Later on, because of their family circumstances, Mu Teng hadn't disobeyed Old Madam Mu, so the old woman practically had the final say in the family.
However, this time, Mu Teng didn't listen because he was different from before.
Although he and Li Zhaodi didn't make a lot of money selling buns, thanks to their stable income, they were much more confident now.
In the past, he had relied on Old Madam Mu to survive, but now that he no longer had to, he insisted on pursuing the matter.
Old Madam Mu only doted on Mu Xue and didn't care for Mu Jingzhe. This granddaughter of hers couldn't gain her favor.
She didn't feel pain, but he, as her father, did. If he couldn't even protect his own daughter properly, what kind of a father would that make him?
He wanted everyone to see his attitude. He wanted to see who would dare bully Mu Jingzhe in the future.
After fussing for half a day, it started raining again. However, this still didn't stop Mu Teng.
After Tang Moling was done with his work, he waited for Mu Teng.
He drove Mu Teng back and also used his connections to make sure that Yang Qing, Zhao Lan, and the gang learned from their mistakes, lest such a thing happened again in the future.
Tang Moling's status was extraordinary. One word from him was more effective than one hundred from Mu Teng. Mu Teng thanked Tang Moling.
The two of them hadn't interacted much in the past. After all, Tang Moling used to hate Mu Xue's horrible relatives. Mu Jingzhe was number one in line, and right behind her were Mu Teng and Li Zhaodi.
However, as his impression of Mu Jingzhe improved and he stopped judging her based on prejudice, Tang Moling realized that Mu Teng and Li Zhaodi weren't that bad after all.
Perhaps their behavior had indeed been so-so in the past, but their love for their children had never changed.
Old Madam Mu was surprised that Tang Moling had come to Great Eastern Village again. However, she only thought that Tang Moling was worried about Mu Xue, so she smiled in relief. This way, she needn't fear Mu Xue would suffer when she married him.
"Why did you bring so much food again?"
Tang Moling's trunk was filled with food, including fresh beef and mutton. Old Madam Mu was grinning from ear to ear.
"It's raining, so we should eat some mutton and beef to nourish our bodies." Tang Moling noticed Mu Jingzhe out of the corner of his eye.
Mu Jingzhe's eyes were still a little swollen, but her expression was much calmer. After thanking him, she busied herself around Mu Teng and asked him to change while she went to make brown sugar ginger soup to warm up their bodies.
"Dad, drink it quickly. You don't want to catch a cold."
As for the remaining soup, Mu Jingzhe hesitated for a moment. Since Tang Moling had helped them, she should probably give it to him to drink, but she was afraid that Mu Xue would misunderstand.
As she was hesitating, Tang Moling asked, "Is there some more? I'll have a bowl to ward off the cold too."
Mu Xue immediately said, "I'll make some for you."
"No need. There's enough for another bowl, isn't there?" Tang Moling raised the bowl and drank it.
Mu Xue pursed her lips in annoyance.
The beef and mutton were prepared for dinner, but only in small amounts. Some of the meat was preserved in salt.
There were many people but only so much meat. Old Madam Mu gave most of the meat to Mu Xue, and the others also got a little bit each. Mu Jingzhe only got two pieces of meat.
Mu Xue's bowl was piled up with food. Compared to Mu Jingzhe's bowl, the contrast was very obvious.
Li Zhaodi pursed her lips, looking disgruntled. However, she didn't make a fuss and simply gave her share to Mu Jingzhe.
Tang Moling looked at his bowl, which was full of meat, and felt a little bad.
"Grandma, why didn't you cook all of it? That way, everyone could have eaten their fill."
Old Madam Mu merely replied dismissively, "How can meat be filling? Is this not enough for you? If it isn't, I'll give you some more."
"Enough." Tang Moling shook his head and lowered his eyes, his gaze a little dark.
In the beginning, when he had seen that Old Madam Mu treated Mu Xue well, he'd only felt that this old woman had good judgment and was adorable.
But today, he saw blatant bias.
No wonder Mu Jingzhe and her parents had kept snatching Mu Xue's things in the past. It was because if they didn't, they would end up with nothing.
The portion that should have belonged to them had been given to Mu Xue instead. They were merely snatching back the portion that should have been theirs.
However, everyone was used to it and felt that those things rightfully belonged to Mu Xue.
