Fifth floor of the county hospital, orthopedics ward.
The young men who had brought someone to the hospital had long since left.
Liu Xiangyang’s injured arm had been reset by the doctor’s hands, and now it was in a cast.
Sitting beside the bed, Wang Shufeng looked at her son, already asleep, with a heart full of worry. Her poor boy had been through so much today!
After a while, she signaled to Liu Meili, and the two of them left the ward one after the other.
“What on earth happened today? Why were you hugging that idiot! Don’t tell me you actually fancy him! I’ll break your legs if you do!”
As soon as they stepped out of the ward, Wang Shufeng jabbed Liu Meili’s head with her finger.
“Mom! How could I possibly fancy an idiot? Believe me—it’s all that little brat Lin Qiao causing trouble to get back at me!” Liu Meili scrambled to explain, dodging to the side, her voice full of grievance.
“Don’t try to fool me! That newlywed dared to humiliate her own sister-in-law on her wedding day? Do you think I’m stupid?”
Wang Shufeng didn’t believe Liu Meili for a second and stared at her suspiciously.
“Did you do something to her?”
Seeing Liu Meili lower her head in silence, but noticing the flitting look in her eyes, Wang Shufeng immediately sensed something was off.
“So it really was you causing trouble! You little brat, you better tell the truth, or I swear I’ll beat you to death!”
Liu Meili, a little scared of her mother, told Wang Shufeng everything, step by step.
“Mom! I only did it for my brother’s sake. If Lin Qiao had wet herself in public on her wedding day, she would’ve ruined her reputation—and then the Liu family could manipulate her as we wished.
Even if she’s pretty, my brother wouldn’t protect her anymore.
Even if she had her family backing her, a woman who lost her honor—what could she dare to do against us?”
Wang Shufeng felt exasperated at her foolish daughter.
“That was your brilliant idea? Are you out of your mind? You ruined your brother’s perfect wedding! Even if she had gone in smoothly today, what, I couldn’t handle her? And her family backing her—so what? Lin Qiao was young, yet able to marry your brother as a second wife. You think our family only gave her fifty yuan as a bride price?
The Yuan family begged for our favor in so many ways!
Look at you—you didn’t make her look bad, but you ruined your own reputation instead! Useless at doing anything right!”
Tears streamed down Liu Meili’s face. She clutched Wang Shufeng’s sleeve and whispered, “Mom, how am I ever going to get married now?”
Wang Shufeng, annoyed by her daughter’s whining, shook her arm: “Afraid of what! I’ve told you before, you’re different from the village girls—you’ll marry into the county.
Once this blows over, I’ll ask your eldest uncle to find you a good family. You’ll eat fine food in the county, and who cares what the villagers say?”
Wiping the tears from her face with a smile, Liu Meili said, “Mom, I knew you were the best to me.”
Wang Shufeng glared at her silly daughter: “Tonight, you stay here to take care of your brother. I’m going home for a bit—your mom will take over tomorrow morning.”
The two of them, having agreed on a plan, turned and went back to the ward.
Outside, the night lay over the land like a giant silk sheet. The moon hung high, scattering silver light.
The quiet night felt like a paused film, with only a few households’ oil lamps still burning. In the distance, dogs barked, insects chirped, adding a hint of life to the evening.
In the Yuan family courtyard.
Lin Qiao pouted. Her third aunt was really rude—barely a few words exchanged before sending her away, saying she had to tutor the children in the back room. Not a single character could she read—what a capable woman!
Her third aunt was smart; Lin Qiao didn’t need to say much. She’d just wait and see how things went with Yuan Mingzhu’s return.
The Yuan household was probably going to be chaotic!
Having been out for a while, she missed the Liu family a little. She wondered how her husband, who had injured his arm, was doing. She actually missed them.
Before leaving, she had one last thing to do.
Lin Qiao quietly went to the pig pen in the western corner of the yard, eyes sparkling as she looked at the two not-so-fat black pigs inside.
After all the commotion tonight at the Yuan house, these two pigs were still restless, snuffling instead of resting.
Lin Qiao wanted to bow to them in apology for disturbing their fattening time.
Her desire to feed them nearly made her rush to the pen at first sight. She had to use all her willpower to resist looking their way!
She had to hold back her drool and play along—this was really hard!
Now, besides Wang Caixia secretly sulking in the back room, no one else was in the yard.
Lin Qiao boldly opened the pig pen gate and walked in.
“Little pigs, getting anxious, aren’t you? Don’t worry. Follow me, and I promise your meals will be much better than here.”
She didn’t need the pigs to respond—she guided them into her space.
Yes, next to the chicken coop. She had already partitioned a large pig area.
Not just for pigs—she had pens ready for sheep and cows too.
Slowly, everything would come together. Lin Qiao licked her lips.
Under the faint moonlight, holding a branch, she wandered home, humming and gesturing.
Her mood was excellent. Even though she hadn’t seen her sister Yuan Qingmiao in the county troupe, she’d met everyone else. Her wish to visit relatives at the Yuan house was fulfilled.
Now she had chickens, and pigs too.
Earlier, she peeked into her space—the plants had perked up, and many vegetables had sprouted new shoots.
Lin Qiao felt like she had forgotten something but couldn’t quite remember what.
Never mind, she’d think later.
Future life would be wonderful: rice to go with meals, vegetables on the side, no more endless worry about survival—just thinking about it made her giddy with joy.
Meanwhile, Wang Shufeng, leaving the hospital, rushed home under the moonlight, windblown and dust-covered. She had expected the house to be clean and tidy, with a warm meal waiting.
But what did she see?
The entire courtyard was a mess—broken bowls and dishes everywhere, tables and benches overturned. Afternoon dried-up vegetable soup on the ground gave off a foul smell.
The kitchen had no sign of cooking—cold pots and stoves. No hot meals, not even leftovers.
Worst of all, her room was a disaster. Folded clothes were thrown around, the clean floor littered with melon seed shells, bedding ripped from the kang.
And her money! The thousand yuan she had hidden in a cloth bag—completely gone!
Damn it! Who dared to steal her money?
Wang Shufeng trembled with rage—she swore she would beat them to death!
Her son’s new room was empty. Where had that little brat Lin Qiao gone? Just married and not staying home properly—out chasing some random man, perhaps?
Surely she hadn’t stolen her money?
A faint light shone in her granddaughter’s room. Wang Shufeng kicked the door open forcefully.
What did she see? Chicken bones gnawed to the bone on the floor in the corner.
Absolutely outrageous!