“Others aside, I never would have expected that even my second uncle’s kindness toward me was fake. His goal was to gain my trust, then let me die quietly, so that he would become the sole heir to these inheritances.”
Lin Ruihai paused for a moment before continuing, “Later, when he realized that I had seen through his intentions, he didn’t restrain himself at all. Instead, he became even more arrogant and began openly hiring people to harm me. The day Sinian found me, I had been chased by the people he sent, fell into a ravine, and nearly lost my life. Meanwhile, in Beijing, he still carried the reputation of a great philanthropist.”
Lan Sisi listened in stunned silence. As expected, she could not understand the world of the wealthy, she had only ever seen such plotlines in television dramas and novels.
She gently held Lin Ruihai’s clenched fist, the warmth of her palm slowly soothing his heart.
“I’m already fine. Ever since I came here, my mood has calmed a lot. I really like the peaceful and quiet life here, and I also like you… all of you.” Lin Ruihai looked at Lan Sisi, the light in his eyes brighter than a sky full of stars.
Lan Sisi’s face suddenly heated up because of his last sentence. She felt as if he might say something astonishing next, so she quickly changed the subject. “Then what do you plan to do after this?”
“I have a friend in Beijing who has been helping me collect evidence. I’ve also been contacting my connections in Beijing to assist with the investigation. He can’t touch my father’s inheritance for now. When the time is right, he will naturally reveal his true colors,” Lin Ruihai said.
In truth, he very much wanted to ask whether, when that time came, she would be willing to return to Beijing with him. But he did not dare to ask, afraid of frightening her.
After that late-night conversation, the relationship between the two grew much closer, and the faint barrier that had existed between Lin Ruihai and them quietly disappeared.
A week later, Liu Guihua and Yu Shi were released. The two looked like eggplants beaten by frost, listless as they walked out of the police station. Lan Tianzhu and Lan Aijun were waiting outside. The moment Yu Shi saw Lan Aijun, her tears would not stop. She burst into loud sobs. Lan Aijun was still quite protective of this woman he had chosen as his wife, and he quickly comforted her in a low voice. Liu Guihua rolled her eyes at them. “That’s enough, are you mourning the dead? This is the street!”
Yu Shi stopped crying reluctantly. In truth, they had not suffered much in the police station. It was mainly the anxiety, fear, and helplessness that had tormented them into their current state.
After returning home, Lan Junsheng and Lan Hehua had also come back from the town.
“What happened? Didn’t I tell you to be careful? I’m about to look for a job, having a stain on the family will be very disadvantageous to me!” Lan Junsheng was losing his temper inside the house at Fang Shi.
“I know, but your grandmother and your third aunt were determined to go against that good-for-nothing girl. What could I do?” Fang Shi said with a troubled expression.
“Lan Sisi, again it’s Lan Sisi. Just an insignificant woman, yet she keeps causing us trouble again and again,” Lan Junsheng said irritably. He had completely forgotten that it was his own family who had provoked her first, she had only been retaliating.
“I just remembered something. The last time I went to eat Western food with the director, I ran into Lan Sisi. She was dining with a middle-aged man. The director told me that man already has a wife,” Lan Hehua said as if casually.
“That’s a very good leverage. If used properly, she’ll never be able to turn things around,” Lan Junsheng said. “But we can’t be the ones to do it. Find a way to let Grandma and Third Aunt know about this.”
“But I’m afraid they’ll mess it up again,” Fang Shi said worriedly.
“If they can mess up something this simple, it just means they’re too useless,” Lan Junsheng said coldly.
This version of Lan Junsheng made Fang Shi feel somewhat unfamiliar. She could only change the subject to suppress the strange feeling in her heart. “Hehua, how are things going between you and that director? When will you bring him home for me to meet?”
“No rush. He’s the chief director of a factory, busy all day. How would he have time to come back with me?” Hehua revealed a sweet smile.
“That’s true, then no rush. As long as things are going well between you two,” Fang Shi finally showed a hint of a smile.
Just as they were talking, they heard movement outside. Liu Guihua and the others had returned.
“Junsheng, you’re back. Come here and let Grandma have a good look at you, you’ve gotten thinner.” Looking at Liu Guihua, whose clothes hadn’t been changed for days and now emitted a foul smell, yet whose face was full of smiles, Lan Junsheng’s eyes flashed with a trace of barely noticeable disgust.
At this time, Lan Sisi was working in the fields while chatting with Hong Xiulian in the neighboring plot. Hong Xiulian had mostly recovered from her illness. Since her household registration had been moved out separately, the village had allocated her some land, one of which happened to be next to Lan Sisi’s.
“Zhaodi found a job in town washing dishes. It pays ten yuan a month. I’ll farm at home, and when I’m not busy, I’ll go to town to help her. After handing in the grain at the end of the year, we’ll keep what we need to eat, and the rest can be sold for money. That’s enough for me and Zhaodi to live on.” As Hong Xiulian spoke of this, her face was full of smiles. She truly seemed to have moved on from the past.
“Life will only get better and better.” Lan Sisi was also affected by her emotions and could not help but smile.
