Chapter 114

Li Dazhuang held his son close and drifted off to sleep, content and at peace. Feeling Xiao An’an’s warm little body pressed against him, a faint smile curled at the corners of his lips.

Thank goodness—it had all just been a false alarm.

It felt like a dream, yet everything in that dream had been disturbingly real. Even the rustling of wind through the treetops had sounded exactly like it did in the waking world.

Even someone as thick-skinned and carefree as Li Dazhuang couldn’t help but feel a bit unsettled after experiencing such a vivid dream.

He held An An in that position for a while before sitting up again, running a hand through his hair, clearly conflicted.

Of course his son was the most important. But if he had to stand by and watch his good brother die, he couldn’t help but feel guilty about it.

At some point, lost in thought, Li Dazhuang finally fell asleep.

The next morning, he carried An An and went straight to his mother.

He hoped that seeing her precious little grandson would soften her attitude toward him as well.

Ever since Granny Li had Xiao An’an—so sweet and well-behaved—by her side, her attitude toward her youngest son had noticeably cooled.

After all, no matter how much she spoiled Li Dazhuang, all he ever gave her were a few pretty words and vague promises about how he’d be filial in the future.

In the past, Granny Li had been happy to hear that.

But now, with Xiao An’an clinging to her arm, showering her with kisses, and pushing the tastiest bits of food toward her, the contrast was stark.

An An’s affection was genuine. Her younger son’s words? Just lip service. Who knew if she’d ever live to see those promises fulfilled?

“What do you want now?”

Li Dazhuang’s plan to use An An to win favor failed instantly. The moment Granny Li saw An An, she reached out and scooped him into her arms.

Cradling An An, she eyed Li Dazhuang warily, as if expecting some kind of scheme.

“Ma, what could I possibly want? I just came to see you.”

Granny Li used to fall for that line. But now, holding Xiao An’an, she didn’t even bother to hide her disdain. Frowning, she said:

“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. If not, I’m leaving.”

“Ma, Ma, Ma—wait, wait, I’ll talk, I’ll talk.”

Granny Li gave him a look that said she saw right through him, and for once, it made Li Dazhuang feel a little guilty.

Even Xiao An’an, nestled in her arms, gave him a look of utter disdain.

He was just a tiny little thing, but somehow Li Dazhuang could see the contempt in his son’s eyes.

If it weren’t for his mother standing right there, he’d have pinched that cheeky little face and taught him a lesson.

“Ma, it’s about that guy you mentioned before. His leg’s broken, and he’s been left out there for days without food. I was thinking… maybe I should bring him something?”

After mulling it over, Li Dazhuang decided to come clean.

There was no hiding something like this. Better to be upfront with his mother than to sneak around and get caught.

If something really did happen later, maybe she’d even be willing to help.

As the most spoiled child in the family, Li Dazhuang had learned one thing growing up: never hide anything from his mother.

Tell her directly, and at most she’d scold him a little.

But if he tried to hide it and someone else found out, he’d be in for a real beating.

Granny Li snorted coldly. She knew her youngest son hadn’t come for anything good. Holding An An, she turned and walked away.

Li Dazhuang saw her reaction and quickly chased after her.

“Ma, can’t we talk this over properly?”

Granny Li glanced toward the door. In the countryside, there wasn’t much privacy—anyone passing by could hear what was said inside.

“There’s nothing to talk about. If he’d just broken his leg in a fall, that’d be one thing. But it’s obvious he was beaten. Even his own parents don’t want to deal with that disgrace. And you think it’s your job?”

“Don’t just think about me—even your sister-in-law would never agree to this if she found out.”

Of course Li Dazhuang knew his sister-in-law wouldn’t approve. That’s why he came to his mother instead.

But seeing how firm she was being, he realized it was a lost cause and didn’t bring it up again.

With nothing to take from home and not daring to bring An An out to scavenge, Li Dazhuang deliberately stopped asking about his friend’s situation.

Out of sight, out of mind.

A few days later, while sewing clothes with the other old ladies, Granny Li heard that the man’s mother had finally relented and fed him a few bites. He’d pulled through.

When she got home, she told her son, hoping it would ease his worry.

“He told me last time that after what he did, his parents were so ashamed they didn’t even want to acknowledge him.”

If he hadn’t sounded so certain, Li Dazhuang wouldn’t have been in such a rush to help.

Granny Li looked at her son, a flicker of frustration in her eyes. She reached up and gave his ear a hard tug.

“Have you ever seen anyone in our village who’s so biased they’d abandon their own kid like that?”

