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.

5. 75 to 101

Chapter 75: You Are All Mad

Mrs. Li's features were twisted, her eyes bloodshot, her expression a mix of agony and smugness.

She screamed in anguish, "I want to see who will still help you? You cursed star, you vixen, why don't you just die? Why isn't it you who dies?!"

She was smug because she knew that even if she beat this despicable creature to death, no one would stop her anymore.

But the pain was that her second son was gone!

Her most promising, most successful son was gone!

She had carried him for ten months, raised him from a tiny infant with her own hands, built him a house, and found him a wife!

She had been counting on his rise to wealth and power to ensure her comfort in old age!

And now he was gone!

The hatred in Mrs. Li's heart was indescribable.

"Grandma, don't..."

Li Liuli, her eyes red, stood in front of Fan Qingyi, trying to protect her mother.

But her small frame could not provide much protection.

Fan Qingyi pulled her eldest daughter close, shielding all three children in her arms, and endured a blow from Mrs. Li's broom.

"Bang!"

The broom struck her at the back of her head, the force almost knocking her off her feet.

The wooden hairpin holding her hair up was caught by the broom, and when Mrs. Li pulled back, it yanked her hair painfully.

"Ouch..."

It hurt!

Tears instantly filled Fan Qingyi's eyes, and Li Zhenzhu cried out.

"Mom, Grandma pulled your hair out..."

Everyone looked closely and saw a clump of black hair tangled in the broom.

A patch of Fan Qingyi's head was almost bald.

Many people drew in sharp breaths.

The bespectacled man felt a pang of sympathy, opened his mouth to speak, but was pulled back by someone beside him.

"Brother Er Zhu, Brother Wenfeng was killed by this woman. What more do you have to say for her?"

Someone spat and agreed, "Exactly, a woman like this should be boiled in oil or drowned in a pig's trough! Brother Wenfeng must have been blind to marry her!"

The bespectacled man glanced at the man coldly.

The man laughed awkwardly, "Brother Er Zhu, I'm just speaking up for Brother Wenfeng. If he hadn't gone with those two, he wouldn't have died without a trace..."

"Enough, you can't just make things up about Brother Wenfeng. Shut up."

The man in front glared at him and whispered to the bespectacled man, "Brother Er Zhu, since Brother Wenfeng is gone, shouldn't we find an auspicious day to build a cenotaph for him, so he has a home in the afterlife?"

The bespectacled man looked at Fan Qingyi. In his memory, the timid, shy woman who avoided eye contact and conversation was now pale, with red-rimmed eyes full of unusual strength and determination.

And there were Brother Wenfeng's twin daughters.

The elder, though trembling and with tears in her eyes, stood firm, protecting her mother.

The younger, tears streaming down her face, her lashes wet, her small face pale with fear, also stood guard by her mother's side.

And the little girl in her arms, with big, dark eyes, scanned them all as if reading their thoughts, warning them of something they had promised.

The bespectacled man sighed deeply.

Most of their peers in the village had received help from Brother Wenfeng. They were willing to protect his wife and daughters as he had protected them when they were young, but only if they were worthy!

He sympathized with them.

But to step forward and protect the person who had caused Brother Wenfeng's death, he... couldn't do it.

He gave the four women a long, hard look, then turned and walked out of the yard.

The crowd hesitated for a few seconds, then followed him out.

Soon, only the Li family remained in the yard, along with a group of villagers gathered at the gate, watching the spectacle.

Many of them had benefited from Li Wenfeng's kindness.

Several gossipy women, upon learning that Li Wenfeng had died because of Fan Qingyi and her family, had changed their tune.

"Look at that seductress, how did she manage to get that boy Wenfeng to agree to risk his life? Now he's gone..."

"Auntie Li, keeping that cursed star around is just asking for trouble. Either kick her out of your family or kill her outright, to save face."

They laughed and joked as if they were talking about slaughtering a chicken.

Li Liuli, disbelieving, turned and glared at them, "You... you were helping us yesterday, why..."

"Oh, this little brat actually thought we were helping them?"

"…If I hadn't taken your father's things, who would bother with you! Soft as dough, there's a saying, can't make a wall out of mud, that's it…"

"You still know how to quote classics…"

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Fan Qingyi wiped away the tears that had fallen from the pain of her hair being pulled, feeling numb inside.

She patted Li Liuli's shoulder, "A Li, take the two younger sisters back to the room, okay?"

Li Liuli shook her head.

She wouldn't leave; Grandma's eyes looked like they could devour them.

If she went back, Mom would be beaten to death by Grandma.

"No one leaves, I'll beat you all to death, and you all will go down to accompany my son…"

Mrs. Li gritted her teeth, raising the broom to strike again.

Suddenly, a roar came from the gate, "Stop!"

Aunt Song pushed through the crowd at the gate, ran in, grabbed the broom from Mrs. Li's hand, yanked it hard, and threw it far away.

"What are you doing? Are you all crazy?!"

Aunt Song glared fiercely at Mrs. Li, "They say Wenfeng is gone, just gone? You haven't even seen the body, who knows if the news is true or not?!"

"They returned Lao Er's belongings, how could it be false?!"

Boss Li seemed to be holding back his grief, angrily growled, "Do they have any reason to lie to us?! Auntie, at this point, you're still defending them!"

"It wasn't her insistence that made Lao Er go, he wouldn't have died otherwise! She killed Lao Er…"

"Alive or dead, we must see him!"

Aunt Song insisted, "I won't believe Wenfeng is gone until I see the body. Wenfeng's wife, you must also believe he wouldn't abandon you and the children."

She knew Li Wenfeng's character too well; his wife and children were so important to him. If something really happened to him, he would never just send a message.

He would certainly ensure their future was secure.

"Move aside, I'm going to beat her to death today to accompany my son in death!"

Mrs. Li picked up the broom and shouted, ready to attack again.

The gossipy women at the gate laughed and incited, "Li Wenfeng cares so much about his wife and children, why not send them all down together…"

These people who thrive on chaos!

Aunt Song turned her head and glared coldly, "Inciting and encouraging murder is illegal! If Wenfeng's mother really kills them, you'll all be waiting to go to jail!"

A few of them grumbled and spat at her.

"We were just talking, what does it have to do with us if she kills someone."

"That's right…"

After warning them, Aunt Song turned to look at Mrs. Li, "You too, hitting people is illegal. Don't force me to call the police and get the authorities involved!"

Saying that, she gave a cold glance to Old Li nearby.

"Li Yunshi, are you just going to stand there and watch?!"

Chapter 76: My Father Is Not Dead!

Old Li fell silent, locking eyes with her.

Aunt Song was so angry she wanted to curse.

Mrs. Li spat at her feet, "What kind of good person are you pretending to be? When did it become your business to meddle in our family affairs..."

"Enough!"

Old Li shouted, his face turning grim as he stood up from the stool, swaying unsteadily.

Boss Li quickly supported him, "Dad."

"She's the one who killed our second son, why are you still helping her?"

Old Li's face was ashen, looking at Aunt Song, "Do you really think our second son will come back to life and give you some reward?"

Aunt Song's eyes widened in shock, staring at Old Li.

"Li Yunshi, have you been kicked in the head by a donkey? Open your eyes and see clearly!"

Aunt Song pointed at Fan Qingyi and the three children, "That's your second son's wife, and those are his bloodline! Even if Wenfeng is really gone, they are still his flesh and blood, your own granddaughters. How can you say such things..."

"Granddaughters?"

Old Li sneered, his gaze sweeping over the twins who bore a striking resemblance to his second son, feeling a pang of pain in his heart, but his words were merciless, "They're just girls. Once they grow up and marry, they'll belong to other families. What kind of bloodline are they supposed to carry on..."

"I won't get married!"

Li Liuli clenched her small fists and stepped forward, "I'll never get married. When I grow up, I'll stay by my mother's side and take care of her until the end! And..."

She looked at Old Li with determination, speaking each word clearly.

"My father promised us he would return safely. He will definitely come back safely. My father never lies to us!"

Old Li lowered his eyes, meeting her gaze.

Those eyes clearly resembled his second son's wife, but the spirit and stubbornness in them reminded him of his second son when he was young.

Old Li's heart trembled, his mouth opening and closing, "...I want my son to come back alive too. I don't care if he tears the house apart or causes trouble; I just want him to be alive..."

After saying this, his chest ached so much he could hardly breathe.

His second son, barely in his thirties!

His son, it broke his heart!

Aunt Song watched Old Li's state, unable to speak for a while.

Mrs. Li was about to attack again, but Old Li stopped her, "Let them go, let them leave this house. I don't want to see them anymore!"

"The old man! This evil star killed our second son, we can't let them go. I must beat them to death to accompany our second son in the afterlife!"

Mrs. Li screamed, ready to continue the fight.

Aunt Song blocked her again, "Enough, have you had enough?! Don't you know what kind of temper your second son had? If he's really gone, how dare you treat his wife and children like this? Aren't you afraid of facing him in the afterlife without any dignity?"

Mrs. Li howled, her body filled with hatred for Fan Qingyi.

"I don't care, I don't care! My son is dead, I want her to pay with her life!"

"My father is not dead!" Li Liuli shouted.

"My father is not dead!" Li Zhenzhu also shouted.

Mrs. Li raised her broom to hit them, but Aunt Song held her back with all her might.

The courtyard was in chaos for a moment.

Aunt Song's head ached from Mrs. Li's shouting.

She sighed and said to Fan Qingyi, "Go back to your room and pack. Stay at my place for a while."

Fan Qingyi didn't refuse, carrying her youngest daughter back to the room.

A short while later, she came out with a light cloth bag, containing only a few clothes.

Aunt Song glanced inside and saw that she had rolled up the quilts, sighing again.

"I'll take you there first, then come back to help you with the quilts."

Mrs. Li blocked their way, screaming like a madwoman, demanding that Fan Qingyi pay with her life.

Aunt Song looked at Old Li.

"Let them go." Old Li waved his hand.

Mrs. Li cried like a broken-hearted woman, cursing Old Li for not caring about his son, saying his son died in vain.

Aunt Song led them away, and Old Li glanced at Boss Li.

"Boss Li, discuss with Li Laosan about the funeral arrangements for our second son."

He shuffled back to the east room, hunched over, and Mrs. Li followed, sobbing.

Li Laosan and Boss Li exchanged glances, both with red eyes.

"Big brother, can we only build a cenotaph for Second Brother?"

Boss Li shook his head, "I don't know since I haven't dealt with it before. I'll go ask Uncle Qingshan; he's been the village chief for decades and should know something."

"I'll go with you." Li Laosan wiped his eyes.

The two brothers walked out of the yard side by side.

Li's eldest sister-in-law pursed her lips and stared at the second house with shining eyes.

The second house was now the sturdiest in the family, not leaking rain. She would talk to her husband later and have him ask the old folks to give them the house so they could move in!

Outside the courtyard, the gossipy women hadn't dispersed yet, squatting and laughing happily.

The Song family didn't have many rooms, so after dinner, the couple returned to town to make room for Fan Qingyi and her daughter in the west room.

"Settle down first, and when things calm down over there..."

"Auntie Song, I don't believe Brother Wenfeng is gone. He must still be alive somewhere."

Auntie Song looked at her pale, bloodless face and sighed softly in her heart, not daring to say anything that might upset her. "Mm, Auntie believes too. I'll go prepare some food for you, and let the two kids rest early. They start school tomorrow and can't be late."

Fan Qingyi knew she was trying to comfort her and nodded. "Thank you, Auntie."

She wanted to see him alive or dead.

No matter which, she had to see him!

Fan Qingyi clenched her hands, her gaze resolute.

The mother and daughters settled into the Song household. The twins went to school during the day, and Fan Qingyi asked Auntie Song to buy several jars for pickling vegetables, starting to make pickled cucumbers, sour beans, salted duck eggs, and sesame eggs.

A few days later, Jiang Yanhong came back alone, excitedly reporting to Fan Qingyi, "Sister-in-law, your sesame eggs are very popular. Make more! And the pickled cucumbers and sour beans too. People love having a small dish with their noodles. I gave them away for free the first day, and the next day they all asked for them by name. I charged ten cents per dish, and they bought without hesitation..."

Fan Qingyi was also delighted. "It's good that people like them. I didn't make much at first, and there's not much left. A new batch will take two days."

In the space, one day equals a month outside, so two days would be perfect.

Jiang Yanhong nodded eagerly. "Okay, I'll take the remaining ones over first, and I'll come back for this batch the day after tomorrow."

As they were talking happily, Song Chengran suddenly ran in, panting, calling for Fan Qingyi.

"Auntie, hurry to the fields! Uncle Li and the others are setting up a cenotaph for Uncle Wenfeng, digging a hole. A Li and Zhuzhu are trying to stop them, and Grandma Li is shouting that she'll throw them into the hole..."

Fan Qingyi's pupils suddenly contracted, her face turning as white as snow!

She stood up abruptly, opening her mouth to speak but no sound came out.

"You go, I'll watch Little Coral," Jiang Yanhong said quickly.

Fan Qingyi dashed out immediately.

Chapter 77: Expulsion

Aunt Song heard the commotion in the kitchen and, with flour-covered hands, asked, "What's going on?"

Song Chengran repeated himself, and Aunt Song exclaimed, "Oh no! Chengran, go find the village chief in the fields. I'll check it out first; you stay and watch the house and the children."

The last sentence was directed at Jiang Yanhong, who nodded quickly.

"Mom, go quickly."

The grandmother and grandson ran out together.

When Aunt Song reached the field, Fan Qingyi had already run to the edge of the pit where a crowd had gathered.

The next second, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the sky.

"No!"

Aunt Song's face changed, and she quickened her pace. When she got closer and tried to push through, someone grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Auntie, this is their family matter. Don't get involved," the tall, strong man said, using some force to hold her.

Fan Qingyi's scream was deafening, "Dad, Mom, please, they're still children, Wenfeng's own flesh and blood. Please..."

Amidst the chaotic footsteps, Fan Qingyi was seen kneeling before Mrs. Li and Old Li, banging her head on the ground.

Aunt Song couldn't believe it, "Let me go! Are you all crazy? They are Wenfeng's children, the girls he cherished for ten years..."

The man remained unmoved.

"Wenfeng is gone..."

Aunt Song gritted her teeth, "This is illegal! You'll go to jail..."

"Who will know if we don't say anything?" The man looked down at Aunt Song, "Auntie, you have a son and a grandson. Do you really want to send our whole village to prison for an outsider? Besides..."

He smiled, "Who would believe you alone?"

Aunt Song stared at him, speechless.

They're mad, truly mad!

"What the hell are you all doing?!"

The village chief rushed over, panting heavily, "Move aside!"

The man hesitated, "Uncle Qingshan, we..."

"Everyone, move aside!" The village chief shouted, and the crowd reluctantly parted to make a path.

Aunt Song hurried over to help Fan Qingyi, finally seeing the situation inside.

The twin sisters lay haphazardly in the pit, their eyes closed, with obvious bruises on their foreheads, faces, and exposed skin.

Aunt Song's heart skipped a beat, "A Li, Zhuzhu..."

Fan Qingyi pushed her away and jumped into the pit to save her daughters.

Aunt Song and Song Chengran, who had just arrived, helped pull the two girls out of the pit.

"A Li, Zhuzhu, wake up, wake up..."

Fan Qingyi trembled uncontrollably, gently slapping her daughters' faces.

Aunt Song's heart raced as she reached out to feel their noses, finding warm breaths.

"It's okay, they're breathing, just unconscious..."

Her limbs went weak, and she sat down on the ground, looking up at Old Li with a blank expression, as if she didn't recognize this childhood friend, "Li Yunshi, you've lost your mind."

Old Li glanced at her but said nothing.

"I've lost my mind, my son is dead, why should they live? They all deserve to die..."

Mrs. Li shouted.

The village chief glared at them, "Are you all deaf to what I say? If you don't want to stay in Shanhe Village, then all of you get out! I'll see which village dares to take in you lunatics! Shanglu, do you still want to be the village accountant? If not, I'll remove you right now!"

"Uncle Qingshan..."

Boss Li quickly spoke, "They came to us. We were digging a grave for the second son, and they wouldn't let us. They shouted that their father wasn't dead and jumped into the pit to stop us from filling it."

The village chief looked at him coldly.

Boss Li turned to the crowd, "Don't believe me? Ask them."

"My brother isn't lying," Li Laosan said.

Others chimed in in agreement.

The village chief sneered, scanning their faces, "You'd better pray Wenfeng is really dead. If he's not, and he finds out what you've done these past days, you'll spend the rest of your lives paying for it!"

He sneered again.

"Let's see if he cares about you!"

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, a chill running down their spines.

The soldiers said he was dead, how could they be lying?

It was just that no body had been found; what if something unforeseen happened...

Everyone dared not think further, their faces turning a myriad of colors.

Old Li glanced at the village chief, then his gaze fell on Fan Qingyi and her daughters.

Fan Qingyi, holding her two daughters, sat slumped beside the earthen pit, which contained several old clothes worn by Li Wenfeng.

She looked up at the village chief, "Uncle Qingshan, Brother Wenfeng isn't dead. This memorial tomb is inauspicious and shouldn't be erected."

Though the village chief had helped her reprimand the crowd, he did not show her any kindness.

"They believe Li Wenfeng is dead, so in their hearts, he is dead. If you believe he isn't dead, then to you, he isn't. Each of you can have your own opinion."

Fan Qingyi opened her mouth but was held back by Aunt Song, lowering her head without another word.

"Boss Li."

Old Li suddenly spoke, "Go get paper and pen, and write a divorce letter for your brother, expelling Fan from the Li family. From now on, she will no longer be a Li wife and will have no right to interfere in our Li family affairs."

Boss Li was stunned.

Fan Qingyi looked up at Old Li.

Old Li's face was cold, "Write it when I tell you to! Do you want such a jinx to return to the Li family?!"

Boss Li was unwilling.

He responded with a nod and ran towards the village office.

The village chief glanced at Old Li and called out to Fan Qingyi, "Since you are no longer a Li wife, you are no longer part of Shanhe Village. There is no place for you here. The Song family has sons and grandsons; it wouldn't be proper for a widow with several girls to live there. You should quickly send word to your natal family to come and take you all back."

Fan Qingyi stared blankly at the village chief, "Uncle Qingshan, Brother Wenfeng isn't dead..."

"That's just your wishful thinking."

The village chief coldly interrupted her, "You have three days to leave Shanhe Village."

"Song Qingshan!" Aunt Song called the village chief's name, "They are young and weak. You know the situation with her natal family. Where do you expect them to go? If Wenfeng were really alive, would he let you treat his wife and children like this?"

"He is dead."

The village chief's words nearly choked Aunt Song, who glared at him in anger.

Boss Li returned, holding a written divorce letter. The village chief took it and scanned it, finding nothing out of line; it was merely a statement declaring the dissolution of their marriage.

He tossed it to Fan Qingyi, "Take this. Leave within three days, the farther the better."

"Song Qingshan!" Aunt Song called again.

The village chief glanced at her, "If you keep nagging, I'll drive you out too!"

"If they stay in this village, these women and children won't have a single good day! If this happens again, will I still be the village chief?!"

Chapter 78: Can't Handle the Intensity?

"You're trying to drive them to their deaths!"

Aunt Song's face turned green with anger as her gaze swept over the people present. "You... How can you face Wenfeng?! Have your consciences been eaten by dogs..."

"Aunt Song Qingzhi!"

The village chief frowned. "Don't take advantage of our relationship to cause trouble here. Didn't everyone help them before?"

Those who wanted to argue back at Aunt Song closed their mouths sullenly upon hearing the village chief's words.

A group of people only nodded in agreement with his words.

"…We didn't really do anything to them. Why are you being so unreasonable? Hurry up and take your people home."

After saying this, he gave Aunt Song a meaningful look.

When he retracted his gaze, it briefly landed on Fan Qingyi and the unconscious twins.

"Wenfeng, Uncle has not let you down for those two cartons of Daqianmen cigarettes you gave me."

"Pity, my child. Among the young generation, you were the most capable. Uncle still hoped you would make a name for yourself... Damn! Neither alive nor dead, what kind of situation is this?!"

Fan Qingyi suddenly looked up, her bloodshot eyes full of sorrow. "Thank you, Uncle Qingshan."

The village chief looked at her, not daring to show any softness on his face, but he sighed deeply.

Aunt Song, having received the village chief's hint, quickly scanned the villagers whose faces all showed dissatisfaction, especially the Li family members. Their gazes towards Fan Qingyi and her daughters were filled with deep-seated disgust.

Especially Mrs. Li, whose eyes were like knives, as if she wished to tear them apart alive.

Aunt Song felt a chill in her heart, grabbed Fan Qingyi's hand, and squeezed it hard twice. "Let's each carry one, and take the children home first."

She hinted to Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi was very sensitive and almost instantly understood her meaning.

The two hurriedly helped the children onto their backs, with Song Chengran assisting from behind.

The village chief watched as they made way for the group.

They managed to smoothly exit the encirclement and walked home without stopping.

Jiang Yanhong was pacing back and forth at the entrance of the Song family courtyard, holding little Coral. Seeing them, she hurried forward a few steps, "Mom..."

"Don't speak, hurry back inside."

Aunt Song's face was slightly cold as she brushed past Jiang Yanhong and strode into the courtyard.

Song Chengran tugged at Jiang Yanhong's sleeve and quietly recounted what had happened in the fields.

"Are they crazy?"

Jiang Yanhong's expression was shocked, her eyes filled with disbelief and speechlessness. "What era are we in? Are they still living in ancient times? The Qing Dynasty is long gone!"

"Mom, A Li and Zhuzhu are both injured. I don't know if it was their grandmother who did it."

Song Chengran was puzzled. "Even if Uncle Wenfeng is gone, aren't they still his flesh and blood? How could Grandma Li be so heartless..."

"...Foolish son."

Jiang Yanhong sighed. "You're a boy, you don't understand. Some people, even if they are women, have the mark of male superiority deeply ingrained in their bones. In that large family of theirs..."

Thinking of the few words her mother-in-law had mentioned, Jiang Yanhong glanced helplessly in the direction of the Li family.

Some things are related to male superiority, and some are not.

Mrs. Li's dislike of Wenfeng's wife and daughters was partly due to male superiority, but another part was due to her upbringing, which made her feel that as a mother-in-law, she should dominate and control the younger daughters-in-law!

Combined with Wenfeng's wife's nature of not knowing how to argue or complain, she became an easier target for bullying.

As for Old Li... According to his wife, he still considered himself a descendant of a fallen medical sage family, disdaining to compete with women in the inner chambers, and adhering to the feudal tradition of men handling external affairs and women managing the household.

In plain terms, he didn't see any of the women in the Li family as equals; to him, they were tools.

Tools for continuing the lineage.

Wenfeng's wife not giving birth to a son was a failure.

He could only manage to stop the heavy bleeding during her difficult childbirth and prescribe medicine to help her recover because of his son Li Wenfeng.

