After Hearing Her Daughter's Heartfelt Words, a Socially Anxious Mom

by Usui Takumii

Picks up a Knife and Fights Fearlessly. Not mine, asia novel dot net. Beware edited mtl.

1. 00 to 20

After a difficult childbirth, Fan Qingyi gains the ability to read minds.

She discovers that her entire family is cannon fodder in a period novel.

The female lead steals her golden finger, removes the kidney of her youngest daughter, pushes her eldest daughter into the water, and runs over her second daughter with a car!

She then has Fan Qingyi thrown into a mental institution where she is abused to death!

Fan Qingyi's husband seeks revenge for his wife and daughters but is framed by the male and female leads, leading to his violent death on the street!

The male and female leads live happily ever after, using her golden finger to amass wealth and fame.

The biased in-laws, who bullied and harmed them, also rise to glory, enjoying prosperity and honor.

Only her family of five does not have a single good end.

So, when her mother-in-law says, "Girl, if I suffocate you, it would save the family some food… If you dare tell Lao Er, I'll sell your three daughters!"

She informs her husband.

Her husband, learning the truth ahead of time, tears down and destroys the in-laws' home.

He teaches her that no matter who it is, treat others as they treat you.

When her sister-in-law acts unreasonably and brings the whole village to bully them, saying, "Your daughter injured my son; beat them to death for my son's sake…"

She becomes unreasonable too, grabbing a kitchen knife and charging forward!

When the female lead says, "Second Auntie, I like your ring. Can you give it to me?"

She refuses and instead performs a blood ritual to claim ownership, opens up a space, and starts a path to making money through business.

She is socially anxious and a mother.

She will not be cannon fodder!

Anyone who dares to harm her children will face her wrath!

In the end, the youngest daughter, who has traveled back into the book, is stunned.

Her mother transforms from a socially anxious person to a social butterfly, and her business grows larger and larger, with branches opening one after another.

She even inadvertently accumulates countless plots of land in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, becoming a billionaire mogul!

Even she herself becomes someone envied by others, a rich second generation.

Chapter 001: The Cannon Fodder Awakens Telepathy

Fan Qingyi had a terrifying nightmare.

In the dream, her youngest daughter, Li Shanhu, was emaciated, lying on a hospital bed with a deathly pallor.

She whispered weakly, "Mom, I'm not even thirty yet. I don't want to die..."

Fan Qingyi saw herself kneeling at the doctor's feet, her head bleeding, but she couldn't save her youngest daughter.

The sorrow of a white-haired mother sending off a black-haired child overwhelmed her as she watched her daughter being cremated.

The scene shifted, and she found herself in a cemetery with her second daughter, Li Zhenzhu. Beside her youngest daughter's tombstone, there was the name of her eldest daughter, Li Liuli.

A wave of terror washed over her as she tried to call out her daughter's name, but no sound came from her mouth.

Yet, she could hear the deafening crash of a car hitting someone.

"Bang!"

She turned and stared in horror at her second daughter, who had been thrown dozens of meters by a car, blood gushing from under her body, engulfing her in an instant.

...

"Ah!"

Fan Qingyi finally screamed, opening her eyes to see familiar rafters above her, stunned for a moment.

She wasn't sure if she was still in a dream or back in reality.

A warm flow between her legs made her body suddenly relax.

Someone shouted, "It's out! It's out! My second son has finally given us a grandson..."

Fan Qingyi snapped back to reality.

She was giving birth.

Because her nephew, Li Yuanbai, had pushed her, causing her to fall and break her waters.

Premature labor combined with complications, and her cervix was dilating slowly. If the amniotic fluid dried up before her cervix fully dilated, the baby might suffocate and die inside her.

The midwife suggested massage to help dilate her cervix.

The pain was so intense that it felt like she had entered another realm, experiencing a nightmare that left her terrified.

"... Another girl!"

Mrs. Li glared at the baby the midwife brought out, noticing the absence of male genitalia.

She spat on Fan Qingyi's face, "Useless thing! Can't even give birth to a son! I wasted my whole night waiting..."

Without another glance at the baby, she stomped out of the room, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.

"Waaah..."

The baby seemed to sense the dislike and began crying loudly with closed eyes.

The midwife sighed and held the baby up to Fan Qingyi, "Wenfeng's wife, take a look. Your third child has fair skin and a high nose bridge—definitely a beautiful little girl."

Fan Qingyi extended her finger and gently touched the baby's soft hand.

The baby instantly stopped crying.

"Oh, this child knows how to comfort you. She'll definitely be filial."

Aunt Song smiled warmly, cut the umbilical cord with scissors, cleaned the baby, wrapped her in a blanket, and placed her beside Fan Qingyi.

She quickly helped clean Fan Qingyi up and covered her with a blanket.

Fan Qingyi gripped the sheets, suppressing the shame that threatened to overwhelm her, "Thank you, Aunt Song."

Aunt Song knew she was shy and smiled.

Before leaving, she advised, "Your in-laws have always favored boys over girls. Don't take their words to heart. Focus on recovering; you'll have a son someday."

Fan Qingyi's eyes welled up, and she nodded with a smile.

"I know, Auntie."

Her husband, Li Wenfeng, had also said that the gender of the baby is determined by his genes, not hers, and told her not to worry whether it's a boy or a girl. He promised to handle his parents.

She wanted a son too, but daughters were her children, and she loved them just the same.

As Aunt Song left, her twin daughters entered with red eyes.

"Mom."

They rushed to her bedside.

The elder daughter's face was tense, while the younger one's voice trembled, "Grandma said you gave birth to another money-loser and won't let us cook red sugar eggs for you. How will you recover without food? How will you feed your sister without milk?"

Fan Qingyi felt a pang of sadness and reached out to touch her daughters' dry hair.

"Mom isn't hungry right now. You need to get some sleep for school tomorrow."

"But..."

Fan Qingyi managed a smile, soothing her two daughters and sending them to rest in the next room. She then lowered her eyes to look at her youngest daughter lying beside her.

The child had opened her eyes at some point, her long lashes framing a pair of bright black eyes that stared wide at Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi felt a wave of tenderness and smiled lovingly.

Suddenly, she heard a baby's voice.

"Oh, I've transmigrated into a book?"

"Fan Qingyi and Li Wenfeng—aren't they the cannon fodder family from the novel I read? What were the names of their three daughters again?"

"The eldest daughter is Li Liuli, the second daughter is Li Zhenzhu, and the youngest... I'm Li Shanhu, right?"

"Tsk tsk, what a miserable family."

"Is this my mom? She still looks so beautiful after giving birth. No wonder Dad made his move in junior high. Too bad, none of us gets a good ending..."

Fan Qingyi was stunned. Was it the youngest daughter speaking?

What did she mean by "transmigrated"? What was this "cannon fodder family"? Why did she say none of them would have a good ending?

She looked at her youngest daughter, hoping for more information, but the little girl just stared back blankly, as if deep in thought.

Indeed, Li Shanhu was thinking about the family's tragic fate, wanting to curse out loud.

In the novel, Fan Qingyi was bullied and mistreated by her in-laws because she couldn't bear a son. She never fought back.

Mrs. Li refused to pay for schooling, claiming that girls would eventually belong to other families.

Without education, they were assigned the hardest work and subjected to constant emotional abuse.

Her in-laws despised her, her sisters-in-law humiliated her, and even her nieces and nephews didn't treat her with respect.

But that wasn't the worst part.

The worst part was the protagonist of the novel, Li Yuanbao, who had been reborn.

She knew about Fan Qingyi's spatial jade ring and stole it, claiming ownership.

Fan Qingyi's twin daughters accidentally discovered this and confronted her, only to be pushed into a river by her. The current was swift, and the eldest drowned while the second one went missing.

Li Yuanbao acted as if nothing had happened, using the spatial ring to win everyone's affection. She became wealthy, attended university, and met the male lead.

Fan Qingyi didn't want her youngest daughter to end up like her, so she hunted in the mountains to earn money for her education while searching for the second daughter.

Finally, the youngest daughter got into university and succeeded.

However, the male lead's sister fell ill, and Li Yuanbao tricked the youngest daughter into donating a kidney, claiming it was her own donation.

The male lead was moved and married Li Yuanbao, living happily ever after.

The youngest daughter, without a kidney, grew weaker and couldn't do heavy labor, dying before the age of thirty.

Fan Qingyi cried herself blind when she learned the truth about the spatial ring and her eldest daughter's death from her second daughter.

Mother and daughter sought justice from Li Yuanbao, only to find out that the youngest daughter had also died because of her.

Fan Qingyi was consumed by hatred and wanted to kill her.

Her in-laws intervened, saying that the dead were gone and the living should move on.

Li Yuanbao offered them twenty thousand yuan as charity, which Fan Qingyi gave to her second daughter, telling her to return to her adoptive parents. She bought a dagger and went to kill Li Yuanbao.

She missed her target and was sent to prison, where the male lead's family arranged for her to serve sixteen years.

The second daughter pleaded for mercy, but coincidentally, the male lead's sister experienced organ rejection. Li Yuanbao asked her to donate another kidney in exchange for releasing Fan Qingyi.

After the surgery, Li Yuanbao reneged on her promise. The second daughter questioned her and was thrown out, only to be hit by a car and killed on her way home.

Fan Qingyi, learning this, suffered a mental breakdown and was sent to a psychiatric hospital by Li Yuanbao, where she was abused and starved to death.

Li Wenfeng, kept in the dark throughout, only learned the truth after his wife and daughters died from the male lead's sister's slip of the tongue.

He used his authority for the first time to seek revenge for his family but was thwarted by a powerful figure whom Li Yuanbao had saved. He lost his decades-long career and died in poverty.

The entire family ended up as cannon fodder, with no one having a good ending.

And to top it all off, her mother was socially anxious and couldn't even argue!

She needed to think carefully about how to strengthen her mother first.

She didn't want to die young!

The little baby, running out of energy, drifted off to sleep while thinking.

Fan Qingyi, exhausted, saw her youngest daughter fall asleep and could no longer hold on, following her into slumber.

Midway through her sleep, she suddenly heard muffled groans and the piercing screams of her youngest daughter.

"Mom, help! Mrs. Li is trying to suffocate me! Mom, wake up..."

Chapter 002 I Am Socially Anxious, and Also a Mother

Fan Qingyi suddenly jolted awake.

Opening her eyes, she saw Mrs. Li covering her little daughter's mouth and nose with a small blanket. Her hand reacted faster than her mind.

She pushed the person away forcefully.

"Ouch!"

Mrs. Li let out a cry and fell to the ground.

She cursed, "Little slut, you dare push me? You've gone too far..."

Fan Qingyi ignored her and quickly pulled back the blanket to check on her little daughter.

The little girl's face was blue and purple, tears streaming down her cheeks, her eyes filled with fear.

Fan Qingyi felt both heartbroken and terrified, her eyes instantly turning red.

"Wah wah, Mom, I almost died..."

"Just now, I was only thinking about how miserable our family is, and forgot about this major calamity of birth."

"Mom, Mrs. Li didn't suffocate me to death, but she won't give up. She'll insist that having no male heir is unacceptable and will make you give me away to get a son in return. You mustn't agree!"

The little voice trembled pitifully.

Fan Qingyi wrapped the small blanket around her and held her close, glancing at Mrs. Li who was getting up from the ground, entering a state of high alert.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Mrs. Li spat, "What's all the shouting for? I just came over to check if it's a boy or a girl, so what?"

"Bad luck, this wretched thing woke up at the worst time, just a moment too late..."

Her mother-in-law's voice suddenly echoed in her mind, shocking Fan Qingyi almost to the point of dropping the child.

"She's lying! She wanted to suffocate me!" the little girl's voice growled angrily.

Fan Qingyi pursed her lips tightly and said in a muffled voice, "You tried to suffocate my daughter, I saw it."

"So what if you saw it? It's just a girl; her death would save the family some food."

Mrs. Li showed no concern.

But in her heart, she cursed, "I shouldn't have tried to smother her in bed for convenience. If I had taken her outside and suffocated her there, then thrown her body on the hillside, not even bones would be left tomorrow."

Fan Qingyi lifted her gaze in horror, looking at Mrs. Li in disbelief before quickly lowering her head again.

"Mom, she is Wenfeng's and my biological daughter, your own granddaughter. You can't say such things."

"I said it, what are you going to do about it? If she survived, it's her good fortune!"

Mrs. Li snorted and suddenly raised her hand to slap her.

"For pushing me, daring to lay a hand on me, what are you!"

"Ahh!"

The little girl screamed, and Fan Qingyi instinctively lowered her head to protect her tightly.

Mrs. Li's slap landed on Fan Qingyi's head, nearly knocking her over, showing how much force she used.

Slap after slap, the sound echoed.

Fan Qingyi staggered from the blows but made sure her little daughter wasn't touched by any of them.

Li Shanhu was furious.

"Why is she hitting people? Why is she hitting my mom! Ahh! This is infuriating..."

"Mom, dodge! Fight back! Resist!"

"She's taking advantage of your filial piety and social anxiety. Waa, Mom..."

"Mom, if you don't protect us, I'll die, Big Sister will die, Second Sister will die too. Mom, you need to stand up."

The little voice was angry and aggrieved, sobbing uncontrollably.

Fan Qingyi was deeply shaken.

Her little daughter had mentioned earlier that none of their family would have a good end, and now she was saying they would all die.

Was it because she was too filial and socially anxious, unable to protect them?

Fan Qingyi gritted her teeth and stood firm against Mrs. Li. "Mom, I will tell Wenfeng every word you said today."

Including her true thoughts.

Mrs. Li paused mid-slap.

"You dare!"

"This wretched thing, trying to monopolize the monthly allowance of a thousand from the second son. Watch me beat her to death."

The eldest works as an accountant in the village, and his salary barely covers the tuition fees for his two sons.

The youngest is lazy and his wife takes half a year to finish embroidery, contributing nothing to the household, with two children also needing money for school.

Old Fourth, don't even mention him. He's a teacher in town, married a city girl, and lives at his in-laws' house. His salary goes straight to them.

The expenses for this whole family rely on the thousand or so yuan Old Second gets as an allowance each month.

And Old Second is short-sighted; he just likes Fan Qingyi's fox-like face.

If he knew I was talking like this about Fan Qingyi and there was a fuss...

I'm the mother. What do I have to fear!

There are no wrong parents in this world!

But... it would still hurt the mother-son relationship.

Mrs. Li doesn't want to have a falling out with her son over a money pit. She glared fiercely at Fan Qingyi and stopped.

"Shut your mouth tight. If Old Second finds out what he shouldn't know, watch me sell all three of your daughters."

"Sell them deep into the mountains, where you won't even have a place to cry."

Fan Qingyi trembled inwardly, pinching her palm to overcome the endless fear spreading in her heart. She looked up to meet Mrs. Li's gaze.

Almost grinding her teeth to dust, "Mom, if you dare, I will too."

She's socially anxious, but she's also a mother.

Her children, she must protect herself.

She can die without peace, but not her children!

Mrs. Li stared at her strangely, "You dare talk back to me? Who gave you such courage?"

"This shameless woman, did she take the wrong medicine today? She never dares to raise her voice, and now she's daring to argue with me? Maybe I didn't hit her hard enough; I should have used the firewood stick!"

Hearing Mrs. Li's thoughts, Fan Qingyi lowered her head and said nothing.

Mrs. Li cursed again and turned to leave.

"Wah wah, Mom, you're amazing!"

"See, when you stand up to her, she backs down. Arguing isn't that complicated. Do it more often, and you'll get over your social anxiety..."

Fan Qingyi heard the door slam shut and let out a soft breath.

Social anxiety is a disease.

Li Wenfeng took her to a big hospital, where a doctor who studied abroad said her condition isn't easy to cure.

Because even though she knows her fears are excessive, unreasonable, and unnecessary, she can't control them.

The doctor mentioned systematic desensitization and exposure therapy, but she didn't understand.

Now, she suddenly understood what desensitization meant.

Fan Qingyi clenched her hand, her nails digging into her palm, forcing herself to recall the argument with her mother-in-law, finding that feeling, and repeatedly scraping the points she feared until she could recall it expressionlessly.

Daring not to fall into a deep sleep, Fan Qingyi held her youngest daughter and drifted off until morning.

After breakfast, the children went to school.

Her eldest daughter Li Liuli and second daughter Li Zhenzhu secretly gave Fan Qingyi their hidden coarse grain buns, drinking only thin soup themselves.

Fan Qingyi felt heartbroken for her two daughters.

But seeing her youngest daughter, who had only drunk warm water since birth, she gritted her teeth and ate the coarse grain buns.

Without milk, the youngest daughter would starve to death.

After eating the buns, there was no reaction—no milk.

Li Shanhu was so weak from hunger that she couldn't even whimper in Fan Qingyi's arms.

In the mid-afternoon, Mrs. Li suddenly came in, holding a bowl of red sugar and egg soup for Fan Qingyi.

It was mostly red sugar water with a few bits of egg floating on top.

"Drink it."

"Trading a girl for a boy who can carry on the family line is always worth it."

"After she drinks and falls asleep, I'll take the child away without telling her where. She won't dare tell Old Second about losing her daughter and will have to listen to me."

Mrs. Li's eyes gleamed with scheming laughter.

Fan Qingyi froze.

Here it comes.

Last night, her youngest daughter said her mother-in-law would try to swap her for a son if she couldn't suffocate her.

It matches.

Chapter 003: Touch My Daughter, and I'll Go Berserk with a Knife

"Thank you, Mom."

Fan Qingyi took a deep breath to keep herself calm.

Don't let the fear in her heart drive her.

"Mom, ginger tea, let me have a sip."

Fan Qingyi took the ginger tea, drank a few sips, left half of it to cool, and fed it to her little daughter in her arms.

Li Shanhu smacked her lips; she was really starving.

Even getting some water would help.

In the courtyard, Li Yuanbai from the main house laughed loudly, "Are they reincarnated hungry ghosts? Eating what's left on my plate."

The mother and daughter froze simultaneously.

"Tsk tsk tsk, stinky brat, making your aunt drink your spit, ugh..."

The little daughter gagged in disgust, and Fan Qingyi felt a tightness in her chest.

Boys or girls, they were all her grandchildren. Why did the mother-in-law bully them like this?

"Mom."

Mrs. Li pursed her lips, disdainfully, "What is it? Does a girl even deserve an egg?"

"Mom, someone's here."

Elder sister-in-law Shen Jing stood at the door, giving Fan Qingyi a meaningful glance before calling out to Mrs. Li.

Mrs. Li's eyes lit up, and she quickly walked out, whispering with Elder sister-in-law at the door.

"Weren't we supposed to take it over there? Why are they coming here?"

"They said they're afraid we might change our minds. The second daughter-in-law has been holding her, how can we exchange?"

