As soon as Song Miaomiao saw the fierce look on Song Wanning’s face, she didn’t dare linger another second. She turned around and ran.
Watching the three of them leave, Song Wanning carried the broom back into the courtyard, returned it to its place by the doorway, dusted off her hands, and closed the gate.
When she returned to Xu Lanjiao’s room, she saw that Xu Lanjiao was still holding the lunch box without eating. She was staring at Song Wanning with a look of astonishment.
Song Wanning pointed at her own nose with a finger.
“Why aren’t you eating? The food won’t taste as good once it gets cold.”
Hearing her speak, Xu Lanjiao finally snapped back to her senses.
Realizing she had been staring so openly, she quickly lowered her gaze in embarrassment. It was rather rude to keep looking at someone like that.
She hurriedly lowered her head and began eating with a spoon.
After taking two bites, she looked up again.
“Song Wanning… you were amazing just now.”
Although she hadn’t seen what happened outside, she had clearly heard Liu Cuihua and Song Bao screaming.
She didn’t know what Song Wanning had gone through to transform from such a timid person into someone so brave—someone who even dared to raise a hand against her own mother.
The news of Song Wanning separating from the family had already spread throughout the village. Everyone knew how Liu Cuihua had treated her.
Xu Lanjiao had pitied her back then, feeling that she was a child unloved by either her father or mother.
“I was actually worried I’d scare you.”
“You know my parents have never treated me well.”
“My little brother rushed in just now and grabbed the braised pork without asking. Of course I got angry.”
“Now that we’ve split the family, I don’t have to keep indulging them anymore.”
“If they dare come and bother me again, I’ll chase them out with a broom too.”
Song Wanning shrugged indifferently.
She had thought her actions might frighten Xu Lanjiao, but instead of being scared, she had praised her.
After chatting with Xu Lanjiao for a while longer, and once she had finished eating, Song Wanning helped her lie back down and told her to get plenty of rest.
She then carried away both the empty lunch box and the bowl of braised pork that Song Bao had stolen from.
Meanwhile, back at the Song family…
Liu Cuihua and Song Bao were crying as they complained to Song Dashan.
When Song Dashan heard that Song Wanning had actually beaten the two of them with a broom, he was shocked.
No matter what, Liu Cuihua was still her biological mother.
How could she do something like that?
Angrily, he stood up, intending to go teach Song Wanning a lesson.
But then another thought crossed his mind.
Even Liu Cuihua and Song Bao had been beaten.
If I go over there now… will she beat me too?
If word got out that a father had been beaten by his own daughter with a broom, he’d never be able to hold his head up in the village again.
The more he thought about it, the less appealing the idea became.
Forget it.
“This matter ends here.”
“None of you are to go looking for trouble with her anymore.”
“And you, Song Miaomiao.”
“You’re getting married in a few days. Stay home and behave yourself.”
“Don’t cause me any more problems.”
Song Miaomiao had originally thought Song Dashan was going to seek revenge on Song Wanning.
Instead, he ended up warning her.
She felt utterly wronged.
What’s going on?
Mom and Dad clearly don’t like Song Wanning.
Then why didn’t Dad dare go after her after Mom got beaten?
Is Dad actually afraid of Song Wanning?
Song Miaomiao wasn’t the only one confused.
Liu Cuihua was just as puzzled.
She felt miserable.
She and her precious son had been beaten by that little wretch, yet her own husband didn’t even bother to stand up for them.
That left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Song Bao, however, thought differently.
Seeing that his father wasn’t doing anything, he cried and fussed as he ran over to Song Dashan.
He demanded that his father avenge him and beat Song Wanning in return.
Unfortunately, his hopes were destined to be crushed.
No matter how loudly he cried or how much he threw a tantrum, Song Dashan had no intention of going after Song Wanning.
Eventually, Song Dashan grew so annoyed that he couldn’t stand it anymore.
He simply told Song Bao to stop crying, then returned to his room and shut the door.
Seeing this, Song Bao pouted miserably.
But no matter how wronged he felt, there was nothing he could do.
Even his father refused to stand up for him.
Furious, he stomped back to his room, slammed the door, threw himself onto the table, and burst into tears.
Liu Cuihua could only sigh helplessly.
Her backside still ached from the beating.
When she turned around and saw Song Miaomiao standing nearby, her anger flared up again.
She stormed over, grabbed Song Miaomiao’s ear, and twisted it hard.
“When your brother and I were getting beaten just now, why were you just standing there?”
“Couldn’t you even come help us?”
“What was the point of giving birth to you?”
Song Miaomiao winced in pain.
She tried to pull her ear free, but every time she struggled, Liu Cuihua only twisted harder, making it hurt even more.
Song Wanning knew nothing about the commotion at the Song household.
It was already late.
She washed up early and went to bed because she had arranged to meet Li Lan at six o’clock the next morning to catch the village ox cart into the county town.
As soon as her alarm rang shortly after five in the morning, Song Wanning opened her eyes on time.
She got up, brushed her teeth, washed her face, then took some dried noodles out of her space.
She cooked a pot of egg noodles.
After finishing one bowl herself, she carried another bowl to Xu Lanjiao.
Once they had eaten, there was a knock at the door.
Hearing Li Lan calling from outside, Song Wanning placed the bowls into a basin filled with water, intending to wash them after she returned.
She wiped the water from her hands on her clothes before opening the door.
“Song girl, I thought you were still asleep.”
“Aren’t we going to the county today?”
“Let’s get going.”
“Oh, right. Bring a scarf with you.”
Song Wanning blinked in confusion.
She didn’t know why she needed a scarf.
After thinking about the few clothes she owned, she realized she didn’t have one.
Feeling embarrassed, she said,
“Auntie… um… Godmother… I… I don’t have a scarf.”
Li Lan froze for a moment.
Without another word, she removed her own scarf and stuffed it into Song Wanning’s hands.
“Then just use mine.”
“Come on, let’s hurry.”
“If we’re late and the ox cart leaves, we’ll have to walk all the way to the county.”
Song Wanning nodded.
She turned around, locked the front door, and followed Li Lan toward the village entrance.
The ox cart belonged to Wang Jianguo’s elder brother, Wang Jianbang.
He made one round trip to the county every day, charging a total of fifty cents for the journey there and back.
Li Lan walked over with Song Wanning and handed Wang Jianbang one yuan.
Wang Jianbang chuckled.
“Hey, younger brother’s wife, why are you paying me?”
“Take it back.”
“I’m not charging you.”
He tried to return the money, but Li Lan pushed it back into his hand.
“Come on, Big Brother.”
“Business is business.”
“You should take what’s owed.”
“This covers the fare for both of us.”
“If you won’t take it, Song girl and I will just walk instead.”
There was no way Wang Jianbang would let them walk all the way to the county.
In the end, he accepted the money and invited them onto the ox cart.
Just after Song Wanning and Li Lan had settled into their seats, they saw Chen Ailian and Li Guihua hurrying over to catch the cart as well.
After climbing aboard, the two women immediately spotted Song Wanning.
Their expressions darkened.
What rotten luck.
Even here, they had run into their enemy.