The couple from the main branch of the Li family, while acting one way in front of Li Wenfeng and another behind his back, relied on Shen Dahua's two sons to gain favor with Mrs. Li, treating Wenfeng's wife like a servant.

Boss Li didn't intervene, which led to Li Wenfeng tearing off their roof when he found out the truth.

But what good did that do?

Did they change their ways?

No.

The third branch of the Li family, though selfish and self-serving, had already achieved their goals.

Just the fact that Mrs. Li paid for their son Qi Nan to study in the provincial capital was something ordinary people couldn't accomplish.

Who could say that Li Laosan only cheated and shirked responsibility?!

These things were unclear to her when she first married in, but her mother-in-law, treating her like a daughter, gradually enlightened her bit by bit.

Although the family's circumstances were a bit tough, her mother-in-law was kind and loving, and her husband was considerate and loyal. She couldn't be happier with her life.

Sigh...

"Mom?"

Seeing Jiang Yanhong frown without saying a word for a long time, Song Chengran called out in confusion.

Jiang Yanhong snapped back to reality and smiled at her son, "Play with Little Shanhu for a while. I'll go inside to help."

"Okay."

Song Chengran took Li Shanhu, who was biting her hand and inwardly cursing the author, and looked around the yard. Suddenly, he saw a green, wriggling caterpillar and hurriedly carried Li Shanhu over.

Li Shanhu widened her eyes and waved her hands, wailing loudly.

Song Chengran thought she liked it and specially picked up the caterpillar to show her, "Little Shanhu, look quickly..."

"I don't want to see it, take it away, take it away, waa..."

She wanted to call her mother for help, but remembering the two sisters she saw being carried back by her mother and Aunt Song, she fell silent.

I wonder how my elder sister and second sister are doing.

Inside, Aunt Song looked at the blood marks from fingernails, the slap marks, and the bruises on Li Zhenzhu's neck, tears welling up in her eyes.

"These bastards, they're just children, how could they be so cruel?!"

Fan Qingyi remained silent, carefully wiping the dirt off her daughter's face and hands with a damp towel. Her gaze fell on the bruises on her eldest daughter's neck, and her heart skipped a beat.

It felt like a giant axe had struck her, the pain making her shudder all over, cold sweat pouring down her forehead.

"Wen... Yiyi..."

Aunt Song looked up and saw her swaying unsteadily, afraid to mention Wenfeng's name and further upset her. She supported her, "Are you okay?"

Fan Qingyi seemed to hear and not hear at the same time.

She murmured softly, "A Li isn't scared, Mom is here, Mom is here..."

Then she turned to Li Zhenzhu again, whispering, "Zhuzhu isn't scared, Mom is here..."

Jiang Yanhong came in and saw Fan Qingyi's unfocused eyes, which looked somewhat eerie.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she opened her mouth, "Mom..."

Aunt Song shook her head at her.

Jiang Yanhong quickly walked over, leaning close to Aunt Song's ear and whispering, "Wenfeng's wife looks off. Could it be that she can't handle the shock?"

Chapter 79 Auntie, My Heart Hurts So Much

"Don't talk nonsense."

Aunt Song glared at her, "Go find the itinerant doctor in the village..."

Before she could finish, Aunt Song suddenly paused.

The two women exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with pity.

The only doctor in Shanhe Village was Old Li, who had inherited his family's medical tradition but knew only a little of it.

At this moment, Fan Qingyi lifted her head, her eyes vacant and devastated, slowly focusing on them. She forced a smile, "Auntie, Mother Chengran, I'm fine."

"Sister-in-law..."

Jiang Yanhong sighed, "You..."

"You still need to go back to town, right? I'll pack you some pickled cucumbers, marinated beans, and... and sesame duck eggs, yes, pickled duck eggs, I'll pack them for you..."

Fan Qingyi stood up from the bed, stumbled, and fell straight to the ground.

Jiang Yanhong and Aunt Song both cried out in alarm, one grabbing her arm, the other supporting her waist, helping her sit back on the bed.

"Don't move, Sister-in-law. Tell me where they are, I'll get them myself."

Fan Qingyi shook her head, "How can I trouble you? You and Auntie have already done so much for me. I can..."

"Sister-in-law!"

Jiang Yanhong, still shaken, gently held Fan Qingyi, soothing her softly, "We're family, there's no need to be formal, okay?"

Fan Qingyi looked at her without focus, trying to smile but failing.

She tried a couple more times before giving up.

Then, she pointed to a corner of the room, "They're all there, take them all..."

Jiang Yanhong said she understood and quickly went outside to fetch baskets and bottles, then came back to pack the pickled cucumbers and sesame eggs.

After packing the items, she looked at Fan Qingyi, feeling very uneasy.

Sister-in-law hadn't mentioned any of the dishes correctly just now.

"Mom, maybe I shouldn't go to town today. I'm worried about Sister-in-law, if she can't handle today's shock and does something drastic, I want to be here to stop her."

Aunt Song was also afraid.

"Yiyi, you mustn't do anything foolish. Even if not for yourself, think of your three children. They've just lost their father; don't make them lose their mother too."

"For the sake of your children, you must be strong. They only have you left. You can't give up! Do you understand?"

Fan Qingyi raised her head and looked at Aunt Song for a long time. Her red-rimmed eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

She clutched the fabric over her heart, murmuring, "Auntie, my heart hurts so much."

These words made Aunt Song's nose tingle painfully, tears instantly filling her eyes.

"Foolish child..."

Jiang Yanhong opened her mouth, her eyes also turning red, and she turned away, unable to bear the sight.

Fan Qingyi whispered, "Auntie, I know, but my heart hurts so much. Let me hurt for a while, after this, I won't think about it anymore..."

Aunt Song couldn't bear to say anything more that might upset her.

She simply held her hand tightly.

When her husband died, she had been in the same state as Fan Qingyi, living like a dream for a whole month, day and night indistinguishable, dazed and confused, eating and sleeping poorly, always hoping her husband would suddenly appear before her.

But that was just a wish.

What helped her was that her son was already grown up then, and Wenfeng had always taken care of her, giving her a long period to adjust.

Her strong character eventually pulled her through.

But what about Wenfeng's wife, with her timid and shy nature?

If she couldn't handle it and followed Wenfeng...

Aunt Song was deeply worried.

"Good child, didn't you tell Auntie you don't believe Wenfeng is gone? I don't believe it either. If he's alive, we should see him; if he's dead, we should see his body. Isn't that right?"

Fan Qingyi nodded heavily.

Seeing that she was listening, Aunt Song continued, "If Wenfeng is fine and returns in a few months or a year or two, wouldn't he want to see you all living well?"

Fan Qingyi nodded again.

"That's right. Wenfeng definitely wouldn't want to leave you all! You need to pull yourself together. A Li and Zhuzhu need money for school, and Little Coral is still nursing. In the future, she will also need to go to school. You need to find a way to earn money, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Mom, I'm scared..."

Fan Qingyi's voice and Li Liuli's voice spoke simultaneously.

Fan Qingyi's body trembled as she abruptly lowered her head to look at her eldest daughter.

In her memory, even when beaten, her daughter had never expressed fear to her, only daring to cry out in her unconscious state. How terrified must she have been all along?

"A Li, I'm sorry, Mom... I won't do this again."

Fan Qingyi held both daughters' hands, which should have been soft and tender, but felt rough and calloused, with countless scars on the fingertips and thick calluses on the palms.

Li Liuli suddenly clasped Fan Qingyi's hand tightly, mumbling, "A Li can't be afraid. Dad is gone, now it's A Li's turn to protect Mom..."

Tears streamed down Fan Qingyi's face like rain.

Aunt Song and Jiang Yanhong looked at each other with pity, sighing deeply.

After a moment, Fan Qingyi wiped away her tears and looked at Aunt Song, "Auntie, don't worry, I won't do anything foolish. For the sake of my children, I won't do anything stupid."

"Auntie is right. A Li and Zhuzhu need to go to school, and little Hushan will need to go to school when she grows up. They will all need money. I have to find a way to earn money to support us and give them a good life. I won't do this again..."

Her children had already died once in her dreams, and she had sworn that she would never let them experience the tragic ending from her nightmare again!

She was their mother!

Fan Qingyi took a shaky breath and forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"I believe Brother Wenfeng isn't dead. I will raise the children and wait for him to come back, or save enough money to take the children to find him, alive or dead!"

Aunt Song sighed in relief, "Good, good, good."

"Sister-in-law, we'll help you sell these pickled goods. Think about what else you can sell in town. Dad Chengran and I will help you set up a stall. Trust me, with your cooking skills, you'll definitely make money!"

Jiang Yanhong quickly changed the subject, smiling and offering suggestions.

Fan Qingyi nodded, "Alright, I'll think about it."

Jiang Yanhong said a few more comforting words, noticing it was getting late outside. If they didn't leave for town soon, they wouldn't be able to return before dark. She hurriedly bid farewell to the two women and left with the items.

The sisters woke up just as it was getting dark, seeing Fan Qingyi sitting by the lamp, sewing shoe soles. They called out to her with tearful voices, "Mom."

"Grandma wanted to bury us alive, I was so scared..." Li Zhenzhu sobbed, hiccupping.

Li Liuli's face was pale, her lips tightly pressed together, stubbornly not saying a word, but her trembling hands betrayed her inner fear and terror.

Fan Qingyi, eyes red, pulled the two children into her arms.

"It's Mom's fault. I didn't protect you well enough. It won't happen again, I swear."

"Yiyi, are A Li and Zhuzhu awake?"

Aunt Song happened to bring in a bowl of sour soup noodles, and upon seeing the two children crying in Fan Qingyi's arms, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

It's good that you're awake.

"Perfect, let's all have a bowl of steaming hot sour soup noodles. A good sweat will make us feel better, and we'll wake up to a brand new day tomorrow."

"Granny Song."

Li Liuli wiped away her tears and gave Aunt Song a slight smile.

Aunt Song put down the bowl and went out to bring in the other two, "Eat while it's hot."

The night of September had already turned cool. After a bowl of sour soup noodles, both children immediately broke into a light sweat on their foreheads.

Fan Qingyi had kept watch all night, only truly at ease when she confirmed that the two children hadn't had nightmares about what happened during the day.

This ordeal had completely dried up her milk supply. Li Shanhu, deprived of her usual nourishment, could only fill her belly with rice porridge or flour gruel.

Several of Aunt Song's close friends, the aunts and grandmothers, came to the Song family home in secret to offer advice to Fan Qingyi, "Why don't you just leave the children with the Lao Li family and let them fend for themselves..."

"Spit! What nonsense are you talking?!"

Aunt Song spat, and the woman laughed awkwardly, waving her hand, "I was just saying it offhand. If it won't work, let's talk about something else. Why are you so upset?"

Chapter 80: It Can Be Done

Another person said, "Wenfeng's wife, in my opinion, you should follow Chengran's parents and go to town to do some odd jobs, earn some living money, and don't let the girls go to school anymore. Save some money, raise them for another five or six years, and then they can be married off for a dowry..."

Aunt Song shot her a cold look, "Your idea isn't very good."

"What do you suggest then? A widow with three children, all of them girls, I haven't even suggested she abandon her children and remarry..."

"Are you here to offer advice or to mock us?" Aunt Song frowned, very angry, "Does this sound reasonable to you?!"

The group exchanged glances and sighed.

"We can barely read a couple of words, spent our whole lives revolving around the stove, what kind of good advice could you expect from us?"

"No matter what, we want them to live well!"

The others nodded, "In these times, without a man to support the family, it's too hard."

Aunt Song wanted to say that she had raised her son without a man, but when the words reached her lips, she remembered her cousin who was the village chief of Shanhe Village. With the village chief watching over them, who would dare to make things difficult for her and her son?

Fan Qingyi is different.

The more she was cared for by the villagers a few months ago, the more she is now resented by the men of the village.

Those young wives always look to their own husbands, and those men all think of Wenfeng's affection. Now that Wenfeng is gone, they blame his wife for everything.

How could they possibly have an easy life?!

Fan Qingyi put her youngest daughter to sleep and came out to greet the group, "Thank you, grandmothers and aunts, for coming all the way. I know your intentions are good, but... not every kindness is suitable for me and my children."

She smiled faintly, her gaze determined, "I've already decided what to do. Even though Brother Wenfeng is no longer here, I will take good care of the three children, ensure they have clothes to wear, books to read, and grow up healthy and safe."

"Wenfeng's wife, don't take it personally, but what can a woman like you do?"

"Yes, doing odd jobs in town won't earn much money. It doesn't really matter if the girls go to school or not, why spend so much money on it..."

Fan Qingyi appreciated their concern but did not agree with their views.

She didn't want her children to waste their lives in such a rural area; she wanted them to see the wider world, to have more opportunities.

Seeing her determination, Aunt Song gave a signal, stopping them from saying anything more.

Today, Fan Qingyi planned to go to town to check out the Textile Factory, as Chengran's parents had mentioned, to see what food stalls were there and decide what she could sell.

She agreed to return before dark and entrusted little Coral to Aunt Song before heading to town alone.

She had only been gone for ten minutes when Mrs. Li and Big Sister Li arrived.

Each carrying a small stool, they stood outside Aunt Song's courtyard gate, cursing with words like "little slut," "fox spirit," and "sweeping star," repeating them over and over.

Those inside couldn't bear to listen and wanted to go out to argue, but Aunt Song stopped them.

"Why bother with them? What goes around comes around, they shouldn't fear retribution!"

Someone whispered to Aunt Song, "Didn't they say they have to leave our village within three days? Is Wenfeng's wife planning to return to her parents' home?"

"Don't even think about it. Can she really go back? She'd be sold by her stepmother and stepfather the day after she returns."

"Not even a day, someone might be thinking about it as soon as they hear the news..."

"Wenfeng's wife, with her face and figure, sigh, it just shows how men are..."

Aunt Song was also worried about this. She had asked the village chief, and the divorce document had no legal effect.

That means Fan Qingyi is still Wenfeng's wife.

If Wenfeng hadn't died, the divorce document would be worthless.

But if Wenfeng... really is gone, when Fan Qingyi wants to remarry, the divorce document can be exchanged for a divorce certificate.

Aunt Song sighed, looking in the direction of town.

She truly hoped the girl could set up her stall.

Raising three children and providing for their education.

Without any land, every penny earned is a penny spent, it's hard just thinking about it!

Fan Qingyi also found it very challenging.

But no matter how hard, she had to push through!

Because she is the last hope for her children.

Fan Qingyi, unfamiliar with the route, had to ask several people before finding the town's Textile Factory.

She arrived early, before lunchtime, so there weren't many stalls set up yet.

Jiang Yanhong and her husband, Song Youwei, had just started their stall. When they saw Fan Qingyi, they thought they were seeing things, staring for a while before smiling and waving.

"Sister-in-law, over here!"

Fan Qingyi looked around, hearing the call, and saw Jiang Yanhong and her husband, smiling and walking over quickly.

Song Youwei smiled warmly, "Sister-in-law."

Fan Qingyi responded, "I'm just taking a look."

Jiang Yanhong pulled her close, whispering, "...There's everything being sold here. Sister-in-law, don't worry about them, just sell what you're good at. In the past few days, several more stalls have opened, and the good spots are already taken. Sister-in-law, you need to be prepared..."

Fan Qingyi nodded.

Jiang Yanhong spoke quickly and straightforwardly, her actions as brisk as her words.

"… The dozen or so shops at the factory gate do the best business. They were the first to set up here, and I've tried them all. Let me tell you, their food is really good. They have the right time, place, and people on their side; they deserve to make money."

"We may not be as successful as them, but we're very content with our little stall."

As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with hope and longing, "If we save for another year or two, maybe we can afford a house in town. Then we can bring Chengran and Mom over…"

Jiang Yanhong smiled brightly, her vibrant energy infectious.

Fan Qingyi nodded, "It will happen."

"You can do it too, Sister-in-law."

Jiang Yanhong nodded vigorously, then thought of something and asked Fan Qingyi, "Sister-in-law, the town is quite far from our village. If you decide to set up a stall, you'll need to rent a place in town. The area we rent is too far away to recommend. Our lease expires in two months, and we plan to find a place nearby after that. Sister-in-law, why don't you wait until we finish our stall and look around together?"

"What time is it now?"

Fan Qingyi thought for a moment and said, "You go ahead with your stall. I'll use this time to look around and see if I can find a suitable place."

"Can you manage on your own?" Jiang Yanhong was a bit worried.

Fan Qingyi smiled, "I can manage. I made it from the village to town on my own, didn't I?"

Jiang Yanhong looked at her and smiled.

"Alright, we'll meet back here later and discuss what kind of stall you should set up."

Fan Qingyi agreed, nodded to Song Youwei, and got up to leave.

She didn't know the way, so she followed a small path, winding around a few times. Somehow, she ended up in a dead-end alley. Just as she was about to turn back, she heard a familiar female voice.

"Li Zexi, let me go! We're long over, and if you touch me, I'll report you for harassment!"

Fan Qingyi froze. It was Liu Feifei, the wife of the fourth brother.

Chapter 81: No Way Back

"Liu Feifei, how long do you plan to make a scene? Haven't I already said there won't be a next time?"

Li Laosi's voice was filled with exhaustion and anger, "Why can't you give me one more chance?!"

"Give you another chance?"

Liu Feifei's voice was even angrier!

"You were easily provoked by others to hit me, and when I didn't let you into my home, you publicly shamed my family in front of the whole building, making my parents a laughingstock! And you want me to give you another chance?!"

"I'm telling you, you'll never get another chance with me! Let go!"

"It was all because of your actions that forced me to this!"

The sound of a fist hitting the wall followed by Li Laosi's gritted teeth, "I humbled myself and apologized to your parents, showing them all the respect, but what did they do?"

"... They stopped me from entering the house and insisted on a divorce."

"Which couple doesn't have a few arguments? It's such a simple matter to argue in bed and reconcile at the foot of it. Why can't you just let it go?!"

"... If I didn't do that, what other choice did I have?"

"They can say what they want, but in the future, we can close our doors and live our own little life together. Isn't that good?"

Liu Feifei struggled and shouted, "No! There is no future for us! We can never go back! I am determined to divorce you."

"Don't even think about it!"

Li Laosi also yelled, and as they argued, the sound of fabric tearing suddenly rang out.

Then came Liu Feifei's terrified scream, "Li Zexi, what are you doing?!"

"You won't think about divorce once you carry my child. In bed, I always indulged you, never showing my true manliness. Today, I'll show you my charm..."

"Ah! Help! Li Zexi, this is rape! Let me go..."

"This is just a bit of fun between husband and wife. Who dares to say otherwise?"

The sound of fabric tearing continued.

Fan Qingyi quickened her pace and ran inside.

"You can scream all you want, but no one passes by here. Even if you shout until your throat is raw, no one will..."

The word "come" stuck in his throat as Li Laosi's eyes met Fan Qingyi's who had just entered.

He froze, "Second Sister-in-Law?"

Liu Feifei turned her head and saw Fan Qingyi alone, tears streaming down her face, "Second Sister-in-Law, sniffle..."

"Old Four, quickly let go of Feifei. You're scaring her."

Fan Qingyi tightened her grip on the basket, trying to bring Li Laosi back to his senses.

But Li Laosi, determined, not only refused to let go but held Liu Feifei tighter.

"Fan Qingyi, my brother sent someone to tell me that you, this evil star, killed my second brother. Our family has already divorced you. Do you still think I would fear you for my second brother's sake?"

Liu Feifei suddenly turned to look at him, "Your second brother is dead?"

"Yes, it was this evil star that killed my second brother and framed him for murder. My second brother must have been bewitched to marry her!" Li Laosi spat on the ground.

Liu Feifei didn't believe it, "Li Zexi, you're an educated man. How can you say such things about an evil star? Second Sister-in-Law and Second Brother had a deep bond; she wouldn't harm him."

"What good is a deep bond? Didn't we used to have a deep bond too, and now we're fighting over a divorce!" Li Laosi sneered.

Liu Feifei struggled angrily, "If I had known before marriage that you were such a two-faced person, I would never have married you..."

This sentence infuriated Li Laosi. He grabbed Liu Feifei and tried to lift the hem of her dress.

Liu Feifei screamed in terror, "Ah!"

"Still not leaving?!"

Li Laosi showed no mercy, turning to Fan Qingyi with a sinister look, "If you know what's good for you, leave now. Otherwise, don't blame me for being unfriendly!"

"Second Sister-in-Law..."

Liu Feifei's eyes were full of tears, looking at Fan Qingyi for help.

Fan Qingyi clenched the object in her hand, took a deep breath, and asked Li Laosi, "How do you plan to be unfriendly?"

"You damn... can't understand a..."

The word "word" died in his throat as he saw the kitchen knife Fan Qingyi pulled out of her basket.

Li Laosi couldn't believe it, "..."

"You brought a kitchen knife to town?!"

Fan Qingyi glanced at him, "I don't like arguing but don't want to lose. I thought people might give me some leeway if they see the knife."

Li Laosi's mouth twitched, "..."

Truly, he and his second brother were a pair of fools!

"Let go."

Fan Qingyi raised the kitchen knife and made a couple of gestures. Li Laosi watched in horror as the blade slid past his nose, and he instinctively let go.

Liu Feifei kicked Li Laosi and ran to hide behind Fan Qingyi in a flash.

Fan Qingyi turned halfway to shield her and gestured to Li Laosi, "You should leave first."

Li Laosi was almost bursting with anger.

"You jinx! You killed my second brother, and now you want to ruin my marriage. I won't leave!"

"If you don't leave... that's fine too."

Fan Qingyi took a bundle of rope from the basket, handed it to Liu Feifei, and pointed the knife at Li Laosi, "Tie him up."

Li Laosi, "...Fan Qingyi!"

"Either you leave and we divorce amicably, or we drag you to the police station with this knife and tell them everything. You'll lose your dignity and still end up divorced!"

Liu Feifei gripped the rope tightly, looking at Li Laosi coldly.

Li Laosi met her gaze, his eyes full of resentment, "Feifei, I've been so good to you, just because I made a small mistake that any man would make..."

"You still haven't realized where you went wrong." Liu Feifei sneered, "Li Zexi, I must have been blind to marry you."

"You!"

He tried to step forward, but Fan Qingyi pressed the knife against his chin, making a downward motion.

Li Laosi cowered, not daring to move.

Liu Feifei spat, "Get out!"

Li Laosi glared at them, as if he wanted to devour them, but under the threat of Fan Qingyi's knife, he reluctantly left.

Fan Qingyi watched him walk far away before turning back to Liu Feifei.

"Feifei, are you okay?"

"Second Sister-in-law!"

Liu Feifei's eyes were red and puffy, her sense of injustice reaching its peak. She rushed over and hugged Fan Qingyi's waist, burying her face in her shoulder and sobbing loudly.

Fan Qingyi held the basket in one hand and the knife in the other, letting her cry.

Passersby who saw them hurried away, frightened by the scene.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Feifei stopped crying, wiped her tears, and thanked Fan Qingyi, feeling very embarrassed.

"Thank you, Second Sister-in-law. Why did you come here alone? Was what Li Zexi said true? What about Second Brother..."