They were not far away, speaking in hushed tones, but they didn't care about Fan Qingyi at all and spoke without any restraint.

"Mom, they've brought people here. You mustn't agree under any circumstances."

Fan Qingyi tightened her grip on the child she was holding.

She bent down and kissed her little daughter's forehead, "Good girl, don't worry. I won't let anyone take you away."

"Mmm, Mom, I love you so much. You endure for a few more years, and when I grow up, I'll protect you."

The little one cried with a soft, moved voice.

Fan Qingyi's eyebrows curved slightly, forming a beautiful smile.

Li Shanhu whistled in her heart, "My mom is really beautiful, truly a masterpiece of Nuwa. I really love her so much."

Someone outside the courtyard was peeking in.

Sister-in-law Li nodded and gestured for Mrs. Li to look. Mrs. Li beamed with joy, "Go tell them not to let Second Daughter-in-law see anyone. Otherwise, she'll come asking for the child later, and it won't be easy to deal with."

"Second Daughter-in-law coming over?" Sister-in-law Li clicked her tongue, "With her courage, does she dare?"

Mrs. Li glanced at her, "Do what you're told. What are you arguing about?"

"Alright, I'll listen to Mom."

Sister-in-law Li smiled and walked out, spoke a few words to the people outside, then turned back.

Mrs. Li went into the house and called Sister-in-law Li.

"You carry the baby and show her to your father in the main room."

Sister-in-law Li responded with an "Ah," and walked over with a smile, "Second Sister-in-law, Father hasn't seen his granddaughter yet. Give her to me; I'll take her to Father to see..."

"Raising a son for others, the second couple is truly a joke this life, hahaha."

Hearing Sister-in-law Li's thoughts, Fan Qingyi was no longer surprised.

If, as the youngest daughter said, they were living in a period novel.

If the youngest daughter could be reborn with her memories, then being able to read other people's thoughts wouldn't be strange either.

"Mom, she's lying, she's deceiving!"

The little one sounded angry; she had heard everything they said at the door, and her mother must have heard it too.

Fan Qingyi glanced at Sister-in-law Li, lowered her head, held the baby tighter, and stepped back.

Sister-in-law Li, missing her target, looked at Fan Qingyi in surprise, "Second Sister-in-law?" [Has she changed?]

"Big Sister, I won't swap my son."

Sister-in-law Li was even more surprised. Fan Qingyi, who had always been too timid to look at or contradict them, actually refused?

She turned to look at Mrs. Li.

Mrs. Li spat, "You say you won't swap, but you don't get to decide in this family! Quickly give that girl to your sister-in-law. Send away a money-losing burden and bring back a boy; you should be happy."

"Ungrateful thing, sons can carry on the family line, while girls are just money-losing burdens, raised to be someone else's wife."

"It's the truth, Second Sister-in-Law. Mother is doing this for you and Second Brother. You should listen."

Li Da'shao wore a face of concern but laughed inwardly.

"Not giving it, not exchanging." Fan Qingyi quickly glanced at Mrs. Li, refusing to budge.

Li Da'shao chuckled and stood aside to watch the spectacle.

"You ungrateful wretch! You're trying to cut off our Second Son's lineage! If you don't give her up, I'll make him divorce you and marry another young virgin to bear a son!"

What Mrs. Li said was not far from what she thought.

Fan Qingyi remained firm, refusing to give in.

Mrs. Li's face turned green with anger.

Seeing Li Da'shao watching, she glared at her. "It must be because your son pushed her, pushing the child into someone else's arms."

Li Da'shao, "..."

Her smile froze instantly.

"Mother, I asked Yuanbai, and he didn't do it on purpose."

Of course, Mrs. Li wouldn't admit her grandson did it intentionally; she just couldn't stand seeing Li Da'shao happy.

"Hurry up and bring that girl over."

Li Da'shao hesitated. "Second Sister-in-Law won't let go. I can't just snatch her away."

Not moving, Li Da'shao waited as Mrs. Li, unable to wait any longer, walked over and tried to take the child from Fan Qingyi's arms.

"Ahhhh! I've seen shameless people, but never anyone so shameless! Mother, don't let go!"

The little girl screamed in fear as her grandmother handled her roughly, disregarding her well-being. Fan Qingyi felt both anxious and angry.

"Mother, if you take the child, have you thought about how Wenfeng will react when he returns?"

"He won't agree to exchange children with others!"

Mrs. Li sneered. "I'm swapping my son for one who can carry the basin and lead the funeral procession. What does he have to complain about?"

"Which man doesn't want a son?"

Fan Qingyi shook her head. "Wenfeng won't agree. He definitely won't..."

Mrs. Li was strong, while Fan Qingyi was weak and worried about hurting her daughter. She was no match for Mrs. Li.

Seeing the child about to be taken away,

Li Shanhu was on the verge of tears. "Help! Someone, help! Father, we need you. Where are you?"

Fan Qingyi's eyes welled up with tears.

She had given birth more than half a month early, and her husband couldn't possibly return so soon.

At this moment, who in this family could save her child?

"Da'shao..."

Li Da'shao took a step back.

"Is Second Sister-in-Law crazy? Asking me for help? Who isn't living under the old lady's thumb? Even if I dared, why would I risk offending her for a mere girl?"

Fan Qingyi gritted her teeth, but her strength was no match for Mrs. Li.

"Ahhh! Mother! Mother! Help me! Save my mother!"

As the child was taken away, Fan Qingyi grabbed the corner of the blanket and fell to the ground.

Mrs. Li looked smug and disdainfully glanced at Fan Qingyi. "With that frail body, you dare challenge me!"

Then, she turned to leave.

"Ahhh!"

Fan Qingyi suddenly screamed, got up from the ground, and pushed past Li Da'shao, rushing out.

Mrs. Li exclaimed and sidestepped to avoid her.

Fan Qingyi ran straight to the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver from the cutting board, and came back brandishing it.

"Oh my God."

Li Da'shao screamed and ran far away along the wall.

"Give me back my daughter!"

Fan Qingyi held the knife, her expression wild, pointing it at Mrs. Li.

Chapter 004: For My Child, I Will Stand Against the World

Mrs. Li's body stiffened, not daring to move.

"Second daughter-in-law, you, you've gone mad."

Fan Qingyi ignored her and repeated, "Give me back my daughter!"

"What do you need so many money-losing daughters for? Wouldn't it be better to have a son to support you two in your old age?" Mrs. Li tried to make one last appeal.

Fan Qingyi slashed down with the knife.

Mrs. Li screamed, "Here, here, here!"

"Crazy, crazy, Second daughter-in-law has really gone mad!"

Fan Qingyi rushed over and hugged her youngest daughter, then ran back to her room, slamming the door shut.

She fell to the ground, weak and trembling, holding her little daughter tightly and soothing her in a shaky voice, "Don't be afraid, my dear, everything is fine now. Mom got you back; we won't let them take you away! We won't exchange you! Even if I die, I won't let anyone take you away..."

Li Shanhu was stunned speechless.

She was truly frightened by Fan Qingyi.

A person with social anxiety, who couldn't even argue, actually dared to confront an enemy and slash at someone with a knife!

Who was Mrs. Li?

Someone who had been domineering from the beginning of the novel until its end.

And her mother had subdued her with just one swing of a kitchen knife.

Sigh, motherly love is truly great.

"Mom! I love you so much."

In the courtyard, Mrs. Li looked at the closed door, her face turning pale and then red.

"Bitch, slut, how dare you threaten me with a knife! If you want to raise your money-losing daughter, do it yourself; don't expect a single grain of rice from our house."

Li's eldest daughter-in-law, having watched the drama, sneaked back to the main house.

The rest of the family, seeing the commotion caused by Fan Qingyi, didn't dare show their faces and fled.

Mrs. Li cursed in the courtyard for a long time before finally returning to the house when she had calmed down.

She said she wouldn't give Fan Qingyi and her daughter any food, and indeed, she didn't prepare meals for them.

To prevent Li Liuli and Li Zhenzhu from secretly cooking for them, she locked all the food in a cabinet.

Without food, Fan Qingyi had no milk, and Li Shanhu cried from hunger.

Li Liuli and Li Zhenzhu, feeling sorry for their mother and little sister, woke up before dawn to set traps for rabbits and climb trees to collect bird eggs.

They didn't dare bring the food home but instead took the rabbits to Aunt Song, the midwife at the village end, to cook. Aunt Song would then bring the food back for Fan Qingyi to eat.

The bird eggs were made into soft egg custard and fed to Li Shanhu bit by bit.

After eating rabbit meat for two days, Fan Qingyi finally had milk again.

Li Shanhu finally had her first full meal after birth.

She was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes.

While swallowing the food, she held onto Fan Qingyi's finger, reminiscing about the golden finger mentioned in the novel.

"My mother's jade ring space hasn't been stolen by Li Yuanbao yet, right?"

Fan Qingyi was taken aback. A jade ring?

She did have one.

But it had been tricked away by her stepmother a long time ago.

What was this jade ring space?

Why would Li Yuanbao steal it?

"That place has everything. Li Yuanbao became powerful because of it. We must find a way to let my mother know that the jade ring space can't be stolen by Li Yuanbao, or else our family will surely meet a tragic end."

Hearing her youngest daughter mention the family's fate again, Fan Qingyi didn't disturb her and let her play with her fingers.

She thought about visiting her natal family once she finished her confinement period to get the ring back from her stepmother.

How to get it back?

She needed to think carefully about it.

"We also need to find a way to let my father know that he's supporting a bunch of greedy and heartless relatives with his monthly salary!"

"My mother is used to being exploited and doesn't know how to resist. She's too disadvantaged! If she could speak up to my father and ask him to take us with him on military assignment, that would be best."

Fan Qingyi's expression shifted slightly at the thought of a military assignment...

...

In another two or three days, the school would have its wheat harvest break.

The boys in the family, like wild horses off their leashes, galloped around the village.

The girls were called to the fields to harvest wheat and watch the threshing floor, and if they didn't work, they wouldn't be given food.

It was said that all the girls would go, but in reality, only Li Liuli and Li Zhenzhu, the sisters, went, while Li Yuanbao from the third household was taken by Li Sansao to the provincial city.

They worked during the day and kept watch at night.

Five days passed, and the two girls' faces became wrinkled from the sun, their exposed skin red and black, hard to the touch.

Clearly, they were sunburned.

They ate poorly and slept poorly, and had to sneak into the mountains to find food for their mother and younger sister. Within a few days, they visibly lost weight.

From a distance, they looked pitiful.

Fan Qingyi shed tears out of heartache, trying several times to stop her postpartum confinement, but was held back by her daughters.

"Mom, you gave birth to little sister prematurely and with complications. Grandma Song said you damaged your foundation and must complete your postpartum care, or you'll have lifelong health issues."

"We'll endure these few days; Dad will be back on leave soon."

Li Shanhu also hoped Li Wenfeng would return quickly. She and her family were almost being bullied to death, and when he came back, she would surely lodge a complaint.

"Mom, here are some freshly roasted bird eggs; eat them while they're hot."

Li Liuli swallowed her saliva and handed the peeled bird eggs to Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi took them, broke them in half, and gave each daughter a piece.

The two girls waved their hands. "Mom, we won't eat; you and little sister should have them."

"We found these bird eggs after searching through dozens of trees; how can we eat them? They're for Mom's nutrition so you'll recover faster, and little sister will have milk to drink."

"I really want to eat them, but I can hold back. Mom and little sister come first; I can't be greedy."

Hearing her daughters' heartfelt words, Fan Qingyi's eyes welled up with tears.

She reached out to touch their heads. "When your dad comes back, he'll get us more bird eggs, and we can eat as many as we want."

"Really?" Li Zhenzhu's eyes lit up.

Fan Qingyi nodded. "Really."

"Mom, someone is eavesdropping outside. Go see who it is."

A small voice cried out.

Fan Qingyi turned around and saw a small figure leaving the window. The silhouette seemed to be Li Yuanbao, who had gone to the provincial city.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Li Liuli, being sensitive, followed Fan Qingyi's gaze.

Fan Qingyi frowned. "It looks like Yuanbao."

"Did she come back?" Li Zhenzhu curiously peeked out.

"Oh my, don't get too close to Li Yuanbao; she'll harm you and your big sister! Especially avoid going to the river with her!"

The river...

Fan Qingyi suddenly recalled the nightmare she had, feeling a sharp pain in her chest.

That lingering fear and uncontrollable dread.

Without hesitation, she sternly warned them, "Don't go near the river to play."

The two daughters assumed she was worried about water spirits and nodded with smiles.

As the mother and daughters chatted about what they would do when Li Wenfeng returned, Mrs. Li's angry voice suddenly echoed in the courtyard.

"You shallow creatures, not even having sons yet dare to eat alone? Who gave you the nerve?"

"Wanting to separate from us old folks, why don't you look in the mirror at your fox-like face? Disgusting who?"

"Hand over the food immediately and go work at the threshing floor. We still cook meals for your two daughters; otherwise... I'll starve to death without caring!"

Mrs. Li cursed bluntly, but unlike the village elders, she didn't use filthy language.

The second daughter was terrified but gritted her teeth and refused to give in. "Mom, how did Grandma know we found bird eggs? We only found twenty, which we saved for you and little sister. What will you eat if we hand them over?"

"Mom, we can't hand them over."

The elder daughter feared Fan Qingyi might give in and sternly advised against it.

She thought to herself, "Even without these bird eggs, there's other food at home. If Grandma doesn't feed Mom and little sister, without the eggs, they'll have nothing to eat. We can't hand them over."

Hearing her second daughter's words and her elder daughter's thoughts, Fan Qingyi's fear stirred by Mrs. Li's shouting strangely subsided.

She peeled an egg and stuffed one half into each daughter's mouth.

"Eat quickly."

The sisters instinctively tried to spit them out, but Fan Qingyi covered their mouths. "Mom."

Fan Qingyi smiled. "Grandma won't come in. Eat the eggs and bury the shells; she'll have no proof and can only stew in her anger."

Their eyes sparkled as they gobbled down the bird eggs.

Watching them finish their meal, Fan Qingyi signaled for them to open the door.

"Mom, I've eaten the bird eggs. If you don't give us food, we can't starve to death."

If she didn't eat, she would starve to death!

The youngest daughter would starve, and the elder daughters would be bullied to death!

She had to survive first to protect her three daughters.

She would eat!

Mrs. Li was furious and jumped in anger.

Li Yuanbai shouted, "Fan Qingyi, you shameless woman, you're an adult stealing my bird eggs! Watch me get Grandma to beat you, you good-for-nothing harlot who only gives birth to money-losing daughters..."

Mrs. Li really raised the broom and started beating Li Liuli and Li Zhenzhu.

"Serves you right for being greedy!"

"What are you doing?"

At the courtyard gate, a man in military green attire, tall and handsome, walked in.

The man's face was grim as he coldly looked at the two of them.

Seeing him, one sister pouted with tears welling up, while the other burst into tears, "Dad!"

Chapter 005: Filial, But Not Foolish

"Second Brother! Why are you back?"

Mrs. Li's heart skipped a beat as she awkwardly put away the broom, puzzled. She hadn't sent any letters to the military unit.

Spending money on a letter from a girl was just wasteful, wasn't it?

Li Wenfeng walked into the courtyard with a cold face and placed his bag under the eaves of their house.

Through the half-open door, he saw his wife sitting on the bed, holding their little daughter, her face streaked with tears as she looked at him.

Li Wenfeng's lips tightened instantly.

He turned around and strode toward Li Yuanbai.

Yuanbai grinned, "Second Uncle, what delicious treats did you bring us... ah!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Li Wenfeng kicked him.

A scream echoed throughout the courtyard.

"Yuanbai, my son!"

Li's sister-in-law rushed out first, throwing herself onto her son.

Boss Li followed closely behind.

"Second Brother, what are you doing?"

Li Wenfeng smiled, "Brother and Sister-in-Law, you're both here? This boy called my wife by her name and insulted her. Why didn't you step in to discipline him? Or were you deliberately letting him, a junior, bully an elder because I wasn't around?"

Though he was smiling, there was no warmth in his eyes.

Boss Li looked embarrassed, "Second Brother, that's not what we meant."

Li's sister-in-law, feeling protective of her son, argued, "Kids say things without thinking. It wasn't intentional. Second Uncle, you're being too serious."

"Without thinking? Too serious? The money I send home is used to raise such a disrespectful brat who insults elders, and I can't even say anything about it? Huh? Brother?"

Li Wenfeng sneered and glared at Boss Li.

Boss Li's face turned red and then pale, feeling very uncomfortable.

He glared at his wife, "Shut up!"

Feeling guilty, Li's sister-in-law lowered her head angrily.

The mother and son exchanged a glance, and Yuanbai burst into tears, "Grandma, Second Uncle kicked me and now my stomach hurts. He wants to kick me to death for those... worthless girls..."

He had intended to say "whores," but seeing his uncle's terrifying gaze, he quickly changed his words.

Even so, Li Wenfeng didn't let him off.

In two steps, he grabbed Yuanbai by the leg, pulled him out, and hung him upside down in mid-air.

"What did you say?"

Yuanbai screamed in terror.

"Grandma, save me, Grandma..."

Mrs. Li cried out and rushed over, slapping Li Wenfeng's arm.

"You've already hit and scolded him. What more do you want? Put the child down!"

Li Wenfeng lifted Yuanbai higher and let go.

"Ahh!"

Everyone in the courtyard screamed.

Before Yuanbai hit the ground, Li Wenfeng caught him and brought him close, asking coldly, "Do you know your mistake? Will you dare do it again?"

Yuanbai sobbed, "Second Uncle, I was wrong. I won't do it again."

"Hmm, remember what you said. If I hear you speak to your aunt like that again, I'll break one of your legs."

With that, he threw Yuanbai toward Boss Li.

"Brother, catch him."

Caught off guard, Boss Li instinctively tried to dodge but remembered it was his son halfway through and reached out to catch him.

Yuanbai screamed as he collided with his father, causing Boss Li's chest to ache intensely. He stumbled backward several steps, unable to keep his balance.

Father and son crashed heavily to the ground!

Yuanbai's elbow hit Boss Li's ribs, making him gasp in pain and shudder.

Li Wenfeng clicked his tongue and smirked, "Brother, when we were young, you could catch me jumping from a tree with your bare hands. What happened now?"

Feeling angry, Boss Li looked at his brother's outstretched hand, his rage suddenly dissipating.

His face twitched in frustration.

In the end, he only grumbled, "Brat, you still think your big brother is a strong young man!"

Pushing away his crying son, Boss Li used his brother's hand to stand up.

The brothers exchanged a smile.

It was as if nothing had happened just now.

But it only seemed that way!

