The old man looked at the large stone and let out a deep sigh. He plopped down onto a small stool on the ground, his eyes gradually turning red.
“Aah… Eldest Son, look at our family today—two people unconscious, and your waist twisted. With so many things happening one after another, that bowl shattering was a sign that retribution might be coming for our family!”
“Jin Shi, I’m afraid your aunt has come back to seek revenge!”
After finishing that last sentence with a sigh, the old man did not say another word, merely squatting in front of the dirt stove to brew the medicine.
Jin Shi froze in shock.
Aunt?
What did his aunt have to do with this broken bowl?
In the past, his parents had only told him that Jin Yao was not his biological younger brother. As for where Jin Yao came from, his father was unwilling to tell him much.
His mother, on the other hand, had mentioned Jin Yao’s identity to Mrs. Xu. He often heard Mrs. Xu and his mother cursing Jin Yao as a wretched thing spawned by a lowly wench. As for who that lowly wench was, he didn’t know.
He had asked Mrs. Xu before, but Mrs. Xu only said not to treat him too well—he didn’t deserve it.
As for Jin Yao’s parentage, Mrs. Xu said their mother wouldn’t let her tell him, fearing he might leak it and bring shame to the family.
Jin Shi had heard that he used to have a very beautiful aunt who was later sold by his grandfather to a wealthy family as a maidservant, but he had never seen her.
He was still young back then, only remembering that when he was three years old, a pregnant woman suddenly arrived at their home. His parents had tried to drive her away and wouldn’t let her through the door, but she seemed to have given his parents some silver, so they allowed her to stay at their home for a period of time. Later, he heard that the pregnant woman left and died giving birth somewhere.
Could it be that the pregnant woman was his aunt?
Jin Shi’s memory of this event had faded; all he could vaguely recall were these details. It seemed his mother had often cursed at the pregnant woman back then, even withholding meals from her from time to time.
Thinking about it this way, a chill ran through his entire body. Looking at the fire in the stove pit before him, he felt a deep, penetrating cold straight from his heart.
Once the food was prepared and the medicine brewed, the old woman and Mrs. Xu had still not woken up.
Jin Yao’s father and Jin Shi could only use spoons to force medicine into the two women’s mouths. As for food, not a single bite could be fed in.
By nightfall, the two remained unconscious.
Hearing the front gate kicked open with a loud thud, the familiar sound made the father and son’s hearts tremble. The old man unconsciously clenched his fists—Jin Yao had arrived.
He must have found out something.
In the afternoon, Jin Yao accompanied Jinjin and Liu Dujuan to the northern mountain slope, where they saw the tree full of small red fruits.
While Jinjin and Liu Dujuan picked them up from the ground, Jin Yao climbed the tree to pick some more. When they came out, they had brought an old cloth bag, filling a little under half of it.
The two of them also accompanied Jinjin to retrieve all the medicinal herbs she had dug up before returning home together.
Along the way, worried that Jinjin might fall again, Liu Dujuan held her hand the entire time, while Jin Yao helped carry the small back-basket.
Holding a small red fruit, Jinjin asked Jin Yao, “Daddy, what is this small red fruit called?”
“It’s called *Linqing*. We also call them *Quliuzi* or crabapples. When the *Linqing* trees bloom in spring, they look especially beautiful!” Jin Yao said softly.
“Wow, do *Linqing* fruits also get called crabapples? Daddy, I like these crabapples. Can we come together next spring to watch the *Linqing* trees bloom?” Jinjin looked up and asked Jin Yao happily.
As for the name *Quliuzi*, Jinjin opened her mouth, but couldn’t pronounce it, so she simply skipped it.
Names like *Linqing* and *Quliuzi* felt very unfamiliar to her, but the name “crabapple” was familiar; back in her former world, there were crabapple blossoms in the park across from her house.
Jinjin was still young and did not know that ornamental crabapple blossoms and fruit-bearing crabapple trees were somewhat different. Although they shared the same name, the trees were actually distinct.
Jin Yao and Liu Dujuan exchanged a glance, and Jin Yao raised his eyebrows with a smile, answering, “Of course!”
It seemed they now had a species for the tree to be planted in their yard.
After returning home, Liu Dujuan and Jinjin got busy washing the crabapples and drying the herbs.
Jin Yao washed his hands and went back to the village.
Looking at Jin Yao’s receding figure, Jinjin asked softly, “Mommy, did Daddy go to settle scores with the bad eldest aunt?”
“Probably so. Jinjin doesn’t need to worry about Daddy’s affairs—just be happy yourself, okay?” Liu Dujuan patted her head, feeling deeply comforted.
Her daughter was becoming more and more sensible, learning to worry about adult matters.
Around sunset, while Jinjin and Little White were playing beside the large stone and Liu Dujuan was cooking, Jin Yao returned, looking trance-like and dazed.
Jinjin looked up and noticed her father’s expression seemed off.
She trotted over on her little feet, took his hand, and asked up at him with concern, “Daddy, did the bad eldest aunt refuse to apologize and curse at you again?”
Jin Yao shook his head. Gazing down silently at the worried and caring expression on his daughter’s tender little face, he felt his heart ache and his eyes sting.
He shook his head. “Daddy didn’t go to the old Jin family house to find them. I went to the village first to ask around for information.”
Liu Dujuan also walked over and asked softly, “Is the news not so good? Can Jinjin hear it?”
Jin Yao thought for a moment, then nodded. “Mm, Jinjin should listen too. This is about my parentage—you’ll have to know eventually. Let’s eat first, and I’ll tell you both after dinner.”
Liu Dujuan gave an “Mm” and quickly went to prepare the meal.
Suppressing the curiosity in her heart, Jinjin played with Little White off to the side, whispering softly, “Little White, I’m so curious! What did Daddy mean by ‘parentage’?”
Seeing that Jin Yao intended to let Jinjin know as well, Little White shared what it knew with her.
*Jinjin, your daddy might not be your bad grandmother’s biological son. That’s why they’ve never liked your daddy, and why they dislike you and your mommy even less.*
*As for your daddy’s true identity, he probably gathered information about it when he went back to the village this afternoon, which is why he seems so lost. We’ll know once he finishes dinner.*
Shocked by the sudden news, Jinjin widened her round eyes and whispered, “Little White, is this true? Are the bad grandmother and bad eldest aunt not Jinjin’s family?”
Little White nodded. *Based on the information I heard today, that’s the speculation.*
“Oh, that’s wonderful! They’re so mean—how could they give birth to a handsome, tall son like my daddy, or have such a cute granddaughter like me? Hmph, I’ll never call them Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, or Aunt ever again!”
Knowing that her father was not the old man and old woman’s biological son, Jinjin felt an indescribable joy swell in her heart.
“Ah, if only Liuliu were here. He could definitely help me check what’s going on,” Jinjin let out a tiny sigh, thinking of Liuliu’s vast supernatural abilities.
Little White nodded its small snake head in agreement with Jinjin’s words.
Because Jin Yao had heavy thoughts on his mind, none of the three ate much during dinner. Once they finished quickly, Liu Dujuan tidied up while Jinjin helped carry things over to the stove.
After washing the dishes, Liu Dujuan hurried over to the large stone and sat on the other side of Jinjin, waiting for Jin Yao to speak.
Jin Yao took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, “I went back to the village and asked several elders, but none of them would tell me the full truth. They only said that I am indeed not the second son of the Jin family. However, as to how I came to be here, none of them would say.”
“In the end, I went to plead with the village chief.”
Speaking up to this point, Jin Yao pressed his lips tightly together, took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and said gravely, “The village chief told me everything he knew.”