"Someone from the military came to deliver his belongings, but there was no body. They all say Brother Wenfeng is gone..."

Mentioning Li Wenfeng, Fan Qingyi felt a sharp pain in her heart. She took a deep breath and smiled at Liu Feifei, "...but I feel he's not dead!"

Liu Feifei opened her mouth, countless words of comfort on the tip of her tongue, but seeing Fan Qingyi's gentle and determined smile, she smiled too.

"I believe in Second Sister-in-law's intuition."

Chapter 82: How About We Partner Up?

The two women exchanged a smile.

As they walked out together, Fan Qingyi finally mentioned the purpose of her visit. Liu Feifei happened to be free, "I'll accompany you around. I used to play hide-and-seek here with my friends when I was little; it's easy for outsiders to get lost."

She glanced down at the torn spots on her clothes and hesitated, "Second Sister-in-law, you need to come with me first so I can change into something else."

Fan Qingyi initially said she didn't need to, but Liu Feifei insisted, "What if Li Zexi follows me? I'll need your kitchen knife to intimidate him."

"This..."

She found it hard to refuse.

They left the alley, and Liu Feifei hailed a car from the roadside. The car quickly dropped them off at a large courtyard.

Liu Feifei paid the driver and got out, leading Fan Qingyi into a row house.

Knowing that Fan Qingyi was shy, she told her while climbing the stairs, "My parents are both working at the town government now, so they won't be home."

Fan Qingyi felt slightly relieved.

After changing her clothes, Liu Feifei took out an envelope and placed it on the coffee table in the living room.

She then poured water and made tea for Fan Qingyi, "Second Sister-in-law, what kind of house are you looking for? For yourself or to live with A Li and Zhuzhu? Have you decided what kind of stall you want to set up?"

"I haven't really thought about it yet."

Fan Qingyi took the cup and thanked her, "The village... doesn't allow us to stay there anymore. I have to bring A Li and Zhuzhu to live in town."

"...Why?"

Liu Feifei couldn't understand why, considering A Li and Zhuzhu were Li family's children, why wouldn't they let them stay?

Fan Qingyi lowered her eyes, watching the tea leaves float and sink in her cup, then looked up and gave Liu Feifei a faint smile.

It was a smile that didn't reach her eyes, which held a deep sorrow she was trying hard to suppress.

Liu Feifei sensed that this wasn't a good memory and quickly changed the subject.

"So... do you plan to set up your stall near the Textile Factory?"

Fan Qingyi nodded, "Aunt Song's son and daughter-in-law are over there. She suggested I go there for support."

"I know, Aunt Song is our village... Shanhe Village's midwife, just like... Li Zexi's father, both have inherited their skills." Liu Feifei smiled.

"There are many people around the Textile Factory, it's worth a try. Most of the residents nearby are those who haven't been allocated housing by the factory, so finding a place to rent should be relatively easy. Do you have a budget for renting?"

Budget?

Fan Qingyi calculated the money she had left, "I don't have much money. I'm looking for something cheaper, around five yuan."

Liu Feifei frowned.

What kind of decent place could you rent for five yuan?

She opened her mouth to advise but thought about Fan Qingyi's current situation and sighed inwardly.

She pushed the envelope on the table closer to Fan Qingyi, "Second Sister-in-law, there's two hundred yuan in here. Take it..."

"No, I still have some money, I think I can manage until I earn more..."

"Running a stall is unpredictable. This money... how about we partner up?"

"If I directly say I'm giving you money, Second Sister-in-law would definitely refuse out of pride. Borrowing isn't suitable either. Let's say we're partnering up. This way, I can help you out without making you feel uncomfortable."

Liu Feifei deliberately showed great interest, "One of the older sisters at our supply cooperative sold her job and started selling cold noodles. The other day, she told us she earns in a day what she used to make in a month. I was really inspired and have always wanted to try it, but my parents don't allow it..."

She sighed regretfully and then looked at Fan Qingyi with bright eyes, "Just right, I'll provide the capital, and you provide the skills. We'll split the profits eighty-twenty, eighty for you and twenty for me. I can experience being a small stall owner."

Fan Qingyi looked at Liu Feifei, touched.

"Feifei, I can't guarantee we'll make a lot of money."

"That's fine, I mainly want to experience being a small business owner." Liu Feifei smiled.

Fan Qingyi thought for a moment and accepted the envelope, "Alright."

She really needed the money.

Seeing her accept it, Liu Feifei breathed a sigh of relief. They chatted for a while, and then Liu Feifei rode her bike to show Fan Qingyi some houses near the Textile Factory.

Fan Qingyi was shy, but Liu Feifei had grown up playing here and knew the area well.

They walked and turned through several streets, and indeed found a few places that were both cheap and decent.

They went to check them out directly.

They started with the cheapest one. Not only was the yard dirty and messy, but it also housed a mentally ill person who often brandished a knife.

Liu Feifei pulled Fan Qingyi away, and the landlord called after them, "If you don't pay rent, you can cook for my son every day..."

They walked even faster.

They visited a few more places, but each had issues—either the yards were dirty without toilets, or the landlords were too eccentric.

Finally, they saw a yard with a "For Rent" sign on the road. Liu Feifei led Fan Qingyi inside.

It was a family of three living in the yard, renting out the two empty rooms on the west side.

"Are you two girls going to live here?"

The woman of the house was negotiating with them. Seeing that they were clean and tidy, she was quite willing to rent to them.

Fan Qingyi shook her head, "I'll be living here with three children."

The woman of the house responded with an "Oh," and said, "That's fine, but you'll need to keep an eye on the children. They shouldn't damage anything in the yard. Also, the rent is twelve per month, paid every three months. If you want to cook and use fire, you'll have to build your own stove and buy your own firewood; we don't provide those."

Liu Feifei looked around the yard, which the woman of the house had kept clean and tidy. There was even a dry toilet in the corner, so they wouldn't have to queue up at the public toilet on the street.

"Twelve?! That's too expensive. We're sincere about renting. Can you give us the lowest price?"

The woman of the house glanced at Fan Qingyi and frowned, "The lowest I can go is ten. With so many children, they can be quite noisy."

"Second Sister, what do you think?" Liu Feifei asked Fan Qingyi in a low voice.

Fan Qingyi also thought it was clean, but the rent was indeed a bit beyond her budget.

"Shall we look around more? See if there are other options."

The woman of the house exclaimed, "You should ask around. This is the largest yard in the area. It's not only clean, but it has a well and a dry toilet. No other place offers such good conditions."

Liu Feifei looked at Fan Qingyi, thought for a moment, and leaned close to her ear, "What if we try to haggle down to seven?"

Fan Qingyi hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

The environment for the children was important, and she would work hard to make up for the extra cost.

Seeing her agreement, Liu Feifei immediately negotiated with the woman of the house, "Seven, paid monthly. If you agree, we can finalize it right now."

"Seven? That's too low. I can't rent it for that price," the woman of the house waved her hand.

Liu Feifei mimicked the woman of the house, exclaiming, "Go out and check. Who's renting their house for such a high price these days? And it's only two rooms, far from the Textile Factory, taking a lot of time to get there. Otherwise, your house would have been rented out long ago, right?"

Liu Feifei had guessed correctly. The yard was nice, but it was indeed far from the Textile Factory, and many people who had inquired decided against it because of the distance.

It had been vacant for over half a year.

The woman of the house glared at Liu Feifei, "Nine, that's the lowest. Take it or leave it."

Chapter 83: Do you remember what your father said?

"Eight dollars! That's the most we can pay. Any more and it won't be worth it for us; it's too far to travel back and forth."

Seeing Liu Feifei's willingness to negotiate, the landlady glared at her angrily, "I've never seen anyone haggle like this..."

"Is someone renting a house?"

A man with a somewhat lecherous appearance walked into the courtyard. Upon seeing Liu Feifei and Fan Qingyi, his eyes lit up.

"Eight dollars isn't much. Why make things difficult for these two young ladies?"

As he spoke, he sized them up from head to toe, his gaze lecherous as if he wanted to strip them bare.

Liu Feifei instinctively stepped in front of Fan Qingyi and asked the landlady, "Who is he?"

"My husband."

The landlady shot the man a glare and turned to Liu Feifei and Fan Qingyi, "You two leave. I'm not renting this place anymore."

"That works out well; we weren't planning to rent it anyway."

Liu Feifei pulled Fan Qingyi and started walking away.

The man exclaimed and reached out to grab them.

Fan Qingyi pulled the kitchen knife she was holding out of her basket again.

The man let out a yelp, his hand retracting as if he had been electrocuted before it even touched them.

"What do you think you're doing?" The landlady stepped in front of the man.

Fan Qingyi glanced at her, then at the man hiding behind her, and said expressionlessly, "This knife has seen blood."

"Ahh..."

The landlady frowned, and the man's eyes were filled with fear. "Let them go."

"Who was it just now that wouldn't let us leave?"

Liu Feifei spat at the couple and pulled Fan Qingyi away, muttering as they walked, "No wonder this place hasn't been rented out. With people like them, it's no surprise."

They left smoothly and walked a good distance before Liu Feifei stopped and chuckled.

"How did Second Sister-in-law think to bring a kitchen knife? Who would do something like that?"

Fan Qingyi silently put the knife back.

"Second Sister-in-law, don't worry about it. My second uncle works at the Textile Factory. I'll ask him to find out if there are any cheap courtyards to rent nearby. Focus on preparing your stall for now. I'll definitely give you an update tomorrow."

"There's no point in having connections if you don't use them. Second Sister-in-law has helped me so much; I should at least do my part."

Fan Qingyi hesitated, unsure if it would be a bother, but Liu Feifei had already made up her mind.

She led Fan Qingyi to the Textile Factory, where they parted ways at the entrance.

Liu Feifei went inside to look for someone, while Fan Qingyi headed to the Song couple's stall.

Jiang Yanhong was busy cleaning up. Seeing someone approach, she smiled apologetically, "Sorry, we've sold out of noodles for today..."

Looking up, she saw it was Fan Qingyi, and her smile widened.

"Sister-in-law, you're back? How did it go?"

Fan Qingyi shook her head, "Fourth Brother... and Feifei looked at a few places, but none of them were suitable."

"Don't worry, finding a place to live shouldn't be rushed."

Jiang Yanhong smiled reassuringly. Then, she suddenly remembered that the village had only given them three days to move out, and today was the first day.

Her smile faltered.

"Those scoundrels, how much they owed our man when he was alive, and now that he's gone, they start bullying his wife and children!"

"They'll get their comeuppance eventually! Pah!"

She cursed inwardly and brought out a bowl of noodles, "Sister-in-law, I saved this for you. Come and eat."

Jiang Yanhong gestured for Fan Qingyi to sit inside the stall, where a small table and a stool were set up.

Fan Qingyi didn't refuse, thanked her, and sat down to eat.

While tidying up, Jiang Yanhong chatted and offered suggestions, "...My father-in-law and I prepare enough dough every day to sell out, but hand-rolling noodles is very labor-intensive. Sister-in-law, why don't you try selling pancakes? Scallion pancakes, egg pancakes, those kinds of things. I see the two stalls at the gate doing really well..."

"...Their pancakes are rolled very thin, and they pour eggs into them just before they're done. Many people love it."

"Another stall sells cold noodles, using ice from somewhere we can't get... But their business is also great."

Fan Qingyi was skilled at cooking, making pancakes, and pickling vegetables, all skills honed from a young age.

If she didn't do well, she would be beaten. If the food was too salty or too bland, another beating. If it didn't suit their tastes, yet another...

"Should I try making pancakes?"

Jiang Yanhong looked at her, smiling warmly, "Of course, Sister-in-law's scallion pancakes are better than theirs. When we serve a small dish of pickled cucumbers or a pickled green bean, or a pot of thick porridge, and sell it at cost, many people will surely come to buy."

Jiang Yanhong was good at painting a picture.

Fan Qingyi could almost see the crowd gathered around the stall, reaching out, "Give me a scallion pancake..."

"Give me one..."

"I want one too!"

"..."

She smiled as well.

"Sister-in-law, let's go house hunting this afternoon. Once we find a place, we can start furnishing it. It would be best to set up our stall tomorrow or the day after. A few more vendors have arrived, and their stalls have extended all the way over there..."

She pointed towards the distance.

Fan Qingyi followed her gaze, but the farthest stalls were so distant that she couldn't even make out the faces of the people there.

She clenched her hands, feeling a bit anxious, "Alright."

Working together should speed things up.

Unfortunately, despite searching for most of the afternoon, they didn't find anything suitable.

Jiang Yanhong and her husband still had to prepare for the next day's stall, so Fan Qingyi bid them farewell and returned home.

At the village entrance, she was met with a barrage of insults from a group of gossipy women. She kept her head down and walked quickly past them, and no one dared to stop her, knowing she carried a cleaver.

Aunt Song was waiting at the gate, holding little Coral.

Seeing the cleaver in Fan Qingyi's hand, Aunt Song felt both heartache and sorrow.

"Yiyi."

Fan Qingyi looked up and saw her, the wariness and fear in her eyes dissipating instantly, even breaking into a smile, "Aunt Song."

The relief on her face made Aunt Song feel another wave of sadness.

"You're back. Dinner is ready, and the children are waiting for you to eat together. Come inside quickly."

"Okay."

Fan Qingyi put the cleaver back in the basket and took little Coral from Aunt Song.

Aunt Song carried the basket, and the two of them walked in, one after the other.

"Mom."

"Mom!"

The twins rushed over. Li Zhenzhu's eyes welled up, and she called out with a quivering lip, wanting to say something but then looking at Li Liuli and swallowing her words.

"Big Sister doesn't want us to say. Mom is already working so hard; we shouldn't make her worry more..."

Fan Qingyi looked down at her eldest daughter, "A Li, what happened at school today?"

"Nothing." Li Liuli shook her head but avoided Fan Qingyi's gaze.

"I can't tell, I don't want Mom to know."

Aunt Song frowned and called out to Song Chengran, "Are they being bullied? Is it that brat Li Yuanbai?"

Song Chengran glanced at Li Liuli.

"A Li doesn't want to say. It's not just Li Yuanbai, but also Li Yuanbao. They, along with several other girls, have been bullying A Li and Zhuzhu..."

Li Liuli shook her head.

"A Li..."

Fan Qingyi stroked her eldest daughter's head, "Do you remember what your father said?"

Chapter 84: Can We Really Fight Them?

Li Liuli raised her eyes to Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi's gaze was gentle, and her voice soft but resolute, "Your father said, we don't start trouble, but we don't fear it either. If they bully us, we fight back!"

"Got it!" Li Liuli's eyes lit up.

After speaking, she hesitated, "Can we?"

"Of course we can."

Fan Qingyi nodded, "But first, you must protect yourself. When you can't fight, use external help. If there's no external help, the best strategy is to retreat and plan your next move."

"I know, Dad taught us." Li Liuli clenched her small fists, her eyes full of excitement and anticipation.

Li Zhenzhu looked at Fan Qingyi in confusion, "Mom, can we really fight them? You used to say we shouldn't."

"Mom was wrong."

Fan Qingyi apologized, "I used to think that as a family... harmony brings prosperity. By being more accommodating, your father would have less to worry about outside, and we could live happily together..."

Fan Qingyi glanced toward the direction of the Li family courtyard, a self-deprecating smile on her face.

"But the reality is, they are the ones living happily, not us."

Li Liuli's eyes suddenly welled with tears, "Mom..."

"From now on... no more tolerance!"

Fan Qingyi looked at her daughter, who was ten years old but only as tall as a seven or eight-year-old child, and thought of Li Yuanbai and Li Yuanbao, who were not much taller or healthier than her daughters.

She had to work hard to earn money and raise her three children to be healthy and strong, just like their father—excellent and outstanding!

Li Liuli pouted, tears brimming in her eyes, her voice choked with fear.

"Mom, is Dad really gone..."

"Is Mom so timid because Dad is gone?"

Li Zhenzhu, not understanding why her older sister suddenly said this, shook her head, "I don't want Dad to die."

Fan Qingyi looked at her youngest daughter, who was staring at her with wide eyes, and gently shook her head.

"Mom isn't sure, but there's always a voice in my heart telling me that your father is still alive."

Li Liuli looked up at her, her eyes full of hope, "Really?"

Fan Qingyi smiled and nodded, bending down to wipe away the tears from her daughter's eyes, gently caressing her rough cheeks.

"Alright, go do your homework."

Li Liuli smiled and nodded, holding Li Zhenzhu's hand as they walked to the square table under the tree.

Song Chengran also followed over.

The three of them each sat at a corner and started their homework.

Aunt Song dragged over a long bench, gesturing for Fan Qingyi to sit and rest, asking softly, "How did it go?"

Fan Qingyi shook her head, "We'll try again tomorrow."

"Don't rush. If it doesn't work out, you can stay here. I'd like to see who dares to kick you out," Aunt Song said, both angry and helpless.

If she could, she would let them stay in her house forever.

But the village chief was right; the Li family was like a pack of wolves, eager to crush them to pieces. Living in the village, they would run into each other all the time, and if anything happened...

No one could bear the consequences.

Fan Qingyi smiled, "Auntie has already helped us a lot. I can't keep putting you in an awkward position."

Aunt Song wanted to say more, but Fan Qingyi changed the subject, "I ran into Laosi and Feifei in town. Laosi acted improperly, making Feifei's parents the target of gossip, and Feifei is determined to divorce him..."

She didn't mention what Li Laosi did in the alley, only recounting what Liu Feifei said about Li Laosi kneeling in the courtyard, using public opinion to morally coerce her parents.

Aunt Song's brows furrowed tightly, and she sneered, "He learned that from Boss Li and his wife, didn't he?"

Fan Qingyi was puzzled.

Aunt Song explained how Boss Li and his wife tried to force Li Wenfeng to agree to their son Li Sangchen's promotion by using the villagers' opinions under the big locust tree.

"What kind of person is Wenfeng? How many people in the village have been helped by Wenfeng? The elders all support him. Boss Li and his wife cried, pleaded, and bowed, causing a huge commotion, but got nothing in return and ended up embarrassed."

Fan Qingyi didn't know; Brother Wenfeng hadn't told her.

"These ungrateful dogs, their consciences have been eaten by dogs. Just wait until Wenfeng comes back and sees how they... how they kneel and beg for forgiveness!"

Aunt Song was so angry thinking about the villagers' change in attitude that her teeth ached.

Even if they knelt and begged for forgiveness, could it make up for what Wenfeng's family had suffered?

No, it couldn't!

Aunt Song felt her chest tighten with anger, breathing heavily.

Fan Qingyi looked outside the courtyard with a complex expression, sighing softly, "In the end... their affection for Brother Wenfeng is genuine."

Aunt Song looked at her, and Fan Qingyi smiled slightly at Aunt Song.

Changing the subject, "Auntie, shall we have scallion pancakes for dinner? I talked it over with Mom Chengran, and we decided to try scallion pancakes first, then prepare some pickled radish, which can be rolled up and eaten, along with a simple cucumber soup. What do you think?"

"Good!"

Aunt Song smiled, "The scallion pancakes you make are soft, fragrant, and delicious. With pickles and soup, it will definitely work."

"Then I'll give it a try."

"Give it a try."

Aunt Song carried Little Coral to pull scallions, while Fan Qingyi went to the kitchen to knead dough. After the dough was kneaded and rested for a while, she prepared scallions, sesame oil, and flour, mixed them together, and set them aside. She then rolled out the dough, brushed on the scallion oil mixture, heated the pan, and started frying the pancakes.

She used a small pot for the pancakes and a large pot for the sweet potato porridge.

Soon, the aroma of scallions wafted from the chimney. The three children doing their homework took deep breaths, exchanged glances, and suddenly wrote faster.

After all the scallion pancakes were fried, the sweet potato porridge was also cooked, and the three children finished their homework.

Clearing the table, Fan Qingyi brought out a stack of scallion pancakes, and the three children happily went to get the sweet potato porridge.

Smiling, Fan Qingyi cut some pickled green beans and sauced cucumbers, and also sliced salted duck eggs and sesame egg salad, filling the table.

"Let's eat."

Everyone eagerly reached for the scallion pancakes, taking bites while they were still hot, savoring the scallion flavor and the layers of scallion oil, which made the pancakes chewy and satisfying.

"Delicious!"

The three children nodded in unison.

"I didn't have time to make leavened dough, so I just made unleavened ones. We can try leavened ones tomorrow morning," Fan Qingyi said with a smile.

Li Zhenzhu ate with satisfaction, "Okay, whatever Mom makes is delicious."

Li Liuli and Song Chengran echoed, nodding continuously.

Aunt Song and Fan Qingyi exchanged glances and both smiled.

After dinner, they chatted for a while. Aunt Song reminded Fan Qingyi to seek help from Song Youwei and Jiang Yanhong if needed, as they were family and there was no need to be formal.

Fan Qingyi agreed, soothing her little daughter in her arms.

When it was completely dark, the twins rubbed their eyes and said they wanted to sleep. Fan Qingyi got up, kneaded the leavened dough in the kitchen, and then took the children back to the room. Aunt Song also took Song Chengran back to rest.

Closing the door, the two girls winked at Fan Qingyi with a smile.

"Mom, we haven't picked vegetables all day. The cucumbers might get old."

"The luffa might be ready for cooking."

Fan Qingyi laughed, "Shall we go check?"

Chapter 85: Come Out!

The two nodded vigorously, the younger daughter covering her mouth to stifle a delicate yawn.

A tiny voice, however, cried out, "Mom, I want to ride the tiger!"

Fan Qingyi paused, then gently tapped the tip of her youngest daughter's nose. This little one was quite bold, daring to scratch under the chin of the big cat.

Strangely enough, the little cub seemed to enjoy it, rolling over for her to scratch its belly.

The four of them appeared in the space, where the two adult tigers, now accustomed to their presence, didn't even lift their heads, continuing to bask in the sun in front of the thatched hut.

Seeing Li Shanhu in Fan Qingyi's arms, the little cub jumped up and down, growling excitedly.

Fan Qingyi bent down and placed Li Shanhu on a small bed she had exchanged from the Space Mall. The little cub leaped onto the bed, and they happily played together.

Li Liuli and Li Zhenzhu hurried to pick the ripe vegetables, muttering as they worked, "Too old, too old, they've turned into cucumbers..."

"The wheat and rice fields are a mix of green and yellow. Mom, can we harvest them tomorrow night?"

Fan Qingyi calculated the time and nodded, "About right."

"Then we'll have our own grains to eat, no need to rely on Grandma Song's all the time," Li Liuli said with joy.

Fan Qingyi hummed in agreement, gathering the vegetables while discussing with her daughters, "In the next couple of days, Mom will find a suitable house, and we'll move to town. I'll inquire about the primary school there. For a while, you'll have to wake up early to get back for school. Can you do that?"

Li Zhenzhu looked at Li Liuli.

Li Liuli nodded, "We can! I'll take care of my sister."

Fan Qingyi felt both comforted and heartbroken for her children, but for now, there was no other way; they had to take things step by step.