Mrs. Li exclaimed and slapped her second son's arm. "You're really something! You almost scared me to death!"

"Wenfeng smiled at Mrs. Li. "Mom, I brought something for you and Dad. My wife has been working hard taking care of the baby during her confinement."

Mrs. Li felt a pang of guilt and glanced at the second household, thinking she should strike first.

She spat and complained to her son.

"Your wife is quite something. I worked so hard helping her give birth, but she threatened to kill me with a knife! She keeps having girls and can't even give birth to a son. What good is keeping her around? I say you should divorce her and find yourself a young virgin to bear you three or five sons..."

"Mom, you shouldn't talk like that!"

Wenfeng's smile faded. "The country has policies; women hold up half the sky. Your outdated preference for boys over girls shouldn't be known by others, or my military career would be over."

Knowing what Mrs. Li cared about most, Wenfeng directly addressed it.

"I know, I was just saying it casually."

Mrs. Li pouted, regretfully glaring at the second household and disdainfully sweeping her gaze over the twins eagerly looking at her second son before spitting.

"Without a son, your lineage will end. If you can't divorce and remarry, then..."

Her words led her to an idea, and she suddenly remembered her eldest daughter's string of sons, her eyes brightening. "Why don't you adopt the youngest from your eldest sister's family? After all, that child shares half our blood and could carry on your name..."

That would be closer than adopting someone else's son!

"Mom, are you wishing me dead?"

Wenfeng glared. "Do you think my eldest sister-in-law would agree? Even if they did, the military would certainly punish me! I'm about to be promoted to company commander; if this happens, how could I get promoted?"

"Really?"

Mrs. Li's eyes sparkled. "Does that mean your salary will be higher?"

"Of course."

Mrs. Li rubbed her hands together in delight. "Then forget it, we'll talk about it later."

"That's right. My wife and I are still young; having a son won't be difficult. Don't worry, it will happen eventually. Mom, come tell me what my two daughters did to upset you..."

"What's there to say? Those two girls are disobedient!"

"Disobedient to whom? Mom, I'm filial but not foolish. If you lie to me, I won't stand for it..."

Wenfeng guided Mrs. Li back into the house, signaling his daughters to bring the bags inside.

Only the eldest household remained in the courtyard.

"Mom, I hurt." Yuanbai cried. "Uncle almost killed me."

"Go away, disgraceful thing."

Boss Li sternly returned to the eldest household.

"Are we just going to let this go?"

The eldest daughter-in-law was indignant, glaring fiercely at the second household before pulling her son back inside.

A moment later, Wenfeng came out of the main house and returned to the second household.

"Dad."

The twins approached him.

Seeing the red and dry patches on his daughters' faces, Wenfeng felt a deep ache. "What happened to your faces?"

Li Zhenzhu raised her hand to touch them but was stopped by her older sister.

"Don't touch it; if you rub it off, it'll just come back again."

Zhenzhu didn't dare move, looking at Wenfeng with red, tearful eyes before turning to Fan Qingyi.

In the past, Fan Qingyi would shake her head, stopping her daughter from speaking about their hardships at home.

Even now, she hesitated about whether to tell her husband about recent events.

Suddenly, she heard her youngest daughter's soft voice.

"Mom, let me see my dad!"

Fan Qingyi's heart softened, and she smiled, lifting the little girl up.

Li Shanhu exclaimed.

"To look handsome, one must wear green. Indeed, the best genes are given to the state! My dad and mom are a perfect match!"

"Exactly. Although my dad cares deeply for his wife and daughters and is full of righteousness, he still shows some blind filial piety when it comes to family. Otherwise, they wouldn't have died so tragically in those era stories..."

Fan Qingyi's smile froze instantly.

She instinctively pulled away from Wenfeng's reaching hand and held the little girl tighter.

Wenfeng was stunned. "Yiyi, what's wrong?"

Chapter 006 Mom, What Does My Wife Eat During Her Confinement?

Fan Qingyi lowered her head and said nothing.

Her little daughter continued to speak in her childish voice.

"Mom, you can't keep thinking that Dad is back for such a short time and feel bad about putting him in the middle of a mother-daughter conflict, only reporting good news and hiding the bad!"

"Look at how the old lady has bullied us! If you don't speak up, do you believe she might strangle me to death after Dad leaves?"

The little girl's voice was full of anger, and her watery eyes looked pitifully at Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi's pupils suddenly contracted!

She... indeed didn't want her husband to worry while he was away, always feeling that if she endured and gave in, life could still go on.

But, the old lady really did try to smother the little girl.

And she truly wanted to sell the three daughters off to the mountains.

"... We won't exaggerate; we'll just tell him the truth and let him decide. After all, when he found out you were gone, even someone as upright as him used his power to seek revenge for his wife and daughters..."

"To think our family's tragedy is inseparable from Mrs. Li's meddling! You two were originally very much in love. If not for her interference, you wouldn't have misunderstood each other's feelings."

The little girl sighed with emotion.

Fan Qingyi felt her heart tremble, and she raised her head with red eyes.

"Wenfeng, I... I'm sorry."

Li Wenfeng looked at her with deep concern. "What are you apologizing for? It's me who should say sorry. I'm the one who failed you and the children. Li Yuanbai dared to bully you because my mother and the eldest son must have indulged him."

Li Liuli's face tightened, her eyes brimming with tears.

The second daughter, Li Zhenzhu, openly emotional, burst into tears.

The sisters looked at Fan Qingyi, both quietly refraining from complaining.

Fan Qingyi looked at her two emaciated daughters and then at the little daughter in her arms, who had almost lost her life.

Thinking of their future deaths due to her cowardice, social anxiety, and lack of honesty and unity in their marriage, she bit her lip hard.

Gathering her courage, she said, "Mom doesn't want me to say anything, but I... have to."

"Don't bite."

Both spoke at the same time.

Li Wenfeng took the little daughter from her arms and firmly helped her lie down.

"You've just given birth; you shouldn't hold the baby like this; it hurts your back. This time, I have five days off. Subtracting the two days for travel, I'll be home for three more days. Whatever the issue, I will resolve it within these three days."

"Did Mom curse Yiyi behind my back again?"

"No, later I need to talk to Mom again. I don't expect her to treat Yiyi like her own daughter, but she must never do something like today again!"

"I send a thousand yuan home every year, not for them to gang up and bully my wife and children!"

Li Wenfeng sighed inwardly, holding the little daughter by the bed, looking at his wife with gentle eyes.

"Don't rush, take your time."

Hearing her husband's heartfelt words, Fan Qingyi felt her throat tighten.

"Yiyi?"

Her pent-up grievances welled up, and she choked back tears. "Mom... almost smothered our daughter and wanted to trade her for someone else's son. She almost..."

Li Wenfeng's face instantly changed. "What happened?"

"Mom! Good job! Dad needs to know what a bunch of ungrateful wolves they are, eating everything we have! Cry louder, let Dad know how wronged we are..."

The little girl's voice was fierce, ending with a huff.

The little daughter's words made Fan Qingyi pause. She took a deep breath and began recounting from her inability to get up after being insulted and pushed to the ground by Li Yuanbai, causing her water to break.

She described the premature labor and difficult delivery, losing so much blood that she barely survived, only to be despised by her mother-in-law and denied even a bowl of red sugar eggs.

Then came the locking of the meat and vegetable cabinets, leaving her without food.

Her two daughters, to ensure she and the little one had something to eat, would wake before dawn to hunt for food, set traps for rabbits, and climb trees to find bird nests, working day and night in the wheat field, getting sunburnt and damaging their skin.

Just now, because they cooked some bird eggs, Li Yuanbai, driven by greed, tried to claim them, leading to the confrontation...

Li Wenfeng listened, his mind buzzing. Looking at his pale wife, his sunburnt daughters, and the frail little one in his arms, he shook with rage.

He clenched his jaw and stood up, his usually smiling eyes now filled with fury.

Fan Qingyi, not hearing his thoughts, bit her lip. "Wenfeng, I can endure and give in to whatever Mom says, but the children are my flesh and blood. I... I disobeyed her and pushed her. If you're angry about that, I..."

"What foolish words?"

Li Wenfeng quickly composed himself, forcing a smile to comfort her. "I'm angry at myself for not taking care of you properly, and at my mother for treating you like this! Causing you such great suffering."

"I send so much money home, why? So that my parents would treat them better for the sake of the money. And look at the result!"

"I couldn't bear to be harsh with them, yet look what they've done! I should have kicked him harder! He should kneel before Yiyi and apologize!"

"Now that I'm back, leave these matters to me. I'll handle them."

"Once I finish my mission and return to the unit, the appointment as company commander should come through. Then I'll apply to join the military with them, and all four of them will follow me! If they don't treat my wife and children well, forget about taking another penny from me!"

Li Wenfeng gritted his teeth inwardly, not wanting his wife to see his fierce expression and be frightened. He lowered his head to kiss his little daughter's forehead and gently placed her beside Fan Qingyi.

When he lifted his gaze again, his expression had returned to normal.

He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind Fan Qingyi's ear. "Yiyi, I'm glad you said those things. This home is ours together, and we'll protect it together, okay?"

Fan Qingyi nodded, tears in her eyes.

Li Wenfeng smiled, turned, and walked out of the room, shouting, "Mom, I'm hungry."

Mrs. Li responded with an "Ai," and came out of the room.

Li Wenfeng entered the kitchen and immediately noticed the locked cabinet. He pressed his tongue against his back teeth and let out a soft scoff.

"What do you want to eat? Mom will make it for you."

"Why did you lock the cabinet door? Open it so I can take something and make it myself."

Li Wenfeng tilted his chin slightly, asking Mrs. Li casually, "By the way, Mom, what good food did my wife have during her confinement? I'll cook for her these few days while I'm at home, so you can rest."

Mrs. Li's smile froze instantly on her face.

She nervously swallowed and glanced at the closed door of the second room.

She had reminded the second daughter-in-law not to talk recklessly; given her quiet nature, she probably hadn't told her husband about being mistreated... right?

Even if she did, she was still the second son's mother!

Mrs. Li licked her dry lips and huffed weakly.

"She gave birth to a girl and dares to ask for good food?"

Li Wenfeng stared at her, half-smiling. "If there's no good food, then what did you give her?"

He seemed casual but was pressing her relentlessly, forcing her to speak.

Chapter 007: Girls Are Just Financial Burdens

Mrs. Li clearly didn't want to continue this topic.

She coughed and quickly glanced at her son with feigned impatience, spitting out, "She's your darling. How could I mistreat her? You'd flip out if I did..."

While speaking, Mrs. Li took out the keys to open the cabinet.

"... Besides, what she eats during her confinement is not suitable for a grown man like you. We still have white flour..."

With a smile, she pulled out a bag of flour. "Mom will make you a bowl of hand-pulled noodles..."

"No, I just want to eat what my wife has been eating. Mom, tell me."

Li Wenfeng leaned against the kitchen threshold with his arms crossed, smiling on the surface but without any warmth in his eyes.

Mrs. Li felt a sudden unease in her heart.

But thinking about the second daughter-in-law's quiet nature, she dismissed her concerns as overthinking.

Looking up, she laughed and scolded, "Would you really eat the red sugar water with poached eggs that women eat? Don't you worry about others laughing at you?"

"I will."

Li Wenfeng didn't move, only raising an eyebrow. "Mom, do you cook red sugar water with poached eggs for her every day?"

Mrs. Li dodged the question with a light hum.

Li Wenfeng gritted his teeth. Was his mother treating him like a child?

If she hadn't dodged the question, he might have believed her.

"Start the fire, why are you standing there?"

Mrs. Li took two eggs, then glanced at her son's tall figure and added two more.

Li Wenfeng noticed and felt inexplicably annoyed.

As the fire started, the kitchen became even stuffier.

Mrs. Li scooped two large spoonfuls of red sugar into a small pot and asked Li Wenfeng, "Second son, how much more money will you get when you become a company commander?"

Her expression was hopeful, her eyes shining.

Li Wenfeng shook his head, saying he didn't know.

"You'll find out once you're promoted."

Mrs. Li clicked her tongue in disappointment and quickly cracked the eggs into the bubbling red sugar water. The eggs set in the water as it slowly boiled.

After a while, Mrs. Li called out to Li Wenfeng, "That's enough, stop adding wood."

She took a large bowl, filled it with the soup and eggs, and handed it to Li Wenfeng. "Eat quickly."

Li Wenfeng took the bowl with a grunt. "Such a big bowl, Mom, you're really generous."

Mrs. Li smiled broadly.

Li Wenfeng changed the subject. "If you cook this every day, why is my wife's face still as pale as snow? And the baby is so thin. Mom, what's going on?"

Mrs. Li's smile froze instantly.

After a moment, she gritted her teeth. "How would I know?"

It seemed she had no intention of explaining.

Li Wenfeng looked at Mrs. Li expressionlessly, feeling disappointed.

He turned and left the kitchen, heading back to their room.

The youngest daughter was asleep, while the older daughters were doing homework at the table. Seeing him with the red sugar water and eggs, they looked delighted.

"Grandma made four; you each get one, and the other two are for your mom." Li Wenfeng smiled.

The twins shook their heads. "Mom hasn't eaten since giving birth to our little sister. Give them to Mom; we won't eat."

"Alright, then later, Dad will make hand-pulled noodles, and we'll have them with the broth."

The children's understanding touched Li Wenfeng, though he felt a pang in his nose.

Their eyes lit up, and they nodded eagerly.

Li Wenfeng brought the bowl to the bed and handed the chopsticks to Fan Qingyi. "The bowl is heavy; I'll hold it, you eat."

"My mom is too much! I have to go back to the army in a couple of days. This can't go on. Later, I'll go around the village and buy some eggs from each household, give them a few cents, and ask them to cook them for Yiyi every day."

Hearing her husband's words and seeing his tender, caring gaze, Fan Qingyi's eyes welled up.

Just as she said "ah," before touching the chopsticks, Mrs. Li rushed in.

"What is she eating? Second son! That was made for you. Look how thin you've gotten..."

Li Wenfeng glanced at her. "I suddenly don't feel like eating it. I want to eat meat sauce noodles. Cook the noodles and rinse them twice with well water, then pour the meat sauce over them."

Mrs. Li was left speechless, her anger rising.

She glared at him fiercely. "Why didn't you say you wanted meat sauce noodles earlier? Now I wasted four eggs!"

"Wasted? Didn't you say you cook this for my wife every day?" Li Wenfeng looked back at her.

Mrs. Li, "…"

She held her breath, feeling like she would die if she didn't let it out. But if she did, her son would find out the truth and would surely cause a scene.

"Has she had enough of them, Second Daughter-in-Law?"

After much deliberation, Mrs. Li decided to target Fan Qingyi. She glared at her, warning her not to eat.

"Little slut, you'll be dead if you dare eat."

Li Wenfeng, seeing his mother's threatening gaze, remained expressionless as he picked up a poached egg with his chopsticks, blew on it to cool it down, and brought it to Fan Qingyi's mouth. "Wife, don't say it's too greasy; you have to eat even if you're tired of it."

"I made Yiyi eat them; my mother can't blame Yiyi, right?"

Mrs. Li, "…"

Is this brat trying to infuriate her?

Is he?!

Fan Qingyi quickly glanced at Mrs. Li, then, using Li Wenfeng's hand, steeled herself, closed her eyes, and swallowed the poached egg in one bite.

Mrs. Li's eyes widened in anger, her breathing heavy.

Little slut, how dare she eat my eggs!

She's really asking for it!

Once Second Son leaves, I'll tear that mouth of hers apart!

Li Wenfeng caught this with his peripheral vision and turned to call out, "Mom."

Mrs. Li's murderous gaze hadn't yet retracted when she was caught red-handed.

Mother and son stared at each other.

"Mom, what's with that look? Can't my wife eat these eggs?"

Li Wenfeng's face turned cold. "I risk my life outside to earn money so that my family can live well. Eggs cost fifteen cents each; even if she eats twelve a day, it's only fifty yuan a month!"

"Mom, every year I bring home a thousand yuan; even if not two hundred, at least a hundred should go to my wife and children, right?"

He stared intently at Mrs. Li, whose eyes were evasive. "Mom, didn't we agree?"

"Mom, you've disappointed me. With all that money, couldn't you spare some for my wife…?"

"Second Son…"

Mrs. Li swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Mom just feels sorry for her; I didn't say she couldn't eat…"

"I wanted her to say she wouldn't eat them herself! It's a waste to give them to her."

"Mom glared at me earlier because she wanted me to say I wouldn't eat them myself," Fan Qingyi said, her head bowed.

Mrs. Li's heart skipped a beat. "You insolent girl, what nonsense are you spouting!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew she had made a mistake.

Li Wenfeng looked at her with a half-smile. "Mom, what did you call my wife?"

"I…slipped up."

Mrs. Li glared angrily at Fan Qingyi, vowing to settle the score with her later.

"Mom, your anger confirms it, doesn't it?"

Li Wenfeng looked at her. "You lied about giving my wife four poached eggs per meal, didn't you?"

Mrs. Li felt even more stifled.

Of course, she didn't think her son was wrong; she blamed it all on Fan Qingyi!

Fan Qingyi shouldn't have eaten the red sugar poached eggs meant for her son. If she had refused, her son wouldn't be angry with her.

And he wouldn't suspect her words in the kitchen.

Feeling both angry and stifled, Mrs. Li glared at Fan Qingyi, ready to explode.

Suddenly, Li Wenfeng interjected, "Mom, you're admitting it, aren't you?"

Mrs. Li, "…"

Second Son has been bewitched by this vixen!

She sensed that his words in the kitchen had hidden meanings, and now she realized he was setting her up!

Her chest ached from anger, and her head spun as she blurted out, "Who asked her to bear two girls in her first pregnancy and another girl in the second? Girls are just financial burdens, destined to be someone else's. We have so many boys to raise, and I haven't starved them…"

Chapter 008 Did Their Parents Die?

"The audacity to say 'I'm your mother, so I can say whatever I want, and you can't hit me.'"

"Did their parents die? Do they expect me, an uncle, to raise them?"

Li Wenfeng laughed in exasperation. "Mom, regardless of gender, they are my children, your grandchildren. Besides, it's me who decides the gender, not my wife!"

"It's still because her womb can't bear a son..."

Li Wenfeng looked at his own mother.

After a moment, he smiled with a grimace, "Mom, is my wife easy to bully? But I'm not."

Mrs. Li glared at him.

Li Wenfeng lowered his head to pick up the fried egg, blew on it to cool it down, and fed Fan Qingyi.

"You forgot, before I met my wife, I was known as a troublemaker for miles around. I can't do anything to you, but do you believe I could tear this house apart in seconds and beat each of my grandsons one by one!"

He knew exactly what his mother cared about.

