"Your father says one word, and we have to send cotton-padded clothes and shoes. What's so worth helping about that Tang widow!"
Ma Fangfang, the village chief's daughter-in-law, grumbled at her husband while rummaging through clothes in a wooden chest.
"They're fellow villagers. What's the harm in helping?"
Qin Changcheng tapped the ashes from his pipe and replied nonchalantly.
"They were kicked out by the Qin family, so they're no longer people of Hedong Village—they belong to the neighboring Dagang Village now!"
Ma Fangfang's face scrunched up as she shoved two cotton-padded jackets into Qin Changcheng's arms.
The jackets were covered in patches, having sat at the bottom of the chest, and gave off a strong smell of mothballs when taken out.
"What about the shoes!"
The cloth shoes that had been worn were truly too shabby to offer. Ma Fangfang had no choice but to take out a pair of shoes she had newly sewn and hand them to Qin Changcheng.
"Take them. These are the new shoes I made for our daughter, meant for her to wear during New Year's. Giving them away like this is such a loss!"
"Enough, stop your nagging. You're so petty all day long. What's wrong with helping people?"
Qin Changcheng shot Ma Fangfang an annoyed glare, then carried the clothes toward the main room.
"Fine, fine! You all play the good guys! I'm just petty, but look at our own situation!"
Ma Fangfang was so angry tears streamed down her face. The family was already poor, and giving these things away only made things worse.
"Uncle Wanguo, thank you so much."
Qin Qing's eyes were filled with gratitude. Help in times of need—this kindness, she would remember forever.
"What's there to thank? Xiao Qing, what are your plans for you and your mother?"
"We…"
Before Qin Qing could finish, Tang Min answered directly.
"We're going back to the Tang family!"
Seeing Tang Min's resolute expression, Qin Qing opened her mouth but said nothing.
Since her father died, for seven whole years, not a single person from the Tang family had come to the Qin household to visit them. Would the Tang family really take them in?
"Going back to Dagang Village, that works too."
Qin Wanguo nodded. Qin Changcheng came in carrying the clothes.
"Second sister-in-law, take these clothes and shoes. You can change into them."
"Changcheng, thank you so much." Tang Min said gratefully.
Qin Qing smelled the pungent mothball odor coming from the clothes, but her expression didn't change. She turned and went with Tang Min into the inner room to change into the clothes and shoes.
The drenched military coat—she also kept it, planning to return it to Fang Zhiwei one day.
The two didn't feel comfortable staying long at Qin Wanguo's place. After expressing their gratitude profusely, the mother and daughter left.
"Dad, with the Tang family's character, do you think they'll take them in?"
Qin Changcheng watched the two figures walk away. Even wearing thick cotton-padded jackets, they still looked thin.
The sight of the two relying on each other was pitiful to behold.
Qin Wanguo didn't answer. He took a sip of his bitter tea.
These mother and daughter's fates could only be described as bitter.
"Dad! Look at this money…"
Ma Fangfang hurried in, holding a handful of small bills. She had already counted them—together they came to a full two yuan.
She had found the money when she went to the inner room to tidy up, sitting on the table.
"It was Qin Qing. That girl knows gratitude. Just keep it."
Ma Fangfang's face flushed slightly, but she still put the money away.
Thinking about the patched cotton-padded jackets she had brought out earlier, she felt a pang of regret.
Those ragged jackets weren't worth two yuan at all!
Dagang Village.
Tang Min stared at the brick house before her—a two-story building—and was momentarily stunned.
She remembered that when she had married out, her family's home had still been a mud-brick house.
"Mom, it looks like the Tang family is celebrating something."
Qin Qing looked at the big red "double happiness" character pasted on the front gate, and smoke rising from the house, along with the sound of chopping vegetables inside.
It seemed they were preparing a feast.
"A celebration? Who in the family is getting married?"
Tang Min hadn't yet adjusted to the changes in the household.
She hadn't returned to Dagang Village in seven or eight years. Ever since Qin Changyuan left, Shen Chunhua had kept a tight leash on her.
She was made to work day in and day out, never allowed to leave.
And not a single member of the Tang family had ever come to see her.
Mother and daughter stood looking at the Tang house before them. Neither noticed that on the second-floor terrace, a woman in a red wool coat with curly hair was staring at them with burning fury.
"Whoever's getting married, we can just ask," Qin Qing said casually.
Tang Min took a nervous breath, adjusted herself for a long moment, then reached out, gathering her courage to knock on the door.
Suddenly, a figure yanked the door open and stepped out, grabbing Tang Min's hand tightly and pulling her toward the back of the house.
Seeing her mother being taken away, Qin Qing quickly followed.
"What are you doing back here?!"
The woman in the red wool coat pulled Tang Min behind the house, where a dense bamboo grove lay, quiet and secluded.
"Xueping—oh, sister-in-law, I… I…"
Tang Min looked at Wang Xueping nervously, quickly pulling Qin Qing forward and saying, "Qing'er, call her aunt."
"Aunt."
Qin Qing responded flatly.
This aunt didn't seem at all welcoming to them.
"Tang Min, why are you back?"
"Sister-in-law, my mother-in-law is forcing me to marry Wang Mazhi from Hexi Village. That Wang Mazhi is a monster—he even found people…"
"Who told you to be so seductive, always luring men? Your daughter looks just like you—both of you are trouble."
Before Tang Min could finish, Wang Xueping cut her off, scanning mother and daughter with undisguised contempt.
"Sister-in-law, it really isn't my fault. Now my mother-in-law has thrown me out of the Qin family, and I…"
"Stop right there! Tang Min, don't think about coming back to Dagang Village, and don't think about coming back to the Tang family. We don't take in vixens."
"Aunt, the Tang family is my mother's home. Why can't she come back?"
Wang Xueping had been hurling insults one after another, and Qin Qing couldn't hold back any longer.
"Why? Because back then your mother was a loose woman who abandoned her childhood sweetheart, her betrothed, to marry your father! And your second uncle was no good either—he committed a lewd crime and was thrown in prison."
"The Tang family's reputation has never been well-regarded in this village. Now your uncle has finally scraped together some money and earned a bit of standing. If she gets kicked out of her husband's family and comes back to the Tang family, what face would we have left?"
"Want to come back? Not a chance!"
Wang Xueping was like a firecracker, words bursting out in rapid succession.
With every word she spoke, Tang Min's head hung lower. Seeing her look so guilty only made Wang Xueping more smug.
"Today is my son's happy day. Get out of here! Go as far away as you can!"
With that, Wang Xueping turned and walked off.
Qin Qing frowned slightly. Her eldest uncle's son—she remembered his name was Tang Zhiqiang.
In her past life, after her mother passed away, she hadn't had much contact with the Tang family, but some rumors still reached her ears.
There was something wrong with her cousin's marriage this time.
"Aunt, do you really know the truth about my cousin's bride?"
Qin Qing's words made Wang Xueping stop in her tracks. She turned around, looking at her with a smile full of meaning.
"Your cousin's wife is tall and slender, from a scholarly family—a rare talent you needn't worry about."
With that, Wang Xueping shot a glare, held her head high, and strutted off like a victorious rooster.
A rare talent?
Qin Qing smirked. Marrying that so-called talent into the Tang family would be the beginning of their misfortune.
"Qing'er, what your aunt said…"
Tang Min was about to explain to Qin Qing when suddenly, a rustling sound came from the bamboo grove.
Qin Qing's gaze swept over, and she spotted a dark green figure hidden among the bamboo. Had it not been for her sharp eyes, most people wouldn't have noticed it at all.
"Who's there? Come out!"