Qin Yanzhou’s handsome face changed drastically. He suddenly stood up, knocking the stool over onto the floor.
He rushed out of the house in a hurry.
Xie Yulan was also anxious and worried. She wanted to go take a look, but she couldn’t bear to leave Mianbao alone at home.
Mianbao’s small face was full of thoughts.
Uncle didn’t drive her away… so does that mean she can stay?!
That night, Qin Yanzhou was so busy that he didn’t come home. The next morning, Xie Yulan went to the countryside early, exchanged for a native chicken, cooked a pot of chicken soup, and together with Qin Shanhai brought Mianbao to the hospital to visit Tao Xiaohong.
Tao Xiaohong’s life was saved, but her emotions were unstable.
“Yanzhou, just take it as this aunt begging you—marry Xiaohong.”
Tao Xiaohong’s mother, Li Juhua, suddenly knelt on the ground.
Qin Yanzhou hurriedly helped her up.
He hadn’t slept all night at the hospital, and his handsome face now looked a bit more worn.
“Aunt, I only see Xiaohong as a younger sister. I can’t marry her.”
From the ward came Tao Xiaohong’s hysterical cries.
“My reputation is already ruined. What face do I have to keep living?”
“Let me die…”
“Xiaohong!” Li Juhua rushed in and hugged Tao Xiaohong, who was about to slam into the wall.
Qin Yanzhou walked in, his brows furrowed so tightly they could crush a fly.
“Yanzhou, if you refuse to marry Xiaohong, no one will want her for the rest of her life! She’ll be criticized to death by others!”
Li Juhua spoke with deep anguish.
“If Xiaojun’s spirit in heaven knew that the sister he loved most is living so miserably, he would be heartbroken.”
“Xiaojun died to save you! You can’t ignore Xiaohong!”
Qin Yanzhou felt an invisible pressure pressing down on him, making him extremely irritable.
Qin Shanhai and Xie Yulan stood at the door, having heard everything. They exchanged glances, and Xie Yulan’s thoughts began to turn.
Although Tao Xiaohong’s reputation was bad, her son’s reputation wasn’t good either. Moreover, the Tao family was well-known to them—they were honest and had once helped their family. If they could really get married, it would settle a lingering concern for her and Old Qin.
Mianbao would also have a mother to love her.
Xie Yulan was just about to agree to the marriage.
Suddenly, Mianbao tugged at her hand.
She saw it again—
After Uncle married Tao Xiaohong, they soon had a child. But that child wasn’t Uncle’s. To protect Tao Xiaohong, Uncle had his leg broken by someone.
Later, Uncle went into business and made money, but all the money was taken by Tao Xiaohong and given to her natal family. It caused Uncle’s business to collapse, leaving him with enormous debts.
In the end, creditors came to his door and stabbed him. He bled so much. Even Grandpa and Grandma were forced by those creditors to jump off a building.
And the Tao Xiaojun they said had died saving Uncle—he wasn’t dead at all!
Mianbao’s eyes turned red with anger, her little fists clenched tightly.
This family is bad—so, so bad!
How could she tell Grandpa, Grandma, and Uncle?
Suddenly, Mianbao had an idea and shouted at Qin Yanzhou, “Dad!”
Everyone was shocked!
Qin Yanzhou froze all over and only reacted after a long moment.
“Little radish, what did you just call me?”
Mianbao: “Dad.”
Qin Yanzhou: “I’m not your dad, don’t shout nonsense!”
Qin Shanhai slapped him on the head. “How dare you be fierce to Mianbao!”
Qin Yanzhou covered his numb head. “Dad!”
Qin Shanhai happily held Mianbao in his arms. “Don’t be afraid, Mianbao. If your dad dares to be mean to you again, Grandpa will beat him!”
Mianbao tilted her little head. “Grandpa, don’t hit Dad. Dad is the best.”
Qin Yanzhou: “You little radish, now you’re acting too?!”