He hit right where it hurt.

"You dare!"

Mrs. Li's face changed, knowing her son would follow through on his threats.

Thinking about what she had done over the past few days, she felt a sense of foreboding.

She gritted her teeth and glared at Fan Qingyi, "Did she tell you something?"

"What?"

Li Wenfeng glanced at her, pretending to know everything, "What should my wife have told me?"

"I didn't really smother that little girl!"

Mrs. Li felt her premonition coming true, fearing her son might actually tear the house apart. She blurted out everything in anger.

But she didn't see the change in Li Wenfeng's expression, nor the raging fury in his eyes.

"...They did bring the child over, but your wife took a kitchen knife to try and kill me, and we didn't even swap the baby!"

After saying this, she sighed, looking regretful.

Fan Qingyi's face was covered in tears, and she couldn't help sobbing softly.

The twins didn't know these details; they only knew their grandmother despised their little sister and wouldn't feed their mother.

They didn't know their little sister almost died.

The sisters looked at Mrs. Li as if they didn't recognize her. After a moment, they burst into tears.

"You wanted to smother my daughter? And swap her with someone else's child?" Li Wenfeng's voice was filled with rage.

Only then did Mrs. Li realize, "You little brat, you tricked me?!"

"Good! Very good!"

Li Wenfeng was furious, kicking over the bench next to Mrs. Li, "I wouldn't even say a harsh word to my beloved wife, whom I cherish deeply. Every year, I give her a thousand yuan to show respect, and I write letters asking you to take care of her nicely. And this is how you treat my wife!"

"Very well indeed!"

"If a tiger doesn't roar, you think it's dead, right? To bully the woman I love like this! What's the point of keeping this family together? Might as well tear it down!"

"She's just a seductive woman who can't bear a son..."

Seeing her son's face turn livid and his body trembling with rage, Mrs. Li felt both heartache and anger, "I'm doing this for your sake. Without a son, who will carry your name when you die..."

"You truly are my mother!"

Li Wenfeng sneered, leaving behind those words, and called his eldest daughter, Li Liuli, "Watch your mother eat the eggs."

Li Liuli nodded, choking back tears, and took the bowl.

Fan Qingyi reached out to her husband, "Don't be angry, nothing happened to me or the child..."

"No need for your fake concern..." whore.

The word "whore" didn't leave her mouth, but Li Wenfeng's cold gaze made her freeze.

He...

He sided with an outsider against her.

This little whore! This lowlife!

Why didn't she die in childbirth!

Mrs. Li harbored the greatest malice in her heart.

"I'm going out."

Li Wenfeng gestured for Fan Qingyi to let go. She watched him stride out of the room, then looked at her angry mother-in-law, feeling bewildered.

Their youngest daughter had been woken up by the commotion.

The baby voice wailed and cried.

"My dad is so cool! This is how a husband and a father should be!"

"What's wrong with my mom? Did she feel guilty about something?"

"When a mother wants to strangle her own daughter and give her away, the father has a right to know! Mom, don't think you're causing trouble!"

"It was Mrs. Li who did something despicable. If you didn't tell Dad, he would be kept in the dark forever, thinking his wife was being well taken care of by her mother. But what actually happened?"

"Mrs. Li knew everything! When my eldest sister died, she was by the river, watching as my eldest sister drowned and my second sister was swept away. She is so hateful!"

"Liliu..."

Fan Qingyi trembled violently, unable to control it.

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed, painful to the point of exploding!

The tombstone she saw in her dream, inscribed with her eldest daughter Li Liuli's name, appeared before her eyes.

"Mom..."

Seeing Fan Qingyi's face suddenly turn pale and her body trembling, Li Liuli anxiously patted her. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"Mom!"

Fan Qingyi came back to her senses, looking at her two worried daughters, she took a deep breath.

"Mom is fine."

Mrs. Li watched coldly, about to scold them, when there was a sudden commotion in the courtyard.

"Bang."

It was the sound of a shovel hitting a pot.

Realizing something, Mrs. Li exclaimed and rushed out, "Second son, stop it!"

The eldest son came out upon hearing the noise and saw that the small cooking pot had been smashed by Li Wenfeng, and he shouted in surprise.

"Second son, what are you doing?"

Boss Li called out, trying to step forward to stop him.

"Stay back!"

Li Wenfeng raised the shovel, poking its tip into the pot, turning a small hole into a large one.

"Second son, stop! We only have two pots!"

Pots were hard to come by, and Mrs. Li jumped in anger.

This bastard, he really was going to tear the house apart!

Mrs. Li couldn't handle this situation.

She stomped her foot and called to Boss Li, "Go get your father, quickly."

Boss Li acknowledged and instructed his wife, "Watch over Mom; Second son can do anything when he gets angry!"

"Would he dare hit his own mother?" the eldest daughter-in-law exclaimed.

Boss Li glanced at Li Wenfeng, "I can't guarantee it."

The eldest daughter-in-law looked shocked.

"What are you still standing around for? Are you waiting for Second son to tear the house down!" Mrs. Li yelled.

Boss Li hurriedly said he was on it and rushed out of the courtyard.

"Second son, Second son, Mom was wrong. Calm down. Look, your wife and daughter are fine, aren't they?"

Seeing Li Wenfeng about to smash the kitchen window with the shovel, Mrs. Li forced a smile and tried to persuade him, "Mom did it for your good, not wanting you to be without a son! In the end, it didn't happen, did it?"

This made Li Wenfeng laugh.

He couldn't bear to show a mocking look to his own mother, "Mom, my wife and daughter are fine because they are lucky. Does it have anything to do with you?"

He couldn't even imagine how desperate and scared his wife must have felt then, a girl who hardly dared to speak to anyone!

His own mother, knowing how much he cared for her, knowing it all!

And yet, she bullied her like this!

In the past few years, she often hid her troubles, enduring who knows how much suffering behind his back!

Was he a fool?

All these years!

All these years!

He had been deceived by the family's facade of peace!

Li Wenfeng slapped himself across the face!

Mrs. Li was silenced by her son.

She secretly cursed her son for forgetting his mother after marrying a wife.

"Smack!"

While she was stunned, Li Wenfeng smashed the kitchen window with a shovel, causing the tiles on the roof to rattle.

Mrs. Li patted her legs in distress.

Sister-in-law Li swallowed hard. Goodness, has Second Uncle gone mad?

"Old Second, stop it!"

Old Li strode into the courtyard, panting, and shouted at Li Wenfeng.

Chapter 009 Dad, Why Didn't You Stop Mom?

"Stop what?"

Li Wenfeng sneered and lifted another shovel. "When Mom was trying to strangle my little girl, why didn't you stop her, Dad?"

Old Li was taken aback.

"When Mom was about to give my little girl away, why didn't you tell her to stop?"

Old Li sighed. "Your mom is confused. Don't take it to heart."

Li Wenfeng shook his head.

"No, I can't let this go. My daughter might not care, but I do."

He pointed at the kitchen and the seven or eight brick houses in the courtyard. "I served in the army for ten years and sent money home every year. These houses were built with my money. Since my wife hasn't been treated properly, there's no point in keeping these houses that I risked my life to pay for!"

"Second Son!"

Old Li frowned. "That's your mother. Are you really going to argue with her?"

Li Wenfeng glanced at him and smiled. "Dad, I'm not arguing with Mom..."

Old Li breathed a sigh of relief.

Mrs. Li's face lit up; she thought, as his real mother, there's nothing wrong with parents.

"...I'm arguing with our whole family! Including myself."

After Li Wenfeng finished speaking, Old Li's face darkened.

"What does that have to do with us?"

Elder Sister-in-Law pouted in dissatisfaction, muttering, "Who doesn't work when they're pregnant? I just asked her to pull some weeds in the field."

Li Wenfeng turned to look at her.

Boss Li pulled his wife aside. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"I don't care, but he can't touch our house. Our Sangchen just found a girlfriend and is bringing her home soon. She works at the textile factory in town..."

"Enough, say less," Boss Li glared at her impatiently.

Li Wenfeng clicked his tongue. "The money for my nephew's job, wasn't it me who provided it? Was it two thousand or three thousand?"

The couple from the main house felt a sudden jolt.

"Second Son, Sangchen has always respected you as his second uncle. He's just a bit superficial and cares about face, but he's never made things difficult for your wife." Boss Li hurriedly explained.

Li Wenfeng nodded. "That means they bullied my daughter."

"This..." Boss Li's face turned grim.

Auntie Li was anxious and said on the side, "Children always argue and fight."

"Fight?" Li Wenfeng seized on this point, staring at the couple to gauge their reaction.

The couple indeed avoided his gaze, not daring to look at him.

Li Wenfeng let out a derisive laugh. "Good, my dear elder brother."

Boss Li's face flushed with embarrassment, and he glared at Auntie Li. "Why do you have to speak up!"

Auntie Li pursed her lips, resentful.

"Pay me back within two days!"

Li Wenfeng laughed coldly as he spoke.

Boss Li and his wife suddenly looked up, and Auntie Li shrieked, "Where do we have that much money?"

"Selling Li Sangchen's job should cover it." Li Wenfeng said indifferently.

Boss Li's face darkened. "Older brother, we are blood brothers, connected even if our bones are broken. Must you do this?"

"Connected even if our bones are broken?"

Li Wenfeng looked at him and sneered. "Elder brother, when your son was cursing my wife and you two were watching from inside the house, why didn't you think of us being blood brothers then?"

"It's just a woman; we are blood relatives!"

Boss Li was angry that he was still holding onto this matter.

Li Wenfeng looked at him. "It's just a job that can't be taken to the grave. Why are you so upset?"

With that, he thrust a shovel into the roof of the stove, causing tiles to fall and shatter loudly on the ground.

Boss Li, "..."

He was furious, this madman!

This couldn't go on. Old Li gave Mrs. Li a meaningful glance. "Go get Old Two's wife and have her restrain him."

Mrs. Li was reluctant.

But she realized that only that little wretch could stop Old Two when he went crazy.

She grumbled as she walked towards the second house.

Before he could walk over, Fan Qingyi came out, leaning against the door frame.

She softly called out, "Brother Wenfeng."

Her voice was so low that Mrs. Li only saw her lips move, but Old Second heard it from farther away.

Li Wenfeng dropped his shovel and hurried to her side in two quick steps. "Why did you come out? Go back inside; you shouldn't be exposed to the wind while sitting the month."

"Don't worry."

Fan Qingyi held his hand that was supporting her and smiled faintly. "I don't want you to feel caught in the middle."

Li Wenfeng shook his head.

"I promised to be your support, to protect you for life, and yet in just a few years, I've let you suffer so much..."

"Brother Wenfeng, should I take the children with me to join the army?"

Fan Qingyi quickly glanced at the people in the courtyard. "They don't like me, and I don't like them either. Out of sight, out of mind, as you taught me."

Li Wenfeng's heart ached.

"Alright, I'll submit a report when I go back. Once it's approved, after you finish sitting the month, I'll come back and fetch you."

Fan Qingyi curved her eyebrows into a smile.

Li Wenfeng helped her back into the house, and both couples in the courtyard looked grim.

Mrs. Li muttered under her breath, "Seductress, look how she's bewitched Old Second."

"Shut up! Haven't you caused enough trouble with Old Second already?"

Old Li stopped Mrs. Li and gave the second household a cold look before turning back to the main house with his hands behind his back.

Boss Li also led his wife back to their room.

Mrs. Li glared at the mess by the kitchen door, stabbing the second household's door with her eyes.

After a short while, Li Wenfeng came out smiling.

He scooped three bowls of flour into a basin, added water, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to knead the dough.

Seeing this, Mrs. Li asked, "Old Second, what are you doing?"

"I'm making noodles for my daughter."

"Wasting white flour. There's sorghum flour there; use that instead..."

Mrs. Li's words were cut off by a glance from her son.

Mrs. Li felt a tightness in her chest and cursed silently, thinking, those two girls, eating such precious white flour!

"It's my money, and I want my daughter to have something good to eat!"

Li Wenfeng turned back to his task and scooped another bowl of flour.

Mrs. Li clucked her tongue in distress, cursing inwardly but not daring to say anything aloud.

She was afraid her son would lose his temper again.

"Where's the meat? Mom, chop half of it for me; I'm going to make a topping."

What?

Half!

"And the eggs. Those two girls... your granddaughters like tomato and egg stir-fry; make that for them."

Mrs. Li forced a smile under her son's half-smiling gaze.

Li Wenfeng insisted, "I want the meat."

Mrs. Li grumbled as she went to cut the meat.

Watching her son chop the meat, her heart bled, unable to bear it.

She left the kitchen angrily and saw the two girls, each holding a basket.

A few bright green cucumbers, some red tomatoes, and two large eggplants, along with a few fiery red chili peppers.

They had only ripened at noon, and she hadn't had the heart to pick them yet. Those two brats!

The two girls were smiling until they saw Mrs. Li's dark expression and froze in place.

"Sister, I'm scared." Li Zhenzhu took a step back, huddling close to Li Liuli.

Chapter 010: Filial Piety Doesn't Mean Stupidity!

Li Liuli forced herself to stay calm. "Dad is home; we don't need to be afraid."

The sisters took small steps and moved closer to the kitchen.

Seeing Li Wenfeng rolling noodles inside, they both came back to life. "Dad."

Li Wenfeng smiled and looked up.

Seeing the unfriendly expression on Mrs. Li's face, he felt a toothache coming on. "Alright, Mom. Since you don't want to take care of my wife and children for money, I'll find someone else to do it."

"As a mother-in-law, it's not my job to take care of her! And those girls certainly aren't worth my effort..."

Without thinking, Mrs. Li snapped back at her son.

After saying that, she suddenly remembered something. If she doesn't take care of them, what about the money?

"Older Brother, what do you mean by that?"

"Just what it sounds like."

Li Wenfeng curled his lips, gesturing to the sisters. "A Li, go wash the vegetables. Zhuzhu, come help with the fire."

The sisters happily agreed. One went into the house, while the other went to the well to wash vegetables.

Mrs. Li felt uneasy. "Tell me clearly, Son. Are you not planning to give money to the family anymore?"

"Look, Mom, you and Dad raised me..."

Li Wenfeng glanced at her, his smile carrying a deeper meaning. "I may be a troublemaker, but I haven't lost my conscience. Don't worry, your filial piety won't be lacking."

There was one thing he didn't say.

With four sons and a daughter, taking care of their parents isn't just his responsibility.

Filial piety...

Naturally, he would follow the example set by his siblings.

Supporting an entire family financially while neglecting his own wife and children is foolish. Now...

To hell with it!

He may be filial, but he's not stupid!

Seeing her son's smile, Mrs. Li felt something was off.

After saying that, Li Wenfeng ignored her, placing the kneaded dough on the cutting board and started rolling noodles.

Li Liuli finished washing the vegetables and came in.

Seeing Li Wenfeng rolling noodles, she took a mini cutting board and placed it on the stove between the large and small pots, chopping vegetables.

Her movements were swift and efficient, indicating she often did this work.

Li Wenfeng's gaze turned colder.

A wave of frustration and anger surged within him.

He took a deep breath and praised with a smile, "A Li, your knife skills are good. Did you learn from watching your mom cook?"

Li Liuli didn't notice the hidden meaning in her father's words.

She nodded with a smile. "I watch my mom cook every day. Sometimes when she's busy, I help chop vegetables. After doing it many times, I learned."

"I can do it too!"

Sitting by the stove, Li Zhenzhu puffed out her chest. "I switch with my older sister. Once we learned, Mom can sit by the stove and we can cook."

To Li Wenfeng, it sounded like:

Cooking every day... too busy... chopping frequently... both sisters can do it!

His pregnant wife cooking and serving them!

He glanced at the main house and the third house, narrowing his eyes.

Only two days left. Time is tight, and the task is urgent. No one will get away with bullying his wife and child while he's away!

Li Liuli wasn't exaggerating; she indeed knew how to cook, and she cooked well.

Minced meat with eggplant, tomato and egg, and cucumber with cilantro—three toppings.

Once the dishes were done, she added water to cook the noodles. When the noodles were cooked, Li Wenfeng scooped out a bowl and set it aside, then rinsed the rest twice in well water, making refreshing cold noodles.

In the kitchen, Li Zhenzhu quickly peeled a clove of garlic and pounded it into a paste in a mortar.

She didn't dare add oil, only a bit of salt.

Li Wenfeng saw this and poured some sesame oil into the mixture.

The sisters' eyes widened.

Li Zhenzhu was both scared and excited. "Dad, that's too much..."

Mom won't be happy.

Li Wenfeng smiled. "Quick, get bowls and start eating."

The sisters happily took their bowls and scooped up noodles, mixed in garlic paste, and added toppings.

Li Wenfeng picked up the bowl that hadn't been cooled with cold water and added half a bowl of minced meat and eggplant with tomato and egg stir-fry.

Seeing his daughters picking at cucumbers, he frowned and divided the remaining minced meat and eggplant between their bowls.

"Dad!"

The sisters refused, "If you give it all to us, what will you eat?"

Li Wenfeng nodded towards the cucumbers, "There's no jingcai in Beijing. Dad has been craving jingcai cucumber for half a year."

With his insistence, the sisters smiled and accepted.

He poured the remaining tomato and egg stir-fry into his own bowl along with most of the jingcai cucumber mix.

As he was about to take his bowl back to the room, he noticed the sisters quietly washing dishes and cleaning up before picking up their bowls.

Li Zhenzhu glanced at the main house and whispered, "If we don't clean up, Grandma will scold us."

Li Wenfeng hummed in agreement, "Let's go, let's eat inside."

The father and daughters returned to their room.

Looking at the large bowl of food, Fan Qingyi felt worried, "Wenfeng, I just had two eggs and a big bowl of brown sugar water. I'm still full."

"A bowl of water will be gone after a trip to the outhouse."

Li Wenfeng smiled and fed her a piece of egg, "Eat quickly."

Li Shanhu yawned, looking closely at her charming and doting father, seeing only love in his eyes for her mother.

"Wow, turns out my dad is a hopeless romantic!"

Fan Qingyi lowered her eyes, looked at the little daughter, and smiled, "Our baby girl is awake."

She lifted her gaze to mention the baby's name to Li Wenfeng but was stuffed with more minced meat.

She glared at him, blushing and angry.

Li Wenfeng grinned.

"Baby girl doesn't have a name yet. Have you thought of one?"

"Li Shanhu, Li Shanhu!"

Li Wenfeng nodded, "I thought of a few names. Which do you like better: Ruyi, Songan, or Jixiang..."

"Hey, why isn't my name there? What about Shanhu?"

Li Shanhu stared with her big, dark eyes.

Fan Qingyi gently stroked the baby's hand and smiled, "Didn't Dad say to use herb names? These aren't herb names. Are there others?"