Halfway through the task, the two girls were already exhausted. Fan Qingyi sent them to bed, finishing the work herself late into the night. She sold some of the vegetables to the Space Mall and kept the rest.

The experience points needed for the space upgrade were increasing, and despite the large harvest, it only went up one level.

Fan Qingyi noticed that the "One-Click Harvest" button was flashing. Upon closer inspection, it turned out this feature would unlock at level thirty.

Roughly calculating, it would take several thousand pounds of produce to reach that level.

For now, manual harvesting was still necessary.

However, the one-click planting and watering functions were already operational, saving them a lot of effort.

With each level up, a double swing in the Space Mall became available for exchange. Fan Qingyi thought for a moment and exchanged it, placing it beside the thatched hut.

When they had free time, the children could play on the swing.

Exiting the space, she barely slept before dawn broke.

The sound of Aunt Song opening the door woke Fan Qingyi. She got up, dressed, and went to the yard.

For breakfast, she made fermented dough scallion pancakes. The familiar taste was even softer and more fragrant, paired with side dishes and a bowl of steaming coarse corn porridge. The children ate until they were sweating, all smiling and praising the food.

Fan Qingyi felt more at ease.

She realized that even if they couldn't earn a fortune, they could manage to make enough to support the children.

After breakfast, she watched the three children walk off to school, then handed Li Shanhu to Aunt Song and headed to town with a basket.

This time, she didn't seek out the Jiang Yanhong couple but wandered around the Textile Factory area alone. Cleanliness wasn't an issue; what mattered was affordability and simplicity. As a single woman with three girls, safety was paramount.

She looked at a few small courtyards, initially thinking they might work.

But when the landlords heard she was a widow with three children, the men's expressions changed, and the wives were unwilling to rent to her.

Several places outright shooed her away.

By noon, Fan Qingyi had eaten a piece of the scallion pancake she brought and continued searching in the afternoon.

One family, who had recently lost their wife, immediately perked up upon hearing her situation. They pursued her, offering that if she married the man, he would help raise the three girls and provide dowries for them.

The man's son, upon hearing this, exploded in anger, arguing fiercely with his father and pointing at Fan Qingyi, shouting, "Seductress, get out!"

Fan Qingyi turned and walked away. The man tried to follow, but Fan Qingyi brandished a kitchen knife, silencing the father and son instantly.

As she walked away, the man spat on the ground and cursed, "Without a man to support you, how will you survive? With three girls, who would dare rent to you?"

"My mother has only been dead a few days, and you're already eyeing widows. You're the one who can't live without a woman..."

The father and son continued to bicker.

Fan Qingyi quickened her pace and left.

After walking for what felt like hours, her hands numb, she finally stopped.

Looking at the dead-end alley ahead, she felt a wave of exhaustion and slowly squatted against the wall.

Placing the basket on the ground and putting the knife inside, Fan Qingyi hugged her knees, staring blankly at the rain-streaked, weathered wall on the other side.

Tears silently fell.

Her lips trembled, and her whole body shook.

After a long while, Fan Qingyi wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and slowly stood up, leaning against the wall for support.

Because she had been squatting for too long, her legs and feet were numb, so she bent over and gently pounded them a few times.

When she straightened up again with the basket of vegetables, she clenched her hands as if drawing strength from it, then turned to walk out of the dead-end alley.

She returned home in the afternoon, empty-handed, just as the sun was setting.

Aunt Song had already prepared dinner. Seeing her return, she nodded toward the three children sitting obediently at the square table, doing their homework.

Fan Qingyi looked over and noticed that all three had new bruises on their wrists, arms, and faces.

It seemed they were scratch marks.

Just as she opened her mouth to ask, Matriarch Li's shrill curses and screams came from the courtyard gate.

"Everyone come and see! The evil star's brat has killed someone! Oh heavens, this is trying to make our Old Li family extinct..."

"Fan Qingyi, get out here!"

"Today, if you don't beat those two money-losers to death to avenge my son, I'll tear you apart!"

The three children looked up simultaneously.

Li Zhenzhu, pale-faced, waved her hands, explaining, "They pushed A Li and Eldest Sister first. Brother Chengran couldn't stand it and helped us; we didn't start it..."

Fan Qingyi glanced at Li Liuli, who pursed her lips and nodded.

Song Chengran also chimed in, "It was Li Yuanbao who incited Li Yuanbai to push A Li and Zhuzhu, saying they were little evil stars born from an evil star, and anyone who played with them would suffer misfortune, just like Uncle Wenfeng died..."

"A Li and Zhuzhu couldn't take it anymore, so they fought back. Li Yuanbao got the other boys to pull them apart, but those boys pushed them, and I got really angry..."

Fan Qingyi nodded, "Alright, let's go deal with them."

She slung the basket of vegetables, which she hadn't put down, over her arm and led the way out of the courtyard gate.

Seeing that she really dared to come out, Matriarch Li placed her hands on her hips, spat at Fan Qingyi's feet, and pulled Li Yuanbai forward, pointing to the bruises on his face and arms, "Look what your two money-losers have done! Either you beat them to death right here in front of me to avenge my son, or I'll tear you apart..."

The word "you" was cut off as she was startled by the kitchen knife Fan Qingyi pulled out of the basket.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Chapter 86: Dragging You Down

"Shen Dahua, I'll only say this once, listen carefully. Your son, incited by Li Yuanbao, bullied my two daughters yesterday. Today, he was again instigated to harm my daughter, and she had to defend herself!"

Sister Li's eyes widened, "How dare you call me by my name, I am at least your sister-in-law..."

"It's no longer the case," Fan Qingyi said calmly.

Sister Li gritted her teeth, "I don't care. Your daughter hit my son, you must make it right, if you don't, I will..."

Fan Qingyi stared at her.

"If you want to be reasonable, we can find a reasonable solution. If not, then we'll do things your way."

"You're talking about reason when your daughter hit my son, you..."

As soon as these words left her mouth, Fan Qingyi walked over with a cleaver in hand.

Sister Li was terrified and backed away quickly.

"What are you doing! Stop right there!"

The image of Fan Qingyi wielding a cleaver like a madwoman and attacking Mrs. Li still lingered in her mind.

Fan Qingyi looked at her, "It was clearly your son who started it, and now you're crying foul. You won't listen to reason, so let's not talk about it anymore."

She gestured with the cleaver in her hand, saying to Sister Li, "Don't worry, though I've never killed a person, I have killed chickens. A quick twist of the neck, and it's done swiftly."

Sister Li, "... Don't come any closer! Murder is illegal, if you kill me, you won't survive either!"

"No problem, dragging you down will ensure no one dares to bully my three daughters in the future. It's a good deal!"

Fan Qingyi spoke with a calm expression, her eyes showing a hint of Li Wenfeng's ruthlessness.

Sister Li was terrified.

"You're crazy! Oh my God, you've been possessed by that deadbeat Li Wenfeng..."

Fan Qingyi suddenly grinned.

Sister Li screamed and turned to run, abandoning her son.

"Shen Dahua, don't run, my knife was just sharpened this morning, it's very sharp, it won't hurt you much..."

Hearing this, Sister Li ran even faster.

Fan Qingyi watched her run away, glancing at Li Yuanbai.

Li Yuanbai was so scared he wet himself, collapsing on the ground and wailing, "Auntie, don't kill me, it was all Li Yuanbao's idea, he told me to bully them..."

Fan Qingyi ignored him and chased after Sister Li with the cleaver.

While chasing, she shouted, "Shen Dahua, wait, I really am very quick at killing chickens!"

The villagers, holding their bowls of food, watched the commotion.

Sister Li ran like a madwoman toward the Li family compound.

Fan Qingyi, wielding a knife, pursued her fiercely.

The two ran into the Li family courtyard, followed by a crowd of villagers who blocked the gate.

"Ahhh! Help! Mom, Dad, help! The second daughter-in-law is crazy!"

Sister Li scanned the yard and saw Old Li sitting under a tree. She rushed over without hesitation.

In her haste, she kicked over the bench Old Li was sitting on.

Tea splashed onto his face, and he fell on his bottom.

When he came to, Sister Li was hiding behind him, facing off against Fan Qingyi with the knife.

"Second daughter-in-law, what are you doing?"

Fan Qingyi glanced at him, her eyes filled with complexity.

She lowered her gaze and calmly recounted the events.

"Shen Dahua ran to Aunt Song's house, insisting I beat up my two daughters to avenge her son. Since she wouldn't listen to reason, I had to go along with her."

After speaking, she quickly glanced at Sister Li.

Old Li frowned and called out to Boss Li, "Take your wife back inside, how does this look? Aren't you ashamed?!"

He then called to Li Laosan, "Bring out your daughter!"

Li Yuanbao, with red eyes, stepped out. Li Laosan tried to shift the blame, "Dad, Yuanbao was just joking with Yuanbai, who knew the kid would take it so seriously and actually pick on A Li and Zhuzhu..."

"Bullshit!"

Sister Li protested, "If it weren't for your daughter's instigation, how would my Yuanbai bully those money-losing goods? It's all your daughter's fault..."

"Shut up!"

Boss Li glared at Sister Li, who felt extremely wronged, "If not for her, how could my son end up scratched like that, and I wouldn't be chased by Fan Qingyi with a knife..."

Boss Li glanced at Fan Qingyi.

That glance was full of disgust and hatred.

Fan Qingyi also caught a glimpse.

Li Laosan was still smiling, "Alright, if Big Sister says my daughter is at fault, then she is. A Li's mom, I apologize on behalf of my daughter. Considering it wasn't intentional, let's just let it go."

A Li's mom?

Fan Qingyi glanced at Li Laosan, her eyes cool and distant.

Li Laosan felt uneasy under her gaze, coughed lightly, and turned his head away.

Li Yuanbao said nothing, her head lowered as she wiped her eyes.

Song Chengran dragged Li Yuanbao in and dropped her in front of Li Yuanbao.

The twins ran in right after, standing beside Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi glanced at Li Yuanbai and gave a mocking smile, "Li Yuanbai, did you see that? You listened to others and bullied someone, but they are unharmed while you are the one covered in injuries."

She then turned to provoke Li's wife.

"Look clearly, who is the one who hurt your son!"

After stirring up trouble, she called Song Chengran and the twins and left.

Li Laosan was dumbfounded, pointing at Fan Qingyi's retreating figure, he blurted out, "You wicked woman!"

The crowd gathered at the gate, seeing the knife in Fan Qingyi's hand, quickly made way for her.

Despite the vulgar curses, Fan Qingyi remained unaffected.

After they left, Li Yuanbao's cries of pain echoed through the courtyard, "Ah! It hurts, it hurts... Li Yuanbai, let go of my hair!"

"Money-grubber, cheap skin, it's all your fault I got beaten! I'll beat you to death, I'll beat you to death..."

"Li Yuanbai, let go!" Li Laosan's face changed drastically as he tried to grab Li Yuanbai.

Li Yuanbai held onto Li Yuanbao's hair tightly, refusing to let go. When Li Laosan pinched him, he bit back.

While biting, he shouted, "Dad, Mom, Third Uncle is hitting me! Come help me..."

Seeing her son being beaten, Li's wife charged forward with a loud cry.

Li Boss looked at Li Laosan, his expression extremely displeased.

"Ah! Dad, save me, Li Yuanbai is going to pull out my hair..."

Li Laosan was in a dilemma, unsure whether to let go or not.

In any case, he was in a difficult position.

Old Li's face was dark as he got up from the ground, his gaze coldly fixed on the direction of the gate.

...

Returning from the Li family, the children were all smiles, their injuries on their faces and arms no longer hurting.

Li Zhenzhu looked at Fan Qingyi with admiration, "Mom, you're amazing. Li Yuanbai was so scared he wet himself, and Li Yuanbao cried like a baby..."

Fan Qingyi hummed in response.

As the saying goes, the tough fear the ruthless, and the ruthless fear those who have nothing to lose.

So what if she had social anxiety?!

What if she couldn't argue or fight?!

For her three children, she would grow a coat of thorns and become the wicked woman they spoke of!

They ate dinner with great relish, and the mother and daughters returned to their room early to work on the space. When it was time, Fan Qingyi sent her daughters to bed and continued working.

The next day, they went to town again. Before leaving, Aunt Song was very worried.

There was only one day left until the deadline.

Fan Qingyi thought that no matter what kind of house it was, they needed to rent one first.

Just as she reached the town entrance, she saw a familiar figure.

"Feifei."

Liu Feifei was pacing back and forth. Hearing the voice, she looked up with a joyful expression, "Second Sister, hurry, I'll show you the house."

Chapter 87: If You Mind, We Can Forget It

Fan Qingyi was taken aback, raising her eyes to the sky that had just begun to brighten.

"Have you been waiting for me all this time?"

Liu Feifei sighed, pushing up the 28-inch bicycle, "I didn't want to go to the village and deal with those people, but I was afraid of missing you, so I came here early..."

She patted the backseat, "Get on quickly, I'll take you to see it."

Touched, Fan Qingyi smiled and responded, walking over to wait for Liu Feifei to get on the bike before sitting behind her.

The two rushed off towards the Textile Factory.

"My uncle gave me the key after work yesterday. My brother and I went to check it out; the courtyard is a bit dilapidated, but the space is large. The main house has three rooms, and there are rooms on both sides. To the west, there are two storage rooms, and to the east, there's a kitchen and a woodshed..."

Liu Feifei paused, sighing regretfully, "...but there's no well in the yard, so water has to be fetched from outside, which is quite inconvenient. There's also no toilet, but we can have someone build one later. Digging a well might be more challenging..."

"By the way, there's one more important thing I need to tell you, Second Sister-in-law."

After some thought, Liu Feifei hesitantly spoke again, "This courtyard was originally provided by my uncle's Textile Factory for retired employees. Initially, three families lived there."

"One family consisted of a mother and son. The son died saving machinery during a fire at the factory, leaving his elderly mother behind. At the beginning of the year... she hanged herself. The other two families found it ominous and applied to move out..."

"No one else in the factory wanted that courtyard, so it's been empty ever since. But it really is a good place, quiet yet convenient. It's only a ten-minute walk to the Textile Factory, perfect for you to push your cart to work. The rent is cheap too, only six yuan a month."

She then looked a bit embarrassed.

"About the old lady's death... Second Sister-in-law, if you mind, we can forget it and look elsewhere."

Fan Qingyi shook her head, "I don't mind."

What's there to fear about the dead? Some living people are more terrifying than the dead.

Liu Feifei felt the same way, and they agreed, riding happily to the place.

"This is it."

They got off the bike, and Liu Feifei parked the 28-inch bicycle against the wall, taking out the key to open the courtyard gate.

As soon as the door opened, the spacious courtyard was visible.

Although the houses looked old, they were built with solid red bricks and blue tiles, sturdy and wind-resistant.

There was a large eave in front of the main house, where one could set up a square table to enjoy tea and listen to the rain during rainy days.

Liu Feifei pointed to a big tree beside the western room, "We can set up a square table there for cooling off like the Li family does. A dry toilet can be built near the woodshed, and this middle area can be used to grow some fast-growing vegetables, saving money on groceries..."

It was clear that Liu Feifei was genuinely considering the needs of Fan Qingyi and her daughter.

Fan Qingyi smiled at her, waiting for her to finish speaking, and then said earnestly, "Feifei, thank you."

Liu Feifei blushed, waving her hands rapidly, "No, no need to thank me."

"Ah, Second Sister-in-law looks so beautiful when she smiles. She even thanked me! I should have called my little brother to clean the place again!"

Fan Qingyi laughed at her adorable thoughts.

Liu Feifei stared, wide-eyed.

Fan Qingyi raised her hand to touch her face, "Is something wrong with my face?"

Liu Feifei shook her head, "Second Sister-in-law is beautiful."

"Feifei is beautiful too, and kind-hearted," Fan Qingyi praised sincerely.

Liu Feifei's eyes sparkled, and she secretly rejoiced for a long time.

After touring the courtyard, Liu Feifei led Fan Qingyi into the house.

Opening the main house door and stepping inside, there were doors on both sides. She pointed to the eastern room and said to Fan Qingyi, "The old lady hanged herself from the beam in that room. If you find it ominous, we can lock the door."

Fan Qingyi nodded, "I can live in the two rooms in the western wing with my three children. We can keep this side clean and light incense and burn paper money for the old lady during holidays."

Liu Feifei glanced outside; although the two rooms were also made of red bricks and blue tiles, they were not as grand as the main house.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Fan Qingyi smiled at her, "Having a place to stay is already very satisfying for me. Feifei, I really appreciate your help, solving my urgent problem."

Liu Feifei fell silent for a moment. She had been thinking about finding a place for Fan Qingyi these past few days.

She didn't know exactly what had happened, but she felt sorry for Second Sister-in-law and the three children.

So, she specifically went to Song Youwei and Jiang Yanhong to understand the whole story. After hearing it, she was furious.

Without seeing a body, they just assumed Li Wenfeng was dead based on someone's word?!

Even if Li Wenfeng was dead, what did it have to do with Second Sister-in-law?

To come up with absurd notions like a broom star or a wife who brings bad luck?!

Absolutely ridiculous!

And the Li family even wanted to bury them with Li Wenfeng?!

A bunch of lunatics!

She reaffirmed her decision to divorce Li Zexi!

Fortunately, she listened to her parents and aunt and uncle's advice, and didn't have children in the first two years of marriage, no matter how much Li Zexi talked.

Otherwise...

Trapped in such a family, she couldn't even imagine what the second half of her life would entail!

It was too terrifying.

"Second Sister-in-law, these are just temporary. You will surely overcome the hardships and live a good life."

Liu Feifei genuinely felt for Fan Qingyi.

This girl, before marriage, had been tormented by a stepmother and stepfather to the point where she became fearful of people and strangers, barely able to speak to them.

After marriage, she only enjoyed a few days of happiness before her husband joined the military, leaving her alone to raise two children and endure the bullying from her in-laws.

When her husband returned and learned the truth, he avenged her, and they were about to start a new life at the military base. But then a sudden mission came up, and her husband disappeared, accused of a fabricated murder charge.

Life had truly been unfair to her.

Liu Feifei couldn't help but step forward and embrace Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi saw the sorrow in the girl's eyes, a sorrow that seemed to be for her. When she was hugged, her body stiffened; apart from Brother Wenfeng and her children, she wasn't used to sudden embraces.

But Liu Feifei held her tightly, as if by doing so, she could alleviate some of her physical and emotional pain.

Fan Qingyi sighed softly, trembling, and slowly patted the girl's back.

"Yes, we will all get better."

Liu Feifei nodded repeatedly against her neck, "I must divorce that bastard Li Zexi!"

"Alright."

Once the house was settled, Liu Feifei happily took Fan Qingyi to the Textile Factory to sign the contract.

The contract was signed with the factory, taking into account her special circumstances and the unique situation of the yard, Liu Feifei managed to secure a monthly payment plan, with the contract initially signed for one year.

Liu Feifei's second uncle, a man who appeared gentle and seemed to know something about Fan Qingyi, kindly suggested after signing the contract, "There are quite a few tables and chairs with missing legs or arms in the factory canteen. If you need any, Feifei can take you to have a look."

Fan Qingyi wanted them.

Liu Feifei immediately decided and led Fan Qingyi enthusiastically to find the canteen manager. The manager greeted her with a smile from afar, listened to her request, and glanced at Fan Qingyi. When he saw her face, his eyes suddenly lit up.

Chapter 88: The Hardship of a Widowed Mother

Liu Feifei subtly leaned forward to block the man's view.

The director cleared his throat and said with a smile, "There is such a thing, but we must be fair. Even if you are Deputy Li's niece, the price should still be as it is. We can't afford to be parasites on the state."

"Alright then, I'll pay the same price your nephew did for moving things. Rest assured, I promise not to shortchange the canteen a single cent."

Liu Feifei responded with a playful grin.

The director's face darkened.

Few people in the factory knew that his nephew had taken quite a few intact tables and chairs from the canteen when he got married, promising to return them after the wedding banquet. But the little rascal had secretly sold them to neighbors without telling him.

By the time he found out, the money was almost all spent.

He was furious but helpless. Asking his nephew to repay the money would cause trouble for the newlyweds, who didn't have much money to begin with. So, he quietly treated the items as damaged goods. Because they were family, he ended up paying only five yuan for about twenty sets of tables and chairs.

Liu Feifei stared at him, and the director's expression changed several times before he laughed.

"Uncle was just joking. If you want one or two sets, consider them a gift from Uncle. For more than five sets, you really need to pay, otherwise, I won't be able to justify it to the factory."

He smiled, and Liu Feifei smiled back.

"You're so kind, Uncle. My second uncle asked me to pay full price right away, nothing like your generosity."

The girl's long black hair was tied into a high ponytail, bouncing energetically as she moved. Fan Qingyi watched the ponytail sway, feeling a surge of vitality and life.

She envied her greatly.

The director, charmed by Liu Feifei's words, knew there was a hidden meaning but could only go along with it.

"Haha, you little thing, go ahead and pick what you need."

Liu Feifei thanked him and pulled Fan Qingyi toward the back of the canteen.

The director watched Fan Qingyi's back, frowned slightly, and muttered to himself, "She's quite beautiful, but doesn't look like a young girl. I should ask her about it sometime."

The two picked three sets of furniture from the canteen warehouse, planning to place one under the shade of a tree in the yard for meals and relaxation, another inside for colder weather, and the third for use when setting up a stall, so customers wouldn't have to stand while eating.

When they said the furniture was damaged, it truly was. After searching for a while, they found only one intact table and two complete benches; the rest were missing legs.

Liu Feifei comforted Fan Qingyi, "Don't worry, Second Sister-in-Law. I'll call my brother over later to fix these table legs. I promise it won't delay our use."

"Feifei, no need, it's too much trouble for you."

Fan Qingyi thought she could try fixing them herself. Brother Wenfeng had repaired the furniture at home, and she had seen him do it. It didn't seem too difficult... right?

Liu Feifei waved her hand, "This isn't any trouble. That boy may not be good at much, but he's excellent at repairs."

She turned to look at Fan Qingyi.

"Second Sister-in-Law, are you worried about a man coming to the courtyard?"

Fan Qingyi was taken aback, but Liu Feifei quickly explained with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll definitely go with him. We'll leave together, and we'll get these fixed before dark."

Her enthusiasm made it hard for Fan Qingyi to refuse.

After hesitating, she said, "Then... once I've tidied up the yard, I'll invite you both for a meal."

"Sure, Second Sister-in-Law's cooking is delicious. I've been looking forward to it. By the way, have you decided what to sell?"

"I have. Let's start with scallion pancakes..."

They chatted and gathered the selected furniture, counting the legs to ensure nothing was missing before stopping.

"Let's go, I'll take you to buy some kitchen supplies. Oh, Second Sister-in-Law, do you also need a cutting board and a cart?"

Fan Qingyi nodded.

Liu Feifei clapped her hands, "Let's go, I know a place where you can find these things at a much better price than buying new."

Liu Feifei enthusiastically led Fan Qingyi away.

"Feifei..."

Fan Qingyi felt a warm ache in her heart.

