This family acted with such heartfelt sincerity that when Tao Xiaojun was mentioned, the slight suspicion that had just risen in Qin Yanzhou’s heart instantly vanished.
Xie Yulan also began to believe them somewhat.
After all, over the past five years, she and her husband had occasionally visited and helped the Tao family. They had even seen Tao Dazhuang at his most humiliating state, lying in bed unable to care for himself.
Once, Tao Dazhuang had been a spirited technical worker in the factory. But after becoming paralyzed, he could only lie in bed all day, sinking into despair.
Xie Yulan’s expression softened, and just as she was about to say something, she suddenly noticed something sticking out of Qin Yanzhou’s pocket. Her face changed. She handed Mianbao to her husband and rushed over to grab Qin Yanzhou by the ear.
“Hey—Mom! Why are you pulling my ear again?!”
He hadn’t even said anything wrong!
Since they were still in the Tao household, Xie Yulan didn’t say much. She angrily pinched his arm, but his muscles were too firm to pinch, so she twisted his ear instead.
Ears were easier to grab.
“You brat! I’ll deal with you when we get home!”
Qin Yanzhou nearly let out a pig-slaughtering scream from the pain.
With this interruption, the Tao family couldn’t tell whether the Qin family had believed their story or not.
Tao Xiaohong looked at Qin Yanzhou with feigned concern.
“Auntie, please don’t pull Brother Yanzhou’s ear anymore. Whatever the fault, it’s mine. I shouldn’t have harbored hopes for him…”
Qin Yanzhou opened his mouth, about to say something, but Xie Yulan pulled him aside.
She held Tao Xiaohong’s hand and patted it.
“Xiaohong, it’s a good thing your father can recover. As for you and Yanzhou… sigh, this rascal isn’t worthy of you. Auntie will introduce you to a better young man in the future.”
She truly felt happy for the Tao family that Tao Dazhuang might recover. Their life would be easier going forward.
But when it came to finding Mianbao a new mother, she had to be cautious—she needed someone who would truly love Mianbao.
Otherwise… letting her son remain single for life wasn’t out of the question.
Qin Yanzhou had no idea his mother was already considering letting him stay a bachelor forever. He rubbed his numb ear and glanced at Mianbao, who should have been frightened but instead was secretly peeking at him with sparkling eyes full of laughter.
He deliberately made a fierce face to scare her.
Mianbao turned her head, resting her chin on Qin Shanhai’s shoulder. Her small body trembled slightly.
Qin Shanhai thought she had been frightened by what just happened and gently patted her back.
“Mianbao, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.”
Qin Yanzhou: …
Was his father blind? Which eye of his saw this little radish being scared? She was clearly mischievous and just enjoyed watching him get scolded.
Tao Xiaohong felt panicked. The Qin family clearly had no intention of letting her marry Qin Yanzhou anymore.
That absolutely wouldn’t do!
Her eyes reddened. “Auntie…”
Qin Shanhai glanced outside and interrupted her.
“It’s getting late. We should head home.”
Xie Yulan immediately agreed. “Yes, yes, let’s go home.”
She grabbed Qin Yanzhou’s other ear.
“You rascal! Sneaking Mianbao out made me so worried I almost fainted…”
Qin Yanzhou protested, “The little radish insisted on following me out!”
“Mianbao is so obedient. If you didn’t take her out, would she have run out by herself?”
Qin Yanzhou felt like a huge unjust blame had been forcibly pinned on him by his own mother.
“Brother Yanzhou…” Tao Xiaohong bit her lip and hurried after them.
Just as Qin Shanhai reached the door, he suddenly stopped. His sharp eyes caught sight of a pair of men’s Liberation shoes hidden behind the door.
Before today, Tao Dazhuang had supposedly been paralyzed. These shoes couldn’t belong to Li Juhua or Tao Xiaohong…
Qin Shanhai’s gaze darkened.
“These shoes…”
Tao Xiaohong’s heart skipped a beat, her expression changing instantly, but she forced herself to stay calm.
“They… they belong to my uncle. He came to help out recently and left them behind.”
Qin Shanhai looked at her, half believing. “Is that so?”
Li Juhua quickly added, “Yes, my younger brother often comes to help. I bought those shoes for him at the cooperative.”
Qin Shanhai didn’t say anything further. Carrying Mianbao, he stepped out.
Watching the Qin family leave, Tao Xiaohong angrily swept an enamel cup off the table and glared at Tao Dazhuang.
“Dad, couldn’t you have endured a bit longer? You were covered with a thick quilt—the hot water wouldn’t have burned you.”
Tao Dazhuang said irritably, “It was just a reflex.”
Tao Xiaohong was on the verge of collapse. “What do we do now?”
He had almost agreed to marry her.
Li Juhua paced anxiously.
“In another month, your belly will start to show. We won’t be able to hide it anymore.”
Tao Dazhuang got off the bed. For five years, pretending to be paralyzed had been suffocating. To make the Qin family feel guilty and give them benefits, he had endured the humiliation of soiling the bed. He was nearly driven mad.
Now he didn’t have to pretend anymore—but he also worried that the Qin family would stop giving them money and supplies.
His small, calculating eyes shifted.
“I have a way to make sure the child in Xiaohong’s belly is completely pinned on Qin Yanzhou—and force the Qin family to marry her into their family with full honors.”
Li Juhua immediately asked, “What way?”
Tao Xiaohong also looked at her father expectantly.
After Tao Dazhuang whispered his plan, both women nodded in agreement.
Li Juhua even began to fantasize. “When the time comes, I want a bride price of 2,800, plus the ‘three rounds and one sound’ and thirty-six legs.”
Tao Dazhuang nodded. “Absolutely!”
Tao Xiaohong said nothing. She slowly sat down, a confident smile curling at her lips.
…
Back at the Qin household, Xie Yulan pulled a household registration booklet out of Qin Yanzhou’s pocket.
“Why did you take this to the Tao family? Were you trying to secretly register a marriage with Tao Xiaohong?”
Qin Yanzhou stayed silent, as if admitting it.
Xie Yulan turned angrily, looking around for a broom.
“You brat! Do you know marriage is a serious matter? Sneaking off to register like this—how is that any different from eloping?”
Even if the partner wasn’t Tao Xiaohong, they wouldn’t allow their son to do such a thing. If word got out, it would damage the woman’s reputation.
Qin Yanzhou muttered, “But I didn’t succeed, did I…”
Xie Yulan snapped, “You still dare to say that?!”
Qin Shanhai picked up a bamboo pole from behind the door and handed it to his wife.
“Wife, a broom isn’t satisfying—use this.”
Qin Yanzhou’s eyes widened. “Dad, are you really my father?!”
Qin Shanhai replied, “If I weren’t, I’d have broken your legs long ago.”
Xie Yulan swung the bamboo pole.
Qin Yanzhou dodged. “Dad, Mom, I know you’re angry, but listen to me first—”
“Listen to nothing! If I don’t beat your backside into bloom today, I’m not surnamed Xie!”
Qin Yanzhou clutched his backside. He was already grown up, and his mother still wanted to spank him.
To preserve his reputation as a troublemaker, he quickly dashed out the door.
“You brat, don’t run!”
“If I don’t run, I’ll just be waiting to get beaten!”