Qin Sanmu knelt in the ancestral hall with a bitter expression on his face.
The ancestral hall doors were wide open, and outside, several little girls secretly poked their heads in to watch.
Qin Sanmu felt utterly humiliated.
Especially when he heard his nieces whispering—
“Third Uncle got beaten again.”
“Grandma was super fierce today!”
“Serves him right. Grandma said he didn’t protect Third Auntie.”
“Then will Third Uncle get dinner tonight?”
…
Qin Sanmu wished he could dig a hole and bury himself.
Meanwhile, inside the kitchen, Li Wang’er silently chopped vegetables.
The sound of the knife hitting the cutting board echoed rhythmically.
Zhang Ermei leaned over curiously.
“Third Sister-in-law… are you really angry?”
Li Wang’er lowered her eyes.
“How could I not be angry?”
“He clearly knows what kind of person Wang Guixiang is, yet whenever she cries a little, he gets all softhearted.”
“If Mother hadn’t arrived in time today, who knows how she would’ve smeared my name again.”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly.
Actually, what hurt her most wasn’t Wang Guixiang.
It was Qin Sanmu’s reaction.
The moment Wang Guixiang accused her, Qin Sanmu had subconsciously believed it.
Even if only for a second—
it was enough to make her heart turn cold.
Zhang Ermei sighed.
“Our Third Brother’s just too softhearted.”
“But Mother was right to beat him.”
“At least now he’ll remember.”
Li Wang’er pressed her lips together and said nothing more.
Outside the kitchen, Li Xiaoxiao was sitting in the courtyard shelling beans while keeping an eye on the ancestral hall.
The more she looked at Qin Sanmu kneeling there, the angrier she became.
This foolish son of hers wasn’t evil—
just stupid.
The kind of man most easily manipulated by a white lotus woman.
If she didn’t straighten him out now, Wang Guixiang would eventually stir this whole family into chaos.
Thinking this, Li Xiaoxiao suddenly barked:
“Qin Sanmu!”
Qin Sanmu jolted.
“Y-yes, Mother!”
“Have you figured out where you were wrong?”
Qin Sanmu looked utterly miserable.
“…I shouldn’t have talked to Wang Guixiang.”
“Wrong!”
Li Xiaoxiao slapped the table loudly.
“You still don’t understand!”
“You’re already married!”
“Your wife carried your child for ten months, washes your clothes, cooks your meals, and bore you a daughter!”
“But the moment another woman shed a few tears, your first reaction was to question your own wife!”
“What kind of husband does that?”
Qin Sanmu froze.
His lips moved slightly.
For the first time, he truly began reflecting seriously.
Li Xiaoxiao’s voice turned colder.
“Today Wang Guixiang framed your wife in front of everyone.”
“If those two little boys hadn’t spoken up, how would your wife clear her name?”
“Have you thought about that?”
Qin Sanmu’s face slowly turned pale.
Only now did he realize the seriousness of the situation.
In this era, a woman’s reputation mattered more than life itself.
If word spread that Li Wang’er bullied a widow out of jealousy—
people’s gossip alone could drown her.
And he…
had actually stood there doubting her.
The more Qin Sanmu thought about it, the more ashamed he became.
Lowering his head, he whispered hoarsely:
“Mother… I know I was wrong.”
Li Xiaoxiao snorted coldly.
“You know now?”
“Too late!”
“Keep kneeling!”
“Tonight you’ll kneel here and reflect properly.”
Only after saying that did Li Xiaoxiao finally feel a bit calmer.
At that moment, little Qin Xiaozhi wobbled over on her short legs, carrying half a steamed bun in her hand.
She toddled all the way to the ancestral hall entrance.
Then she stretched out her tiny hand toward Qin Sanmu.
“Ba… ba…”
Qin Sanmu was stunned.
The little girl shoved the half-chewed bun into his hand.
Then she grinned brightly at him, showing two tiny baby teeth.
Everyone in the courtyard fell silent for a moment.
Li Wang’er, who had just walked out of the kitchen, stopped in place.
Qin Sanmu looked at his daughter blankly, and suddenly his eyes turned red.
His daughter was still so young—
yet she already knew to save food for her father.
But what had he done today?
He had failed to protect her mother.
Qin Sanmu lowered his head and wiped his eyes hard.
This time, he finally understood why his mother had beaten him so fiercely.