No wonder her daughter said Liu Feifei was pure-hearted and the most helpful person to them.

Such a girl was hard not to like.

Liu Feifei took Fan Qingyi to the farm and livestock farm set up by the town government for the benefit of public officials.

Old carts, damaged or retired due to age, were stored in the warehouse.

Most public officials were salaried by the state and rarely worked the land, so these items were left untouched unless someone had poor relatives in the countryside who might want to buy them.

But many were reluctant to admit having poor relatives, so the carts accumulated over time.

With the advent of tractors and three-wheeled vehicles, these carts were even less in demand.

When Liu Feifei mentioned wanting them, the warehouse manager's eyes lit up.

"Let's make it clear, although the carts are damaged and retired, they still function. A cart frame costs five yuan, a wheel costs twenty yuan each, and the whole set is ten percent cheaper."

"Nobody wants this junk, and you want twenty-five?"

Liu Feifei shook her head, "The frame and wheels together, twenty."

The man gaped.

"Why don't you just rob someone? At least twenty-three, no cheaper."

Liu Feifei placed her hands on her hips, "Your tires are as rotten as coal briquettes. I'll have to buy new ones, and you should pay for the tires. A good tire isn't cheap, so it's twenty!"

"Hey, you little brat..."

"Or we'll go buy a new one. If something useless is this expensive, we might as well get a new one."

She pulled Fan Qingyi to leave.

Second Sister, raising three children as a widow, had a hard life, and Liu Feifei was determined to help her save every bit of money she could.

The man laughed in frustration, "Go take a look outside. A new cart costs at least a hundred. I'm giving you the lowest price possible..."

"Twenty."

Liu Feifei turned and grinned at the man.

He waved his hand, "Go, go."

Liu Feifei didn't budge, "How about you do me a favor for my uncle? This junk is unwanted by anyone. If you help us out, won't people speak well of you? I'll give you a bit more, twenty-one, and let us pick through to find a tire that's not completely rotted to replace it."

The man, "...Does your uncle know about this?"

Liu Feifei's eyes darted, "It was my uncle who sent us here. He saw my sister is short on cash and said you would definitely give us a good deal..."

The man stared at her for a long time, then looked at Fan Qingyi, who had been silent all along.

Fan Qingyi, somewhat nervous, quickly flashed him a smile.

The man, "..."

Am I that scary?

"Fine, since your uncle has spoken, I'll give you the face. Go ahead and choose, but it's twenty-two, no more haggling."

Liu Feifei exclaimed, pulling Fan Qingyi inside.

In no time, they picked a cart that was about sixty percent new, with a tire that only had two or three holes.

She whispered to Fan Qingyi, "We'll have my brother patch it up when we get back."

Chapter 89 Hand over the jade ring.

Fan Qingyi smiled and nodded.

On her way out, Liu Feifei also took a spare tire, which was old and worn but just right for patching up.

With the cart ready, they still needed to buy flour, oil, salt, vinegar, and other necessities.

Liu Feifei directly took Fan Qingyi to the supply cooperative, where they got everything at an internal price for less than ten yuan.

On their way back, they stopped at a state-owned restaurant, and Fan Qingyi treated Liu Feifei to a bowl of egg noodles.

In the afternoon, Liu Feifei helped Fan Qingyi clean the yard, then went back to call her cousin for more help.

Fan Qingyi first tidied up the two rooms on the west side that they would be living in and the kitchen.

Liu Feifei and her cousin Liu Chengcai arrived on bicycles, carrying all sorts of tools and supplies.

Liu Chengcai was straightforward and quick-tempered. He greeted Fan Qingyi as his sister had instructed and started working immediately.

Liu Feifei and Fan Qingyi went to the street to find someone to bring back the tables and chairs they had salvaged from the factory.

The repair work on the furniture was quick, taking no more than an hour.

Liu Chengcai said his goodbyes and left, while Liu Feifei helped Fan Qingyi arrange things.

Smiling, she told Fan Qingyi, "I'll come pick you and A Li, Zhuzhu up early tomorrow morning..."

Fan Qingyi paused.

The village had given them a three-day deadline. Would those people come again tomorrow?

She was right.

They didn't even wait until dawn before starting to bang on Aunt Song's door.

Fan Qingyi hadn't slept well. She woke up at the first sound outside.

She quickly dressed and called her two daughters.

The people outside were already shouting, "Fan Qingyi, it's the fourth day now! What are you still doing in our Shanhe Village?!"

"Get out of Shanhe Village!"

"Go away!"

"Jinx, get lost!"

Li Liuli looked sad, "Mom, they're chasing us away."

"Mom, they're all bad people," Li Zhenzhu said, hugging Li Liuli, her eyes red.

Fan Qingyi responded, "I've already cleaned the rooms. Pack our things, and we'll leave now. Don't cause trouble for Grandma Song."

Li Liuli bit her lip and said, "Okay."

She picked up the clothes from the stool and handed them to Li Zhenzhu.

The sisters obediently put on their clothes and folded the blankets they had been using.

Fan Qingyi picked up her youngest daughter, who had been woken up, and grabbed a bundle with her other hand.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded to her daughter, who was about to open the door.

The door opened to reveal Aunt Song's red-rimmed eyes, "Yiyi..."

"Auntie, I'm taking the children. Come visit us in town when you have time."

Aunt Song sighed, "Go, I'll see you off."

She glanced at her grandson, who was standing behind her with his head down. Song Chengran wiped his tears and stepped forward to help Fan Qingyi carry the bundle.

Together, they left the main room and entered the courtyard.

The gate was being pounded and kicked, shaking violently.

Aunt Song couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "When the Lis were bullying them, you didn't run so fast! Now, you all want to be the first to bully them!"

Outside, there was a moment of silence.

Someone yelled, "She brought death to Brother Wenfeng, why should we treat her nicely?"

"When Wenfeng was alive, did any of you lend a hand?!"

Aunt Song sneered, "Are there really no people in this village who know what life has been like for them? Did any of you ever speak up for Wenfeng?!"

Outside, there was another silence.

Someone, angry and embarrassed, shouted, "Aunt Song, you can't use your relationship with the village chief to show such favoritism to these jinxes. Brother Wenfeng was good to you too. Aren't you afraid to face him in the afterlife?"

"Ha!"

Aunt Song spat and raised her voice, "Who is the one without any consideration here? If any of you remembered how Wenfeng treated you, you wouldn't treat his wife and children like this. You are the ones who will have no face to meet Wenfeng in the afterlife!"

With that, she pulled the bolt and opened the gate.

Those who were about to knock or kick the door fell into the courtyard, landing on their faces.

Aunt Song watched coldly.

Everyone looked at each other, a moment of mutual bewilderment.

Someone spoke up, "We agreed on three days, and today is already the fourth. We didn't come to cause trouble in the middle of the night, which was out of respect for you, Auntie Song..."

"Pah!"

Auntie Song spat at the person's feet, "You couldn't get up in the middle of the night to make trouble, don't act so noble!"

The person, "..."

Almost flew into a rage.

"Old Three has arrived; let the Li family speak for themselves."

Li Laosan pushed his way through the crowd, looking at Fan Qingyi and her daughter, who were both worn out, and licked his back teeth.

Then, he grinned.

"Auntie, we respect you, but don't put us in a difficult position, okay?"

"The village chief said three days, and you're still protecting them. Isn't this going against the village chief and the whole village? What good can come of it?"

"You even insult us. What have we done wrong?"

"She persuaded my second brother to take on a mission, and he disappeared during the mission. Isn't she to blame? Saying she killed him, that she brought him bad luck, isn't that right?"

A chorus of agreement from the crowd, "Yes, yes, yes."

Encouraged by their support, Li Laosan glanced at Fan Qingyi and smiled again, "A few years ago, in some village, when the man died, the woman and children followed him to the afterlife, saying they would serve him in the underworld."

Auntie Song shuddered, looking at the grinning Li Laosan, feeling a chill to her bones.

"Li Laosan, your second brother never mistreated you. How can you say such things with a straight face!"

Li Laosan sighed, "Auntie, you misunderstand. We haven't done anything like that, have we? We've given them a chance to live."

The crowd found this very reasonable, nodding in agreement.

Auntie Song felt these people were strangers, terrifyingly so.

Several lives, in their mouths, seemed as disposable as chickens or ducks.

She stumbled, and Fan Qingyi quickly supported her, "Auntie."

Auntie Song grabbed her hand, "Yiyi, go, leave quickly, stay far away from this village, and never come back!"

Fan Qingyi glanced quickly at Li Laosan and nodded firmly.

"Alright."

Auntie Song held the door bolt and waved it forward, "Move, all of you! You want them to leave, don't you? Clear a path for them to go!"

Everyone looked at Li Laosan.

Li Laosan stood in the middle of the road, looking at Fan Qingyi with a sly expression, neither moving nor speaking.

He didn't move, and neither did anyone else, clearly trying to make things difficult for them.

Auntie Song's face turned green with anger, "Li Laosan, move!"

"Don't be hasty, Auntie. I have one more thing. My daughter said A Li's mother took a jade ring she found. Before you leave, shouldn't you return it?"

Fan Qingyi's face changed, her heart racing.

The twins' expressions also shifted.

Li Liuli quickly masked her reaction, but Li Zhenzhu continued to look at Li Laosan with fear and anger.

Li Laosan glanced at their expressions and grinned.

"I thought the child was lying, but it seems it's true. Hand it over."

Chapter 090: The Concrete Representation of "When People Leave, the Tea Cools"

"Ah! I've never seen such a shameless person!"

"You're so shameless that even Shamelessness would open the door for you, you're shameless to the core!"

Li Shanhu was wailing in Fan Qingyi's arms, her little face glaring fiercely at Li Laosan.

Fan Qingyi glanced down quickly at her little daughter.

Then, without a trace, she moved the twins behind her and faced off against Li Laosan.

"I've never seen any jade ring."

Li Laosan tsked, "Do you think I believe you?"

"If you don't believe me, you can call your daughter over, and we can confront her face-to-face."

Fan Qingyi was unafraid, "When and where did she pick up the jade ring? Who saw it? Who knows about it? Who can be a witness? When did I take it? Who saw me? You can't just spout lies and expect me to accept them!"

Li Laosan looked deeply at Fan Qingyi.

He called out to Li Yuanbao from the crowd.

Li Yuanbao squeezed through, first looking at Li Laosan.

The father and daughter exchanged a glance before Li Yuanbao spoke.

"… It was … when you were sitting the month, I found it under the big willow tree by the river. It was a dull, stone-like thing. I accidentally broke the outer shell and found the jade inside. You liked it and said it should be Li Shanhu's full moon gift. You snatched it from me and warned me not to tell anyone, or else you'd say I stole it from you."

"Damn! What a scumbag Li Yuanbao is! Why can someone like this be the protagonist?! Where are her values? Her bottom line? I…"

The little voice spewed curses, so angry she wanted to leap up and strike Li Yuanbao with a thunderous blow!

Fan Qingyi gently patted her little daughter, her face expressionless as she watched Li Yuanbao speak nonsense seriously.

"So, no one saw you pick up the ring, and no one saw me snatch it from you?"

Li Yuanbao puffed out her chest, "How could anyone see you snatch my things?!"

"Very well."

Fan Qingyi caressed her little daughter's soft fingers, her eyes slightly cold as she scanned Li Laosan and his daughter.

"No witnesses, no evidence. So, can't I also say that Li Yuanbao is framing me to get back at me for yesterday?!"

Li Yuanbao was momentarily stunned, opening her mouth to say something.

Fan Qingyi didn't give her the chance, her gaze sweeping over the crowd, her words laden with meaning, "So, in the future, whenever your family has a conflict with others, will you frame and accuse them of stealing your things?!"

Aunt Song was momentarily stunned but quickly caught on to the trap in Fan Qingyi's words.

She added fuel to the fire, "Rumors are easy to spread. They claim you stole their things, so you must have stolen them. Oh, you must have stolen them."

The crowd murmured, their breaths uneven, "What does this have to do with us? Who stole their things…?"

"You didn't steal anything? Who can vouch for you?" Aunt Song asked.

Someone spat on the ground, "Bastards, did anyone vouch for them when they accused us of stealing their things?"

"Right, they had no witnesses, why should we provide them?"

Seeing the crowd's eyes turning against them, Li Laosan hurriedly interjected.

"Who are you talking about? Why are you making a fuss? This has nothing to do with you!"

Why are they being led around by the nose by this woman?!

Where is his brain?

The crowd, startled by Li Laosan's shout, were all a bit dazed.

Yes, they were talking about the scapegoat, why were they joining in the commotion?

Someone whispered from the back of the crowd, "Don't you find A Li's mother a bit eerie?"

"You're right, the back of my neck feels a bit chilly."

"Could it be that Brother Wenfeng is watching from somewhere?"

They stared at each other, eyes wide, swallowing hard.

Finally, Li Yuanbao got her chance, shouting angrily, "You did snatch it. Uncles, if you don't believe me, you can search her bag and her person. It must be on her."

Fan Qingyi gave her a cold look.

"Body searches are illegal."

"You're afraid to let us search because you're guilty, you did snatch it! Dad!"

Li Yuanbao looked smug, a cruel glint in her eyes.

In her heart, she sneered, "Do you think you can incite everyone against me and I'll be helpless? I'm determined to get that jade ring space! You have to give it to me, whether you want to or not!"

Li Laosan looked at Li Yuanbao, who nodded firmly.

Li Laosan lowered his eyes in thought, then raised his hand and waved it back, "Search."

The men looked at each other, some hesitant, some eager.

Aunt Song's face turned ashen as she stepped forward to shield Fan Qingyi.

She roared, "I'd like to see who dares!"

The scene fell silent instantly.

Aunt Song glared at Li Laosan and scolded him, "Li Yuanzhi, have you gone mad? No matter what, she is your second brother's wife, the one he cherished above all! He's only been gone for a few days, and you're already leading a group of men to search your own sister-in-law? Do you have any shame left? Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by everyone in the village?"

"Cousin, that's not what I meant…"

Li Laosan smiled innocently, "If she just hands over the item, we won't make things difficult for her. As you said, she was once the one my second brother cherished above all."

He spread his hands, feigning helplessness.

"You can keep scolding me, but it would be better to persuade her."

"I don't know what kind of person Wenfeng's wife is, but even if she starves to death, she wouldn't steal or rob anything that doesn't belong to her!"

Aunt Song was furious, turning to glare at the men from the village, her teeth grinding, "Do you still have any conscience? She is Wenfeng's wife, how dare you even think about it?!"

A few of the men, whose intentions had been exposed, were now red with anger.

In a fit of rage, they retorted.

They stammered, "We didn't actually step forward, did we?"

"Get lost! All of you, get lost!" Aunt Song yelled.

Li Laosan wouldn't back down, "Fine, fine, I'll give Aunt Song some face. I'll find a few young wives to do the search. That should be acceptable, right?"

He was determined to get the jade ring that Li Yuanbao mentioned.

"Is there any young wife willing to help? I'll give ten yuan for finding the ring."

A few young wives on the outskirts, who had come to watch the commotion, perked up at the mention of money and hurriedly pushed their way in.

"How much?"

"Ten yuan!" Li Laosan smiled.

"Hey, you better keep your word."

Their eyes lit up, and they rubbed their hands together, ready to pounce on Fan Qingyi.

Aunt Song, enraged, grabbed a wooden door bolt to strike them.

Fan Qingyi thrust little Coral into Aunt Song's arms, shielding her with her arm and brandishing a kitchen knife.

"Ah! A knife…!"

"My goodness."

"Murder…!"

"Fan Qingyi, are you crazy? Do you really think we're afraid of a kitchen knife?"

Fan Qingyi recognized this young wife.

When Mrs. Li and Big Sister Li had tried to extort money from her, this young wife had spoken up in her defense.

"She won't really cut anyone, why are you afraid? Go on, all of you!"

"Finding the ring means one yuan each, which can buy some meat for the kids at home…"

The young wives exchanged glances and surged forward, lunging at Fan Qingyi.

Chapter 91: Kill Me to Avenge

"Mom!"

Li Zhenzhu's eyes were full of fear, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would leap out of her throat.

Li Liuli clung tightly to her sister's hand, covering her mouth, "Don't shout, don't cry out, don't let Mom get distracted and worry about us."

Li Zhenzhu nodded through her sobs.

Aunt Song's eyes turned red with anger.

These people, these people...

They have no conscience at all.

Fan Qingyi pressed her lips together, standing motionless in the middle of the scene, staring straight at the young woman who was leading the charge.

She had helped her before, and now she was making things difficult for her.

One favor, one trouble, they cancel each other out, right?

Fan Qingyi closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, raising the kitchen knife and slashing at the young woman.

The young woman had already reached out her hand, but seeing the knife about to cut her arm, she quickly pulled back in fright.

Someone laughed mockingly, "Didn't they say she wouldn't really cut? Why are you dodging?"

"Go to hell, if she cuts my arm off, will you pay for it?" The young woman retorted without turning her head.

Seeing this, the other young women became more cautious, exchanging glances and planning to pin her down together.

Strangely, no matter where they tried to attack, Fan Qingyi always noticed first.

Then, without hesitation, she swung the knife down.

It was a real slash!

Without a moment's pause.

How terrifying.

After a few attempts, they were all panting from exhaustion.

"We can't do it, we need to take her knife away, otherwise we can't get close to her."

Fan Qingyi sneered, "Anyone who isn't afraid of death, come on, I'll kill you and pay with my life!"

This smile made everyone's scalp tingle.

The young women looked at each other, none daring to act rashly anymore.

"Her father and daughter say I stole Li Yuanbao's ring, do you believe them? Then dare they swear an oath?"

"Just say that Li Yuanbao did indeed find a jade ring, which I stole."

Fan Qingyi raised her eyes to Li Laosan, "If they lie, may their intestines burst, may they be struck by five thunderbolts, and die without a place to be buried. Do you dare?"

Li Laosan still believed in such things, and he didn't dare.

Li Yuanbao, being reborn, believed even more in ghosts and gods, and she also didn't dare.

They didn't dare, but Fan Qingyi did.

She raised her hand and swore, "I dare! If I stole a jade ring belonging to Li Yuanbao, may I be torn apart by five horses and die a terrible death!"

Aunt Song looked at the Li family father and daughter with a cold laugh.

"Why don't you swear? Because you're guilty, you're framing Wenfeng's wife! Li Yuanbao never found the ring, and the story about Wenfeng's wife forcing her to give up the ring is just made up..."

Li Laosan lowered his eyes to Li Yuanbao, his gaze suspicious.

Li Yuanbao stomped her foot, "I'm not lying, that jade ring is mine."

"I wore it in my past life, it belongs to me."

Li Shanhu's childish voice spat, "My mother's jade ring, she dominated it for a lifetime, and now she claims it as her own? What a shameless face, I spit on you!"

"Then swear, with so many people watching," Aunt Song said coldly.

The father and daughter remained silent.

The villagers sensed something was amiss.

Someone whispered, "What's going on? What kind of trick is Li Laosan pulling?"

"Not swearing definitely means guilt, this scoundrel, could he be using us?"

"Have you noticed that A Li's mother is different from before?"

"You noticed too? Her ferocity in wielding the knife is exactly like Brother Wenfeng's!"

"Right? I feel the same..."

Hearing the villagers' murmurs, Li Laosan's heart began to race with fear.

Fan Qingyi was really very different from before.

Could it be that she was just pretending for her second brother?

Cunning woman!

He glanced sideways at Li Yuanbao and asked in a low voice, "Are you sure the jade ring is with her?"

"I'm certain, it's definitely with her," Li Yuanbao nodded firmly.

Inwardly, she screamed in frustration, "These past two nights, I stayed up late, secretly searching the second house from top to bottom, even digging up the ground to check. When I found nothing, it confirmed that the ring must be with Fan Qingyi. It's absolutely certain!"

Fan Qingyi looked up slightly at Li Yuanbao.

This young girl possessed a maturity beyond her years, and her eyes were hard to read.

Was it because she was reborn and knew all the plot details?

Then what about Wenfeng...

Fan Qingyi's eyes suddenly lit up as she stared intently at Li Yuanbao.

Li Yuanbao noticed her unusual gaze and looked back warily.

"Li Yuanbao, your second uncle used to care for you, A Li, and Zhuzhu equally. How can you frame and falsely accuse us like this? Aren't you afraid that your second uncle will come back for retribution?"

After saying this, she didn't dare to blink, staring fixedly at Li Yuanbao.

Caught off guard, Li Yuanbao blurted out, "You took what's mine. Even if the second uncle comes back, I'll still be in the right."

"What's going on with this girl? The second uncle is already dead, right? How does she seem to know he's still alive?"

Fan Qingyi's eyes brightened even more.

Having gotten the answer she wanted, she no longer wished to entangle with them.

"Move aside, we women are leaving Shanhe Village today, and from now on, we'll act like we've never met."

Fan Qingyi clutched the kitchen knife, her eyes on the gate.

Amazingly, the men at the door actually made way when threatened with the knife.

Li Yuanbao panicked, "No!"

"If we let them go, where will I find the jade ring? Every extra moment increases the danger. We can't let them leave before I get the ring!"

Fan Qingyi gave her a cold, sideways glance.

Li Yuanbao gritted her teeth, "Call the police! Let the police come and uphold justice for me!"

"Damn! It's like the thief crying 'stop the thief.' This is really an eye-opener!"

The little voice was both amused and angry, cursing inwardly.

Fan Qingyi also found it hard to suppress her amusement, "Fine, I'd like to know why you're falsely accusing me of having a ring that doesn't exist."

Li Yuanbao's heart skipped a beat as she scrutinized Fan Qingyi.

Puzzled, she thought, "She shouldn't know the secret of the ring, right? In her previous life, she always treated the ring like a worthless stone."

Fan Qingyi turned around and called to Aunt Song, "It looks like we'll still have time for breakfast at home. Start cooking."

Aunt Song responded, and they headed to the kitchen.

The group at the door was left looking at each other in confusion.

Li Laosan frowned at Li Yuanbao, "Do you really want to call the police?"

Li Yuanbao nodded, "Yes, we should."

She motioned for Li Laosan to lean in and whispered a few words. Li Laosan's expression changed as he listened, his heart pounding, and he looked at his daughter differently.

Li Yuanbao, with red eyes, said, "Dad, I don't want to do this either, but I must get the jade ring back. It's crucial for our family's future and destiny! Don't you want to see my brother bring honor to the family and become someone important?"

Li Laosan's eyes hardened with resolve.

Yes, he did.

His son was undoubtedly the best hope of the Li family.

"Alright, Dad knows what to do. Just wait here, I'll take people to call the police."

Li Laosan glanced at the smoke coming out of the chimney, licked his back teeth, and turned to gather a few people to head to the town.

Fan Qingyi calmed her heart, ready to face whatever came her way.

While waiting, they finished breakfast, washed the pots, fed the chickens, ducks, and geese. Li Laosan returned with people.

Two plainclothes officers.

They showed their badges.

Just as Fan Qingyi nodded to acknowledge their identity, one of the men coldly said, "Open your bag and let them check."

