The main and secondary branches of the family took turns cooking. Yesterday, Miao Cuilan prepared lunch, so today it was Yang Erni’s turn.
Of course, with Yao Kemei around, Yang Erni would slack off whenever possible. She dumped all the work on Yao Kemei and went to lie down in her room.
Yao Sheng also pulled Miao Cuilan into their room and told her about the incident involving Li Yunqi.
Since it concerned their daughter’s reputation, it wasn’t appropriate to discuss it outside. Although their daughter wasn’t at fault in this matter, public opinion could be formidable, especially with those gossipy aunties who loved spreading baseless rumors.
For this reason, he had specifically warned Yao Hai to keep his mouth shut.
Upon hearing Yao Sheng’s account, Miao Cuilan flew into a rage, rolling up her sleeves as if ready to charge out and teach someone a lesson.
“Wait, there’s no need for you to go. I already took Second Brother and gave him a good thrashing,” Yao Sheng quickly stopped her.
He hadn’t held back—from his estimation, that fellow would probably be bedridden for several days.
They couldn’t afford to cause a death, so no more beating was possible.
“That idiot was just being used as a pawn. What’s more important now is to find the person behind this,” Yao Sheng said.
The thought of someone lurking in the shadows plotting against his daughter made Yao Sheng restless.
Miao Cuilan’s attention was immediately captured, and she frowned deeply. “Our Zhenzhen is well-behaved and dutiful. She mostly stays at home and hasn’t offended anyone. Which rotten-hearted person would want to harm her?”
Yao Sheng naturally agreed but decided to shift his perspective. “Think carefully—have you offended anyone recently?”
“Not really. At most, I’ve quarreled a bit with the women in the team, but that’s how it’s always been. Nothing ever came of it before, and none of them seem cunning enough for this.”
Miao Cuilan racked her brains but couldn’t pinpoint anyone.
After some thought, Yao Sheng said, “It must be someone we’ve offended recently. Otherwise, Li Yunqi has been here for years—why would he only use this trick to frame Zhenzhen now?”
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Miao Cuilan’s mind.
“Wait… Li Yunqi… Yesterday, Little Sister went to Mother and claimed that Zhenzhen likes Li Yunqi, even saying she’d be willing to ‘give him up’ to her.”
“Do you think it could be her…?” Miao Cuilan hesitated but voiced her suspicion.
“What happened? Tell me everything in detail.”
So Miao Cuilan recounted the previous day’s events from start to finish, including Yao Kemei falling into the water and being rescued, followed by Yang Erni’s pressure to marry.
As she spoke, Miao Cuilan gradually pieced things together.
“I suspect she wants to marry Zhenzhen off quickly so she can take over her marriage arrangement.”
Living under the same roof, she understood this niece’s character quite well—if not entirely, at least eighty percent.
Yesterday’s behavior was quite different from how she usually acted.
“That can’t be, can it?” Yao Sheng was doubtful.
After all, this was his own niece. Unless necessary, he didn’t want to think so poorly of her.
“If not her, then who? No other strangers have come to the village, and Zhenzhen stays home all day. Who could she have offended? I’ve noticed before—Yao Kemei can’t stand Zhenzhen and often looks at her with envy when she thinks no one’s watching.”
“I thought the lifestyle gap between these two cousins was quite significant, so some jealousy was natural. I never said anything about it. Who would have thought she’d start harming Zhenzhen now?”
After Miao Cuilan’s analysis, Yao Sheng unconsciously began to believe it.
Yao Sheng pondered for a moment and said, “Let’s observe secretly first. If it really is her, I’ll definitely make her pay. If not, we can’t let the real culprit get away.”
The two settled on this plan, while on the other side, Yao Yunzhen was also contemplating who wrote the letter.
She didn’t have many peers in the village.
Those around her age were either working or already married.
She often wandered the village alone.
Because of this, many people made jealous remarks behind her back, and she had overheard them more than once or twice.
So Yao Yunzhen truly couldn’t figure out who was pulling strings behind the scenes.
As for Yao Kemei, Yao Yunzhen didn’t suspect her at all.
The impression of incompetence Yao Kemei left was too strong—she didn’t even dare speak up at home, always keeping her head down, timid and unfit for any proper occasion.
Although her temper had changed slightly in the past couple of days, it was still the same; she remained under Yang Erni’s thumb.
Unable to identify the person behind it, Yao Yunzhen had no choice but to let it go for now.
Just wait—no matter how deeply they hid, they would eventually slip up.
…
Despite her simmering resentment, Yao Kemei quickly finished cooking.
When everyone was seated at the table, Yao Sheng cleared his throat and said, “Mom, Zhenzhen’s aunt misses her and wants her to visit the county town. Since Zhenzhen has nothing to do at home all day, I thought I’d take her with me when I return to the county tomorrow.”
With someone in the village secretly targeting his daughter, he couldn’t abandon his job to stay home and guard her. It was better to take his daughter away and let her mother keep watch in the village.
He felt assured leaving his daughter at his sister’s place.
Since childhood, Yao Liuzhi had adored her exceptionally beautiful niece, even wishing she could take her home to raise her. Her husband’s family felt the same, welcoming Yao Yunzhen’s visit with open arms.
Besides, Zhenzhen wanted to go to the county town anyway—this was a perfect chance for her to have fun for a couple of days.
Yao Yunzhen grew excited: “Really? Aunt said she misses me?”
“Yes, your aunt misses you very much.”
Yao Sheng wasn’t lying; Yao Liuzhi had indeed asked multiple times for him to bring Yao Yunzhen over, but he had always declined out of reluctance to trouble her.
Yao Yunzhen quickly clung to Tan Guihua’s arm, coaxing her: “I miss her too, Grandma. Please let me go to Aunt’s house, okay?”
She had been wanting to visit the county town but had to wait for her brother’s return. However, Yao Yunchuan boarded at school and usually came home only once a month, and the month’s end was still days away.
Now she had a chance to go without waiting, so Yao Yunzhen naturally seized the opportunity.
“Grandma, Grandma, please let me go. Grandma…”
Yao Yunzhen’s stunning face leaned in, her voice sweet and cloying. How could Tan Guihua resist? She surrendered immediately.
“Alright, alright, you can go if you want to play.”
Yao Yunzhen cheered: “Thank you, Grandma! You’re the best!”
The others couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy.
Unfortunately, Tan Guihua had the final say in all household matters—they could only dream of Yao Yunzhen clinging to their arms and sweet-talking them.
Yao Kemei lowered her gaze, avoiding Yao Yunzhen’s radiant beauty, and sneered inwardly.
Tomorrow, she probably wouldn’t have the time to go to the county town, nor the face to smile so cheerfully.
As for her, she needed to make a trip to the county town.
Since heaven had given her a second chance, it wasn’t so she could spend her days doing chores and housework.
She knew the direction of the future and understood the importance of money even more clearly.
In this lifetime, she absolutely refused to continue living in poverty and destitution. She wanted to live better than Yao Yunzhen, she wanted to be among the elite!
Coincidentally, she had come across many money-making methods online in her previous life, but none of them could be implemented in the village.
So…
Yao Kemei declared with conviction: “I’m going too.”