Nan Qingqing was truly ruthless.
She pressed Wang Meihua’s head down, slamming it recklessly against the ground.
Wang Meihua’s face was covered in blood.
Nan Qingqing didn’t even bat an eye, pounding so hard the earthen ground seemed to tremble.
Finally.
Wang Meihua couldn’t take it anymore.
She begged for mercy, saying, “I remember now, I remember now. When I was cleaning your room, I saw it and put it away for you.”
Nan Qingqing grabbed Wang Meihua’s hair.
Lifting Wang Meihua’s head, she asked, “Where did you put it?”
Wang Meihua panted heavily, “I’ll go get it for you.”
Only then did Nan Qingqing get off Wang Meihua.
Wang Meihua’s face and mouth were covered in blood, her hair disheveled, like a female ghost who had just devoured a child outside. Clutching her waist, she went into the main room.
She came out immediately.
In her hand were three photographs.
She handed them to Nan Qingqing.
After looking at them, Nan Qingqing fixed a dangerous and sharp gaze on Wang Meihua, “There’s one more—a solo photo of my mother.”
Wang Meihua’s expression suddenly turned guilty.
Her eyes shifted uneasily.
Nan Qingqing demanded fiercely, “I’m asking you a question.”
Wang Meihua said with extreme guilt, “That photo… I accidentally tore it up…”
Nan Qingqing raised her fist.
Wang Meihua’s knees went weak, and she knelt on the ground herself, “Qingqing, I really didn’t mean to. I’ve raised you all these years—even if I haven’t done much, I’ve put in effort. You can’t take my life over a photo, can you?”
Nan Qingqing was like a young calf that had just lost its mother.
Her clenched fist trembled.
Her eyes were red, looking pitiful yet putting on a brave face, “Where did you put the pieces after tearing it?”
Wang Meihua stammered, “In the dustpan.”
Nan Qingqing quickly went to the dustpan in the corner to search.
Amid a pile of trash, she found several fragments.
Looking at her torn-apart mother, Nan Qingqing couldn’t hold back her tears.
Lu Baiyang stepped forward.
He pulled Nan Qingqing up, took the fragments from her hand, and said, “We can glue it back together. Let’s go home first.”
Nan Qingqing looked at Lu Baiyang with hopeful eyes, “You have a way?”
Lu Baiyang nodded.
Seeing that Nan Qingqing’s pretty face was still tightly furrowed.
Lu Baiyang made a rare joke, “The People’s Liberation Army doesn’t lie.”
Nan Qingqing wiped her tears.
Lu Baiyang held Nan Qingqing’s hand.
They passed by Wang Meihua.
Passed by Nan Fusheng.
Went through the crowd of onlookers.
Headed straight for the car.
Only when the car beeped and sped away.
Did the neighbors come forward.
They helped Wang Meihua up.
Wang Meihua wept and wailed, “What kind of thing is this? I can’t go on living! Beaten like this by my own stepdaughter—how can I live anymore!”
A neighbor consoled her, “Qingqing’s birth mother passed away early, and that photo was her only keepsake. How could you take it away? You should think about Qingqing too.”
But many also spoke up for Wang Meihua, “What are you saying? Everyone has seen how Meihua treated Nan Qingqing all these years. What daughter is so arrogant as to beat her own mother on her wedding return day? This is unfilial and rebellious!”
The two groups even started fighting.
Wang Meihua cried and wailed even louder.
Nan Fusheng had a terrible headache.
He went back to the main room kang to sleep.
The car passed by the small bridge.
Through the car window.
Lu Baiyang saw Lu Jianguo and Nan Honghong had just fished the Erba Dagang bicycle out of the water, but one of its wheels was missing.
The two were at a complete loss.
Just then, they spotted Lu Baiyang’s car.
Lu Jianguo urgently waved and shouted, “Third Uncle, Third Uncle, please help!”
Lu Baiyang glanced at Nan Qingqing.
Though it was already dark, the two could manage walking back on foot, but hauling a broken Erba Dagang would likely be far more difficult.
Although Lu Baiyang looked down on Lu Jianguo,
this area truly had wolves roaming at night.
Wolves would hide when they saw a large group of people.
But Lu Jianguo only had two people.
If they really encountered wolves,
they would surely become prey.
Lu Jianguo might be worthless, but as his own nephew, Lu Baiyang couldn’t just watch him walk to his death.
So he pulled over.
Lu Jianguo finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After cramming the Erba Dagang into the car, the door couldn’t close properly, so they had to drive with it open.
Nan Qingqing sat in the passenger seat, remaining silent the whole time.
Nan Honghong deliberately asked, “What’s wrong with Qingqing? Did you have a fight with Third Uncle? Third Uncle, Qingqing has a bit of a temper, please be patient with her.”
Lu Baiyang steered with one hand.
His sleeves were rolled up,
revealing arms corded with prominent veins.
When he lifted his gaze to the rearview mirror, his deep brown eyes were icy.
He said coolly, “What happens between me and my wife is none of your business as a junior.”
His words were merciless.
Nan Honghong, after all a woman, flushed crimson at his words, her eyes reddening.
Lu Jianguo quickly interjected, “Third Uncle, Honghong meant well. Why are you so harsh?”
Lu Baiyang said impatiently, “Keep talking, and both of you can get out with your broken bike.”
Hearing this,
Lu Jianguo fell silent.
He squeezed Nan Honghong’s hand,
signaling her to stop talking too.
This area was heavily wooded and indeed had wolves.
He didn’t want to be eaten by wolves at such a young age.
Nan Honghong shook off Lu Jianguo’s hand and turned away to sulk.
Her heart ached with bitterness.
Why in this life did Nan Qingqing still have such good luck, meeting someone who would protect her wholeheartedly?
He was even better to her than Lu Jianguo had been in her previous life.
She felt it was unfair.
Nan Honghong gritted her molars in frustration.
But then she reconsidered.
What good did it do for Lu Baiyang to protect Nan Qingqing now?
At best, he could only protect her for two more years.
Two years later,
Lu Baiyang would die a heroic death while on a mission.
By then,
Nan Qingqing would be a widow.
She heard Lu Baiyang had also adopted two children. How difficult would life be for Nan Qingqing, a woman alone with two burdens?
By that time, she, Nan Honghong, would be a successful career woman, and Nan Qingqing would have to kneel before her, groveling to polish her shoes.
Thinking of this,
Nan Honghong unconsciously laughed aloud.
Lu Jianguo was baffled and whispered, “Are you crazy? What are you laughing at? It’s creepy.”
Nan Honghong covered her mouth and said, “Nothing, I just thought of something funny.”
Lu Jianguo: “…”
At the Lu family’s gate.
The car stopped.
Nan Qingqing pushed the door open, got out, and went straight to her room.
Lu Baiyang followed closely behind Nan Qingqing.
Leaving Lu Jianguo and Nan Honghong to unload the bike.
Just then,
Lu’s mother rushed out of the house.
She approached them.
She delivered a sharp, stinging slap directly to Nan Honghong’s face.
Nan Honghong was stunned by the blow.
Her ears were ringing.
Covering her ear, she sobbed and asked, “Mother, what did I do wrong?”
Lu’s mother gnashed her teeth so hard they ached. “If you’re truly that unbearably itchy, go grab a handful of salt to scrub yourself! You shameless creature! What kind of woman drags her husband to her parents’ home to have a roll in the hay? Can you not survive for even a moment without stuffing that hole?”