“Lian’er, Mother will take you home. We cannot let this matter of keeping a mistress go like this! We must make it known to the entire village! Otherwise, how can you ever divorce him?”
“Father! Mother!” Li Xianglian quickly called out to stop them.
Her eyes turned red, tears swirling as she trembled and wiped at the corners of her eyes.
“Lian’er, why are you crying? If you still like Chen Lang, Mother can break his legs and keep him at home for you. Don’t cry—it will hurt your eyes.”
Her mother held her tightly, her rough fingers gently wiping away her tears.
Seeing his wife and daughter embracing each other, Li Xianglian’s father felt conflicted. His slightly clouded eyes lowered as he gently patted his daughter’s back, while his other hand held his wife’s.
Li Xianglian understood their guilt clearly. She lifted her gaze, determination filling her eyes, and hugged her parents’ strong waists tightly.
“Father, Mother, believe me. I cannot divorce Chen Lang yet. I have my own plans.”
“His hidden money must be kept. We will take half to start a business, and use the other half to buy grain and store it. If we divorce right after taking the money, Chen Lang will definitely suspect us, so we must wait.”
After she finished speaking, her parents’ expressions softened.
She continued, “Don’t worry, I will make sure you both live a good life. From now on, it will just be our family of three. We will move out of Linshui County and buy a big house. I will make sure you eat meat every day, and raise lots of chickens, ducks, and rabbits…”
Hearing her plans, the couple gradually calmed down.
But at that moment, a sharp cry interrupted them.
“Father! Grandfather locked me up! My hand hurts… Father, hold me… I’m scared…”
Li Xianglian’s heart sank.
Chen Xuan was only three years old, yet her ability to twist facts was already impressive—someone must have taught her.
The three of them looked toward the door in alertness.
Chen Lang walked in holding Chen Xuan’s hand. Before even entering fully, his furious gaze shot toward Li Xianglian like a blade.
“Xianglian! Xuan’er is your own daughter! I just took Jue’er out for a moment, and you had someone beat her like this? Do you even have the heart of a mother?!”
“My father punished her because she disrespected her elders. I think it’s not the child who is wrong—it’s you as her father who taught her badly. She doesn’t even know how to greet her grandfather, and now you accuse me of being an unfit mother?”
Li Xianglian’s tone was calm, but firm.
“Enough. I don’t have time to argue. Jue’er is sick—I need to get medicine. Is there any silver left at home?”
Chen Lang felt anxious. He rushed into the inner room and searched his hidden stash—but all the gold and silver were gone.
This was unacceptable!
His child’s illness was one thing, but this money had been painstakingly taken from the Marquis household!
“You’re panicking for what? I already said there’s no money at home. Why are you rummaging around like this?” Li Xianglian asked calmly, then added with feigned concern, suppressing disgust as she tugged his arm. “Why don’t you borrow some from the villagers?”
Chen Lang exploded like a firecracker.
“We’ve been robbed! I’m going to report this to the authorities!”
He shoved her away and stormed out, his bloodshot eyes startling even Li Xianglian.
“Xianglian, you know how sick Jue’er is. We must find that money. Did you see anyone suspicious at home?”
In his panic, he didn’t suspect her at all.
Li Xianglian shook her head gently. “Go quickly. I’ll wait here. Jue’er’s health is the most important.”
Half an hour later, Chen Lang returned with a group of officers.
He had likely used some connections.
“Please, officials, catch the thief and bring them to justice!” he said through gritted teeth.
The officers searched carefully but found no clues.
“Are there any visitors recently? Doors and windows are intact. It doesn’t seem like an outsider broke in,” one of them said.
Chen Lang thought hard—completely missing Chen Xuan tugging at his sleeve.
With tearful eyes, she said softly, “Father… only Mother went into your room today… and took out many things. Was she helping you clean up?”
All eyes immediately turned to Li Xianglian.
“Children don’t lie. Xianglian, did you take my things?” Chen Lang asked, suspicion and unease in his voice.
The officers also grew wary.
“Search her,” Chen Lang ordered coldly.
The officers hesitated. It was unheard of for a husband to demand strangers search his wife.
Still, Li Xianglian nodded calmly. “Search then.”
Then she added, “But if nothing is found, Chen Lang—you will owe me an explanation.”
Chen Xuan immediately clung to her, crying, “Mother, don’t make things hard for the uncles… if you accidentally took something, just give it back… I don’t want you to be taken away…”
The officers’ suspicion deepened.
They felt pity for such a “well-behaved child” and anger toward the supposed “thief mother.”
Li Xianglian sneered inwardly.
Such a familiar act—pretending innocence, shifting blame. Who would believe this was a three-year-old child?
Several village women were called in to search her.
After a full inspection, they came out empty-handed.
“No stolen items found. It’s not Madam Li who took them,” they reported.
The officers were stunned.
“Chen Gongzi, you ordered the search yourself. Since nothing was found, she isn’t the thief…”
“Shut up!” Chen Lang’s face darkened with rage.
Looking at Li Xianglian’s calm expression, frustration twisted in his chest like needles.
“If you can’t find it, it doesn’t matter,” Li Xianglian said lightly. “From now on, I won’t concern myself with your matters. Father, Mother—we’re going home.”
Those words completely panicked Chen Lang.
This wasn’t just going back to her parents’ home.
Why was the obedient Li Xianglian angry? She had no right to be angry! How dare she!
But with outsiders present, he could only suppress his fury and coldly threaten, “Li Xianglian, once you walk out that door, don’t ever think of coming back!”
Her father pushed the wheelchair and spat on the ground.
“Who cares?!”
No one does.