"Why should I?"

Chapter 092: Bullying Me for My Ignorance

The man glanced at Fan Qingyi, his face filled with impatience.

"They suspect you stole something, so you have to prove your innocence yourself. If you don't show it to them, how would they know if you're guilty and hiding something?"

The people inside and outside the courtyard were dumbfounded by his words.

Aunt Song opened her mouth, letting out a dry and uncertain sound.

"We didn't grab her things, how did it become a case of hiding out of guilt?"

The man swept his gaze over them. "Then open it and show them."

A trace of smugness flashed across Li Laosan's eyes as he gave Fan Qingyi a mocking smile.

Fan Qingyi felt a little panicked. She didn't expect this man to take Li Laosan's side. She had always thought that people like them were upright and selfless, dedicated to ridding the world of evil.

But it turned out…

That wasn't the case.

She smiled faintly and pinched her palm to calm herself down. She asked the man, "Shouldn't they provide evidence that I grabbed something before demanding to see my belongings?"

The man frowned, his face turning sour. "Comrade, do you understand more than me? Are you handling this case or am I?!"

"If you delay our investigation, we might arrest you for obstructing law enforcement."

Fan Qingyi expressionlessly scanned the two of them and the excited women from the Li family's third branch. "Are you sure you want me to open it?"

"Hurry up and open it, no more nonsense."

Fan Qingyi nodded. "Alright, I'll open it, but everyone in the village has witnessed what's happening today in Shanhe Village. I'll go to your superiors in the town and make it clear how you handled this frame-up and wrongful accusation against me."

Their faces immediately darkened, looking extremely embarrassed.

"Go ahead, we're enforcing the law impartially."

Fan Qingyi nodded. "Before I open the bundle, please present a search warrant."

Their expressions changed again as they looked at each other.

"How does a village woman know that a search warrant is required?"

"We've run into a tough one; we need to scare her some more."

Fan Qingyi looked at them. "Do you two think I'm just a village woman who doesn't understand the law?"

Their gazes on Fan Qingyi shifted.

This woman was too eerie.

She could almost read what they were thinking.

The two men turned and glared at Li Laosan.

Li Laosan broke out in a sweat and forced a smile. "This woman is relentless when she's in the right; she's quite formidable."

"Pah!"

Aunt Song spat in disdain. "You have no reason and still try to defend yourselves. We have the truth on our side, why should we spare you?!"

Li Yuanbao whispered something to a few young women, who immediately brightened.

"If she didn't grab anything, why not let us see the bundle? It's because she's guilty!"

"Exactly, it's guilt!"

"If you're not guilty, open it and show us."

"Open it..."

The young women, having suffered a loss with Fan Qingyi, now spoke up for benefits given by Li Yuanbao.

The courtyard was suddenly in an uproar.

The two men huddled together, whispering and occasionally glancing at Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi coldly observed, clutching a kitchen knife in her hand.

"You're being used and still helping them cry out for justice. Li Laosan is just trying to get back at me for yesterday's incident and defend his daughter. He's using all of you as his tools to take revenge on my behalf."

Li Laosan frowned. "That's not true."

"You called me a vicious woman yesterday, and I heard it." Fan Qingyi raised her eyes to meet his.

Her cold gaze held no emotion.

But it made Li Laosan uneasy.

It was as if, in Fan Qingyi's eyes, he saw his second brother.

Fan Qingyi looked at the men and young women in the village, stirring up discord. "You all should take note. I'm your example today. Stay far away from their family in the future. Otherwise... if his daughter bullies your children, her father will bite back and accuse you of theft, leaving you in a difficult position."

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Li Laosan's face darkened.

Fan Qingyi ignored him and turned to the two men. "Comrades, have you thought it through? Are you sure you want me to open it?"

One of them looked at Fan Qingyi, the other at Li Laosan.

"Comrade..." Li Laosan's gaze lowered, sweeping over their pockets.

The two exchanged glances and called to Fan Qingyi, "Open it, let them take a look. If not, that's fine."

The other one smiled and spoke softly.

"Li Laosan, if she doesn't have it in her bag, this matter ends here, no further pursuit allowed, understood?"

Li Laosan frowned, seeming somewhat unwilling.

He remained silent, and both men looked at him. Under pressure, Li Laosan forced a smile.

"Alright, I'll listen to the two comrades."

The two men smiled in relief, not bothering to ask Fan Qingyi for her consent. They gestured for someone to open Fan Qingyi's bag.

The young wife, named, stepped forward, rubbing her hands.

Fan Qingyi pressed a knife against the bag, causing the young wife to step back in alarm. "What are you doing? Comrade, look at her, she's not cooperating..."

"You haven't asked me, and I don't agree."

Fan Qingyi stared at the two men, "This stops with you, but not with me. You have no search warrant, and you haven't obtained my permission. If you insist on opening my bag, be prepared to face a lawsuit."

The men were taken aback, then burst into laughter.

Their eyes were full of disdain, "Do you even know what a lawsuit is?"

Fan Qingyi looked at him calmly, "I may be a village woman, but my husband served in the army for ten years. He taught me many things. Do you think he didn't teach me about lawsuits?"

The two men felt their nerves fraying.

Angry, they glared at Li Laosan again.

From the moment these two entered with Li Laosan, Fan Qingyi had a pretty good idea of what was happening.

All her words were meant to convince Li Yuanbao that she truly didn't have the jade ring.

The youngest daughter said that from the moment Brother Wenfeng learned the truth, the plot had deviated from its original course.

So, as long as she insisted she didn't have the jade ring, even if Li Yuanbao was reborn, he would only believe that her rebirth caused a butterfly effect, leading to the plot collapse, and that the jade ring space, the golden finger, was gone.

"Do you still want to search, or are we leaving?"

Fan Qingyi placed the kitchen knife on the bag, looking at Li Laosan and the two men.

The two men felt exhausted.

Li Laosan's face turned pale and red, gritting his teeth as he looked at Li Yuanbao.

Li Yuanbao looked at Fan Qingyi with confusion, meeting Li Laosan's gaze, and finally nodded through gritted teeth, "It must be on her."

There was nothing in the second room, and apart from Fan Qingyi, she couldn't think of anywhere else.

That jade ring looked like an ordinary stone carving from the outside; no one would break it open to check inside, and even if they did, Fan Qingyi wouldn't know about the blood recognition requirement.

Seeing his daughter's determined expression, Li Laosan gritted his teeth, "Search!"

The two men furrowed their brows tightly.

Fan Qingyi removed the knife and waved it at the approaching young wife, "Stay back, let these two comrades do it."

The two men found themselves in a difficult position.

Chapter 093: The Second Time

A man approached with a dark expression on his face.

"I'm reminding both of you comrades again, first, you don't have a search warrant, and second, I don't agree to the search. It was you who forced the search against my will."

Fan Qingyi held the kitchen knife and looked at the man approaching. "You are breaking the law knowingly. You'll have to bear the consequences yourselves."

"Women with long hair always cause trouble."

The man sneered. "Do you think we're scared? Move aside."

Fan Qingyi didn't move. The man, furious, grabbed the bundle and shook it open.

A few thin patched clothes fell to the ground, along with a wooden comb and a multicolored rouge box, making a crackling sound.

Seeing the comb and box knocked on the ground, Fan Qingyi's expression changed slightly. She hurriedly bent down to pick them up.

A young married woman exclaimed, "Oh! She's just received her divorce papers, and now someone's giving her a comb and rouge. Fan Qingyi, are you having an affair?"

"This rouge box looks worn out. I guess Li family's second brother is no longer involved with her..."

"With a seductive face like hers, how could she stand the loneliness..."

"Pah! Shameless woman..."

The same mouths that had once spoken up for justice were now spewing filth.

Fan Qingyi clenched the comb, its teeth digging into her palm, causing a sharp pain.

Li Liuli, her face flushed with anger, retorted loudly, "You're talking nonsense! The comb was made by my father for my mother. The peach blossoms on it were carved by my father. The rouge was brought back by my father from the army, not what you're saying!"

"Yes! My elder sister is right. You're talking nonsense and wrongly accusing people!"

"The peach wood was cut from the mountain by my father and third uncle. Uncle, why aren't you saying anything?" Li Liuli's voice cracked as she stared directly at Li Laosan.

Aunt Song was so angry her heart ached.

"Have some decency! Have your mouths been eating shit? Li Laosan, are you mute!"

Li Laosan glanced over, casually tutting.

"I was too far away to see clearly."

Li Yuanbao examined the scene several times. Seeing nothing on the ground except clothes, she started to sweat anxiously.

Her eyes lit up when she spotted the box in Fan Qingyi's hand. "Make her open the box. The ring must be inside."

Li Laosan looked at his daughter and signaled the man.

Though visibly impatient, the man took the box from Fan Qingyi and opened it.

Inside were only a pair of irregular earrings.

Li Wenfeng had dug them out of a shell during a mission and had them strung as earrings.

The young women opened their mouths to gossip again but were fiercely glared at by Aunt Song, who reluctantly pursed her lips.

"How come it's not there?"

Li Yuanbao frowned, her gaze thoughtfully shifting to Fan Qingyi's upper pocket and pants pocket.

She tugged at Li Laosan. "Dad, it's in her pocket."

"Are you sure?"

Li Laosan, seeing the impatience on the two men's faces, felt they needed to wrap this up quickly before things backfired.

Li Yuanbao wasn't sure.

But there was nowhere else to search.

"Yes."

Li Laosan nodded and signaled the two men. "There are still pockets on her body where things can be hidden."

The two men frowned.

Before Fan Qingyi could say anything, Aunt Song exploded.

"Li Laosan, they are men. Are you asking them to search your sister-in-law's body? Are you trying to drive her to death? Is this something a human would do? Have you no decency!"

Fan Qingyi held Aunt Song down and gently patted her.

She then looked up at Li Laosan. "Wrongful accusations, framing, defamation, and abuse of private punishment are all illegal and can land you in prison. I will pursue this matter to the end, including all of you!"

Li Laosan's eyelid twitched.

Li Yuanbao grabbed Li Laosan's arm. "Dad, it must be on her. Otherwise, why would she look so guilty?"

Li Laosan signaled the two men.

They glared at him.

To grope a widow was disgraceful. Would they still have any dignity left?

Seeing they weren't moving, Li Yuanbao became anxious.

"I'll search her!"

Saying that, she lunged at Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi clenched the kitchen knife and pushed her away. "I don't have the ring you're looking for, and I refuse to be searched. You have no right to search me. Get lost."

Li Yuanbao gritted her teeth and glared at her, but Fan Qingyi didn't back down.

Li Yuanbao's eyes turned red as she turned to call out to her father.

Li Laosan could only continue to pressure the men.

The two men's faces were extremely grim, but they continued to compromise, stepping back to let Fan Qingyi turn out her pockets for everyone to see.

Fan Qingyi looked at them and reminded them in a calm voice, "This is the second time."

The two men were slightly taken aback, then realized what she meant, their faces turning even grimmer.

Fan Qingyi turned out her pockets and pant pockets, showing them to be completely empty, with nothing inside.

"It's impossible!"

Li Yuanbao screamed, "I already had the ring at this point, and I stole it from her. How can it not be on her?!"

Fan Qingyi sneered.

"Because I've never seen the ring you're talking about! Maybe it's just something you made up..."

"You're lying!"

Li Yuanbao shouted, "When you left with Uncle, you asked me about it. I said I wanted you to give it to me as a keepsake, and you said you liked it too much to give it to me. How can you say you've never seen it?!"

Fan Qingyi responded with an "Oh," and asked, "Anything else?"

"You later asked me what the ring looked like. I told you it was dusty with carvings, and you said you forgot where you put it. That's it!" Li Yuanbao said through gritted teeth.

Fan Qingyi looked at her and nodded. "One moment you say the ring is transparent, the next you say it's dusty. Which is it?"

"Both!" Li Yuanbao stomped her foot.

Fan Qingyi's face turned cold, and she repeated, "Oh, both."

She then raised her head, her gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"Did you all hear that? The ring wasn't something she found, and I didn't take her ring. From beginning to end, it's all something she made up! She's just getting back at me for hitting her yesterday."

The villagers gathered around the courtyard, stunned for a moment, before they finally understood what had happened.

A murmur of shock spread through the crowd.

Li Laosan stared at Li Yuanbao in disbelief.

He had hunted geese all his life, but now he had been pecked by one.

Enraged, he scolded Li Yuanbao, "Are you playing games with your old man?"

Li Yuanbao was dumbfounded.

"Father, I didn't. I was misled by Fan Qingyi, trapped in her scheme! She..."

Li Yuanbao's mind raced, and she suddenly shouted, "Fan Qingyi must be possessed by a ghost! She's not my Second Aunt! My Second Aunt is timid and weak, she wouldn't argue or fight with anyone. Look at her..."

The villagers' attention was drawn, and they looked over.

Li Yuanbao pointed at Fan Qingyi and yelled, "She's a fake!"

Fan Qingyi clutched the kitchen knife, her knuckles white with strain, forcing herself to meet the dense, fly-like gazes that made her want to flee.

She laughed loudly, "Do you think I became like this on my own?"

"Do you think I should let myself and my three children be bullied to death by you, just to fit your idea of a helpless person?"

Chapter 94: Who Wants to Fight Alone

Li Yuanbao gritted her teeth, "It's not like that at all! Second aunt has always been as gentle and timid as a sheep. Even if she wanted revenge for Li Liuli and Li Shanhu, she would only dare to buy a knife and close her eyes, never showing such sharp-tonguedness!"

Fan Qingyi suddenly raised her gaze, staring intently at Li Yuanbao.

Images of two side-by-side tombstones and a body lying in a pool of blood after being hit by a car flashed through her mind.

She clenched her teeth and declared firmly, "My husband was known as the notorious street rascal in the village since he was a child. Not to mention we haven't seen his body to confirm whether he's truly dead or just pretending. Even if he is dead, as his wife, I will no longer allow myself to be bullied and sit idly by as before!"

Li Yuanbao's heart trembled, momentarily intimidated by Fan Qingyi's sudden display of authority.

Fan Qingyi lifted her head again, looking at the villagers with a blank expression, "I will personally tell Brother Wenfeng about everything you have done these past days!"

The villagers were stunned, their faces showing fear.

Ignoring them, Fan Qingyi turned to the two plainclothes officers, "You have disregarded the law and caused me physical harm. I will pursue this matter to the end!"

"Now..."

She swept her gaze over the crowd, "Move aside! We are leaving this cursed place!"

The crowd, shaken by Fan Qingyi's presence, instinctively made way for her.

When they realized what had happened, they looked at each other in confusion.

Li Liuli wiped her face, picked up her clothes, and hurriedly packed them, standing beside Fan Qingyi.

Li Zhenzhu held Fan Qingyi's other hand.

Aunt Song, holding little Shanhu, with red eyes, escorted them to the village entrance.

"Auntie, give me little Shanhu."

Aunt Song responded, handing over the child, "Go on, I'll watch you leave."

Fan Qingyi smiled.

"We can't come back here easily, but Auntie can bring Chengran to town. The house I rented is large, with spare rooms; you can stay there."

"Alright, we'll visit when we have the chance."

Aunt Song, with red eyes, smiled, "Take care of yourselves. If you need anything, let Yanhong and her husband send a message to me."

Fan Qingyi nodded, reassuring her.

Aunt Song couldn't help but worry.

She stood at the village entrance, watching the mother and daughters walk further and further away, then sighed and turned back.

Turning around, she saw the villagers who had surrounded her house now crowding behind her.

Her face turned cold, and she spat harshly, pushing through the crowd and walking away.

Several men clicked their tongues, muttering and complaining to each other.

"What if Brother Wenfeng isn't dead..."

"Then we might be the ones to die..."

"Brother Wenfeng hits hard, really hard!"

"...We'd be skinned alive..."

A few young wives pouted, feeling they had missed an opportunity to make money, which they found quite regrettable.

They didn't think it was wrong to treat Fan Qingyi and her daughters differently before and after.

With work waiting at home, they couldn't linger here chatting forever. After a brief conversation, the group quickly dispersed.

Aunt Song walked to the entrance of the Li family courtyard and spat fiercely inside.

"Li Yunshi, open your eyes and see what despicable things your sons have done! What goes around comes around, beware of retribution!"

After cursing, she looked up and met the returning Li Laosan and his daughter, spitting at them again.

Li Laosan looked helpless, "Auntie, it's not my fault. The child was crying and demanding her toy. How was I to know A Li's mother didn't take it..."

"Looking for a toy? Making up some story to gather people and almost force someone to death. If she really had it, wouldn't you have killed her?"

Aunt Song shook her head at Li Laosan, "You don't want to leave any room for these widows and orphans. Your Li family men are one more ruthless than the next!"

"Auntie, it's not like you think..."

Aunt Song raised her hand to stop him, "Whether it is or not, you know in your heart. There's no need to explain to me; I won't believe you anyway."

Li Laosan, "..."

"Lady Song, you were there that day, right? You heard it, didn't you?"

Li Yuanbao, remembering something, her eyes lit up, rushed towards Aunt Song, "Second aunt said, she said..."

Aunt Song dodged, "I heard nothing."

She didn't want to deal with the Li family, shaking her hands as if shaking off something dirty, and walked away quickly.

Li Yuanbao nearly fell flat on her face.

Li Laosan frowned but still grabbed the back of Li Yuanbao's collar, lifting her up to prevent her from falling.

"Father, believe me..."

Old Li glanced at her, "What good does it do if I believe you? She doesn't have that thing at all. Have you been encountering some dirty things lately?"

He looked around his daughter from head to toe, feeling it was quite possible.

"Alright, when we get back, I'll have your grandmother find a shaman to take a look at you. Stop being so superstitious all the time..."

Li Yuanbao shook her head, "Father, there really is a space inside that ring, with mountains and water, really..."

"You must be possessed."

Old Li didn't believe her at all, "I spent fifty yuan on this nonsense today and even offended those two people. It won't be easy to ask them for help again in the future."

As for the harsh words Fan Qingyi had said, he dismissed them as mere threats, not taking them seriously at all.

So when the police came to arrest him and put handcuffs on him, he was completely bewildered.

That's another story.

Aunt Song returned home and sat under the tree, unable to recover for a long time, her chest still aching with anger.

"Grandma, didn't Aunt Song say she would send the scallion pancakes to Grandpa Green Mountain? Are you still going to send them? The pancakes are getting cold."

Song Chengran reminded Aunt Song before heading to school.

Aunt Song glanced at the sky, then got up by leaning on the table, "Yes, I'll send them."

She needed to talk to her cousin; otherwise, she would feel stifled.

The village chief looked at the half basket of scallion pancakes and raised an eyebrow at Aunt Song.

Aunt Song plopped down onto the stool and sighed, "The child asked me to bring these to you. She said thank you for helping them that day in the field. She couldn't come herself, so she asked me to deliver them."

The village chief also sighed.

"You know, Wenfeng's wife has changed a lot. For over ten years, she locked herself in the house and did nothing. After her husband died, she had to stand up for her children."

Aunt Song's eyes immediately welled up with tears.

She glared at the village chief, "If there were a man in the family to rely on, who would want to struggle alone! It's because they had no other choice!"

She truly felt sorry for that child.

The village chief sensed she was thinking of her own husband and didn't want to upset her, so he dropped the topic and said no more.

"Stay away from the Lis. Although Old Li has a plan in mind, he does nothing as his family falls apart..."

He genuinely disapproved of such behavior.

Aunt Song nodded and said, "Wenfeng is gone, Yiyi has left with the children, and I don't respect the rest of the Lis. I don't want to get involved anymore."

Chapter 95: A Favor Returned Tenfold

The siblings chatted for a while longer before parting ways, mostly with the village chief trying to comfort his cousin, Aunt Song.

Fan Qingyi and her daughters left Shanhe Village, turning at the bend where two paths diverged.

One led to town, the other to the school in the neighboring village.

"I'll pick you up after school and take you to town to familiarize you with the area."

Li Liuli nodded, while Li Zhenzhu pressed close to her sister, her slightly red eyes reflecting her anticipation of their new home.

Fan Qingyi smiled and gestured to her daughters, "Go on, I'll watch over you."

Once the twins were out of sight, she slung the bundle over one arm and cradled little Coral in the other, heading towards town.

Upon arriving in town, Fan Qingyi rested for a moment after putting down the bundle, then carried little Coral to visit the couple, Song Youwei and Jiang Yanhong.

"We don't have any quilts at home. Even though it's summer, we still need bedding. I was wondering if you could tell me where I can find a place to fluff cotton?"

"You want to buy them?"

Jiang Yanhong frowned, "They're quite expensive, not worth it."

Fan Qingyi knew it wasn't cost-effective, but what other choice did she have? She couldn't let the children sleep on bare boards, especially now that it was September and they might catch a chill.

"We have an extra quilt at our place, Sister-in-law, you can use it for now..."

Jiang Yanhong smiled, "Actually, we have something to give you as well, we'll bring it over together."

Fan Qingyi opened her mouth to refuse.

"It's an old wooden bucket someone discarded. I thought it would be convenient for you to use when making soup or something. Chengran's father has repaired it, replacing a piece of wood, so it should last a few more years, saving you a couple of dollars." Jiang Yanhong proudly offered this information.

Given her kindness, Fan Qingyi couldn't bring herself to refuse.

"Really, thank you so much."

Jiang Yanhong waved it off, "We're family, don't be so formal, Sister-in-law. In the future, we'll need to look out for each other here. Who knows, maybe we'll rely on you someday."

Her last sentence was clearly meant to please Fan Qingyi, but it turned out to be prophetic.

Fan Qingyi liked Jiang Yanhong's straightforward nature, similar to Liu Feifei's.

She spoke and acted with clarity, her thoughts always transparent.

It made people naturally like her.

"By the way, Sister-in-law, do you have a cart for your stall? I heard from Youwei that there are some available in the village, but they're not cheap..."

Fan Qingyi quickly shook her head, "I've already bought one, Feifei took me to get it. We also got a square table and benches for customers to sit on, along with seasonings for cooking and kitchenware..."

Jiang Yanhong calculated in her mind, "That's all settled then. You're ready to start tomorrow..."

As they talked, several more carts loaded with goods approached from a distance.

Jiang Yanhong frowned.

"The number of stalls is increasing, but the number of customers remains the same. It's going to be harder to make money."

Fan Qingyi nodded.

With over an hour before mealtime, they left Song Youwei to watch the stall and knead dough, while Jiang Yanhong took Fan Qingyi to collect the quilt and wooden bucket.

"The quilt is encased in a cover and has been aired out, so it's very clean. You and the children can use it for now. Once you earn some money, you can buy new cotton and have it fluffed."

Jiang Yanhong was a thrifty and capable woman.

Though the rented place was small, she kept it spotlessly clean.

Fan Qingyi smiled and responded occasionally.

They chatted casually as they delivered the quilt and wooden bucket to Fan Qingyi's rented courtyard.

"Oh, what a nice courtyard, clean and spacious, with good lighting."

