Yang Tiehua hurriedly explained, “Brother Ziheng, that’s not it. Don’t listen to those gossiping women talking nonsense. I admit I was confused before, but I’ve woken up now. I’ve deeply realized my mistakes.
I will treat you well and treat Mother well too. Will you trust me one last time?”
“sister-in-law, are you telling the truth? You really won’t sell my mother again?” Niannian asked cautiously from the side.
Yang Tiehua raised two fingers, her face serious. “I, Yang Tiehua, swear right here that I will never sell Mother again, nor will I sell any of you. I will treat you all well. If I fail, then may I be struck by lightning—”
“Alright, I… will trust you for now.” Fu Ziheng’s expression softened as he cut her off.
Hearing that he believed her, Yang Tiehua was overjoyed. “Thank you for giving me a chance. I will prove it to you. I’ve really changed now.
Don’t worry, I’ll get those 800 yuan back from Li Daniu.”
With that, Yang Tiehua got up and rushed outside. After running a couple of steps, she suddenly realized she had no idea where Li Daniu lived.
Thinking quickly, she turned around. “Niannian, come with my sister-in-law, alright?”
Niannian’s eyes lit up immediately. “Yes, yes!”
Seeing his sister going, An’an quickly followed. “I want to go too.”
Thus, one adult and two children strode off toward the neighboring village with bold, unrestrained steps.
…
At the Li family home in the neighboring village.
Li Daniu was currently holding a woman in his arms, kissing her, while the woman pressed against his chest. “Daniu, no… we’re not married yet. It wouldn’t be good if word got out.”
“Xiao Ying, isn’t that just a matter of time? Yang Tiehua already delivered the bride price. I’ll have the matchmaker come tomorrow.”
Li Daniu leaned in to kiss her again.
After being kissed a couple of times, Xiao Ying pushed him back. “Brother Daniu, was it only 800 yuan?”
Li Daniu nodded and eagerly leaned in again.
But Xiao Ying shoved him away, her brows furrowing. “Brother Daniu, didn’t we agree on 1,200 for the bride price? Why is it only 800?”
“Xiao Ying, that fool only gave me 800. Her mother-in-law is only worth that much, so there’s nothing I can do,” Li Daniu said with a troubled expression.
“Isn’t there still that little kid? I heard Old Zhang from the neighboring village wants a child bride for his idiot son and is offering 500. Brother Daniu, why don’t you talk to that idiot about it?” Xiao Ying suddenly said with a sly smile.
Hearing this, Li Daniu’s eyes lit up. “There’s such a good deal? Alright, alright. After we’re done, I’ll go tell her immediately.”
With that, he pressed down on her again, and this time Xiao Ying didn’t stop him.
Just as things were about to get out of hand, a loud bang suddenly echoed as the door was kicked open.
Seeing the two bare bodies, Yang Tiehua instinctively covered the eyes of the two children.
But she herself couldn’t help widening her eyes.
“Ah!”
Xiao Ying screamed and hurriedly pushed Li Daniu away, grabbing the blanket to cover herself.
When Li Daniu saw Yang Tiehua suddenly burst in, he completely lost his composure. “Are you crazy? Get out, get out!”
After shouting, he reached for his clothes, but Yang Tiehua rushed forward and stomped him to the ground, shouting, “Li Daniu, give me back my 800 yuan, or I’ll drag you out and have you trampled by pigs!”
Li Daniu froze, then raised his voice. “What did you say? Say that again if you dare!”
He seriously suspected he was hallucinating.
Yang Tiehua loved him so much that she would even sneak over to watch him bathe, yet now she was asking for her 800 yuan back?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
It had to be a hallucination. How could this idiot possibly ask for her money back?
“Li Daniu, return my 800 yuan. Didn’t you hear me? Do I need to borrow a loudspeaker?” Yang Tiehua leaned in and shouted loudly by his ear.
Li Daniu felt like his eardrums were about to burst.
Terrified out of his mind, he yelled, “Ah! Yang Tiehua, are you insane? Why are you shouting so loud? My ears are going to rupture!”
He tried to get up, but Yang Tiehua was incredibly strong.
Her foot pinned him down so firmly that he couldn’t move at all.
“I’ll give you two minutes. If that 800 yuan isn’t in my hands, I’ll kick you where it hurts and then throw you into the pigsty.”
Yang Tiehua didn’t bother wasting words and kicked him, sending him rolling across the ground.
“Yang Tiehua, you actually dare to kick me? I think you’re tired of living. And you want your 800 yuan back? I’m telling you, impossible. You begged me to take it, I didn’t ask you for it. If you know what’s good for you, kneel down and apologize, then bring me another 500, otherwise I’ll never pay you any attention again!”
Li Daniu was furious.
He never expected Yang Tiehua to treat him like this. This crazy woman had been obsessed with him before, so what possessed her today?
“Good, very good. Li Daniu, it seems you’re treating my words like a joke. Fine. Then I don’t mind making you a eunuch.”
Yang Tiehua was truly enraged now and lifted her foot to kick him again.
Seeing the incoming kick, Li Daniu’s pupils shrank as he covered himself.
His whole body trembled as he begged, “No, no! I’ll give it back, I’ll give it back right now!”
Yang Tiehua’s foot stopped less than two centimeters away.
Li Daniu trembled violently and scrambled to a nearby cabinet, pulling out a metal box and tossing it over. “Here, it’s all here, the full 800 yuan. Take it, take it quickly!”
Between money and his life, Li Daniu chose the latter.
Yang Tiehua picked up the metal box and counted the money.
Exactly 800, she nodded in satisfaction. “At least you know what’s good for you. Don’t appear in front of me again. With what you’ve got, I don’t know where you get the confidence to try to seduce me. Disgusting.”
She spat in disdain and quickly turned to leave.
What she didn’t know was that as soon as she left, Li Daniu was so frightened that he wet himself.
Outside the door, Niannian and An’an were waiting. When they saw Yang Tiehua come out holding a metal box, Niannian’s eyes lit up.
“Sister-in-law, you’re amazing! You really got it back?”
Yang Tiehua stuffed the money into her hands. “Of course, the full 800 yuan. Come on, let’s return it to Old Shen.”
Holding the money, Niannian burst into tears of joy as she pulled An’an along. “That’s great, second brother. My sister-in-law has really changed. She really won’t sell Mother anymore.”
An’an, who had previously shown Yang Tiehua nothing but coldness, now had reddened eyes. He looked at her gratefully. “Thank you.”
Looking at the two children, thin as bamboo poles and dressed in patched clothes, Yang Tiehua felt a tightness in her chest.
Was the original owner really so heartless?
Even a tiny bit of what she had could have let this family live warmly and eat their fill, yet she had chosen to ruin everything instead.
If she returned these 800 yuan to Old Shen, would Brother Ziheng forgive her?