“In Anqing County, she may only provide her designs exclusively to Splendid Fabric Shop. If she supports any other shop, she must pay a penalty of ten thousand taels of silver.”
Upon hearing her read this clause, the shopkeeper broke into a nervous sweat, afraid the deal might fall through.
However, Feng Xinyao fully understood the shopkeeper’s desire to have exclusive rights to her creative ideas.
This was perfectly reasonable—she couldn’t very well sell the same designs to two different shops.
Feng Xinyao signed without hesitation, and the shopkeeper was both delighted and relieved.
Only then did Feng Xinyao leave the fabric shop and board the carriage.
Once inside, she saw that all the children had changed into new clothes.
Even someone like her, who had seen many adorable child stars, had to admit these children were exceptionally good-looking.
The two little girls wore matching pink padded jackets, looking as delicate and lovely as New Year paintings come to life. Shen Yu wore a black round-collar robe embroidered with dark blue patterns, which highlighted his mature and composed demeanor despite his youth.
Feng Xinyao couldn’t resist pinching their little cheeks. “You all look so adorable.”
The children blushed at the compliments. Shen Yu pulled out a bundle from behind him and said softly, “This is a set of clothes we picked out for Stepmother.”
Feng Xinyao was delighted to hear this—her kindness hadn’t been wasted; they even remembered to pick out clothes for her.
…
The fabric shop’s carriage carried them all the way into Dawang Village.
Dawang Village wasn’t considered wealthy among the surrounding villages, so when a carriage loaded to the brim suddenly drove in, everyone came out of their homes out of curiosity.
“Which family’s daughter is getting engaged?”
“Who’s come into money?”
The villagers speculated among themselves until the carriage stopped in front of Feng Xinyao’s doorstep.
“I told you Feng Daya went to the county to sell the children! Look at this shameless woman—she just sold the kids and dares to buy a whole carriage of goods.”
Li Guizhi hid in the crowd and seized the opportunity to spread rumors.
Hearing this, some villagers began to have doubts.
After all, Feng Xinyao had only moved into the village’s most rundown courtyard yesterday—how could she suddenly have money to buy so many nice things and even hire a carriage to deliver them?
The villagers clicked their tongues. “She’s not their real mother after all. Poor kids—they weren’t done in by their own grandmother, but sold off clean by their stepmother instead.”
“Yesterday we actually believed she’d treat the children well.”
“I even spoke up for her yesterday—should’ve kept my mouth shut…”
The village women stood outside the courtyard wall, all wearing expressions of heartbreak and regret.
When they saw Feng Xinyao step down from the carriage looking radiant, they became even more indignant.
“Look at her, so happy she’s not even trying to hide it.”
“No matter how hard things get, you can’t sell children.”
“Hmph, she’s nothing but a shameless wretch. Besides, they’re not her children, so of course she doesn’t care. We thought she’d be a good stepmother, but she’s just as rotten as the Shen family.”
Li Guizhi was the first to jump out and accuse Feng Xinyao.
That morning, because of this wretched woman, she’d had to follow behind the ox cart holding Tiezhu the whole way, and her soles were blistered. Today she would expose this woman’s true face in front of the villagers.
Hearing Li Guizhi’s words, the villagers couldn’t help but chime in, and some even told Feng Xinyao to return the goods and bring the children back.
Upon hearing this, Li Guizhi shoved the person away from Feng Xinyao’s side: “You can reason with decent folk, but what’s the use of saying such things to this heartless little wretch? Feng Daya dares to harm other people’s children—I say she should be drowned in the pond!”
“Drowned in the pond?”
At these words, the villagers couldn’t help but take two steps back. They knew selling children was despicable, but they still didn’t dare to be involved in something that could cost a life.
Whoever started this would be responsible for it.
Seeing the villagers’ reaction, Li Guizhi couldn’t help but spit in disdain: “A bunch of cowards…”
After saying this, she raised her hand to point at Feng Xinyao.
But Feng Xinyao didn’t even glance at her. One by one, she lifted the children down from the carriage—first, second, third.
In an instant, the rumor was debunked. Some people stiffened and turned away in embarrassment, while others glared at Li Guizhi with reproach, annoyed that she had spoken without knowing the facts—wasn’t she just stirring up trouble and making them offend people for nothing?
Li Guizhi pouted in defiance, unable to believe that Feng Xinyao hadn’t sold the children yet still had money to buy so many things. After mulling it over, she slapped her thigh:
“Could this Feng Daya have hooked up with some rich old master in the county town?”
Feng Xinyao had originally wanted to ignore these idle gossips, but seeing that Li Guizhi wouldn’t stop, she sneered coldly:
“Why don’t you go hook up with a rich man who’d let you bring your kids along to his doorstep? Oh! I forgot—you’re so ugly that even without kids, no one would want you.”
“Feng Daya, how dare you insult me? If I don’t beat you into submission today, I’ll take your surname…”
As she spoke, Li Guizhi rolled up her sleeves and charged toward Feng Xinyao. This time, there was no old woman by Feng Daya’s side to help her.
Li Guizhi was emboldened.
Seeing that Feng Xinyao was about to be at a disadvantage, the children all wanted to step forward to help. Even the young shopkeeper who had brought them back couldn’t bear to watch and wanted to block Li Guizhi.
But Feng Xinyao only smiled contemptuously. She walked to the front of the group and delivered a resounding slap to the charging Li Guizhi.
A crisp “smack” rang out, making everyone’s heart skip a beat.
Li Guizhi was stunned senseless. When she came to her senses, she immediately spread her arms wide to wail, but Feng Xinyao grabbed her by the collar and said coldly:
“If your mouth isn’t clean, I’ll beat it clean. If you dare to wail, I’ll beat you until your teeth and throat are completely ruined.”
With that, Feng Xinyao raised her hand again. Li Guizhi’s face instantly turned pale with fear, and with her swollen face, she didn’t even dare to cry.
Feng Xinyao tossed her aside in disgust, then turned around and gently patted the three children’s heads:
“I didn’t give birth to you, but I will cherish you and deliver you safely to your biological father. Until then, if anyone dares to spout nonsense and interfere with our bond as mother and children, I’ll have no choice but to reward them with a slap so they learn their lesson well.”
Hearing Feng Xinyao’s words, the three children had different reactions—some with firm gazes, some with bewildered eyes—but they all shared one understanding: their stepmother truly treated them well, and from now on, they had a mother to rely on.
Shen Yu straightened his thin chest and stood proudly by Feng Xinyao’s side, while the two little girls quietly tugged at the hem of Feng Xinyao’s clothes.
Seeing this scene, the villagers knew they had made fools of themselves. Just as they were about to slink away, they heard Li Guizhi whimpering from within the crowd:
“Even if I was mistaken, you didn’t have to hit so hard. Is there no law anymore with this kind of beating?”
After that one slap from Feng Xinyao, Li Guizhi’s face was red and swollen, as if she had stuffed half a steamed bun into her cheek.
The villagers also felt that Li Guizhi had a point. Since they were all from the same village, this was something that could have been cleared up with a few words. Beating someone like this was indeed wrong.
Someone chimed in to mediate: “Alright, you’ve got a sharp tongue, and Feng’s got a heavy hand—consider yourselves even. At the very least, Feng can spare you a bowl of rice, and that’ll be the end of it.”
A bowl of rice…
At those words, Li Guizhi’s eyes lit up. There was no way she was letting that slap go to waste!