Jiang Yanhong immediately liked it, glancing curiously at the bright three-room main house when Fan Qingyi opened the door to the west wing, "Why aren't you staying in the main house?"

Fan Qingyi whispered about the old lady who had hanged herself in the east room.

"The children are young, I think it's best to avoid it. We can pay respects and burn incense for the old lady during festivals and holidays."

Jiang Yanhong nodded eagerly, "That's right, you're thoughtful. It won't cost much."

Before leaving, Jiang Yanhong glanced at the east room a few more times.

Fan Qingyi pondered for a moment and asked, "If you don't mind, you could move in and stay in the west wing."

"No problem."

Jiang Yanhong's eyes lit up.

Then she frowned and declined, "But maybe not."

"A widow with three girls, if we two move in, it would be terrible if others start gossiping and tarnish your reputation. Gossip can drown a person, sigh, why must people have such tongues!"

Fan Qingyi was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

The two of them walked to the Textile Factory together, which was quite close, and Jiang Yanhong felt even more regretful.

Fan Qingyi tried to persuade her, "That house will just sit empty otherwise. If you live together, someone can share the rent with me, and when Auntie and Chengran come, they'll have a place to stay."

Jiang Yanhong was truly tempted.

It took nearly an hour to walk from their rented place to here, and in that hour, they could do so many things.

They might even be able to sell breakfast.

But...

If people see a man coming and going from a widow's house, your sister-in-law will be the subject of malicious gossip.

She sighed deeply, "Let's forget it."

Fan Qingyi always wanted to repay kindness tenfold.

"Let's think of a way later, there must be a way for us to live together."

Jiang Yanhong smiled, thinking there was no way this could work out, and they definitely couldn't live together.

They spent the whole afternoon at the couple's stall. After lunch, the couple left, and Fan Qingyi returned to the yard with the children.

First, she laid down her youngest daughter who had fallen asleep on the way.

Then, she meticulously cleaned the room again.

The tree was still some distance from the wall. Fan Qingyi thought for a moment, then took out a small hoe from her space and started tilling the ground, planning to plant some vegetables in the corner to ensure a steady supply of fresh produce for the family.

She also cleared the empty space beside the woodshed and planted vegetables there.

From the gate to the main room, she left only enough space for two people to walk side by side, and cleared the rest.

During this time, Little Coral woke up hungry, and Fan Qingyi sat under the shade of the tree to feed her.

When her milk supply decreased, Aunt Song had advised her to stop breastfeeding and switch to rice porridge, saying the child would grow just as well.

Fan Qingyi didn't agree. She endured the pain and asked Aunt Song to give her an injection to bring back her milk supply.

Little Coral, full and content, patted her little belly and lay on the square table, tilting her head to watch Fan Qingyi work.

After clearing the land, Fan Qingyi began sowing seeds and watering them using a hose from her space.

She worked until the sun turned red in the west, calculating that it was time for the twins to finish school.

She carried Little Coral to pick them up, walking for over an hour.

By the time they got home, Little Coral was tired again, yawning in Fan Qingyi's arms.

Li Zhenzhu ran around the yard happily, "Mom, are we going to live here forever?"

"Yes, for now," Fan Qingyi smiled.

Li Liuli put down her schoolbag, glanced around the yard, and her gaze fell on the locked main house.

Fan Qingyi didn't know how to explain it to the children and pretended not to notice, smiling and gently rocking Little Coral. She asked her daughters, "To celebrate our move to the new home, let's make something delicious for dinner. What do you want to eat?"

Chapter 96: A Li is Acting Strange

"I want to eat pickled cabbage dumplings." Li Zhenzhu smacked her lips and smiled at Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi loudly agreed and turned to ask her eldest daughter, "What about A Li?"

Li Liuli glanced at Fan Qingyi's hand and shook her head, "I don't want dumplings, I'll cook some stir-fried dishes. I'll do the cooking, and Zhuzhu will tend the fire."

"Big Sister..."

Li Zhenzhu was confused, blinking her eyes. She wanted to ask but thought that Big Sister must have her reasons, so she obediently listened.

"Alright, we'll pick and cook our own vegetables. Mom, you play with your sister."

Li Liuli looked at her younger sister and smiled contentedly.

Li Zhenzhu knew that when her Big Sister looked at her like that, it was a compliment. She immediately beamed, her face breaking into a wide smile.

Fan Qingyi's eyes were gentle, filled with warmth and joy.

"Let's go."

She led the children to the kitchen and then entered the space.

The lazy little tiger, sprawled on the ground, yawned and suddenly jumped up, circling around Fan Qingyi's feet.

Li Shanhu tugged at Fan Qingyi's clothes, trying to peek down.

Fan Qingyi held her tightly, "Don't rush, wait until I put you down."

The little tiger leaped onto the small bed and barked at Li Shanhu.

Li Shanhu stretched out her arms, waiting for Fan Qingyi to let go, then pounced on the little tiger, grabbing its neck.

The little tiger grabbed Li Shanhu's shoulders, and they started rolling around together.

In Fan Qingyi's ears, her youngest daughter's thoughts sounded like this, "Ah! Little Tiger! Who in the family understands? My mom found me a king of beasts as a pet!"

"If it grows up, I can ride it around!"

"...I can't even imagine how cool that would be!"

Fan Qingyi smiled softly, gently rubbing her youngest daughter's head, and rolled up her sleeves, preparing to fetch water from the river to wash the vegetables.

"Mom, Zhuzhu and I will go to the river to wash the vegetables, you don't need to fetch water," Li Liuli called out, poking her head out to see Fan Qingyi grabbing the pole.

Fan Qingyi responded, putting down the pole and heading to the stove in the yard to start cleaning.

Firewood was readily available, and oil, salt, and vinegar could be directly exchanged from the store. Fan Qingyi even saw a recipe book that would unlock at level 23 in the pending skills section.

They were currently at level 21.

She had 3,800 points now.

To level up from 21 to 22, she needed 1,290 points, which was enough.

Fan Qingyi decisively used her points to unlock the recipe book. It flashed twice, changing from a gray locked state to an openable one.

Opening the recipe book, she saw basic home-style dishes.

She picked a few that the sisters liked and clicked to learn them: Stuffed Green Peppers with Minced Meat, Stir-Fried Hollow Heart Vegetable, Dry-Fried Green Beans, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Pineapple Sweet and Sour Pork, which she had never heard of but sounded delicious.

She also exchanged ingredients from the space using points, learned how to make these dishes, and took them to the river to wash the meat and pineapple.

When the sisters saw the meat, their eyes lit up.

"Mom, where did this meat come from...?"

Fan Qingyi smiled, "I exchanged it from the store. I'll cook you Pineapple Sweet and Sour Pork later. Have you decided what dishes you want to cook?"

"We have."

Li Zhenzhu tilted her head, grinning and counting on her fingers, "Pickled and Spicy Potato Shreds, Bitter Melon with Eggs, Garlic-Smashed Cucumber, and a plate of sliced tomatoes as fruit."

She then looked hopefully at Fan Qingyi, "Mom, Big Sister said we're having white rice tonight."

"Alright."

Fan Qingyi smiled and agreed. Li Liuli took the meat and pineapple, "I'll wash these, Mom. You take Zhuzhu back to steam the rice, Zhuzhu, you carry the dishes."

"Okay."

Li Zhenzhu responded brightly, carrying the dripping basket of vegetables back.

Fan Qingyi tried to take it, but Li Zhenzhu ran off with a smile.

By the time she reached the stove, Li Zhenzhu had already run back to the river with a half-wooden basin of rice, "Mom, I'm going to rinse the rice."

Fan Qingyi responded and squatted down to start the fire.

Soon, the sisters returned one after another. Li Zhenzhu poured the rice into the large pot and closed the lid.

Then, she shooed Fan Qingyi away from the stove, saying, "Big Sister and I agreed. She'll cook, and I'll tend the fire."

Fan Qingyi smiled and stood up.

Li Liuli was cutting vegetables on the chopping board nearby.

Fan Qingyi offered to switch with her, but she refused, only asking how to cut the pineapple and what shape to cut the meat.

Fan Qingyi was thinking about how to prepare the dish when a clear video of stir-frying popped into her mind. Surprised, she couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of creation.

"Cut them into pieces, not too big."

With the ingredients ready, the small pot was set on the fire to start cooking.

Fan Qingyi wanted to help, but Li Liuli wouldn't let her, only allowing her to give instructions from the side.

"You had school all day..."

Li Liuli remained silent, and Fan Qingyi, feeling helpless, stood by to watch her eldest daughter cook.

The wood in the stove crackled, and not far away, the youngest daughter giggled as she chased after the little tiger, tugging at its tail.

The two large tigers glanced up at Fan Qingyi, then closed their eyes and continued to sleep.

Fan Qingyi swallowed hard, looking up at the dark, dense mountains, wondering how many levels she needed to reach before she could enter them.

Having such large beasts around was still a bit unsettling.

When the meal was ready, Li Zhenzhu chattered as she served the dishes and set the table.

Li Liuli, meanwhile, placed a bowl in front of the two adult tigers, who looked at her briefly.

Li Zhenzhu called out to Li Shanhu, "Doudou, come eat..."

"Eat, sleep, beat Doudou..."

This phrase suddenly popped into Li Shanhu's mind, making her eyes go black.

"Mommy, just call me by my full name."

"That's right, you don't have teeth yet, so you can't eat it." Li Zhenzhu stuck out her tongue and waved her hand, "You can keep playing with your little bug."

Fan Qingyi smiled softly, watching her eldest daughter push a bowl of rice toward her.

Then, she kept piling food onto her plate.

"Mom, eat."

Li Zhenzhu also laughed and added more food to Fan Qingyi's plate.

Fan Qingyi glanced at her eldest daughter, sensing something odd about her today.

"Alright, everyone eat! We've started a new life in this new place. Tomorrow I'll go to the nearby Textile Factory Elementary School to ask if they accept transfer students. If you can transfer, you won't have to wake up early every day to go back to Shanhe Village for school."

Mainly because she didn't trust the people in Shanhe Village anymore.

"I can study anywhere, and it doesn't matter if we can't transfer," Li Liuli said.

Li Zhenzhu nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'll check it out tomorrow," Fan Qingyi said.

Of course, transferring would be safer, and the quality of education in town would definitely be better.

Fan Qingyi pondered whether to ask Feifei for help, but after some thought, she shook her head and decided against it.

Feifei had already helped her a lot, and it wouldn't be right to keep asking for favors.

After the meal, the sisters went to wash the dishes by the river, while one cleaned the pot and tidied up the stove.

Fan Qingyi put the tired youngest daughter to bed.

Once everything was done, Li Zhenzhu pulled Li Liuli over to the swing, "Big sister, let's sit together, and Mom can push us."

"Okay!"

"No way!"

Both voices rang out simultaneously, and Fan Qingyi looked over, "A Li, what's wrong?"

"I'll push you; Mom has blisters on her hands and can't push you," Li Liuli explained quietly.

Fan Qingyi's heart softened suddenly, feeling a mix of emotions that she couldn't quite describe.

Chapter 97: Wenfeng Taught Her

She lowered her eyes to the blisters on her palm, which had formed from work. She had already pricked them before picking up the children from school, so how did A Li... still see them?

No wonder this child wouldn't let her do this or touch that.

He was afraid she would hurt the blisters.

This child...

Fan Qingyi looked at her eldest daughter and sighed softly.

She smiled and said, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"I followed the path you made, it's solid. I had to use a grappling hook to dig, loosen the soil for planting vegetables, and water them. How could it not hurt?"

Li Liuli raised her eyes but didn't look into Fan Qingyi's. Instead, she focused on her hands.

"Your hands are swollen. Mom must be pretending it doesn't hurt to avoid making us worry."

Her eyes welled up as she imagined the pain.

Seeing her about to cry, Li Zhenzhu was momentarily at a loss, her eyes also turning red. "Mom, your palms are all torn up…"

Fan Qingyi hurriedly said, "Those are just scratches from my nails."

"Why did you scratch yourself with your nails?"

Li Zhenzhu held Fan Qingyi's hand, examining her damaged palm.

Fan Qingyi choked, quickly pulling her hand back and changing the subject. "It's fine, Mom doesn't hurt anymore. Didn't you want to swing? Go sit down, and I'll push you…"

"Awooo~!"

A large adult tiger slowly stood up, walked behind the swing, and patted the swing seat with its paw.

Li Zhenzhu nudged Li Liuli. "Big sister, is it telling us to sit down?"

"Yeah."

Without asking more, Li Liuli pulled Li Zhenzhu over and they sat down. The tiger waited until they were settled, grabbed the ropes on both sides, and gently pushed them, sending them swinging.

Fan Qingyi, "…."

For a moment, her heart stopped.

But the tiger had indeed solved her problem.

She nodded gratefully at the tiger.

The tiger ignored her.

The sisters gradually relaxed, laughing and talking as the swing went higher and higher.

Seeing that the tiger knew what it was doing, Fan Qingyi didn't interfere.

She watched the three of them play while calculating when the rice and wheat in the field would mature, whether to convert the entire field to paddy for rice next season, or switch back to wheat.

She also calculated how many points were needed to reach level thirty.

More importantly, how to turn these things into real value…

The next morning, Fan Qingyi woke up early to go to the space to cook, only to find her eldest daughter already up.

Smoke was coming out of the chimney in the kitchen.

She buttoned her clothes and entered the kitchen.

Li Liuli looked up at the sound, smiling. "Mom, you're awake? Breakfast will be ready soon. I got rice from the space and cooked porridge. Little sister can drink it too."

Fan Qingyi glanced at the small pot where squash pancakes were being fried, sighing as she wiped the flour off her daughter's face.

"You're still growing. Why don't you sleep a bit longer?"

"I'm already awake." Li Liuli smiled with a slight curve of her eyebrows.

Fan Qingyi caressed her slightly dry cheek, smiling helplessly. "A Li, Mom wasn't good before, but I'm trying to change. You don't need to be so mature, okay?"

Li Liuli's smile paused, then she shook her head after a moment.

"I want to protect you too."

Fan Qingyi's nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes. Looking into her daughter's clear, black-and-white eyes, she felt a lump in her throat.

"Silly child, you're only ten…"

"Mom, Big Sister, why are you up so early?"

Li Zhenzhu, wearing a patched tube dress, rubbed her eyes and stood at the kitchen door.

Li Liuli peeked out from behind Fan Qingyi. "Zhuzhu, go wash your face. Breakfast will be ready soon. We live far from school, so we need to leave early."

"Oh, okay." Li Zhenzhu's sleepy eyes hadn't fully cleared, but she obediently went to change.

Fan Qingyi had already regained her composure, smiling. "I'll get some more water from the space."

After breakfast, Fan Qingyi carried little Coral and saw the two girls off at the town entrance. Li Liuli reminded her that there was no need to pick them up today since they already knew the way.

Watching her daughter's mature demeanor, Fan Qingyi felt both comforted and heartbroken.

After the two had walked far enough, Fan Qingyi went to the place where Jiang Yanhong said vegetables were sold. It used to be a black market area, but now that it was open, even more people crowded in.

People carried baskets and bags, setting them down on the ground and starting to call out their wares.

Most of the vegetables were home-grown; those picked fresh that day were more expensive, while leftovers from yesterday, looking wilted, fetched lower prices.

Fan Qingyi bought a few bunches of bok choy, cut a piece of tofu at the street corner, and put them away, planning to make a bok choy and tofu stew for dinner.

Leaving the black market, she calculated the time and headed to the primary school near the Textile Factory.

On top of the iron gate, large circular signs read "Textile Factory No. 6 Primary School."

She asked someone outside, but the security guard shook his head, "I'm not sure. You should ask one of the teachers inside..."

As they were talking, someone approached the school gate. The guard pointed to the person, "That's Mr. Cao. Ask him; he'll definitely know."

Fan Qingyi thanked him, suppressing her urge to run away, and hurried over, calling out.

"Mr. Cao."

The man paused, looked at her, and asked, puzzled, "Who are you? A parent of one of the students?"

"No, I live nearby and wanted to ask how to transfer my child to Textile Factory No. 6 Primary School."

"The school doesn't accept transfer students mid-term. If you want to transfer your child, you can wait until the end or beginning of the term and take part in the transfer student exam we organize. Those with good grades will be admitted."

Mr. Cao nodded at Fan Qingyi and continued walking quickly toward the school.

Fan Qingyi's face lit up with surprise, "So, if my child has good grades, they can transfer here?"

Mr. Cao confirmed with a nod.

"Then, is there any other way since we've missed the exam period? My child has always been a good student."

Fan Qingyi hurriedly followed Mr. Cao into the schoolyard. He stopped, frowned, and looked at her, "If you missed the exam period, there's no other way. Comrade, please don't follow me anymore."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Fan Qingyi paused, feeling a bit at a loss, and quickly apologized.

Mr. Cao waved his hand and continued walking.

Fan Qingyi felt anxious. She didn't want her daughter to be too close to Shanhe Village because she wasn't sure what the Li family might do next.

She clenched her hands, and a sudden idea struck her. She remembered how Li Wenfeng had bought many things and distributed them around the village, asking for favors.

Her mind suddenly became clear.

Right, Brother Wenfeng had taught her.

"Mom, when you give gifts, even to acquaintances, you need to give gifts. Since we don't know them, if we don't give gifts, it won't get done."

The little voice suggested from her arms.

Fan Qingyi glanced down at her, forced a smile, and in the next moment, took out a few sesame paste eggs from under the small coral blanket covering her belly.

Then, she hurried over and handed them to Mr. Cao.

"Mr. Cao, we just need a chance. Both of my children are very good students..."

Mr. Cao's brow furrowed, clearly impatient. He glanced at the unremarkable eggs in his hand and tried to push them back.

Fan Qingyi quickly said, "These are homemade sesame paste eggs. Please try them. I just need you to put in a good word. It doesn't matter if it works or not."

Chapter 98: The Person Is Gone

"…Alright."

He had woken up late and skipped breakfast, so his stomach was indeed growling. Not to mention, the eggs did have a distinct sesame sauce aroma.

Fan Qingyi's eyes lit up, and she quickly gave her address, watching as Teacher Cao entered the school building.

She turned back to the gatekeeper's booth and took two sesame sauce eggs for the old man, "Thank you. I made these myself, please don't mind them."

The old man accepted them with a cheerful smile.

"…If the child is good at studies, there's still a chance."

He whispered to Fan Qingyi, "If he doesn't give you any news, come back in a few days, and I'll help you corner the principal."

Fan Qingyi nodded repeatedly, expressing her gratitude to the old man again and again.

After taking care of the children's schooling, she went directly to the only police station in town.

To report the incident.

Someone had abused their power, conducting a body search on her without her consent and without evidence, infringing on her personal freedom.

The two men who had gone to Shanhe Village had spent a peaceful day, finally putting their worries to rest.

They thought Fan Qingyi had just been talking off the cuff and wouldn't dare to approach their superiors.

But who knew that as soon as they started work, before even finishing a cup of tea, they heard her recounting what they had done in Shanhe Village in the courtyard.

Instantly, they were both furious and rushed down to stop her.

But the gate was wide open, leading straight to the street, and Fan Qingyi's voice carried clearly, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

The two men stood at the stairwell, their faces dark, too afraid to step out, and asked a colleague to intervene.

The colleague frowned and stepped forward, "Comrade, do you know where you are? What are you saying here? Leave immediately."

"I know."

Fan Qingyi met the man's gaze, "Your colleague has broken the law, and I demand justice. Otherwise, I will file a lawsuit!"

"You—"

The colleague was taken aback, instinctively glancing back at where the two men were hiding, "Do you know what you're saying? How serious it is to accuse someone of breaking the law…"

"I know, but your colleague seems unaware."

Fan Qingyi followed his gaze and locked eyes with the two men in hiding.

She said coldly, "I also suspect they took money to do someone else's bidding. The whole village saw them exchange glances with the people who harmed me!"

The colleague's face suddenly turned grim.

He had wondered why these two had pushed him out, turns out they were up to no good!

And this woman, standing in the courtyard, shouting like this—didn't she care about making a spectacle of herself?!

"We can't take your word alone. Go home, and we will investigate. We will give you a satisfactory response once we have the facts."

The colleague forced a smile and nodded at Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi shook her head, "I can wait here."

The colleague, "…"

"Hongjun, please invite the comrade upstairs to speak." A loud voice came from the second floor.

The man immediately stood at attention and responded loudly, "Yes, sir."

"Come, let's take you to see our leader."

Fan Qingyi glanced at the stairwell; the two men were already gone.

She nodded.

They walked up the stairs, and when they reached the end of the second floor, the man knocked on a door.

"Leader, the person is here."

A voice from inside said to enter, and the man gestured for Fan Qingyi to go in.

The door opened, and the two men standing against the wall turned pale upon seeing Fan Qingyi.

The leader behind the desk coughed, and the two men slumped like deflated balloons.

Fan Qingyi walked in and saw the leader sitting behind the desk, looking stern. He asked, "Is everything you said in the courtyard true?"

"Every word," Fan Qingyi replied firmly.

The leader nodded and gestured to the man, "Hongjun, take this comrade to Room 301 for a statement."

The man hesitated, Room 301 wasn't…

…

The sun set, and the sky grew darker.

Li Zhenzhu stood at the crossroads, tiptoeing to look into the distance, "Sister, why hasn't Mother and Little Sister come back yet? It's almost dark."

"I don't know."

Li Liuli pursed her lips, gazing at the sky that was about to turn pitch black, and bit her lip.

"Zhuzhu, you stay home and wait. I'll go look for Mom and Little Sister..."

"No, I'm scared to be alone. I'll go with you." Li Zhenzhu grabbed Li Liuli's hand and shook her head.

Li Liuli glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, we'll go together."

"Mom said Uncle Youwei and Aunt Yanhong are setting up a stall near the Textile Factory. Let's go there first and see if Mom and Little Sister are there..."

"What if they're not?"

"...If they're not, who else does Mom know in town? Aunt Four!"

Li Liuli didn't even consider Li Laosi, immediately thinking of Liu Feifei. "Aunt Four works at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but right now..."

"They've already finished work." Li Zhenzhu looked up at the sky dejectedly.

As they talked, they hurried to the Textile Factory. There were only a few people outside, and no stalls in sight.

The Textile Factory had also closed, so anyone who had been selling would have gone home.

"What should we do, Big Sister?" Li Zhenzhu clung to Li Liuli.

Li Liuli thought for a moment and noticed a guard at the factory gate. "Let's ask him. Maybe he saw Mom and Little Sister."

The guard shook his head.

"Yesterday, I did see one. A pretty young woman carrying a fair-skinned little girl, but I haven't seen anyone with a child today."

The sisters exchanged disappointed glances.

"Do you know if anyone is still at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative?"

The guard smiled. "It's almost eight o'clock. The Supply and Marketing Cooperative closed hours ago. What do you two want to do?"

Li Liuli hesitated. "My mom and little sister are missing. My Aunt Four works at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. We want to find her. Her name is Liu Feifei. Do you know her?"

The guard chuckled.

