Granny Li also got worked up.
“You’ve never spared my grandsons from beatings and scoldings, and I never held it against you. Now you want to take them away to continue mistreating them? Not a chance!”
She was even calculating that once Shen Qingyuan was driven out of the house, she could sell the three children for another five or six taels of silver.
Shen Qingyuan wasn’t asking for the children—she was clearly trying to snatch her silver away.
Shen Qingyuan had no choice.
To complete the mission, she could only continue her performance.
She knelt with a thud before Village Chief Zhao.
“I admit I treated the children poorly before, but that’s all in the past. From now on, I will treat them as my own and raise them to adulthood.”
“To be honest, Village Chief, it was Anbang who told me that if I were to leave the Zhao family, I must take the three children with me.”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked puzzled.
Village Chief Zhao asked, “Anbang has passed away. How could he have said this to you?”
Shen Qingyuan explained, “Just now, when Zhao Zhihong knocked me unconscious, Anbang appeared to me in a dream. He said that now that he has died in battle and can no longer earn money for the family, his stepmother and cold-hearted younger brother would not treat the three children well—they might even sell them. He begged me, for the sake of our time as husband and wife, to take the children away.”
People in this era deeply believed in ghosts and gods. What a pity it would be not to make use of such favorable innate conditions!
Everyone gasped in shock.
Village Chief Zhao also hesitated. “This…”
Shen Qingyuan continued, “Although Anbang and I were never truly husband and wife, everyone knows how much I liked him. During the few days we were married, Anbang once told me that he was not favored by his mother. Only by earning more money could I and the children live a stable life. If I treated his children well, he would treat me well in return!”
“Now that he has died in battle and appeared to me in a dream, it shows how much he trusts me. I will also turn over a new leaf, treat the three children as my own, and take good care of them.”
To make everyone more convinced, Shen Qingyuan raised three fingers and swore publicly, “I swear, I, Shen Qingyuan, will keep my word. If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning five times, die a miserable death, and may Anbang’s spirit turn into a vengeful ghost to torment me day after day.”
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but feel a chill down their spines.
Using her deceased husband to swear such a terrible oath—Shen Qingyuan was really going all out!
A few women began whispering cautiously.
“She’s still a virgin and could find a good husband in the future. But if she takes the three children with her, it will be difficult.”
“That’s right. We know better than anyone how hard it is for a woman. Who would have thought that for the sake of Anbang’s children, Shen Qingyuan would go to such lengths? She really is a loyal and righteous girl!”
Seeing that the villagers were starting to lean toward Shen Qingyuan’s side, Zhao Zhihong whispered in Granny Li’s ear, “If she wants to take them away, let her. Keeping them at home would just be trouble.”
Granny Li thought about it and agreed. If Shen Qingyuan were gone, wouldn’t she have to take care of those three brats who weren’t even related to her by blood?
She had no intention of raising someone else’s children, so it was better to send them away. She nodded.
Zhao Zhihong said, “You can take the children if you want, but I warn you—if we find out you’re mistreating them, we won’t let you off easily!”
Shen Qingyuan curled her lip. “You’d better worry about whether that wealthy young lady will even look at you!”
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Zhihong’s pupils widened slightly.
This matter was still uncertain and couldn’t be publicized yet—how did she know about it?
Seeing the villagers beginning to whisper among themselves, he immediately changed the subject.
“Since the ties have been severed, why aren’t you leaving yet?”
Shen Qingyuan had no time to deal with the hypocritical Zhao Zhihong and went back inside to pack her things.
Zhou Shi and her two sons were initially puzzled as to why Shen Qingyuan wanted Zhao Anbang’s three children, but adhering to the principle of following Shen Qingyuan’s arrangements in everything, they didn’t ask further.
Zhou Shi followed Shen Qingyuan into the room to pack, while Shen Dali and Shen Erli waited at the door.
Shen Qingyuan quickly packed her own and the three children’s clothes into a small bundle and handed it to Zhou Shi to carry.
She then gently picked up Sanya, who was hiding in the corner, and walked out of the room with Zhou Shi.
By then, Village Chief Zhao had finished writing the severance document in triplicate.
One copy each for Shen Qingyuan, the Zhao family, and Village Chief Zhao.
Shen Dali took Shen Qingyuan’s copy of the severance document, shot a disdainful glance at the Zhao mother and son, and led his family away.
Before the group had even left the courtyard, they saw two small figures rushing over from a distance.
It was Dabao and Erbao, who had gone up the mountain to gather firewood.
They returned with a full basket of firewood and saw a crowd gathered around their home from afar.
Thinking that their stepmother was hitting Sanya, they hurried into the courtyard to protect their sister.
When they saw their sister being held by their stepmother, whose head was covered in blood, they grew extremely anxious.
Their stepmother had never liked touching them, let alone voluntarily holding them.
Could it be that she was planning to sell their sister?
Dabao immediately blocked Shen Qingyuan and her group, his face filled with hostility.
“Put Sanya down!”
Village Chief Zhao spoke up.
“From now on, you’ll be going back to the Shen family with your mother.”
Dabao didn’t believe it.
“Grandpa Village Chief, don’t trust her—she’s a liar, and she’s not our mother either!”
Shen Qingyuan understood Dabao’s hostility toward her. There was no helping it—the debts left by the original owner had to be repaid by her.
She placed Sanya in front of Dabao and Erbao, who quickly pulled Sanya behind them to protect her.
Shen Qingyuan bowed to the three children.
“I was wrong before, and I apologize to you. I’m sorry. From now on, I’ll take good care of you in place of your father! Please believe me just this once.”
Dabao and Erbao were completely bewildered.
But Sanya gazed at Shen Qingyuan with clear, bright eyes.
Village Chief Zhao walked over to the three children and crouched down.
“Your ties with the Zhao family have been severed. From now on, you’ll be living with your mother at the Shen family. This was your father’s wish. Be obedient from now on, and if you ever face any difficulties, you can come to Zhao Family Village to find me anytime.”
After speaking, he patted Dabao on the shoulder, stood up meaningfully, and left.
At that moment, Shen Qingyuan heard the system’s voice in her ear once again.
[Congratulations, host, on completing the task. The system rewards you with two jin of pork.]
Although this reward wasn’t particularly impressive, Shen Qingyuan was still satisfied.
In this environment of scarcity, where food and clothing were lacking, pork was a practical reward—enough to last them for several days.
She thought to herself that when it was convenient, she must take a good look at what the System Space was really like.
What other benefits were there?
She picked up Sanya again and led her family away.
Dabao and Erbao exchanged glances. Though puzzled, they had no choice but to comply and obediently followed behind the Shen family.
On the way to the Shen family, Shen Qingyuan began to worry.
The trouble with the Zhao family had been resolved, but the Shen family still had a pile of troubles left behind by the original owner that she needed to deal with.
She sighed helplessly.
Since I’m here, I might as well make the best of it. To secure a place to settle down, she had no choice but to charge ahead!
Arriving at the Shen household.
Eldest sister-in-law Wu Huiniang was in the courtyard hanging laundry with her two children, thirteen-year-old Shen Zhou and eleven-year-old Shen Xiaohua.
Seeing the group return, Wu Huiniang gave them a cold glance before continuing with her task.
Shen Zhou and Shen Xiaohua had never liked Shen Qingyuan, so they remained silent and continued helping their mother.
Seeing his family so indifferent, Shen Dali spoke sternly.
“Little sister and the children are back. Why aren’t any of you even greeting them?”