"My dad is so old-fashioned. It's a new era, why use herb names?"

Fan Qingyi looked at him, "A Li and Zhuzhu's names were great. They're both herb names and our treasures."

Praised, Li Wenfeng chuckled.

"Of course, who else would come up with such names?"

He laughed, and Fan Qingyi joined in, smiling. The sisters, mouths full of delicious food, also laughed along.

The room filled with warmth.

"How about... Shanhu?"

"Mama, this one, this is my name."

Li Shanhu kicked her legs and grabbed Fan Qingyi's finger, trying to show her preference for the name.

Fan Qingyi smiled warmly, "Look, our little Shanhu likes this name."

Li Wenfeng stuffed another mouthful of noodles into her mouth, looked down at the baby, and chuckled, asking his wife, "Luli's nickname is A Li, and Pearl's can be Zhuzhu. For Coral... how about Huhu or Xiaoshan?"

Xiaosan?

Huhu?

Li Shanhu widened her eyes, disbelieving that her father would suggest such nicknames.

She protested with a loud bite.

"I don't want it, I don't want it. I don't want to be called Xiaosan or Huhu!"

Fan Qingyi gave her husband a reproachful look, "You might as well call her Rice Porridge."

Li Wenfeng paused.

The twins exclaimed in confusion, "The rice porridge we drink?"

Li Wenfeng burst out laughing.

Chapter 011: Everyone Has to Queue Behind Her Son!

The sisters' mouths were puffed up like little pufferfish. Seeing their father laugh happily, they also smiled with their eyebrows curved.

Just like Fan Qingyi's smiling eyes.

Fan Qingyi couldn't help but laugh along despite the laughter of the three of them.

Li Wenfeng looked at the identical expressions on his wife and daughters, feeling his heart swell with warmth and tenderness.

"Joining the military! I'll file a report when I get back to the unit! Damn it, I'll take care of my own wife and children myself!"

Fan Qingyi's smile paused, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Mom, Dad is bullying me! I don't want to be called 'Rice Porridge'..."

The little voice cried out in complaint, seeing Fan Qingyi's red eyes, she paused and reached out to comfort her.

Fan Qingyi held her small hand and said to Li Wenfeng, "Is Coral named after the coral bean?"

"Yes."

Li Wenfeng fed Fan Qingyi while laughing, "How about calling her 'Doudou'? The coral bean belongs to the nightshade family; we could even call her 'Eggplant'..."

He didn't finish his sentence, as he was met with a gentle glare from Fan Qingyi, and he quickly raised his eyebrows and smiled apologetically.

"Doudou is good. Beans are drought-resistant and have strong vitality. Our Doudou will surely live a long and healthy life without any illnesses or disasters!"

Fan Qingyi caressed her youngest daughter's soft little hand, saying this with genuine hope.

She did not want to experience the scene of white-haired people sending off black-haired ones from that nightmare!

Li Wenfeng glanced affectionately at his wife and daughter, smiling, "Dreams are always the opposite. Your dream means that all our three daughters will live healthy lives."

"Really?"

Ever since that nightmare, Fan Qingyi had felt uneasy.

Li Wenfeng looked at her and nodded firmly, "Of course. With me here, I'll protect you three. Whoever dares to bully us, I'll beat them up!"

Fan Qingyi pursed her lips, her gaze unconsciously sweeping towards the main house.

Li Wenfeng followed her gaze, feeding her while teaching her in a low voice, "Yiyi, if we've already lowered our heads, and others still press forward and go too far, then there's no need to hold back. Use whatever means necessary to bring them down, whoever they may be!"

When he said "whoever they may be," Li Wenfeng emphasized it heavily and spoke clearly.

"...In this world, how others treat us, we should treat them in return! If kindness leads to bullying and oppression, then grow thorns, turn into a sharp weapon, and use it to protect yourself!"

"It's uncertain how long it will take for the military transfer to be approved. It could be as fast as a month or as slow as half a year. Your parents are biased towards boys. How will Yiyi and the girls survive during this time?"

Fan Qingyi softly acknowledged, "I know what to do."

Li Wenfeng looked at her, smiling, clearly not believing her words.

Fan Qingyi also smiled, knowing exactly what to do.

She usually dared not argue with her mother-in-law, but if her mother-in-law dared to harm her child, she would dare to threaten her with a knife!

"Wenfeng, you said before that this home is ours, and we will protect it together!"

Li Wenfeng's eyes filled with warmth, wiping away the tomato sauce on her lips.

But inside, he sighed deeply, full of worry.

Outside in the courtyard, Li Yuanbai's shouts echoed, "Grandma, I want meat too! I want eggs!"

"Eat, eat, eat what? There's nothing left." Mrs. Li retorted.

This set off a hornet's nest, and Li Yuanbai refused to back down, kicking the kitchen door, "I don't care, I want to eat! If you don't give me anything, I'll tear down the kitchen..."

"You little brat, learning bad habits from your second uncle, tearing things apart. You're really growing up!"

Mrs. Li's sister-in-law pulled her younger son's ear, scolding him in the courtyard.

Inside the second room, Li Zhenzhu shrank closer to Li Liuli, looking up at Li Wenfeng. Remembering that her father could stand up for them, she relaxed and continued eating with a smile.

Li Wenfeng saw this clearly, feeling that his wife and daughters had truly suffered at home.

Had his eyes been blind before? How had he not noticed?

"I think you're great, you're the best!"

Fan Qingyi looked worriedly at Li Wenfeng, "Don't listen to their nonsense."

Li Wenfeng grinned, "My wife is the best."

"Who would have thought that my dad is such a love-struck fool! Always showing off his love, it's suffocating."

The little voice grumbled, her bright eyes rolling around.

Fan Qingyi heard this and blushed, giving her husband a gentle glare, lowering her head.

In the courtyard, a loud spitting sound echoed.

Mrs. Li made a grand entrance, "Eldest daughter-in-law, stop being so passive-aggressive. Comparing your son to mine? Who do you think you are?! Dare to say anything about my second son again, and I'll rip your mouth apart!"

"Mom! Yuanbai is your grandson."

Aunt Li was getting desperate, "Don't you usually dote on him the most?"

"He's my son that I gave birth to! Your son is the one you gave birth to. Are you out of your mind? No matter how much I dote on him, he can never surpass my own son!"

Mrs. Li tutted a few times, "Showing off how clever you are! Trying to curry favor with me? You're sick!"

Aunt Li, "..."

"No meat for you, at most some scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Do you want it or not?"

This was clearly directed at Li Yuanbai.

Li Yuanbai glanced at Aunt Li in confusion. Mrs. Li glared at him, "If you don't want it, forget it."

"Eat, eat. Grandma, I want to eat scrambled eggs with tomatoes."

"If you want to eat them, go pick the tomatoes yourself." Mrs. Li turned and headed to the backyard.

Li Yuanbai exclaimed and ran after her, following Mrs. Li to the vegetable patch in the backyard.

Aunt Li felt as if a large stone had lodged in her chest, glaring at the backs of the grandmother and grandson.

She cursed inwardly, *This old hag, saying she dotes on her grandson is all fake!*

Everyone has to come after her son!

Such favoritism!

Pah!

She glared angrily at the second family and muttered softly, "The second son wants meat, so they cut meat for him, but we can't. Their hearts are so biased they've moved to their armpits. Why should we be treated differently?"

She turned and went back into the house to complain to Boss Li.

...

The second family was completely unaffected. After dinner, the sisters washed the dishes while Li Wenfeng said he had something to do and left.

He headed straight to Aunt Song's house, who had helped Fan Qingyi give birth.

Aunt Song's husband had passed away, and her son and daughter-in-law worked odd jobs outside and rarely came home.

Only she and her eleven-year-old grandson lived there.

Seeing Li Wenfeng arrive, Aunt Song's eyes lit up, "Wenfeng is back? Did you see your third child? Did your mother send a message?"

"Cousin."

Li Wenfeng smiled and shook his head, casually ruffling the little boy's hair.

The boy grinned and called Wenfeng Uncle.

"I came to ask about something. My wife had a premature birth, how is her health...?"

Aunt Song glanced at her grandson and sent him out of the courtyard before gesturing for Li Wenfeng to sit at the table under the big tree in the yard.

"You already know?"

"A little bit, which is why I came to ask you what exactly happened on the day my wife gave birth?"

Aunt Song sighed, "Even if you didn't come, I would have found you. This is hard for me to say, but your wife is a pitiful girl... Her constitution isn't good, and she had spotting around five to six months. I advised her to rest more, but she said if she didn't work, your two girls would have to, and she couldn't let that affect their schooling. Even when she was eight to nine months pregnant, she was still cooking by the stove..."

"On the day of the incident, because she was feeling uncomfortable due to her heavy belly, she rested a bit longer and cooked late. When she got up, that brat Yuanbai pushed her, and she landed on her back to protect her belly. Her arm dislocated, but that was minor; blood mixed with amniotic fluid was gushing out..."

Chapter 012: Feeling Ashamed Now? What Did You Do Earlier?!

What?!

Li Wenfeng's pupils constricted, and his head buzzed. For an instant, his eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness. "No one told me..."

"Your wife... she's just too gentle. She didn't want to put you in a difficult position."

Seeing his reaction, Aunt Song sighed again.

Li Wenfeng came back to his senses, his eyes filled with tumultuous waves. He clenched his fists tightly, the sound of cracking knuckles echoing in the courtyard.

"Good, good job!"

His heart trembled as he thought about his wife's desperate situation, and a chilling aura of murderous intent enveloped him!

"Don't worry too much. Your father helped her set her arm and gave her medicine to stop the bleeding. It's just that your mother is too careless..."

Aunt Song frowned, somewhat embarrassed to continue.

"...how could she try to change the sheets while your wife was giving birth in the room? Your father, your eldest brother, and second brother were all watching in the yard. How inappropriate!"

Li Wenfeng's face darkened even more.

"Your wife is afraid of giving birth; everyone knows that. But your mother doesn't care at all! After I scolded her and made her close the door, she went to check the dilation, insisting that her grandson must see her first, like her. Your wife was already in premature labor and had severe bleeding. With that kind of stress, the bleeding started again after it had just stopped. After giving birth, her face was so pale..."

Aunt Song couldn't help sighing again.

Li Wenfeng's eyes turned red with pain for Fan Qingyi, his nails digging into his flesh. His face was as calm as before a tsunami struck.

"Wenfeng, there's another matter. Your wife... she bled heavily and damaged her health. Her constitution is weak, so it might be hard for her to have another child."

Aunt Song genuinely felt sorry for Fan Qingyi, who was kind-hearted and never caused trouble.

"I didn't dare to tell your mother. If she knew your wife couldn't have children, who knows what she'd do..."

She didn't finish, but Li Wenfeng understood her meaning.

His throat felt dry, trying to force a smile, but it looked worse than crying. "We already have three children. Whether we have another son or not doesn't matter."

Aunt Song nodded.

"I haven't told your wife either, fearing she would worry during her confinement. Find a chance to tell her."

"Auntie, the two girls told me how you helped cook meat, soup, and egg custard for them. They had something to eat because of you."

Li Wenfeng stood up and bowed deeply to Aunt Song.

Aunt Song reached out to support him. "What are you doing? It's just a bit of extra firewood."

"There's something else I need your help with. I have to return to the military in a few days. Could you look after my wife and three children? At least help them through this month of confinement."

The seven-foot-tall man choked up when he mentioned the confinement, taking a deep breath to finish his words. "...I'll apply to bring my family with me. In a month, I'll come back to take them."

"Bring your wife and children to the military?"

Aunt Song smiled. "Sure, I can't help much, but I can make sure they have food."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Li Wenfeng bowed again, and Aunt Song exclaimed softly.

Before leaving, Li Wenfeng slipped an envelope with one hundred dollars into Aunt Song's hand.

Aunt Song refused, but Li Wenfeng smiled. "Auntie, keep it. We're not rich, but I can't let you bear the expenses. I still have money to support my wife and children."

"You kids..."

Aunt Song sighed again. "Both of you are good kids. Go to the military. With your wife's gentle nature, anyone would bully her. Only by staying by your side can she be protected."

Li Wenfeng left with a smile.

Once outside Aunt Song's house, his smile faded.

That whole family treated him like a fool!

They bullied his wife because he wasn't home.

He went to several other houses, asking the aunts to occasionally check on his family and speak up if his mother berated his wife. He promised them generous rewards later.

Some agreed, some laughed and declined, not wanting to get involved in family affairs.

Li Wenfeng didn't get angry, smiling and visiting a few more homes until dinner time.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Old Li sitting under the tree, his face dark.

On the table was incense burning to repel mosquitoes.

"Second, where have you been?"

Li Laosan, who hadn't been seen all afternoon, winked at Li Wenfeng. "Brother, when did you come back? How long will you stay this time?"

"Late afternoon, three days."

Li Wenfeng sat opposite Old Li, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured himself a bowl.

The teapot contained herbs collected by Old Li from the mountains, refreshing and cooling. Drinking it made him feel comfortable.

Boss Li frowned. "Second, Father is asking you a question."

"What can I do? If you won't treat my wife and children well for the sake of money, then I'll find someone else to take care of them."

Li Wenfeng said bluntly.

Old Li slammed the table. "What kind of behavior is this? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Second son, how will others think of your parents? How will they think of us brothers? You should quickly retract those words."

Boss Li, who was also the village accountant, was quite angry. With Second's antics, everyone in the village would know by tomorrow, making his job difficult.

Li Wenfeng glanced at Boss Li, then looked at Old Li, clicking his tongue.

"Dad, I haven't thanked you yet. Thank you for setting my wife's bones and giving her medicine to stop the bleeding. You saved her life."

He solemnly knelt down before Old Li and bowed his head.

Then, he quickly got up and sat back down, smiling at Boss Li. "Big Brother, since you can't manage your own son, I'll help you."

Old Li felt a chill run down his spine. "Second son, what are you planning to do?"

Li Wenfeng smiled without saying a word.

"Dad," Boss Li called out to Old Li. "Yuanbai didn't mean it; he's just a child. As elders, Second and the rest..."

Old Li frowned. "Second son, I've collected a lot of herbs from the mountain these past few days. Your wife's childbirth has weakened her foundation, so I'll help her recover. As for Yuanbai's incident... let's forget about it."

Li Wenfeng looked at his father, curling his lips without responding.

"Dad, did you know what Mom did? Why didn't you help when you saw my wife and children being bullied?"

Old Li furrowed his brows.

"What? When the whole family was bullying my wife and children, you weren't ashamed, but now you are? What were you doing earlier?!"

Old Li's face darkened. "Why can't you understand? Traditionally, men handle external affairs while women manage household matters. Your mother takes care of the home, so how can I interfere as a man?"

Li Wenfeng nodded. "Yes, if Mom doesn't want to manage, and I can't be there to help, finding someone else isn't unreasonable. We can't let my wife and children starve, right? A wife marries a man for food and shelter, and if she nearly starves to death during her confinement, what kind of man am I?"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Old Li felt a lump in his throat, knowing that Second was still blaming him.

He also scolded Mrs. Li for not even pretending to care, which had led to this severe situation.

After all, Second's wife gave birth to his child; how could she not feed her?

He thought Second's wife seemed honest but had a bad heart, inciting his son against his parents.

If she were truly good, she would have kept things hidden and maintained harmony within the family.

He also blamed Boss Li for not teaching his child better.

His brows furrowed deeply, pondering, and suddenly remembered something that might change Second's mind.

"Second son, aren't you going to be promoted to company commander? If the military finds out about what's happening at home..."

Li Wenfeng raised an eyebrow. "Dad, are you threatening me?"

Chapter 013 None of These People Deserve Her Pleading!

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Old Li glared at him. "I'm telling you to weigh the pros and cons. It's not worth losing your position over such trivial family matters."

Weigh the pros and cons?

Trivial family matters?

Li Wenfeng pressed his tongue against his back teeth and clicked his tongue.

"Dad, when you say trivial matters, do you mean the incident where Li Yuanbai pushed my wife, causing her to have a premature birth with severe bleeding, nearly costing her life?"

"Or perhaps it's the incident where my mother tried to smother my daughter with a blanket while she was weak after giving birth?"

"Or maybe it's the incident where she brought someone to swap my daughter with another child?"

"Or is it the incident where she refused to give my wife food during her confinement period, knowing she had just returned from the brink of death?"

Old Li's expression stiffened slightly as he glared fiercely at Boss Li.

Boss Li awkwardly lowered his head and sipped his tea.

Li Laosan glanced at Boss Li and made a disgusted sound, earning a frown from Old Li. He then pursed his lips and rolled his eyes before looking away.

"Second Brother, have some tea."

When it doesn't concern you, stay out of it.

Li Laosan eagerly poured some cool tea for Li Wenfeng.

Li Wenfeng gave him a forced smile and a sidelong glance. Li Laosan felt a chill at the back of his neck and pondered for a moment.

He defended himself, somewhat lacking in confidence, "Second Brother, we really didn't do anything, I swear!"

Li Wenfeng chuckled sarcastically.

Old Li sighed. "Your mother was wrong, but haven't you already gone berserk and smashed half of the kitchen? I'll talk to her, and I'll make sure Yuanbai is properly disciplined by your elder brother."

Thinking about these troublesome matters, Old Li felt a tightness in his chest.

His family had been practicing medicine for generations, and he had learned from his grandfather since childhood. While he wasn't exceptionally skilled, he was at least well-known in the surrounding villages.

Unfortunately, times were not favorable.

When he married, he had no choice but to marry Mrs. Li, who was illiterate and came from a family of poor farmers.

A woman without education truly has no sense of reason!

In the early years of their marriage, he was willing to teach Mrs. Li how to read and write, hoping for a harmonious life with her, filled with the fragrance of red sleeves...

But!

Mrs. Li was as stubborn as a piece of elm wood!

He taught her the character "Li" over and over for half a year, but she just couldn't remember it!

Yet when others cursed, she learned those words instantly and could even apply them in new contexts!

What a shrew!

After giving birth to their eldest daughter and three sons, his patience with Mrs. Li was completely exhausted.

Their relationship had been reduced to a cooperative one for raising children.

Mrs. Li favored boys over girls, so his sons and grandsons never suffered. As for her nagging at the daughters-in-law, as long as the family remained peaceful, he never bothered with what she did.

Everything had been fine until the second son came back this time, causing such a ruckus!

He almost demolished the kitchen!

His mother was to blame, but wasn't his wife also responsible?

As a daughter-in-law, she stirred up conflicts between mother and daughter-in-law, leading to such a rift between husband and parents, while she hid away in peace!

This brought shame to the entire family; what kind of behavior was that!

The more Old Li thought about it, the tighter his frown became, and his gaze repeatedly fell on the second son's household.