Initially, he hadn't noticed it, but upon closer inspection, he realized that Mu Xue was much meatier than Mu Jingzhe.
Mu Xue might look slim due to her slender bones, but she actually had a lot of meat on her.
He hadn't been able to tell in the past, but now that Mu Jingzhe was wearing that red dress, it was obvious that she was much thinner than Mu Xue.
However, Old Madam Mu only felt heartache for Mu Xue and kept asking her to eat more since she was so thin.
The dining table was filled with the joyful laughter of Old Madam Mu and Mu Xue, while Mu Jingzhe listened to them, eating in silence. Her voice could not be heard at all.
Tang Moling held back his anger. He wasn't even in the mood to eat.
Tang Moling wanted to say something a few times, but when he thought of the outcome, he shut his mouth and didn't say anything in the end.
Li Zhaodi wanted to say something too, but she was disheartened upon thinking about what had happened in the past decade or so, so she couldn't be bothered to make a fuss anymore. If she did, it would only embarrass Jingzhe and make her feel worse.
Li Zhaodi was bitterly disappointed by Old Madam Mu's attitude. In the past, they had been useless, but now, they were doing pretty well. Seeing Jingzhe return this way, her heart ached terribly for her daughter, but Old Madam Mu remained completely unaffected.
After the meal, Li Zhaodi pulled Mu Jingzhe back to her room, ignoring the way Old Madam Mu scolded her for being lazy. Li Zhaodi sneered when Third Brother Mu coaxed Old Madam Mu and praised Mu Xue.
"Jingzhe, eat some walnut cookies. In the future, Mom will buy a sheep so you can eat your fill. I don't care for that little bit of food you get from her."
Mu Jingzhe knew that Li Zhaodi was vexed. Although she had no appetite, she still accepted it. "Okay, thank you, Mom."
"I'm your mother. Why are you thanking me? Look at how thin you've become."
Li Zhaodi's heart ached as she looked at Mu Jingzhe. "It's all my fault for being useless. I didn't gain your grandmother's favor, nor was I able to steal more to feed you. But don't worry. If she continues acting like this, we'll eat by ourselves. When the time comes, you will eat whatever you want. No one will make you feel aggrieved."
"Mom, with you and Dad around, I don't feel aggrieved. I just feel heartache for you."
She was just eating fewer pieces of meat. Big deal. She could buy them herself if she wanted to. On the other hand, her heart ached for Li Zhaodi, who had suffered for more than twenty years.
If they didn't split up the family assets, they would have to continue suffering in the future. Therefore, she fully supported their decision to build their own house and eat separately from them.
Li Zhaodi hadn't expected Mu Jingzhe to feel heartache for them, and her eyes couldn't help but turn red.
"Why are you feeling heartache for Mom? Mom is an outsider to begin with, but you're not. You and Mu Xue are both granddaughters of the Mu Family, but there's a world of difference in the way you two are treated. It's as if you were adopted."
Li Zhaodi gnashed her teeth as she spoke. "The heavens are blind. After Mu Xue was born, your grandmother treated her so well that she seemed possessed. Even her grandsons weren't so favored.
"Your father used to be quite pampered, but everything changed when Mu Xue was born. Your maddening, inarticulate eldest uncle and aunt also started becoming favored by association.
"Just because your third uncle and third aunt said some nice things about Mu Xue and treated her a bit better, they also started gaining Old Madam Mu's favor. Only we, the second branch, are in a difficult position and get criticized everywhere we go.
"I've finally seen through it all. That damn girl, Mu Xue, is really spooky, like some sort of demon or ghost reincarnated. Those who treat her well get to live well, whereas those who don't end up suffering."
Mu Jingzhe was shocked to hear Li Zhaodi's rant.
"Mom, since you know that those who treat Mu Xue well live well, then why didn't you treat her better?"
Mu Xue was the typical example of a fan favorite. Her grandmother, who'd originally favored boys over girls, had been treating her well ever since her birth. Everyone who was nice to her had it good, but those who treated her badly had misfortune befall them.
Before Mu Jingzhe had transmigrated, this type of novel that featured a fan-favorite lead had been trending. There was no logic to it; its only purpose was to give readers a kick.
She had thought that Li Zhaodi, the biggest nuisance in the early stages, had kept going against Mu Xue because she didn't realize this. She was surprised to learn that Li Zhaodi had known all along.