Mianbao buried her head into Qin Shanhai’s arms. “Scared, scared!”
Qin Shanhai chased Qin Yanzhou around, making him experience what it meant for fatherly love to be like a landslide.
With all the commotion, no one paid attention to what Li Juhua was saying anymore.
Tao Xiaohong’s gaze unconsciously fell on Mianbao.
She had long heard that the Qin family had adopted a granddaughter from the countryside. The two elders of the Qin family doted on this little country girl, and even her clothes were made from the best materials sold at the supply and marketing cooperative.
It seemed to be true.
If she married into the Qin family and gave birth to a son or daughter, the Qin family would surely want to give all their property to their biological grandchild.
“Uncle, Aunt,” Tao Xiaohong’s weak voice sounded, “I’m sorry for making you worry.”
Her face was pale as she lay on the bed, trying to get up, but Xie Yulan quickly stopped her.
“Lie down and don’t move. Aunt made chicken soup for you—drink some and nourish your body.”
Xie Yulan handed the ceramic jar of chicken soup to Li Juhua.
Li Juhua fed Tao Xiaohong a sip. Tears streamed down Tao Xiaohong’s face.
Xie Yulan hurriedly asked, “Oh, why are you crying?”
Tao Xiaohong raised her hand to wipe her tears, deliberately revealing the bandaged wrist that was still seeping blood.
“Uncle and Aunt treat me so well, even making chicken soup for me… I… I don’t know how I can repay you in the future.”
Xie Yulan said with heartache, “Good child, your brother saved Yanzhou. Our whole family is endlessly grateful. How could we ask you to repay us?”
Five years ago, Qin Yanzhou heard that there were wild wolves in the mountains of Guihua Village, so he brought people to hunt them. They didn’t catch any wolves, but Tao Xiaojun fell off a cliff and died while saving him.
Tao Xiaohong glanced at Qin Yanzhou.
“Brother Zhou, I don’t want to make things difficult for you. Just treat what my mother said earlier as if you didn’t hear it. If my brother knew, he definitely wouldn’t blame you.”
She lowered her head, appearing as if she didn’t want to pressure him, but her tears fell even more fiercely, looking pitiful and helpless.
Mianbao widened her eyes, her cheeks puffed up in anger.
She’s pretending!
She’s lying!
Li Juhua retorted, “That won’t do!”
She noticed Mianbao nearby, her eyes shifting. She took out a White Rabbit milk candy from her pocket and stepped forward to coax her.
“What a pretty little girl. Let Sister Xiaohong be your mother, okay?”
Mianbao shook her head like a rattle drum. “No, no! Mianbao doesn’t want that.”
Li Juhua’s expression changed. At an angle others couldn’t see, her gaze turned fierce.
“This is White Rabbit milk candy. It’s very sweet.”
“No, no!”
Mianbao was frightened, dodging in fear as she ran away.
“Hey, don’t run,” Li Juhua reached out to grab her.
Mianbao dodged left and right, accidentally bumping toward the bedside.
Seeing this, Tao Xiaohong’s expression changed. Instinctively, she used one hand to protect her stomach while the other hand forcefully pushed Mianbao away.
Everything happened too quickly for Qin Shanhai and Xie Yulan to react.
Seeing that Mianbao was about to fall hard—
“Mianbao!” the two shouted in panic.
Qin Yanzhou was closest. With quick reflexes, he caught Mianbao.
“Little radish, what are you causing trouble for?”
The next second, Qin Yanzhou received another smack from Qin Shanhai.
“Little radish… ah, pfft—didn’t you see Mianbao was frightened?!”
Qin Shanhai pulled Mianbao into his arms while Xie Yulan stepped forward to check if she was hurt.
Mianbao’s little face was pale, her whole body trembling as she clung tightly to Qin Shanhai’s neck.
“Waa… scared…”
Qin Shanhai frowned deeply, his expression serious, as he shot Tao Xiaohong a stern look.