That look was like someone digging deep into the ground with a hoe, determined to get to the root of the problem.

With just one glance, Li Wenfeng knew what his father was thinking.

He shifted slightly to the left, blocking Old Li's view, and met his father's cold stare with a sneer.

"As the saying goes, only those who belong together enter the same door. Dad, stop pondering. You and Mom are actually the same type of person deep down."

Old Li glared at him angrily.

Li Wenfeng grinned, "Do you blame my wife? Is this her fault? She has endured so much for me in this family. Dad, you're not blind, can't you see that?"

Old Li's face darkened even more.

"I am your father."

Li Wenfeng pouted, "I know, but if you and Mom didn't have this relationship, I would have hit you long ago."

"You!"

"Alright, Dad, let's not talk about those big principles anymore."

Li Wenfeng raised his hand to stop him. "And don't bring up my military service; I joined for my wife, and I can quit anytime! Besides..."

He bared his teeth and glanced at Boss Li and Li Laosan.

"The ones who know are just the few of us in this family. If they dare to mess with me so I can't serve, then don't blame me for retaliating!"

"Second son! Your elder brother wants you to rise higher, yet you think like this about him! You really..."

Boss Li's eyes were full of disappointment as he sighed heavily.

Li Laosan sighed, "Second Brother, I feel the same way! If you become an official, we all benefit. Only a fool would expose you."

Li Wenfeng looked at Old Li.

Old Li's face turned green with anger.

After a long pause, he cursed, "Good-for-nothing brat, it would have been better if I had raised a sweet potato—it could at least sprout and be used as a seed! You can't even..."

bear a child.

Li Wenfeng looked at Old Li indifferently.

His gaze was cold and distant.

Old Li was startled and immediately stopped, feeling awkward and embarrassed.

But there was no way he would bow down to his son!

He stood up and stormed into the house, but halfway there, he turned back and took the teapot from the table.

What a waste of the herbs he had gathered on the mountain!

This temperament is definitely not mine!

It must come from that old woman!

"Hey, Dad, what will we drink if you take the teapot?"

Li Laosan smacked his lips; even if it was just plain water, it was refreshing and quenched thirst.

Old Li didn't turn around or acknowledge Li Laosan.

Boss Li's face also darkened. "Second Brother, you've already beaten Yuanbai and scolded him. The boy knows he was wrong. Rest assured, we'll keep an eye on him and won't let him curse again!"

"Sure, if you can't watch him, next time I come back, I'll cripple him."

Li Wenfeng leaned back on the small bamboo chair, crossed his legs, and tapped his fingers lightly, smiling at Boss Li.

Boss Li, "..."

That laugh is terrifying; stop laughing!

Li Liuli stood at the door of the second house and called out to Li Wenfeng, "Dad, Mom is calling you."

"What does she want?"

Li Wenfeng glanced back, "Tell her to stay in bed and rest after childbirth. Don't let her make a sound. None of these people deserve her pleading for them!"

With those words, Boss Li's face instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

Old Li coldly closed the drafty window.

Li Laosan's heart skipped a beat, his eyes darting around, and he pouted.

What was he afraid of? His family hadn't done anything wrong.

His son rarely came home, and Mrs. Li was genuinely delighted.

For dinner, she used white flour to make a bowl of sweet potato porridge and a flatbread with scallions for her son. She also picked out two large pieces of pickled mustard root, added half a teaspoon of sesame oil, and tossed in a few chopped leeks for a cold dish.

Li Da's wife saw this and felt envious, urging Li Yuanbai to ask for some.

Li Yuanbai patted his belly, "Mom, I can't eat anymore. If you want it, go ask Grandma."

Li Da's wife angrily slapped her son's arm.

"Eat, eat, eat! A little tomato and egg dish is enough to satisfy you? Your second uncle had a big piece of meat. Don't you want to eat meat?"

"Grandma, Mom hit me!"

Li Yuanbai cried out and ran behind Mrs. Li, sticking out his tongue at Li Da's wife.

"It's what you want, not what I want. Grandma said the meat should go to Second Uncle first because he will bring back a lot of money. Then I can eat as much meat as I want, and Second Aunt and those two money-losers won't even see a speck of it!"

"Big brother, go ahead."

Boss Li was puzzled, "Wha—what?"

"You said you would watch him and prevent him from cursing again. He's cursing again, so go beat him up."

Boss Li, "..."

Chapter 014: I'll Take Care of My Wife and Child Myself; I Don't Rely on You Anymore.

Li Wenfeng stared on. Even though Boss Li felt for his son, he still had to put on a show and gave Li Yuanbai a few kicks.

Li Yuanbai wailed like a banshee, causing many villagers to peer into the courtyard.

Mrs. Li patted her thighs, lamenting over her grandson, but no matter how much he cried and begged her to save him, she didn't say a word to stop the beating.

The second one was crazy. What if she spoke up and it made things worse?

That's what happened in the afternoon.

Li Laosan watched the spectacle and certainly wouldn't plead for mercy.

The cries in the courtyard grew louder and louder, with no one speaking up for the son, making Boss Li lose face and hit harder.

By the time Li Sansao forced Boss Li to stop by threatening to die, Li Yuanbai's buttocks were already marked with several shoe prints.

Mrs. Li's eyes turned red with distress. "What a sin! He's your own flesh and blood, how could you be so harsh!"

She slapped Boss Li several times.

Li Sansao glared at Boss Li angrily. "Li Shanglu, can we even live like this? Twice in one day, beating my son! Can't even protect your own son, are you even a man?"

"Brother, is Sister-in-Law cursing me indirectly?" Li Wenfeng asked, poking his head out.

Boss Li's face darkened like the bottom of a pot, seething at Li Wenfeng's deliberate provocation.

"It's not about you..."

Li Sansao pointed at Boss Li, her hands shaking with anger. "You..."

"I always thought Sister-in-Law was reasonable. Your Sangchen spent so much of my money..."

Li Wenfeng glanced at her casually.

Li Sansao's raging fury vanished instantly, and she managed an awkward smile. "Second Uncle is right."

Li Laosan watched in awe.

He secretly gave Li Wenfeng a thumbs-up behind Boss Li's back. "Second Brother, you're the best."

"Brother, Sister-in-Law."

Li Wenfeng stood up and smiled at them. "I checked, and Sangchen spent two thousand three hundred on labor. Count your private savings before bed tonight; I want it tomorrow morning."

"What?"

The couple was struck by thunder, both stunned.

Li Wenfeng ignored them and strolled to the kitchen, calling out to Mrs. Li. "Mom, where's my food?"

Mrs. Li immediately abandoned her beaten grandson and entered the kitchen with a smile.

"I know you love pickles, so I added some chives and half a spoonful of sesame oil. I'm good to you, right?"

Li Wenfeng nodded. "Mom is good to me. If you were also kind to my wife and child, I'd be even better to you."

Mrs. Li rolled her eyes at him.

Muttering, "Can't even bear a son, and wants me to be nice to her? Dream on."

Even knowing his mother's nature, Li Wenfeng couldn't help feeling speechless.

If he argued with his mother, she would proudly say, "Though my firstborn was a girl, I gave birth to three sons in a row!"

It never ended!

"Fine, do as you please. Anyway, I'll take care of my wife and child myself; I don't rely on you anymore."

Li Wenfeng carried his meal back to the second house.

Mrs. Li glared at the second house and cursed a few times before calling the pale-faced Li Sansao. "What are you standing there for? Go set the table! Boss Li, call your father for dinner. Li Laosan, call your wife and Yuanbao."

Li Laosan responded cheerfully and quickly returned to the third house.

Soon, everyone gathered under the big tree, enjoying the cool breeze during dinner.

Li Sansao swallowed a mouthful of corn grits, casting a fleeting glance at the second house, saying nothing and continuing to eat.

As the family finished their meal, Li Wenfeng came out with the pickles.

"Second Uncle, hello."

Li Yuanbao called sweetly, noticing Li Wenfeng looking at her and making a face as if the food was hard to swallow.

But Li Wenfeng ignored her.

Li Yuanbao, "..."

Didn't Second Uncle used to be affectionate towards her?

"My wife doesn't like this. Mom, you all can have it."

He placed the oily pickle jar down and went to the kitchen to boil red sugar and egg soup.

Mrs. Li sighed, watching Li Wenfeng crack four eggs, and scolded Fan Qingyi and her daughters repeatedly, her heart aching with every word.

Li Yuanbao pouted and looked at Li Sansao with a grievance.

Li Sansao ignored her.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she held them back for a moment before lowering her head to pick up a piece of salty vegetable. Li Sansao casually pushed her chopsticks away.

Li Yuanbao, "…Mom."

Li Da Sao and Boss Li were both fuming inside and didn't even glance at the salty vegetable.

Only Li Laosan was eating happily.

The remaining few bites all went into his stomach.

Li Lao Tou failed several times to get any food from him.

He was so angry he almost threw down his chopsticks.

But Li Da Sao was still egging Boss Li on to talk about money.

As soon as Boss Li opened his mouth, Li Lao Tou cut him off, "Figure it out yourselves."

What could they do?

"Dad, you can't just ignore us. If Lao Er gets wild…"

Boss Li frowned, "…he'll do anything!"

Just as he was about to grab the last bite, Boss Li suddenly spoke, causing him to hesitate, and Li Laosan snatched it away.

"Lao Er is wild? I don't see any of you brothers being any better!"

Li Lao Tou slammed his chopsticks on the table and scolded all his sons together.

"That money was earned by Lao Er risking his life. When you two asked for it, you said it was a loan! It's been two years, have you given a single coin back to the family?!"

Boss Li was stunned.

After scolding Boss Li, Li Lao Tou turned to glare at Li Laosan.

"And you! Lazy and good-for-nothing, always slacking off! You go up the mountain every day, but where are the game animals? We've never seen you bring home a single piece of meat, yet your whole family eats like royalty!"

There was still a bit of sesame oil at the bottom of the bowl. Li Laosan took a piece of steamed bun and pressed it against the bottom, wiping it clean.

Just as he was about to put it in his mouth, Li Lao Tou scolded him again.

His mouth full, he mumbled, "Didn't catch anything, how could I bring it home? My wife has always had that prosperous look, hasn't changed in ten years. Dad, you can't be mad at me because of Big Brother…"

Li Lao Tou, "…"

Who was being dragged into this?!

Fuming, he stood up and went back to his room. Li Laosan continued mumbling behind him, "Dad, you're not drinking your corn porridge? Then I'll drink it. I wandered around the mountain all afternoon, I'm exhausted."

"I'm not drinking it!"

Why bother drinking when anger has already filled him up? Not one of them was worry-free!

Mrs. Li pursed her lips, seeing Li Lao Tou still fuming, and spat, "What a character."

Li Wenfeng made red sugar poached eggs and served them in a large bowl, bringing them back to the second house.

As usual, each daughter got one, and the remaining two were fed to his wife.

Fan Qingyi rarely had two full meals, and her milk overflowed in the middle of the night.

The youngest daughter was temporarily pushed forward and ate one, while the other went to Li Wenfeng.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Li Wenfeng banged on the door of the main house.

"Big Brother and Sister-in-law, I'm here for the money. Are you going to hand it over, or should I come in?"

It was hot in the summer, and people slept in light clothing.

Li Da Sao sat up abruptly and nudged Boss Li, "Hurry up, Lao Er is banging on the door."

"This reckless fool, has he gone mad? He dares to barge into his brother and sister-in-law's room?!"

Boss Li gritted his teeth in anger.

Li Wenfeng responded from outside, "Listen to what Big Brother is saying. If you don't start first, I won't bother doing the rest. Hurry up, I have things to do."

Boss Li looked at Li Da Sao.

Li Da Sao glared at Boss Li and whispered through gritted teeth, "No way. That's the money I saved penny by penny. I've been married to you for nearly twenty years, and that's all I've managed to save. It's meant for our sons' weddings!"

Chapter 015: The Main House Argues

"If you don't have the money, I'll go to town and find Li Sangchen. His job will be taken by someone else if I just shout on the street; there's no shortage of people who want it!"

Li Wenfeng leaned against the door frame, kicking the door aimlessly with his foot.

The couple inside cursed angrily.

"I'm counting to ten, one..."

"...two!"

Boss Li sighed and tried to persuade Li's wife, "Hurry up. If you don't pay, your son's job will be gone. What use will that money be then?"

"No!" Li's wife's eyes turned red with anger. "I don't believe he'd really do it! Sangchen is still his nephew!"

"You could say that before Yuanbai pushed his wife, but now, does he even care about what you say?"

Boss Li glared at her, "Wake up! His wife almost died along with their unborn child! He didn't cripple Yuanbai out of respect for family ties!"

"But..."

Before Li's wife could finish, the count outside suddenly jumped from two to eight.

"Eight!"

The couple looked at each other in surprise.

"Why isn't he following the usual routine?" Li's wife muttered softly, and then the voice outside suddenly called out, "Ten."

In the next moment, the sound of kicking stopped, and footsteps faded away.

Li's wife was delighted, "I said he wouldn't dare as an uncle..."

"Shut up! He's not asking us for money; he's going to town to sell Sangchen's job!"

"Ahh!" Li's wife's voice cracked with fear.

Boss Li hurriedly put on his clothes without even bothering to button them and rushed out the door.

"Older brother, let's talk this through; come back!"

Li's wife hadn't finished dressing and quickly pulled the bedsheet over herself, shrinking into it.

Watching Li Wenfeng being held back by Boss Li in the courtyard, she felt her face contort with anger.

What is he trying to do?!

Yuanbai didn't do it on purpose, and even though he kicked him hard, she didn't hold it against him.

Now he wants to ruin Sangchen's job!

As an elder, how can he be so heartless?

His wife and child are fine, aren't they?

Why is he bullying our whole family like this?!

In the courtyard, Boss Li shouted at Li's wife, "Hurry up and bring the money!"

Li's wife didn't want to give it!

She had been married into the Li family for nineteen years and had saved only a little bit of money, all scraped together from her own teeth-gnashing efforts. Why should she give it to him?!

Li Wenfeng clicked his tongue, "Brother, if Sister-in-law doesn't want to give it, you're making things too difficult."

Boss Li, "..."

Who is making things difficult?

Wasn't it he who first forced them to pay?

But he couldn't say that. If he did, Older Brother would definitely turn around and leave, and Sangchen would be back digging soil by noon.

Boss Li suppressed several urges to slap his younger brother and glared at Li's wife, "If you want your son to come back and dig soil like you for the rest of his life, then keep your money!"

Li's wife burst into tears.

"The Li family is too oppressive; I can't take this anymore..."

Li Wenfeng glanced at Boss Li, pursing his lips in disdain, "Brother, do you bully your wife regularly?"

Boss Li, "...Just shut up!"

Li Wenfeng shrugged, "Fine, I'm leaving."

"Hold it."

Boss Li couldn't let him go, "Your sister-in-law just needs a moment to think. That money was always meant for you; we just haven't saved enough yet..."

"If you believe that, I'll believe it too."

Li Wenfeng patted Boss Li's shoulder, "After all, we are brothers connected by blood."

Boss Li, "..."

Can't you speak without being so passive-aggressive?!

Enough!

"Shen Dahua!" He turned his head and vented his anger on Li's wife.

"Big Brother, you're scaring me."

Li Wenfeng made a disgusted sound and pushed Boss Li aside, "You two can talk it out; I'm leaving."

He strode out of the courtyard, and despite Boss Li's repeated calls, he didn't stop.

Fuming, his face twisted with rage, he was about to unleash a torrent of curses.

"Shen Dahua!"

Boss Li stormed back into the main house, "Hurry up and get the money; I might still catch him!"

"B-but what if... After all, you're blood brothers, born from the same mother..."

Li's wife shrank her neck and forced a smile at the red-faced, agitated Boss Li.

Boss Li laughed in frustration and plopped down on the bed, "Fine, if you want to gamble, then let's see if your son can keep his job!"

"I'm telling you, people are fighting tooth and nail for that job Sangchen has. The 2,300 yuan is to secure the position, which was arranged by the second son through his comrade! Lose this job, and your son will be digging dirt for the rest of his life in He Nan!"

Li's wife glared at him, "You're lying!"

Boss Li, "...If I'm lying, may I be damned!"

With a brother who's relentless and a wife who doesn't understand anything, he would surely age prematurely!

Boss Li was truly furious.

"B-but I only have about four hundred yuan saved up; it's not enough."

Seeing that he wasn't demanding the money anymore, Li's wife felt relieved but feared that Li Wenfeng might actually sell her son's job.

Boss Li glanced at her; after years of marriage, he knew exactly what she was thinking. He gave her a cold chuckle.

"Keep it then. When Sangchen comes back at noon, you can go back to your parents' house in the afternoon."

Li's wife froze.

Realizing what he meant, she lunged at Boss Li, who kicked her off the bed.

"I can tolerate your greed and bullying, but sacrificing my son's future for a few hundred yuan? What use do I have for you now?"

"Li Shanglu, you've gone mad too."

Li's wife wanted to cry, but seeing Boss Li's distorted features, she remembered the crazed Li Wenfeng and held back her tears.

"Either give me the money or get out!"

Boss Li looked down at her, his eyes dark and cold.

Li's wife pursed her lips and shook her head, tears welling up, "I won't leave. I'm forty; going back to my parents' house would be humiliating. I—I'll get you the money."

She got up, pulled out a handkerchief from Boss Li's embroidered pillow, and handed it to him.

"It's all here—432 yuan, 50 fen, and 7 jiao."

Boss Li took it, clutched it in his hand, and started walking out. Li's wife grabbed his sleeve, "Could you leave some change? Yuanbai needs good food to grow taller."

Boss Li hesitated, opened the handkerchief, and gave her the loose change.

Li's wife clutched it as if it were a treasure.

Boss Li stepped out, hurriedly left the courtyard, and rushed towards the road leading to town.

Panting heavily, he stopped to rest and saw Li Wenfeng riding a bicycle slowly behind him.

Boss Li, "Older... Second, why... are you... behind me?"

"The town is so far; only a fool would walk. I borrowed a bicycle from the village chief first."

Boss Li, "..."

Chapter 016 That bird's egg was what she told me about; otherwise, I wouldn't have known...

You might as well say I'm an idiot!

The car belongs to the village chief's family, and Boss Li knows them.

Li Wenfeng put one foot on the ground and rang the bike bell. The piercing sound made the already irritated Boss Li even more annoyed. He waved his hand a couple of times, but the wind was still hot!

Boss Li had no energy left to argue with this reckless fellow.

He took out a handkerchief and handed it to Li Wenfeng. "There's four hundred yuan in here. Count it."

Li Wenfeng opened the handkerchief, took the money, and returned the handkerchief to Boss Li.