"Sure, I know her. She's the deputy factory manager's niece, quite a character around here."

Li Liuli's eyes lit up. "Can you tell us where my Aunt Four lives?"

"Well..."

The guard hesitated, not wanting to give out information in case the girls were lying and causing trouble.

"Little girl, I can't give you that information. It's getting dark. Go home quickly. Your mom and little sister might already be back."

The guard shooed them away.

Li Liuli pulled Li Zhenzhu back silently.

Seeing this, the guard felt a bit guilty.

"How about I call their house? If she knows you, you can wait here for her, okay?"

Li Liuli nodded eagerly. "Thank you, Uncle. You're such a good person."

"You're a good person! A really good person." Li Zhenzhu chimed in.

The guard, "…"

Well, since he said it, he had to make the call.

He picked up the phone at the guardhouse and dialed the Liu family's number. Liu Feifei answered.

"…Two kids came looking for you… They called you Aunt Four. What are their names?"

The guard bent down to ask Li Liuli, "What are your names?"

"Ah Li, Zhuzhu."

Li Liuli pointed to herself and Li Zhenzhu.

Liu Feifei heard this on the other end and was puzzled. "Why did they go to the Textile Factory?"

The guard outside was also confused. "How should I know? They said their mom and little sister are missing, and they wanted to find you at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative…"

"What did you say? My second aunt and Little Coral are missing?"

Chapter 99: Get Lost!

Liu Feifei sprang up from the sofa, "Tell them to wait there, I'll ride over right away."

After hanging up, Liu Feifei went to the door to change into her shoes, while reporting to her parents.

"Mom, Dad, I need to go to the Textile Factory."

Father Liu, who was reading the newspaper on the other side of the sofa, grunted in acknowledgment.

"… Wait a moment."

Mother Liu poked her head out from the kitchen, stopping her daughter, and turned to wrap two buns in a cloth.

"It's this late, the two kids must not have eaten yet. Take these to tide them over. Be careful, go on."

Liu Feifei responded with an "Okay," took the buns, and opened the door.

Father Liu glanced at the sky, which was about to turn dark, frowned, put down his newspaper, and stood up.

"Feifei, I'll go with you."

He was worried about his daughter going out alone.

Liu Feifei hesitated, "Dad, I can manage on my own."

"Let's see what's going on first. If anything happens… you'll be taking care of two girls, and I'll ask your Uncle for help. Two people will be more efficient." Father Liu said.

Mother Liu smiled, "Your dad is right. You'd be overwhelmed trying to take care of the kids and find help by yourself."

Liu Feifei thought for a moment and agreed with an "Oh."

The father and daughter descended the stairs one after the other, and at the bottom, they encountered Li Laosi, who was carrying a bag of fruit and about to go upstairs.

"What are you doing here again?"

Father Liu's face turned cold, his gaze intimidating, and he spoke without any courtesy, "Get lost!"

"Dad, I know I was wrong. I'm here to ask for your forgiveness and Mom's forgiveness. Please give me another chance…"

As Li Laosi spoke, he was about to kneel down.

"If you say another word, I'll call your principal and tell him exactly what you did in that alley." Father Liu's voice was icy, his eyes fixed on Li Laosi.

Li Laosi's eyes darted around in panic, glancing fearfully at Liu Feifei, and managed a dry smile, "Feifei, it was just a joke, why are you still telling on me…"

"Shameless! Get lost, you bastard!"

Father Liu had reached his limit. The little princess he had raised with such care, this scoundrel had been incited to hit her and even tried to force himself on her. Did he think Father Liu was dead?!

Li Laosi opened his mouth, about to say something more.

Father Liu's voice turned colder, "Say another word, and I'll make sure you can't even be a teacher!"

Li Laosi's face changed dramatically.

He placed the fruit at Liu Feifei's feet, but she didn't even look at it, walking past it.

Father Liu followed closely behind, and the two of them got on their bicycle. With a few turns of the wheels, they quickly left the government compound.

Li Laosi stared at their disappearing backs for a long time, then spat on the ground and picked up his bag of fruit, leaving.

The father and daughter hurried as fast as they could, and from a distance, they saw two small figures outside the gate of the Textile Factory.

One was huddled against the other.

"A Li, Zhuzhu."

Liu Feifei called out, waving her hand. As soon as the bike was close enough, she jumped off the back seat and ran to the two children.

"Why are you standing here? It's so cold."

She grabbed their hands and rubbed them, then took out the buns she had kept warm in her pocket.

"Haven't eaten yet, right? Have a bun to tide you over. We'll go home later, and your mom will cook something nice for you."

Li Zhenzhu didn't take the bun, first looking at Li Liuli.

Li Liuli nodded, and Li Zhenzhu took it, saying, "Thank you, Auntie Feifei."

"Sure thing."

Liu Feifei handed the other bun to Li Liuli, "Are you hungry? Eat first, Auntie Feifei will help you find your mom and little sister."

"Thank you, Auntie Feifei."

Li Liuli took the bun but didn't eat it, looking up at Liu Feifei.

"Auntie Feifei, I just remembered, when we left this morning, my mom said she was going to ask if the nearby primary school accepts transfer students. Could she still be at the school?"

Liu Feifei frowned, stood up, and looked in the direction of the Textile Factory No. 6 Primary School, shaking her head.

"There's only one primary school nearby, and we passed it on our way here. It was already dark inside, and no one was there."

"Then where could she be?"

Li Liuli was at a loss, "We don't know anyone else in town. If they went to Uncle Youwei and Auntie Yanhong's place, they wouldn't be this late…"

No matter where they went, they shouldn't be this late and not back yet.

Liu Feifei had a gut feeling that something was off. With two children at home who hadn't brought their keys, it was impossible for her sister-in-law to not be back so late.

Unless...

She couldn't come back.

In what situation would she not be able to come back?

The more Liu Feifei thought about it, the tighter her brows furrowed. She looked up as Father Liu approached, wanting to say something but held back when she saw the worried and frightened expressions on her sisters' faces.

Then, she took the two girls to the gatehouse, letting them go in first to eat their buns.

Outside with Father Liu, she voiced her concerns, "Dad, it's impossible for my sister-in-law to leave the two kids and not come back so late. Something must have happened that prevented her from coming back."

Father Liu glanced at the twins who were staring at them and nodded.

"You stay here with them. I'll go to your Uncle Liu's office to borrow a phone."

Liu Feifei nodded eagerly, "Thank you, Dad."

Father Liu gave her a look and strode into the Textile Factory.

Liu Feifei knocked on the gatehouse door, which was quickly opened by the guard.

He smiled awkwardly at her, "You really know them? I thought these two kids were just playing around..."

"Call my Uncle Liu and see if he's still in his office," Liu Feifei rolled her eyes.

The guard hurriedly smiled and dialed the number. The call was soon answered, and he looked at Liu Feifei, "He's still there."

Liu Feifei nodded, pulling the two girls to sit on a bench nearby, then called out to the guard, "Do you have hot water? Pour a cup for each of them."

"Yes."

The guard hurried to pour the water, careful of the heat, and lifted the lids, kindly reminding them, "It's a bit hot, drink slowly."

"A Li, why aren't you eating? Don't you like buns?"

Li Liuli shook her head, "Fourth Aunt, I'm worried about Mom and my little sister. I can't eat."

Liu Feifei smiled, "Don't worry. Your mom doesn't know many people in town. She probably got lost. My dad is going to ask Uncle Liu to send some people out to look for her. Don't panic."

"Got lost?" Li Liuli's expression was somewhat dazed.

Li Zhenzhu hugged her bun and said, "I once got lost on my way to school, and it was Big Sister who found me. Mom must be waiting for us to find her and bring her home."

"Is that so?" Li Liuli's thoughts were more sensitive; she felt it wasn't quite right.

But Liu Feifei smiled and said, "It must be. Even adults can get lost when they don't know the area..."

The guard blinked, glancing several times at the straight streets of their town. How could someone get lost here?

Hmm... It did take some skill.

In the Textile Factory office, on the second floor.

Father Liu shared his suspicions with Uncle Liu, and both brothers frowned.

"How could someone just disappear without a reason?"

Uncle Liu had a good impression of Fan Qingyi, knowing she had saved his niece and helped find a quiet courtyard for them.

Father Liu shook his head, "With children at home, something must have happened that prevented her from coming back. Call a few people to search the area. She just moved here, so she probably hasn't gone anywhere else."

"Alright." Uncle Liu made a call to the factory security team, instructing three or four of them to go out and search.

Chapter 100: Uncle Liu, Call the Police!

In no time, three or four men in security uniforms ran out of the factory.

The guard's look at the two sisters changed instantly.

Remembering the candies he had in his pocket, he hurriedly took them out and offered them to the two, saying, "I just remembered, I have two Big White Rabbit candies left. Little sisters, here, one for each of you..."

"They're my nieces. What are you randomly calling them for?" Liu Feifei frowned and gave the guard a sideways glance.

The guard fell silent.

He had forgotten about that.

After speaking, Liu Feifei felt a twinge of regret. With how things had turned out with Li Zexi, a divorce was certain. However...

She really cherished Second Sister-in-law, A Li, and Zhuzhu.

The children of people leading beautiful lives were also endearing.

"It's okay, we're not short of your two candies. Keep them for your niece at home," Liu Feifei said.

Liu Feifei didn't let the children accept the guard's candies. She stood up and watched as the security guards left the factory, discussing as they scattered in different directions.

One direction each; it would be faster to find people this way.

As time ticked by and it was almost 10 o'clock, there was still no sign of them. Liu Feifei couldn't sit still anymore.

Li Liuli and Li Zhenzhu kept looking outside.

The two children were both tired and hungry. Liu Feifei frowned and was about to ask the guard to call their father and Uncle Liu when the phone at the gate rang.

The guard answered it and, looking at Liu Feifei, said, "The factory manager wants to speak to you."

Liu Feifei walked over and took the phone. "Uncle Liu."

"Feifei, I've had someone cook some noodles. Bring the two kids up first for a hot bowl."

Liu Feifei's eyes lit up. "Okay."

After hanging up, Liu Feifei led the two sisters into the factory.

Li Liuli asked Liu Feifei, "Fourth Aunt, there's still no news of my mom. Where could she be?"

Liu Feifei wanted to know too.

She put her arm around Li Liuli's shoulder. "Don't worry, the people from the textile factory have already gone to look for them. They'll find them soon."

Li Liuli bit her lip and turned to look at the dark, deep street behind her.

She was very scared.

Dad had suddenly disappeared, and everyone said he was dead. Many people who had been nice to them before now wished for their deaths.

Now Mom and little sister were suddenly gone too. What if...

"A Li?"

Feeling the girl tremble under her hand, Liu Feifei tightened her grip and called out to her.

The girl stopped and looked up at her with a gaze full of sorrow and despair.

Liu Feifei's heart trembled in fear. "A Li, what's wrong?"

"Fourth Aunt, is my mom..."

Hearing the trembling in her voice, Liu Feifei's expression changed sharply. She spoke sternly, "Of course not!"

The loud voice echoed in the empty first-floor hall of the factory office.

Li Zhenzhu was startled and jolted fully awake.

Li Liuli snapped back to reality. "Fourth Aunt..."

"Don't talk nonsense! Don't think wildly."

Liu Feifei pressed her shoulder and looked her in the eye. "Your mom is absolutely not what you're thinking. Your mom has been trying her best. She wants to protect you, to give you the best life, to ensure you grow up safe and happy! So, she would absolutely never... Do you understand?"

Li Liuli's large eyes filled with tears, and she nodded heavily.

"I understand."

Liu Feifei sighed inwardly, hugged her, and led the confused Li Zhenzhu up to the second floor.

In the deputy factory office on the second floor, a large basin of sour pork noodles was placed on a table, with several bowls nearby.

Father Liu and Uncle Liu were scooping noodles into the bowls. When they saw them come in, they immediately greeted them.

"Feifei, are you starving? Your father didn't mention you hadn't had dinner yet. There wasn't much in the kitchen, so I had someone whip up some noodles. Make do with it..."

Finished speaking, he winked at Liu Feifei, signaling her to serve the noodles to the two younger ones.

Liu Feifei smiled and responded. She pulled the two kids to sit down and pushed a bowl of noodles in front of each of them.

"Eat up. You must be starving too."

Li Zhenzhu looked at Li Liuli, who nodded. "Eat."

"Big Sister, have some too."

Li Zhenzhu tugged at Li Liuli's hand, "Mom and Little Sister will definitely find them."

Li Liuli forced a smile and nodded.

Seeing the sisters delicately start eating, Liu Feifei let out a sigh of relief and picked up her own bowl, scooping noodles into her mouth.

She hadn't eaten anything since noon and was really starving.

"Slow down, there's plenty." Uncle Liu sat beside her, smiling at his niece.

Liu Feifei's cheeks were bulging with food, and she wanted to ask Uncle Liu if those people had called back.

But seeing the sisters eating, she decided to wait until they finished.

For a moment, the room was filled only with the sound of slurping noodles.

After finishing their noodles, Uncle Liu took the thermos and poured a small bowl of water for each of them.

"Uncle, still no news?"

Uncle Liu shook his head, glancing at the sisters who were straining to listen, and whispered, "If we can't find them tonight, we'll have to report it tomorrow and get more people to search."

"Can't find them?"

Liu Feifei frowned, "Why don't we report it now? More people searching would be faster."

After saying that, she looked at Li Liuli, "A Li, can you take your sister to sleep in Uncle's office? You have school tomorrow, and we need to go out and look for them."

Li Liuli opened her mouth to speak.

"You can't go."

Liu Feifei knew what she was going to say, "You're too young, and you'd slow us down. We'd have to worry about taking care of you, which would waste time."

Li Liuli immediately closed her mouth and nodded at Liu Feifei.

Liu Feifei turned to Uncle Liu, "Uncle, can you put two benches together so the kids can sleep here? They're very well-behaved and won't cause any trouble for the factory."

Uncle Liu sighed, looking at her, "Of course, I'll borrow a blanket from the duty room to make them more comfortable."

Liu Feifei touched her nose and said, "Okay."

Uncle Liu walked past her and gave her a light tap.

Father Liu chuckled, shaking his head at his younger brother, "It's all because you spoil her."

Once Uncle Liu left, he glared at his daughter, "You talk to your uncle without respect. This is the Textile Factory, not our home. Who do you think you are, giving orders?"

Liu Feifei stuck out her tongue.

The benches were wide and long, and when two were put together, the backrests on both sides prevented the children from rolling off.

With a blanket laid over them, sleeping on the benches was a bit uncomfortable but better than nothing.

Li Liuli wasn't sleepy at all, but her sister was.

After getting the sisters settled, Father Liu and Uncle Liu went out first. Liu Feifei watched the sisters fall asleep, "Sleep well. Auntie promises that by tomorrow morning, you'll see your mom and little sister, okay?"

Li Liuli held Li Zhenzhu close and nodded, "Auntie, we won't go anywhere. We'll wait for you here."

"Good girl."

Liu Feifei patted Li Liuli's head, stood up, and walked to the door. She glanced at the light switch, worried that the children might be scared in an unfamiliar environment, and decided not to turn it off.

She met up with Father Liu and Uncle Liu outside.

The three of them walked downstairs, and Uncle Liu told her, "I've arranged for them to come back in two hours, whether they find anything or not. It should be about that time now..."

As he spoke, they reached the front of the factory and saw several people standing at the gate.

They hurried over, and four or five people shook their heads, "We asked around several streets, but no one has seen them."

"Someone did see a young woman with a child near the factory primary school, but she left early."

"… There was also a young wife with a child at the black market before, and the description matches, but…"

Uncle Liu's brows furrowed tightly. Could they really just disappear into thin air?

What kind of era are we living in?!

"Uncle, let's report it!" Liu Feifei decided firmly.

She had a bad feeling in her gut.

Father Liu agreed as well.

Uncle Liu nodded and walked into the guardhouse, dialing the police station.

The phone rang for a while before someone answered, sounding annoyed, "Who is it?"

"This is Liu Xuebing from the Textile Factory. I need to speak to Director Sang."

Chapter 101: Did I... Make a Mistake?

"Who is Liu Xuebing? Never heard of him! Calling at this hour, must be crazy!"

With that, he hung up the phone with a slam.

Liu Xuebing, the deputy director of the Textile Factory, had never been hung up on by a low-level employee before. He was momentarily stunned.

"Uncle Liu, he hung up on you?" Liu Feifei's eyes widened in shock.

Uncle Liu shot her a glance and quickly dialed another number. This time, after three rings, someone picked up.

"Who is it?"

The man's voice was filled with irritation from being woken up, and a forced restraint.

"Director Sang, it's me, Liu Xuebing from the Textile Factory."

Uncle Liu introduced himself, "Sorry to bother you so late, but I have an urgent matter."

"Liu Deputy Director?"

The irritation and impatience in the man's voice vanished instantly, replaced by surprise, "Go ahead, tell me what it is."

"…A distant relative just moved to town. She went out today with her child and hasn't returned yet."

Uncle Liu described Fan Qingyi's appearance and that of the child.

As Director Sang listened, his mind grew clearer. When Uncle Liu mentioned Fan Qingyi's name, a chill ran down his spine.

Damn!

How did a country woman become Liu Xuebing's distant relative?!

Those two bastards have brought trouble upon me!

"Liu Deputy Director, I know the two people you're talking about."

After much deliberation, the man decided to mix truth with lies, "They are here, but there's been… a small misunderstanding."

A small misunderstanding?

It's probably not as simple as a small misunderstanding.

Uncle Liu glanced at his niece, who was full of hope, and frowned.

"What kind of misunderstanding? Tell me, if it's her fault, I'll make sure she apologizes to you!"

The man said, "No need, no need. It's like a flood washing away the Dragon King's temple, just a minor issue. I'll call the station right now and have them send the people to the Textile Factory. Tomorrow… I'll come over to apologize in person, how about that…?"

"No need, we'll come to pick them up." Uncle Liu's voice was cold, and he hung up the phone with a slam.

Liu Feifei, piecing together what she heard, turned red with anger, "This is outrageous! Is there any law left?!"

She didn't know how to curse properly, so after a couple of attempts, she could only stomp her feet in frustration, "…Bullying others with power, it's too much!"

Uncle Liu shook his head.

"Let's go, we'll pick up your aunt."

Liu Feifei hurriedly pushed the bike.

Three people, two old-style bicycles, each with a flashlight tied to the handlebars, rode towards the police station.

On the other side, the man wiped the sweat from his forehead and called the station.

He had to call twice before someone answered.

The moment he opened his mouth, he cursed, "Damn it, I told you not to call, but you still did?! Who the hell do you think you are, Liu Xuebing? I don't care who you are! Come see Director Sang early tomorrow…"

"Brat, who are you cursing?" The man barked into the phone.

The voice on the other end paused, then quickly laughed nervously, "D-Director Sang…"

"Did Liu Xuebing from the Textile Factory just call here?"

The man responded, "Y-Yes, he called, but I don't know him…"

"You don't know Liu Xuebing? Don't you know the deputy director of the Textile Factory is surnamed Liu?! Idiot!" The man shouted.

The person on the other end was momentarily confused, then exclaimed, "The deputy director of the Textile Factory? Why didn't he say he was the deputy director?"

"Who would say they're the deputy director?! His name isn't 'Deputy Director Liu'!"

The person on the other end fell silent.

If he hadn't said it, how would I know the deputy director's name?

The man vented his anger for a while, then ordered him to release Fan Qingyi and her daughter from the interrogation room.

"The person to pick them up will be here soon. Liu Deputy Director is Liu Xuebing. If you mess this up, you're fired tomorrow!"

The person agreed repeatedly, promising to get it done.

After hanging up, the man was still uneasy. He wasn't afraid of Liu Deputy Director from the Textile Factory; he was afraid of the complicated relationships behind him.

Frowning, he thought for a moment, then rushed back to change into his clothes and informed his wife before hurrying out the door.

Fine, one trip won't hurt.

Going now is more sincere than apologizing tomorrow.

Liu Feifei and the others arrived first.

Fan Qingyi was just coming out with little Coral when Liu Feifei shone her flashlight, immediately recognizing the mother and daughter.

Her heart, which had been tense, finally relaxed.

"Second Sister-in-law."

She ran over quickly, afraid that the light might hurt the child's eyes, and wanted to turn it off.

Suddenly, she heard little Coral's soft baby sounds.

"Little Coral isn't asleep?"

Fan Qingyi shook her head slightly, her voice hoarse, and hurriedly asked Liu Feifei, "A Li and Zhuzhu..."

"They're at the Textile Factory. Don't worry, the two girls are very smart; they knew to find me."

Fan Qingyi paused, forcing a smile, "Thank you, how did you... come..."

The word "come" stuck in her throat when she saw Father Liu and Uncle Liu behind Liu Feifei, "How..."

Mid-sentence, Fan Qingyi sighed dejectedly.

"I've caused you trouble, I'm really sorry."

"Second Sister-in-law."

Liu Feifei interrupted her, "Isn't it what family and friends should do for each other? Besides, you didn't think it was a bother to save me, did you?"

"That's different..."

Liu Feifei ignored her, "Are you and little Coral okay?"

"We're fine."

Deputy Liu glanced at the man standing not far away, the dim light at the stairwell making it hard to see his face.

"Let's go back, the two children are still waiting at the factory."

Deputy Liu turned his gaze back to Fan Qingyi.

Fan Qingyi nodded.

On the way back, Liu Feifei rode with Fan Qingyi and her daughters, while the Liu brothers followed in another vehicle.

By the time they reached the Textile Factory, it was nearly midnight.

Liu Feifei led Fan Qingyi upstairs, "... Zhuzhu's eyes were almost closed, I wonder if they're already asleep..."

She gently pushed open the door and saw the two little girls looking at them.

"You..."

Fan Qingyi appeared behind Liu Feifei, and the sisters' eyes lit up as they called out together, "Mom!"

Liu Feifei smiled, opened the door wider, and handed little Coral to Fan Qingyi.

The twins jumped off their chairs and rushed over like bullets, hugging Fan Qingyi's waist.

"Mom!"

"Mom, where did you go? Big Sister and I waited for you for so long, I was so scared, Big Sister was scared too..."

Li Zhenzhu chattered on nonstop.

Li Liuli remained silent.

Fan Qingyi stroked her daughters' heads, "Mom had some business and lost track of time, and couldn't find the way home."

"Mom, you got lost?"

Li Zhenzhu looked up at her curiously, then at Liu Feifei.

"Did Auntie Feifei find you?"

Fan Qingyi nodded, "Let's go home. You need to rest because you have school tomorrow."

The sisters said in unison, "Okay."

Liu Feifei and Father Liu escorted them back, then went straight home.

Li Zhenzhu was very happy, pulling Li Liuli along to lead the way.

Father Liu walked in the middle, Liu Feifei carried little Coral, and Fan Qingyi walked at the back.

"Second Sister-in-law, what exactly happened today? Why were you... with them..."

Fan Qingyi briefly recounted what happened in Shanhe Village, then glanced sideways at Liu Feifei, "Was it... my fault?"