Wang Xianger gently rubbed Ye Anran’s little head.
“Mother knows, dear.”
Ye Anran buried her small head into Wang Xianger’s embrace.
This—this was what a mother was? Someone who would unconditionally protect her child from harm. Ye Anran could feel the warmth of a mother’s love for the first time.
Leaning against Wang Xianger, she soon drifted off into a drowsy sleep.
Wang Xianger carried Ye Anran into Grandma Ye’s room.
Grandpa Ye returned from outside and saw Wang Xianger holding their little granddaughter, and he sighed.
He knew that he would never return to his own room; in the future, he’d probably have to squeeze in with Ye Erhe, his foolish son, into that tiny, filthy little room.
Grandpa Ye despised Ye Erhe’s living space, which was practically a pigsty.
Neither Grandpa Ye nor Grandma Ye cared about tidying up multiple rooms. Ye Erhe never cleaned, and Grandpa Ye wouldn’t either. Their shared room was a mess, but they managed to make do.
Meanwhile, Li Zhaodi, after leaving the Ye house, became angrier the more she thought about it, especially with the large swelling on her head from being beaten.
Upon returning home, she saw Wang Dalin.
Pretending to care, he approached her.
“Zhaodi, what happened? Who hit you? This is outrageous! I’ll go confront them right now.”
Li Zhaodi’s eyes lit up.
“Yes! Go! It was Ye Sanhe of the Ye family. That grown man secretly tripped me, and then kicked me! Hurry!”
Hearing it was the numerous Ye sons, Wang Dalin immediately shrank back.
“Wife… why did you go to the Ye house and get beaten by Ye Sanhe?”
Li Zhaodi, seeing Wang Dalin’s timid, shrinking demeanor, flung his hand aside.
“Hmph! You’re a useless coward! You talk big, but do nothing!”
Wang Cuihua came over, frowning at Li Zhaodi’s bruised, battered appearance.
“Li Zhaodi, you said you’d bring back at least half a wild chicken. Where’s the chicken?”
Li Zhaodi felt helpless. She had been beaten nearly senseless, her hands empty—how could she bring back half a chicken?
Wang Cuihua, unconcerned with her injuries, only cared about the chicken.
Li Zhaodi dared not argue, so in frustration she returned to her room.
Wang Dalin, confused, asked what had happened.
Wang Cuihua recounted the situation, and Wang Dalin clenched his fists in anger.
“That brat really is foolish. I’m her father! I treated her well, and she catches a wild chicken yet doesn’t even think of bringing it home—giving it to the Ye family instead!”
He stormed outside, wanting to find Ye Anran and assert that he was the girl’s real father. Anything good should go to the Wang family, not the Ye family.
Li Zhaodi, growing more furious, soon stormed out of her room.
“Mother, why should that brat give the things she caught to the Ye family? I’m not satisfied. Look at me—bruised and beaten—mother, give me some coins.”
Wang Cuihua slammed the table.
“You useless girl! You didn’t even bring the chicken, and now you got beaten. And now you ask me for money? Am I in debt to you? Absolutely not!”
Li Zhaodi’s body trembled with rage, her head throbbing like a drum.
“Mother, the Ye family is too shameless. Dalin is a coward. Our family is completely being looked down on.
“That little wretch caught something delicious for the Ye family, and people even say she’s lucky. I don’t believe it! If she had any luck, why didn’t she catch it for us at home? Why did the Ye family benefit instead?
“I don’t need much—just give me a few coins. I’m going to the city to buy rat poison. If they’re going to eat, they can eat it all! The whole family can go to hell!”
Li Zhaodi’s eyes glinted with a chilling, ruthless light.
Wang Cuihua shivered, horrified.
How could Li Zhaodi be so cruel? She couldn’t stand seeing the little girl do well.
Not understanding all the reasons, Wang Cuihua was shaken by Li Zhaodi’s malevolent thoughts. Failing to catch a chicken, being beaten, now she even planned to poison the Ye family.
Wang Cuihua, trembling, dared not refuse. She feared Li Zhaodi might use her sinister plan on her if denied.
Thinking quickly, Wang Cuihua said,
“Zhaodi, don’t do anything rash. If you want coins, I’ll give you some. Go to the city, clear your mind, maybe buy a couple of buns, and come back.”
She returned to her room and handed Li Zhaodi five coins.
Li Zhaodi turned and left immediately, satisfied. Wang Cuihua finally exhaled, thinking the Ye family deserved it anyway, especially since the little girl had brought the wild chicken to them instead of her own parents.
Li Zhaodi went to the city, to the medicine shop, and told the doctor she needed poison because her house had too many rats that were eating her clothes.
The shopkeeper priced it at eight coins, but after Li Zhaodi’s persistent haggling, she got it for five.
Carrying it back over the long distance, her heart burned with hatred. Why had she been treated like a slave from birth? Forced to defer to her brothers in everything?
Her first child, a daughter, had been ignored in the Wang household, called worthless. When she had her second, it nearly took her life. Fortunately, Wang Dalin had helped her get treatment in the city.
But when she reached the clinic, she saw a luxurious carriage outside. A noblewoman had arrived with dozens of attendants, saying she was in labor. Her second child was lost, while the next door house celebrated a newborn daughter.
So ironic! Her first daughter was despised, yet others rejoiced at theirs.
Finally, she had her third child, Wang Bao’er, and could hold her head high in the Wang family.
Now, Li Zhaodi returned home with rat poison, skipping dinner, thinking of all her past suffering.
Late at night, when the household was quiet, she stealthily left the Wang house and approached the Ye family.
Clutching the packet of powder tightly, she sneaked into the Ye family’s courtyard, moving toward the backyard.