But there were always people who weren’t afraid of death.
From far away, Li Xiaoxiao spotted a flamboyantly dressed woman fluttering toward them like a gaudy moth, carrying a plate of food.
Searching through Li Shi’s memories, Li Xiaoxiao quickly identified her.
This was Wang Guixiang, the eldest daughter of the Wang family.
She had been widowed less than two years after marriage, with no children. Earlier this year, her in-laws had allowed her to return to her maiden home and remarry.
As she approached, Wang Guixiang stopped gracefully and swayed her body lightly.
“Greetings, Auntie Qin! Good morning, Brother Sanmu~”
Her voice curved sweetly, soft and syrupy enough to make Li Xiaoxiao shiver involuntarily.
Looking her up and down, Li Xiaoxiao noticed the widow’s clothes were far too revealing.
Her chest was full and prominent, her waist slim, and her watery eyes blinked flirtatiously at Qin Sanmu behind Li Xiaoxiao.
Li Xiaoxiao couldn’t help sighing internally.
This woman really did radiate charm.
Especially those watery eyes—they could intoxicate people at a glance.
Still, Li Xiaoxiao didn’t linger on the sight long.
She had more important concerns.
Like whether she’d get to eat something good today.
Qin Sanmu, meanwhile, looked thoroughly pleased.
He gently replied,
“Morning, Sister Guixiang.”
“Brother Sanmu, thank you for helping me carry water yesterday. I made spring pancakes for you and Auntie Qin to try.”
Wang Guixiang spoke in that cloyingly sweet voice again.
Her body swayed slightly as she bit her lower lip, completely ignoring Li Xiaoxiao—whose eyebrows were practically twisted into killing flies—and gazed expectantly at Qin Sanmu.
“Tch. This isn’t some fluttering moth.”
“This is a horny fox in mating season.”
Li Xiaoxiao cursed internally.
“Sister Guixiang, that’s too kind of you.”
Qin Sanmu obviously didn’t see it that way.
In his eyes, Guixiang was simply gentle and considerate.
He even reached out to accept the plate.
Before he could touch it—
SMASH!
Li Xiaoxiao snatched the plate and slammed it onto the ground, startling both of them badly.
“Wang Guixiang!”
“Do you think my family has no food to eat that we need yours?!”
“And ‘brother’? Since when was he your brother?!”
“I sure as hell didn’t give birth to some chest-swaying little slut like you!”
Li Xiaoxiao pointed directly at Wang Guixiang’s nose while shouting.
“Auntie Qin, what are you saying?”
“I was only thanking Brother Sanmu…”
Wang Guixiang immediately put on a pitiful expression.
“Mom, it’s not what you think! Guixiang and I—”
Before Qin Sanmu could finish—
SLAP!
He received a huge smack across the face.
“‘Sister’?!” SLAP!
“Who’s your sister?!” SLAP!
“How many sisters do you have?!” SLAP!
“Since when does your sister have the surname Wang?!” SLAP!
“Why the hell don’t I know about it?!” SLAP!
Qin Sanmu was beaten so thoroughly he had zero opportunity to defend himself.
“Aiyo! Auntie Qin, stop hitting him! Don’t hit Brother Sanmu anymore!”
Wang Guixiang hurried forward weakly to stop her.
Unfortunately for her—
Li Xiaoxiao backhanded her across the face too.
“Who the hell is your brother?!”
“All your shame seems to have grown into the meat on your chest!”
“If you dare call him ‘brother’ again, I’ll carve those few pounds of meat right off!”
“What are you acting slutty for?!”
“Wuwuwu—!”
Crying while clutching her face, Wang Guixiang ran away sobbing.
“Guixiang!”
Qin Sanmu tried chasing after her while holding his own face—
only to earn yet another slap from his mother.
Li Xiaoxiao turned and noticed nearby villagers gathering to watch the drama.
Her fierce gaze swept across the crowd.
Immediately, everyone scattered like frightened birds.
Still fuming, Li Xiaoxiao turned to continue walking—
when suddenly a fat woman charged out roaring:
“Li Cuihua! What gives you the right to hit my daughter?!”
At first, Li Xiaoxiao didn’t realize the woman was referring to her.
Only when the woman rushed directly up to her did she remember—
Li Cuihua was Li Shi’s actual name.
“Why?” Li Xiaoxiao sneered.
“You seriously don’t know why?”
“What decent family’s daughter acts coy and flirty so a married man will carry water for her?”
“What decent woman blocks a married man in the middle of the road just to deliver spring pancakes?”
“And what decent woman shakes around the meat on her chest while flirting right in front of the man’s mother?”
“Hm?”
“I—”
“You what?!”
“Your widowed daughter’s in heat and acting shamelessly, but she ought to pick her targets carefully.”
“If she dares call my third son ‘brother’ again, I’ll tear her mouth apart!”
As she spoke, Li Xiaoxiao repeatedly jabbed the woman in the chest until the woman lost balance and fell flat onto the ground.