"No need to count. Whatever Big Brother says is fine. How could I not trust Big Brother?"

Boss Li chuckled sarcastically.

"When do you plan to give me the rest?" Li Wenfeng asked.

Boss Li looked at him warily and probed, "When do you want us to pay back? Paying it all at once is definitely not possible."

"Here's an idea for you, Big Brother."

Li Wenfeng parked the bike, put his arm around Boss Li's shoulder, and squatted down next to him by the roadside.

"Sangchen is a temporary worker, but he earns a few dozen yuan every month. If he saves fifty yuan each month, that would be..."

He glanced at Boss Li.

Boss Li did the math in his head. "Six hundred."

Li Wenfeng exclaimed, "Counting is really your forte, Big Brother. Being an accountant makes a difference."

Boss Li, "..."

Not feeling flattered, and rather embarrassed.

"Six hundred a year, three years..."

Boss Li replied expressionlessly, "One thousand eight hundred."

Li Wenfeng praised him extravagantly again.

"In three years, there might be a raise, so it might not take three years to pay off the remaining one thousand nine hundred."

He patted Boss Li's shoulder happily. "Big Brother, then you'll be debt-free."

Boss Li felt exhausted.

Who forced him into a debt of two thousand three hundred?

Watching his younger brother walk away, Boss Li turned back towards home. Just before reaching the door, he suddenly remembered something.

This money was borrowed from his parents and given to the second son. How would he explain it to his parents?

His mother couldn't ask him for the money again, right?

He fanned himself with his sweat-soaked shirt and went inside.

In the courtyard, there was chaos.

Mrs. Li chased after Li Da's wife with a broom, swinging it wildly.

Li Yuanbai clapped and cheered her on.

Boss Li watched, feeling a headache coming on.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Mrs. Li spat on the ground. "Ask your wife! She dared to beat my grandson early in the morning. She must have eaten bear's gall!"

Li Da's wife, her hair disheveled, sat down on the ground, sobbing loudly.

"This life is unbearable. Even disciplining my own child gets me beaten!"

Boss Li glared at her. "Get up. What kind of show is this? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Dad, Mom hit me. My butt is red. Grandma said women need to be beaten to behave. If you don't let Grandma hit me, you should do it."

Li Yuanbai handed the broom to Boss Li.

Boss Li frowned. "What nonsense are you talking? That's your mother."

"Isn't Mom a woman?" Li Yuanbai glanced at Li Da's wife.

Boss Li looked at Li Da's wife. "Why did you hit him?"

Li Da's wife, seeing her son about to be hit, felt both angry and sad. "If he hadn't pushed the second son's wife, the second son wouldn't have come back demanding money and acting crazy. I hit him a few times to teach him a lesson, but he... wanted to hit me!"

"You're not wrong. Get up. Don't sit on the ground like a hooligan. It's ugly."

Boss Li gestured for Li Da's wife to get up and then hit Li Yuanbai with the broom.

"Ahh."

Li Yuanbai cried out and ran behind Mrs. Li.

"Mom, get out of the way."

Mrs. Li refused and hugged Li Yuanbai tightly. "He's just a child; what does he know? The second daughter-in-law is to blame for not being careful with her big belly and falling. It has nothing to do with Yuanbai! Boss Li, you can't hit my eldest grandson."

"Mom!"

Boss Li was exasperated. "You're spoiling him! If he hadn't pushed the second daughter-in-law, she wouldn't have gone into premature labor and had a hemorrhage. The second son wouldn't be so angry."

"If Yuanbai doesn't change his ways, next time he does something outrageous, more than a beating will await him!"

Mrs. Li spat. "Would the second son really harm his own nephew for some outsider?"

Hasn't he already harmed his own nephew?!

Boss Li was frustrated to the point of exhaustion.

Seeing that the old lady was fiercely protective, he planned to wait until she wasn't home and give Yuanbai a thorough beating!

From now on, stay away from the second son's family!

If we run into that reckless second son, how much money would it take to compensate?

For breakfast, they had sweet potato porridge, two cucumbers smashed and sprinkled with a bit of salt, and two drops of sesame oil as the dish.

Li Wenfeng went to town, and Mrs. Li didn't prepare meals for her son or his wife and children.

The family was eating when Aunt Song came over carrying a basket.

She greeted Mrs. Li and entered the second son's house.

A moment later, she came out with the basket and left after saying goodbye.

Mrs. Li had a black face the whole time, glaring daggers at the second son's house, one after another.

Muttering curses under her breath, but mindful that the second son hadn't returned to the military yet, she didn't dare cause a scene at his doorstep.

The second son's house remained quiet, with faint sounds of laughter.

...

Li Wenfeng wandered around town and bought a cart full of miscellaneous items. He spent a dollar to borrow a handcart from a fellow villager to transport the goods back to the village.

He unloaded everything directly at the village chief's house.

After returning the cart, he didn't go home but instead carried the goods and visited each household in the village.

He didn't visit any house empty-handed.

Especially the homes of the gossipy women who had been fierce since his childhood—he catered to their tastes.

In every conversation, there was only one underlying message:

When his wife and children were bullied, say a word or two in their defense.

If someone spoke well of his wife and children, he would bring double the gifts next time!

Free things—why refuse them?

Why not take them if they're free?

Besides, saying a few words wouldn't offend anyone.

After a busy day, he distributed all the items.

At the village chief's house, Li Wenfeng left two packs of Daqianmen cigarettes and two embroidered handkerchiefs.

"What's this for?"

The village chief tried to push them away but couldn't.

"Uncle Qingshan, these are for you and Auntie."

Li Wenfeng smiled and shoved them into his arms. "As your nephew, I don't come back often, so please don't think these are too few."

"You rascal..."

Li Qingshan held the cigarettes firmly, smiling broadly, and patted Li Wenfeng's shoulder.

"...You haven't wasted your time in the army; you've become even stronger."

Li Wenfeng flexed his bicep to show off.

After a few more jokes, Li Wenfeng got straight to the point.

Li Qingshan frowned. "It's hard for an official to meddle in family affairs; it's not appropriate for me to interfere."

"I understand, but I'm asking Auntie to drop by our house occasionally and chat with my wife, so my mother knows someone is supporting her. My mother's personality..."

Li Wenfeng didn't say much more, but Li Qingshan understood.

This wasn't too difficult; visiting neighbors was common in the village.

"Alright, I'll speak to Auntie about it."

"Thank you, Uncle, thank Auntie. Next time I come, I'll bring you some cigarettes from our unit..."

Li Wenfeng looked around and lowered his voice. "...special supplies."

Li Qingshan's eyes lit up instantly.

"Rest assured! With your aunt and me around, your wife and the three children won't be at a disadvantage."

Li Wenfeng expressed his gratitude once again.

When he got home, Mrs. Li and Li's eldest sister-in-law were preparing dinner, while Li Yuanbao was playing cat's cradle under the shade of a tree.

Seeing him enter, she smiled adorably, wearing a fine cotton dress embroidered with delicate little flowers.

With a soft and cute voice, she called out, "Second Uncle, you're back?"

Li Wenfeng had just finished a major task and was in high spirits. Seeing the child's cuteness, he gave her a smile. "What are you playing, Yuanbao?"

"Cat's cradle."

Li Yuanbao held up her chubby hands to show him. "Second Uncle, do you want to play?"

Seeing this, Li Yuanbai, who had always wanted to play with Li Yuanbao but had been rejected, huffed, "Bootlicker!"

Li Yuanbao glared at him, turned away, and went to Li Wenfeng with red eyes to complain.

"Second Uncle, he's bullying me."

Li Wenfeng glanced over. Li Yuanbai, remembering the kick he had received, paled and waved his hands frantically.

"I didn't! Second Uncle, she's doing this because she feels guilty and is trying to curry favor with you! It was she who told me about the bird eggs; otherwise, I wouldn't have known..."

Chapter 017 Mom, can't you talk things out? Why do you hit the child?

"You're lying!"

Li Yuanbao stomped her foot and glared at Li Yuanbai, her face flushing with anger. "It's because you were greedy..."

"Li Yuanbai!"

Li Wenfeng's face turned cold as he shot a stern look.

"It's not true! How could I know if you didn't tell me? When you and Third Aunt came back from the provincial city, Grandma called you into the house. My mom even gloated that Third Aunt had worked for half a year in vain..."

Li Yuanbao's eyes welled up with tears.

Her mother had worked day and night on the screen, earning only three hundred yuan, but Grandma took it all without leaving them a single cent!

Li Wenfeng glanced at the little girl and then at Li Yuanbai.

Li Yuanbai shrank his neck. "Second Uncle, it was her. She specifically came to my room to tell me that if I went to ask, those two would definitely not give it to me. She said I should bring Grandma along, and Second Aunt would surely give it to her out of respect for Grandma."

After saying this, he defiantly glared at Li Yuanbao, daring her to refute him.

"I only asked Grandma to go to Second Aunt for the bird eggs, but who knew I'd run into you coming back..."

His voice dropped low, and he smiled ingratiatingly at Li Wenfeng.

Li Wenfeng lowered his gaze and called out, "Li Yuanbao."

His voice was calm, revealing no emotion.

Li Yuanbao's heart tightened, feeling nervous and not daring to meet Li Wenfeng's eyes.

She pouted, "Second Uncle, I really didn't ask Li Yuanbai to get Grandma to ask Second Aunt for the bird eggs. I just..."

She choked up, seeming very upset. "...felt sorry for Second Aunt, who is still recovering and doesn't have good food. I thought telling Grandma would help her get something nice to eat. I never expected Yuanbai to take the bird eggs and... and hit someone."

Her face showed her sense of injustice. "Second Uncle, did I do something wrong?"

"Li Yuanbao, you're lying!"

Li Yuanbai's face turned red with anger, pointing at Li Yuanbao and shouting, "You worthless girl, how dare you frame me? Watch me beat you to death!"

He rolled up his sleeves and looked around for a broom.

Terrified, Li Yuanbao hid behind Li Wenfeng.

Li Wenfeng moved aside, ignoring the stunned Li Yuanbao, and called out to the kitchen, "Mom."

"Yes."

Mrs. Li appeared promptly, carrying a rolling pin. "Second son, we're having hand-pulled noodles tonight. I've cut some meat to make minced pork with pickled beans. If you want anything else, let me know, and I'll make it tomorrow."

"Do we have any sesame seeds left?" Li Wenfeng asked without hesitation.

Mrs. Li thought for a moment. "Yes, there's still half a bag left, reserved for making sesame oil for the New Year."

"Then make me more of those crispy sesame flatbreads (a Henan snack made on a griddle). I'll take them back to the barracks; my superior likes them." Li Wenfeng said.

Mrs. Li agreed, "Sure, after dinner, I'll have your eldest sister wash the sesame seeds. We'll mix the dough early tomorrow morning so you can take them with you when you leave the day after."

Finished, she asked Li Wenfeng, "Anything else?"

Li Wenfeng smiled at Li Yuanbao, who suddenly felt a bad premonition and wanted to find an excuse to leave.

"Yuanbao, repeat what you just said in front of Grandma."

Li Yuanbao froze.

"S-S-Sir Uncle..."

She looked at Li Wenfeng with red-rimmed eyes, feeling wronged. Li Wenfeng gave her a faint smile.

Mrs. Li frowned. "Why are you hesitating?"

She suddenly remembered something and glared at Li Yuanbao. "Did your mother hide money from me?"

"No!"

Li Yuanbao was truly exasperated.

She was supposed to be reborn, yet why were things going in directions she couldn't predict?!

Fan Qingyi, that timid one, had the nerve to fight Grandma with a cleaver?!

Li Wenfeng, the invisible one, was supposed to be just the family's ATM, knowing nothing.

But now?

Now!

What was he doing?!

Causing chaos and turmoil in the family!

She had already explained that she had good intentions but messed things up. Not only did he refuse to let it go, but he also called his mother like a schoolboy seeking punishment?!

At that moment, she simply acted on impulse, thinking Fan Qingyi's behavior was unusual and wanted to test if she was also reborn.

Or perhaps, Fan Qingyi was possessed by someone else?

Who knew it would bring such trouble upon oneself.

It's too late to say anything now.

It really is too late to say anything now.

In just this short moment of her changing expressions, Li Yuanbai had already embellished the story and finished telling it.

"Grandma, it's all because of this good-for-nothing! If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been kicked by Uncle! Beat this good-for-nothing to death..."

Li Wenfeng gave him a faint glance.

Li Yuanbai's shouting abruptly stopped, "Second Uncle, I was talking about Li Yuanbao, not Second Aunt or Jiejie Luli."

Grandma calls her that too, Li Yuanbai felt wronged but didn't dare to say anything.

"You dead girl, so it's you!"

Mrs. Li's gaze toward Li Yuanbao changed. If it weren't for this dead girl, she wouldn't have been seen by the second son when she beat up those two girls from the second branch, and he wouldn't have gotten so angry that he smashed half of the kitchen!

And it damaged their mother-son relationship.

She had long said that girls would marry into other families and were not worth raising!

But the second son insisted on disagreeing with her!

Now he sees it, doesn't he?

Mrs. Li glanced at Li Wenfeng, gripped the rolling pin, and without any warning, raised it and struck down at Li Yuanbao.

"Beat this heartless, liver-and-lung girl to death! You live off me and eat my food, yet you dare to scheme against me and my son..."

"Does your mother keep you cooped up in the house just to teach you this?!"

She ranted and raved, not repeating a single sentence, cursing and beating her.

At first, Li Yuanbao tried to dodge and beg for mercy, but after being hit twice, her voice turned shrill, and suddenly the door of the third branch opened.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Li Sansao took a few steps and stood not far from the scene, calling out to Mrs. Li.

"Mom."

Li Yuanbao stopped, looking at her mother with red-rimmed eyes, tears streaming down her face.

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Li struck again with the rolling pin, hitting her right arm.

The pain made Li Yuanbao scream, "Ah!"

Li Sansao's face turned even uglier, and she stepped forward, shielding Li Yuanbao in her arms.

Who would have thought that Mrs. Li would strike her with the rolling pin.

"Ugh."

Li Sansao let out a muffled groan, feeling a shuddering pain throughout her body, her vision going dark.

Unable to endure this torment any longer, she gritted her teeth and called out, "Li Yuanzhi, are you dead? Can't you hear your wife and child about to be beaten to death?!"

"What's going on? What's going on?"

Li Laosan ran out bare-chested, seeing Mrs. Li raising the rolling pin to hit the mother and daughter again.

He exclaimed in shock.

"Mom! My dear mom, what are you doing? If you break my wife's arm, how will we do business next year?"

Hearing this, Mrs. Li paused the rolling pin mid-air over Li Sansao's shoulder.

Li Laosan wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave his wife a meaningful glance.

Li Sansao glared at him fiercely.

Li Laosan chuckled awkwardly and turned to ask Mrs. Li.

"Mom, why can't we talk things out? Why are you hitting the child? And almost breaking my wife's..."

Chapter 018 Is It Too Unmanly to Bully a Child Like This?

"Talk nicely? Do I even have anything to say to her? A little girl like that, and she's already learned to incite her brother to bully her Second Aunt and hit her two cousins through me!"

After saying this, Mrs. Li spat a mouthful of saliva at Li Sansao, looking at her with utter disdain. "What a fine daughter you've raised!"

Li Sansao's face twisted slightly as she took a deep breath, then looked down and asked Li Yuanbao.

"Is what your grandma said true?"

Li Yuanbao burst into tears. "I just saw that Second Aunt had nothing to eat, so I felt sorry for her. I thought Grandma likes Yuanbai, so I didn't expect Grandma and Yuanbai to hit people..."

Her words mixed truth with lies, making them sound plausible.

Li Sansao's face turned dark, and she glared angrily at Li Wenfeng, who was watching the scene from the side.

"Who told you to be so overly kind? When you were beaten, did anyone help you except your parents? Some people deserve to be bullied!"

She said the last sentence with anger.

Everyone contributes money to the household; she herself had paid at least seven or eight hundred yuan a year. Why should she endure such humiliation?!

Li Wenfeng understood her implication and nodded. "Third Brother's wife is right. Some people do deserve to be bullied!"

He threw her words back at her.

Li Sansao realized Li Wenfeng was referring to her and could no longer contain her anger.

"Li Yuanzhi, are you deaf? Can't you see your Second Brother bullying your wife and child?"

"I heard it, I heard it."

Li Laosan put on a pained expression and groaned, "Second Brother, what are you doing? My wife and child were beaten by Mom, and you didn't even try to stop it. Instead, you fanned the flames. You... you..."

Li Wenfeng looked at him. "When Mom beat my wife and child, why didn't you help?"

"How can I, a grown man, help? Besides, that's our mother. I..."

Li Laosan spoke faster than he could think, realizing too late what he had said. He looked up at his Second Brother, who wore a half-smile, and his face fell.

Li Wenfeng chuckled. "Then how can I, as a Second Uncle, help?"

He left those words behind and walked back to his room.

Li Laosan, "...Second Brother, you're being too heartless. My wife wasn't wrong about you."

He muttered the last part under his breath.

But Li Wenfeng still heard it.

He stopped, turned around, and gave Li Laosan a meaningful look.

Li Laosan was still trying to decipher the meaning when he heard his Second Brother call out to their mother, "Mom, Old Third has been secretly roasting game in the mountains and eating it alone without telling anyone!"

Li Laosan, "! Second Brother!"

Mrs. Li, "...Old Third!"

Brat! No wonder they all looked well-fed; they were eating alone behind the old couple's backs!

Mrs. Li grabbed a rolling pin and started chasing after him.

"Mom, Mom, it's not like what Second Brother said. I really didn't catch any game. It's a different era now; there's nothing left in the mountains... Mom! My dear Mom!"

Li Laosan ran around the yard with his butt sticking out, while Mrs. Li chased him, spitting and yelling, "Stop right there! Don't run! If you have the guts to eat, you have the guts to stand still!"

"Li Wenfeng, you're unfaithful. We agreed not to tell our parents. I won't let this go..."

Li Wenfeng leaned against the door of his house, watching Li Laosan jump around, and said casually, "I didn't plan to say anything, but you shouldn't have spoken out of turn."

"It was just a slip of the tongue!"

Li Laosao gritted his teeth. His Second Brother deserved to have his family bullied with a personality like that!

Li Wenfeng nodded. "Then you deserve to be chased and beaten by Mom!"

Li Laosan, "..."

Mrs. Li continued chasing him. "Who are you not done with? I'm not done with you first!"

"Ahh! Mom, you're biased. I'm your own son!"

Li Laosan shamelessly wailed, "Dad, come out and see! Your wife is going to kill her child..."

Mrs. Li nearly tripped over a stool in anger.

Mister Li glanced out the door and sat back down.

Li Laosan, "..."