“Yes. Before, I revolved around that man at home, working like an ox or a horse for his family for so many years, and in the end I didn’t get anything good out of it. Thinking about it now, it’s laughable. Now it’s different. No matter what demons or monsters they are, they can’t hurt me and my daughter anymore.” Hong Xiulian’s voice carried firmness, that fiery Aunt Hong had returned.
“Sis, a lot of my classmates are asking where this outfit came from. Can I tell them you made it for me?” Lan Sinian asked after coming back from school.
Lan Sisi’s eyes lit up. “Of course. If they want clothes made, tell them to come find me.”
Recently, several more sheep had been added to the farm, and the accumulated wool was increasing. Lan Sisi had been worrying about how to use it. Now the house was already filled with wool sweaters, wool scarves, and wool blankets. She felt as if she was about to be surrounded by wool. When she slept, her mind was full of bizarre images of little sheep shedding their wool on their own.
“What are you talking about?” Lin Ruihai walked in from outside and asked with a smile. Today he was wearing a V-neck wool sweater with a shirt underneath, buttoned all the way to the top. He looked refined and handsome, making Lan Sisi’s heart race and her face flush.
It could be said that he did not lose to any young heartthrob she had seen in her previous life, he was even a step above.
Lan Sisi’s gaze darted around, and she found an excuse to slip into the kitchen, leaving Lin Ruihai confused.
“We got paid this month, twelve yuan in total. Here, take it.” Lin Ruihai followed into the kitchen and handed the money to Lan Sisi, who was lost in thought.
Lan Sisi did not take it. “It’s your salary, keep it yourself. Why give it to me?”
“Take it. From now on, I’ll hand over my salary to you every month.” Lin Ruihai stuffed the money into her hand and quickly turned to walk out. Lan Sisi turned her head and, with sharp eyes, noticed that his ears had turned completely red.
“Sis, what are you grinning about? The pot is about to burn dry.” Lan Sinian walked in and looked at her in confusion.
“Nothing. Why are you talking so much, have you finished your homework?”
Lan Sinian: “???”
At the Lan family’s old residence, they had just finished eating. Liu Guihua was still lamenting over her emptied money box, cursing Lan Sisi and her younger brother under her breath.
“That’s enough! Stop it already!” Lan Tianzhu shouted.
Liu Guihua widened her eyes, looking at Lan Tianzhu, who had been cowardly for most of his life, in disbelief. She shrieked, “What did you say?!”
Just as a big argument was about to erupt, the door was suddenly knocked. Lan Aijun had just walked over to open it when, with a bang, the door was kicked open. Five or six people rushed in from outside, all burly men, along with a frail old woman.
“Where’s Yu Juan? Get Yu Juan out here!” the leading man shouted.
Yu Shi had just come out of the kitchen. Frightened, her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the ground.
“Big brother, may I ask what business you have with my wife?” Lan Aijun stepped forward and asked stiffly.
“She scammed my brother out of five hundred yuan, and now she’s even gotten him thrown into prison. We’re here to get the money back!” the leading man shouted loudly.
The visitors were Lai Qiang’s mother and his younger brother, Lai Hu. Lai Hu was also a notorious troublemaker, a well-known hooligan in the area, skilled in fighting, gambling, and harassing young women. He had also gathered quite a few like-minded companions. Today, he had brought this group to cause trouble.
“I trusted your nonsense back then only because we were from the same village. Now my son didn’t get a wife and has even been thrown into prison. Return the money, and on top of that, you must compensate us another five hundred yuan!” the old woman stepped forward, spitting as she spoke.
“In your dreams!” Upon hearing about money, Liu Guihua could no longer sit still. She jumped out and said, “Your son is a hooligan, getting arrested by the police serves him right! We were dragged into the police station for several days because of him, and we haven’t even asked you for compensation yet!”
“Bah! You rotten-hearted old hag! You sold your own granddaughter and got yourself into the police station, and now you’re blaming my son! If you don’t compensate today, I’ll smash your lousy house!”
“Wait! Let’s talk this out. Come inside first, and we can discuss it properly,” Lan Tianzhu tried to mediate.
More and more onlookers gathered around, and the discussions grew louder. Lan Tianzhu’s old face could not bear the embarrassment.
But Lai Hu had come precisely to make a scene. The bigger the commotion, the better. Ideally, the entire village would spread the news, only then would his goal be achieved. Naturally, he would not agree.
“We’ll talk right here. If you don’t take out the money today, we’re not leaving!” Lai Hu said in a flippant tone.
“What money? Where would our family even have money left!” Liu Guihua said.
“If you don’t have money, compensating me with a wife will do. Otherwise, we’ll start smashing things.” After Lai Hu finished speaking, the others all began to laugh, their smiles suggestive and lewd.
Originally, it had been a joke, but Liu Guihua took it seriously. Her eyes shifted. She could not deal with Lan Sisi for the time being, but didn’t she still have another granddaughter in her hands? Lan Meili. And back then, it had also been her suggestion to find Lai Qiang. Using her to settle the debt would make sense.
“If we give you a wife, will you really stop causing trouble for us?” Liu Guihua asked.
Lai Hu thought for a moment. Because his reputation was too bad, just like his older brother, he was nearly thirty and still without a wife. His mother’s hair had turned white from worry. If he could get a wife to carry on the family line, that would not be a bad outcome.