Then Li Xiaoxiao walked away proudly.
Behind her, Qin Sanmu stood there so awkwardly he didn’t even know where to put his hands and feet anymore.
In the end, he could only run after his mother while sporting a face full of handprints.
Still irritated, Li Xiaoxiao suddenly spun around and kicked Qin Sanmu directly in the leg before continuing onward.
Qin Sanmu could only follow behind pitifully.
At last, they arrived at Butcher Qin’s pork stall.
The butcher’s real name was Qin Dashan, a man in his thirties from the same clan branch as Qin Sanmu.
There weren’t many customers at the stall yet.
The moment Qin Dashan spotted Li Xiaoxiao, he hurried over enthusiastically.
His face full of thick flesh split into a broad smile.
“Auntie! Why’d you come buy meat personally today?”
“You only had to send word and I’d have delivered it myself!”
“Mhm.”
Li Xiaoxiao merely grunted in acknowledgment while already reaching out to inspect the pork.
Only then did Qin Dashan notice the handprints covering Qin Sanmu’s face.
“Aiyo! Brother Sanmu, what happened to your face?”
“He got dazzled by a fox spirit.”
“I used a few slaps to help clear his mind.”
Li Xiaoxiao replied in a strange tone while continuing to examine the meat.
“Heh… heh…”
“Well, fox spirits are pretty fierce in springtime…”
“Brother Sanmu should be more careful…”
Qin Dashan awkwardly agreed.
Qin Sanmu forced out a smile uglier than crying.
“Brother Dashan…”
Trying to ease the tension, Qin Dashan quickly asked:
“So what would Auntie like today?”
“Fresh pig slaughtered this morning! Look how fatty and fresh this meat is!”
“I’ll take those two slabs of leaf lard, this pork belly, ten jin of ribs with meat still attached, and one whole liver.”
Li Xiaoxiao picked quickly and decisively.
“Got it!”
“Auntie didn’t bring a basket, right? Use mine first—it’s still brand new.”
Qin Dashan efficiently lined the basket with clean lotus leaves.
“Leaf lard is thirteen wen per jin. Four jin makes fifty-two.”
“Pork belly fifteen wen per jin. Three jin makes forty-five.”
“Ribs five wen per jin. Ten jin makes fifty.”
“Pig liver three wen per jin. Four jin makes twelve.”
As he weighed everything, he rapidly called out prices.
“Auntie, total is one hundred fifty-nine wen.”
After calculating, Li Xiaoxiao pulled out two hundred copper coins from her sleeve.
She counted out forty-one coins and tucked them back away before handing him the rest.
Then her eyes landed on some marrow bones sitting in the corner.
“Throw in those four leg bones too.”
“Done!”
Qin Dashan immediately added them to the basket after taking payment.
“Third son, carry it.”
Li Xiaoxiao ordered.
Qin Sanmu obediently picked up the basket and followed behind her.
“I’ll have my third son—no, my eldest son—return the basket later,” Li Xiaoxiao corrected herself while turning to leave.
“Alright! Auntie, take care on the road!”
Qin Dashan called warmly.
The two returned home one after another just in time to run into Qin Sanmu’s wife coming back from washing clothes while carrying little Qin Xiaozhi on her back.
Seeing the still-visible handprints on her husband’s face, the third daughter-in-law felt a pang of sympathy.
But she didn’t dare ask questions.
Hearing footsteps, Li Xiaoxiao turned around and immediately noticed the concern on Li Wang’er’s face.
She snorted coldly.
“Hmph. Keep a tighter leash on your husband.”
“He’s got enough energy to carry water for outside women, but not enough to help you wash clothes or take care of the child?”
“You even had to carry the baby while washing clothes!”
Li Wang’er instantly understood.
That shameless Wang Guixiang must’ve gotten caught by her mother-in-law.
Looking again at her husband’s face—
she immediately stopped feeling sorry for him.
“I understand, Mother.”
Seeing her daughter-in-law’s expression change, Li Xiaoxiao finally felt satisfied and headed straight toward the dining hall.
Qin Sanmu wanted to explain himself, but Li Wang’er angrily set down the washbasin, quickly untied the baby from her back, and shoved the child into his arms.
“You can hang your own dirty clothes yourself!”
“Why should I wash clothes dirtied because you helped another woman carry water?!”
Then she rolled her eyes dramatically and stormed into the kitchen.
Poor Qin Sanmu could only awkwardly strap his daughter against his chest, carry the basket into the kitchen first, then return to hang the laundry.
Half-year-old Qin Xiaozhi suddenly seemed hungry.
Rubbing her head against her father’s chest, she eventually found the perfect spot.
Her tiny teeth had just started coming in sharp.
Without hesitation—
CHOMP.
The piercing pain made Qin Sanmu howl loudly in agony.
But little Xiaozhi thought her father was playing with her and burst into delighted giggles instead.