"Ahh!"

"Ahhh!"

A few blows landed on Li Laosan's buttocks, and his cries echoed throughout the courtyard.

Li Yuanbao thought her father was too embarrassing. Why couldn't he be more assertive like Second Uncle?!

Their family also contributed a lot of money to Grandma!

Li Sansao's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, and she dragged Li Yuanbao back into the house.

Li Laosan was hit a few more times with the rolling pin in the courtyard. He promised that he would bring home any game he hunted in the future before Mrs. Li angrily returned to the kitchen to continue rolling noodles.

Li Laosan rubbed his buttocks and walked up to Li Wenfeng. "Second Brother, you're not playing fair. I'm not deaf, you know. It just came out that way in the conversation. It was just a casual remark!"

Li Wenfeng responded with a noncommittal hum.

"My daughter meant well but did something wrong. She deserved the punishment, but as her second uncle, bullying a child like that isn't very manly, is it?"

Li Wenfeng glanced at him. "I protect my own, so tell your daughter that if she ever tries to incite someone to bully my wife and child again, I'll personally come back and deal with her next time."

Li Laosan was taken aback, too angry to say anything.

He huffed in frustration, covering his buttocks as he limped back to the third room.

Within two minutes, the door opened, and Li Laosan was chased out looking dejected.

Li Wenfeng laughed heartily.

Li Laosan glared at him and dragged his leg to the main house to argue with Old Li.

Dinner still didn't include Fan Qingyi.

Li Wenfeng didn't say a word, taking his bowl of minced meat and sour beans back, then returned to start a fire and cook red sugar poached eggs, using four eggs again.

"Second Son, there aren't many eggs left in the jar. Leave some for your mother."

Mrs. Li felt sorry for him but still scolded him, though she didn't dare stop her son.

Li Wenfeng acknowledged her words indifferently, cooked the red sugar poached eggs, and brought them back to the room. The family of four shared the two bowls of food, barely getting half full.

After dinner, Mrs. Li asked Old Li to bring out the sesame bag and took Li Daisao to wash the sesame seeds in the courtyard.

The father and sons sat under the tree where mosquito-repelling herbs were burning, enjoying the cool.

The washed sesame seeds were spread out on a tray, and the mother and daughter-in-law picked out the dirt on either side.

Li Daisao was delighted and asked Mrs. Li, "Mom, no wonder Yuanbai is close to you. He said he wanted to eat crispy bread a few days ago, and you made it today..."

"Is it for him or for you?"

Mrs. Li didn't spare her and shot back immediately.

Li Daisao's smile froze, and she chuckled awkwardly. "If Mom makes extra, I'd love to have a couple too."

"Nice try."

Mrs. Li spat, "These are for Second Son's leader. No one else is allowed to touch them!"

Li Daisao's enthusiasm vanished instantly, and she murmured an "Oh," bowing her head to continue working listlessly.

"Mom, Daisao, busy?"

Suddenly, the voice of the fourth daughter-in-law came from the courtyard gate.

The mother and daughter-in-law looked up and saw Li Zexi riding a bicycle and stopping at the gate, while Liu Feifei got off the backseat carrying a military green bag, smiling as she walked into the courtyard.

They greeted Old Li and the three brothers.

Liu Feifei asked Mrs. Li, "Mom, is the baby a boy or a girl?"

"A girl." Mrs. Li rolled her eyes at the second room. "Why are you back? Have you eaten dinner?"

Mrs. Li felt a bit intimidated by her city daughter-in-law, especially since Liu Feifei worked at the supply store and her parents had stable jobs.

Liu Feifei, with her cheerful personality, didn't pick up on the implied tone. "Li Zexi ran into someone from the village in town and heard about the birth. We thought we'd take advantage of the cool evening after work to bring some gifts. We haven't had dinner yet."

Mrs. Li frowned. "What gifts are you bringing her? It's just a girl..."

"What kind of talk is that? You're a woman too."

Chapter 019 Who Do You Think You Are? Shut Up If You Can't Speak Properly

Liu Feifei didn't like hearing that and retorted lightly before shifting her gaze away.

Mrs. Li pursed her lips.

Liu Feifei called out to Li Wenfeng, "Second Brother, can I go in and see Second Sister-in-Law?"

In the second house, Li Shanhu heard Liu Feifei's voice and started calling out excitedly.

"Mom, it's Aunt Four! Please let her in. During the time when Second Sister was missing, Aunt Four helped us a lot. She is one of the few people who were kind to us."

Fan Qingyi was slightly stunned and instinctively felt panic and repulsion, wanting to hide whenever she saw someone.

But deep down, she knew that to protect her child, she had to overcome this fear from the depths of her heart!

She couldn't just stand there waiting for Wenfeng's protection.

Fan Qingyi gripped the quilt tightly, squeezing hard until her nails dug painfully into her palm.

She tried to suppress her overwhelming fear with the pain, took a deep breath, and forced a smile.

"A Li, please invite your Aunt Four inside to talk."

Li Liuli responded with an "Ah" and skipped over to open the door.

"Aunt Four, my mom invites you inside to talk."

In the courtyard, several pairs of eyes turned to look.

Liu Feifei was flattered and hurriedly responded, smiling as she walked over.

"A Li, you've grown again, haven't you? You look a bit thin... maybe you're not getting enough nutrition..."

Li Liuli glanced at Li Wenfeng, who made a funny face at his eldest daughter. Li Liuli covered her mouth and laughed, her eyebrows arching.

Boss Li disapproved of the second son's behavior.

He called out to Li Laosi, "Dad brewed some cooling tea; have a bowl to beat the heat."

As he said this, he didn't move.

Li Laosi parked his bike against the wall.

"Fourth Uncle, can I ride your bike?" Li Yuanbai's eyes lit up as he ran over and rang the bell loudly.

The sharp and piercing sound echoed through the courtyard.

"Smack."

Li Laosi slapped his hand away. "Don't touch it! It's brand new. If you break it, I'll spank you!"

Li Yuanbai winced, pulled back his hand, and saw it was red. He pouted and muttered, "Everyone's so stingy, can't even play with it..."

Li Laosi snorted and called out to Boss Li, "Big Brother, don't you control this brat? This is a brand new bike, first ride today, and he doesn't know how to ride. If he breaks it..."

Boss Li glanced at Li Wenfeng, and the smile on his face visibly faded. He gave a nonchalant "Hmm."

"Yuanbai, go play outside. Don't touch Fourth Uncle's new bike; we can't afford to pay for it."

Li Yuanbai reluctantly left.

Li Laosi was taken aback and asked Li Wenfeng, "Second Brother, what's wrong with Big Brother? I didn't say anything."

Li Wenfeng glanced at Boss Li and smiled.

Li Laosan clicked his tongue beside them. "Laosi, it's not your fault. You're being dragged into this because of Second Brother. Big Brother is angry at him."

"Angry at Second Brother?"

Li Laosi was confused and sat next to Li Laosan, taking a sip of the cooling tea. "What happened?"

Li Laosan leaned closer, and they began whispering together.

Boss Li: "..."

At the water pump, after cleaning the sesame seeds, Big Sister-in-Law withdrew her gaze and asked Mrs. Li, "Mom, did you hear that?"

"What?" Mrs. Li kept her eyes on the sesame seeds, which were meant for the second son's leader and needed to be clean.

Big Sister-in-Law lowered her voice. "Aunt Four said she's bringing something for Second Sister-in-Law. That satchel looks full; I wonder what good things are inside. She should have offered them to you first..."

Mrs. Li glanced at her sharply.

Big Sister-in-Law smiled apologetically. "Mom, isn't Aunt Four not respecting you?"

"Bullshit!"

Mrs. Li spat at her. "Her parents work for the government. Who do you think you are? Can't you keep quiet if you can't speak properly?"

Big Sister-in-Law's smile froze for a moment, but seeing Mrs. Li continue checking the sesame seeds, she dared to roll her eyes at the second house.

...

Inside the room, Liu Feifei smiled as she took something out of her satchel.

"The supply store got some flawed cotton cloth, just the wrong color, but the fabric is fine—soft, breathable, and sweat-absorbent. I kept two pieces to make summer and autumn clothes for the kids..."

She placed it on the bed and immediately noticed Li Shanhu's eyes, which were like black grapes, rolling around. Her own eyes filled with warmth.

"The little one is truly adorable, with those bright black eyes. Have you named her yet?"

"So cute! If only I could have a daughter as beautiful as this! I'm not as pretty as Second Sister-in-Law, and Li Zexi isn't as handsome as his older brother. I doubt it'll happen in this lifetime!"

"Oh, that little face makes me want to take a bite..."

"No, Second Sister-in-Law is shy; we can't scare her."

Fan Qingyi leaned against the headboard, smiling.

When Liu Feifei entered, she felt a flutter in her heart and dared not look up.

But she could hear the kindness in Liu Feifei's voice, and now, hearing her thoughts, she was even more certain that this Fourth Sister-in-Law genuinely liked her child.

How could someone who loves children be bad?

Fan Qingyi visibly relaxed, her face filled with a warm smile.

"Coral, her nickname is Dou Dou. Her father chose the name."

Liu Feifei looked at her in surprise. "Second Sister-in-Law, you're not afraid of me anymore?"

Fan Qingyi felt a bit embarrassed.

"I'm still a little scared, but you love children, and you even brought fabric for her..."

Liu Feifei understood her meaning and waved her hand. "I'm an aunt, after all. Loving children is natural."

Li Liuli brought over a bowl of cold water.

"Fourth Aunt, have some water."

Liu Feifei smiled and patted her head, finishing the water in one go. "Thank you, A Li. By the way, Fourth Aunt also brought gifts for you."

"Trying to win Second Sister-in-Law's favor! Look at me, look at me..."

She took out two hair clips from the inner pocket of her military green bag: one tomato-red ginger lily and one blue-and-white butterfly orchid.

"These are new styles from the supply store. They come with hair ties and can be used directly. I thought they were pretty, so I got one for each of them."

The sisters' eyes lit up with surprise, looking at Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi nodded at her daughter with a smile. "You shouldn't have spent the money."

"It didn't cost much."

"Thank you, Fourth Aunt." The sisters said in unison.

Liu Feifei happily responded.

"Come on, let's see how they look."

"I really wish I had a daughter too, to dress her up with pretty hair clips and dresses, making her look lovely..."

"Then we could stroll together, and people would think we're sisters. Hehe."

Fan Qingyi glanced at Liu Feifei, thinking that Fourth Sister-in-Law... was indeed a lively and likable girl.

Liu Feifei enthusiastically tied the girls' hair.

After finishing, she checked from different angles, worried about any misalignment.

Just as she was satisfied and about to step back, she suddenly noticed something black moving in Li Liuli's hair. She focused and saw it was a louse.

Her body shuddered, and she screamed in fright.

"Ah! Lice, Second Sister-in-Law, A Li has lice in her hair."

Fan Qingyi quickly sat up.

Li Liuli covered her head and moved back. "Fourth Aunt, don't be afraid. I'll stay away from you; it won't spread to you."

"Yes, we won't let the lice get to Fourth Aunt."

Li Zhenzhu huddled with Li Liuli, looking at Liu Feifei with concern.

Liu Feifei opened her mouth, coughed awkwardly, and said softly.

"Well... Fourth Aunt isn't afraid; it's just... I've never seen this before, only heard about it. It's a bit... unsettling."

"I just gained Second Sister-in-Law's good impression. Did I ruin it now? I don't want to."

Chapter 020 Why Should We...?

"Second Sister-in-Law..."

Liu Feifei looked dejected. Such a good opportunity, and she had ruined it.

"I'm sorry."

Fan Qingyi shook her head. "I should be the one apologizing. I haven't been feeling well lately. The two kids have been busy running back and forth between home and the fields, squeezing in sleep whenever they can. I haven't had time to take care of my hair, and I scared you. I'm sorry."

"They..."

Liu Feifei wanted to say that they were just children, but as soon as she spoke, she remembered that in the countryside, especially for girls, they started working at four or five years old.

Elder Brother Li Zexi was often away serving in the military, leaving only them—mother and daughters—at home.

Her in-laws favored boys over girls; their lives couldn't be easy.

Liu Feifei frowned, feeling troubled. Looking at Fan Qingyi's pale face, she felt even worse.

She forced a smile. "Second Sister-in-Law, it's okay. Just a few lice. Our supply store sells Shanghai sulfur soap. I'll buy a bar and have someone bring it back for you tomorrow. Second Brother is here, right? Have him help A Li and Zhuzhu wash..."

"Alright. A Li, go get some money from the iron box in the drawer for your Fourth Aunt."

Fan Qingyi didn't refuse her kindness. Wenfeng said that relationships are built through mutual give-and-take.

Fourth Sister-in-Law has a kind heart, and she wanted to establish a reciprocal relationship with her.

Liu Feifei wanted to say it wasn't much money, but seeing Fan Qingyi looking at her with hopeful eyes, like there was a light in them, paired with her porcelain-like beauty, she forgot what she was going to say.

It wasn't until Fan Qingyi handed her the money that she came back to her senses.

"Ah! How embarrassing! I was staring at Second Sister-in-Law in a daze! She looks like a beautiful porcelain doll..."

Fan Qingyi, "..."

She touched her face and asked Liu Feifei with a smile, "Fourth Sister-in-Law, what's wrong with my face?"

"Beautiful!"

Liu Feifei blurted out.

Fan Qingyi smiled, her eyes full of amusement.

Liu Feifei blushed, her gaze darting around in embarrassment, and she coughed to cover it up.

"Well, Second Sister-in-Law, we need to get back to town, so we should go now."

Fan Qingyi nodded. "Come by again if you have time."

Liu Feifei responded with an "ah" and ran out. Once outside, she realized she had left her purse inside.

Just as she hesitated, the sisters came out carrying her purse on a stick.

Li Zhenzhu smiled with her eyes curved. "Fourth Aunt, we didn't touch the purse. It doesn't have any lice."

Liu Feifei felt even more embarrassed.

Taking the purse, she lavished praise on the little girls before turning to look at the people in the yard.

Elder Sister Li waved at her. "Fourth Sister-in-Law, come here."

"Elder Sister."

Liu Feifei had been tricked twice by this greedy Elder Sister and now only maintained a surface-level relationship with her.

Elder Sister Li sighed and straightened her posture.

What did it matter that she was from the city and her parents worked for the government? Now that she married into their rural family, she still had to call this illiterate village girl her Elder Sister.

Where did she get her sense of superiority!

"Did you visit Second Sister-in-Law?"

Liu Feifei smiled.

"What did you bring her? Your purse was stuffed full."

Elder Sister Li glanced at the now empty purse and pursed her lips.

"Just a couple of scraps of cotton cloth to make clothes for the kids."

Liu Feifei blinked, not waiting for Elder Sister Li to speak again, and asked with a smile, "As the Elder Sister, you must have brought something better, right? What did you get for the niece?"

Elder Sister Li, "..."

She was taken aback.

She stammered, "We live together. What's there to add?"

Liu Feifei didn't believe her. "Elder Sister, you're the Elder Sister. How could you not have added anything? Are you trying to fool me?"

Elder Sister Li rolled her eyes.

"We've been helping them harvest their fields. That's better than giving them a few things!"

Feeling that she had made a valid point, she became more assertive.

Liu Feifei ignored her and looked towards the shade under the tree, about to call Li Laosi to return to town.

"Laosi's wife, you two came all the way back just to give Laoer's wife some fabric? Nothing else?"

Liu Feifei frowned. Did this mean she was expecting something else?

Sure enough.

"Look at how long Mom has been wearing this old shirt. Since you work at the supply and marketing cooperative, bringing some fabric back for Mom to make new clothes would be a sign of your filial piety..."

"...Not that I'm saying anything as your sister-in-law, but why did you only bring fabric for Laoer's wife? What about me? What about your third sister-in-law? You're really favoring one over the others."

Favoring one and slighting another, right?

Impressive that she didn't misuse the idiom.

Liu Feifei really didn't know how to respond.

Being a sister-in-law and not holding up appearances is one thing, but loving to take advantage of others is another!

And it wasn't easy to confront her directly.

She endured it, forcing a smile, "I brought enough fabric for two winter outfits and two summer outfits for Mom during the New Year, didn't I, Mom?"

Mrs. Li sighed, "Laosi's wife is filial."

The eldest sister-in-law pouted.

Liu Feifei frowned, "There's also something wrong with what you said, Sister-in-Law. The supply and marketing cooperative belongs to the state; no one can just take things! You're asking me to commit a serious breach of principle!"

"How is that a breach? If you can get fabric for Laoer's wife, why can't you get it for us?"

The eldest sister-in-law, enraged, spat, "Just because you were born in town and have a bit of money, doesn't mean you can look down on us country folk. What's so great about you?"

"I gave fabric to the second sister-in-law because she's nice to me. Why should I give it to you... on what basis?"

Liu Feifei was angry too, "Because you're petty and love taking advantage of others? Or because you always talk badly about me behind my back? Disgusting!"

Why could she only say 'disgusting' while the sister-in-law could spit on the ground?!

Even angrier.

"Liu Feifei, who are you calling petty? Who are you accusing of taking advantage of others?!"

The eldest sister-in-law glared, fuming. One by one, they dared to bully her!

No way!

She turned and yelled under the tree, "Li Laosi, can't you teach your wife? Your wife just cursed me like a shrew! Are you going to do anything about it?"

"What happened?"

Li Laosi stood up, smiling, "Sister-in-Law, Feifei has a temper. Please let it go and don't take it personally."

"Let it go? She doesn't even respect me as her sister-in-law!"

The eldest sister-in-law put her hands on her hips, glancing at Mrs. Li sitting on a small stool checking sesame seeds. Seeing that she remained indifferent, her voice grew more aggressive.

"I'll tell you, Liu Feifei, in our village, someone like you would get beaten! A few beatings and see if you still dare to talk back to your elder sister-in-law!"

Liu Feifei exploded with anger and stormed out of the yard.

"Li Zexi, let's go home!"

Boss Li glanced indifferently at Li Laosi.

The eldest sister-in-law jumped up and fanned the flames, "Laosi, are you even a man? Listening to everything your wife says, are you so spineless..."

Li Laosi felt embarrassed by the look and further incited by his sister-in-law, he felt quite uncomfortable.

He quickly stepped forward and grabbed Liu Feifei, "What are you doing? Whatever the sister-in-law said, just let it go. We agreed to come here to save face for me. Apologize to the brother and sister-in-law, and then we can leave."

"I won't apologize. She started it by insulting me!"

Liu Feifei held her head high, "I don't want to argue with her. Let's go."

As she tried to leave, Li Laosi pulled her back hard.

"I've already said you need to apologize first! How will the brother and sister-in-law think of me if they see that I can't control my wife..."