Li Zhaodi answered matter-of-factly, "Why would I be good to her? She's so evil and scary. Your luck must have been sucked away by her. Otherwise, you wouldn't be unlucky enough to become a widow shortly after you got married."
Li Zhaodi's way of thinking was different from other people's. Otherwise, with her quick wit and ability to read people, how could the third branch have compared to her? However, she was unwilling to do anything because she felt that this was spooky.
"I used to think that she would return to her original form or lose her good luck sooner or later. I didn't expect her to grow up being pampered like this. Then, she went on to become a teacher and even managed to find that rich man, Tang Moling. She's going to have such a good life in the future."
As for Mu Jingzhe, she was stuck with those children…
As Li Zhaodi spoke, she heard Tang Moling's voice outside and became even more indignant. "That fellow has no taste. I thought that rich people were different from farmers like us, but in the end, he's just like everyone else who fancies Mu Xue. You're clearly a hundred times better than her."
Mu Jingzhe didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Mom, you're my mother. One naturally thinks the world of their own children."
Li Zhaodi stroked Mu Jingzhe's head. "No, you're truly awesome. You were only affected because you were born in my stomach."
"Mom, don't say that." Mu Jingzhe's expression was serious. "I must have racked up good karma in my past life to be able to become your daughter."
Only then did Li Zhaodi's mood brighten. "Okay, Mom will work hard to earn money in the future and accumulate a decent dowry for you. You will marry whoever you want."
Mu Jingzhe laughed. "Alright."
She wouldn't speak of her lack of desire to get married because she didn't want to agitate Li Zhaodi at a time like this.
While the two of them were talking in the room, Tang Moling, who was outside, saw that Mu Jingzhe hadn't appeared at all. He knew that she must be upset too, but there was nothing he could do, so he left helplessly.
However, he came back the next day and brought things as usual. This time, it was not meat, but walnut cookies, canned fruits, and other snacks.
To be specific, there were many fruit cans. An entire box of them.
"Someone happened to give me these as a gift, so I brought them with me. You guys can split them among yourselves."
Tang Moling moved quickly and generously distributed a few cans to each of them. Mu Jingzhe, who was starting a fire, was also given three cans.
"Oh, oh, thank you." Mu Jingzhe quickly thanked him.
Upon seeing the fruit cans in her hands, Tang Moling finally smiled.
He still remembered the way Mu Jingzhe had hugged the fruit cans previously. It seemed like she was especially fond of them.
He knew that Mu Jingzhe couldn't bear to part from those children, so her mood would definitely improve after eating them, right?
Recalling that he had previously suspected Mu Jingzhe of acting, he felt as if a lifetime had passed.
Although Old Madam Mu was a little dissatisfied with Tang Moling giving the fruit to everyone, she and Mu Xue received a larger share than everyone else, so she was pleased.
"Oh dear, you're so busy, yet you come here every day with these things."
Seeing that he was so sincere, Old Madam Mu gave him the chance to be alone with Mu Xue. "Hurry up and help Xiao Xue grade the assignments."
Mu Xue looked at the fruit cans on the table but didn't feel any joy.
Even though fruit cans were hard to come by in the countryside, she had eaten them many times in the past. She could even afford to be picky and only eat the ones she liked—the peaches.
She had told Tang Moling before that she only ate peaches from fruit cans, but he hadn't taken it seriously and had even handed her a slice of orange.
Grandma had assumed that Tang Moling was there to look for her, but she was sensitive and felt that something was amiss.
Though Tang Moling frequently brought things over, the things he had brought over in the past two days were different from before.
"Why have you been coming here every day for the past two days?" Mu Xue asked Tang Moling in a low voice. She wanted to know if it was because of Mu Jingzhe.
She kept feeling that there was something between Tang Moling and Mu Jingzhe because Tang Moling was coming to see Mu Jingzhe, but Mu Jingzhe's behavior was normal, and she didn't so much as cast a glance at him.
Mu Xue was about to go crazy. She felt that she was thinking too much, but as a woman, her intuition made her feel uneasy.
Tang Moling paused. "I'm here to see you, of course."
Even though he said that, he couldn't lie to himself.
Yes, he still liked Mu Xue, but he rarely thought of Mu Xue these days.
Even he couldn't tell if it was because of Mu Xue or Mu Jingzhe that he came to Great Eastern Village.