Granny Li was already considered one of the more partial elders in the village, but even she would never force her eldest to support the youngest.

She doted on her youngest, sure—but that affection came from what she and her husband could spare. So even if her eldest daughter-in-law was unhappy, there wasn’t much she could say.

Li Dazhuang thought about it seriously and realized—no, there wasn’t a single family like that.

“So if even his own parents won’t help him, it means the problem lies with him.”

“Oh… I get it now.”

Beyond all that, the man’s reputation was just too terrible. After what he’d done, his name was mud in the village. No one wanted to be associated with him.

Li Dazhuang had finally gotten his life back on track. Most people figured he’d just strayed a bit in his youth.

Now that he was doing better, the past was starting to fade.

But if he got involved with someone like that again, all his progress would be for nothing. People would say, “A dog can’t change its ways,” and lump them together.

Granny Li didn’t bother explaining all that. She carried An An outside.

Sister-in-law Li was in the courtyard picking vegetables. Granny Li hadn’t hidden the situation from her, and she was well aware of everything. If her mother-in-law weren’t both biased and reasonable, she wouldn’t have tolerated it this long.

Xiao An’an stood beside her, holding a green onion in his tiny hand, trying to copy her motions and peel off the outer layer.

The smell was too strong for such a little one. Before he could finish peeling it, he sneezed several times in a row.

“Achoo! Achoo!” One sneeze after another—until Sister-in-law Li burst out laughing.

“Don’t play with that. Go on, go play over there.”

“Waaah.”

Xiao An’an obediently put down the onion. Granny Li carried him to another spot. Watching his tiny figure toddle away, Sister-in-law Li suddenly felt her mood lift.

The brigade leader had only announced that meals would be eaten separately, but hadn’t laid out the full plan yet.

Since there wasn’t much work in the fields at the moment, he took the opportunity to explain the rest.

Each household could keep two plots of private land to grow vegetables, and they were allowed to raise chickens—though strictly limited to no more than three.

All the new rules were gradually posted on the production team’s office wall.

As the last leaves fell from the trees, the first snow of early winter arrived, carried by a chilly breeze. The snowflakes were so fine they were barely visible unless you looked closely.

When Xiao An’an woke up, he sat and stared out at the falling snow. Li Dazhuang rubbed his eyes, dressed himself, then bundled An An up in layer after layer, fastening each button carefully.

Seeing the wonder in An An’s eyes, Li Dazhuang was reminded of his own childhood—how he’d once run out naked to play in the snow, only to get a good beating from his mother.

In the courtyard, Xiao Hua and Shitou were already trying to build a snowman.

But the snowfall was too light. They barely managed to scrape together enough for a palm-sized snowman.

Xiao Hua adored her little brother. Once the snowman was done, she handed it to An An.

Shitou, on the other hand, disliked the boy who had stolen his sister’s affection. He warned her that little kids like that didn’t know how to be careful—what if he broke it?

Xiao Hua saw An An’s chubby little hand freeze mid-reach and gently pushed the snowman closer to him, softly retorting:

“He won’t. He’s a good boy.”

“Bai~”

An An chimed in, not trying to take the snowman, just reaching out to touch it.

The snow was icy cold. The moment his hand made contact, he jerked it back and tucked it into his sleeve.

Li Dazhuang, seeing his son’s timid reaction, couldn’t help but laugh. He leaned down and kissed his cheek, not acting like a father at all as he openly teased him.

An An raised his hand and gave his dad a punch.

Just then, Sister-in-law Li called them in for breakfast. Seeing Xiao Hua and Shitou’s red, frozen hands, she couldn’t help but scold them.

Some things couldn’t be eaten openly, so Sister-in-law Li and Granny Li would secretly add a little something extra to their meals.

Like the coarse grain porridge—they’d occasionally sneak in a bite of meat.

An An was still too young to chew the preserved meat, so his bowl only had porridge.

Granny Li fed him spoon by spoon, and An An ate happily, not picky at all.

After breakfast, Li Dazhuang scooped up his son and headed out to chat with the neighbors.

It had been a few days since he last showed off how adorable his son was—he was itching to flaunt it again.

Granny Li never stopped him. The more Li Dazhuang cherished An An, the less likely he was to fall back into his old ways.

After the snow, the temperature plummeted, and soon a layer of ice formed on the roads.

The once muddy paths had frozen solid.

It was time to slaughter the pigs raised by the production team.

Li Dazhuang didn’t want to scare his precious son, so he didn’t take him to watch the excitement. Instead, he used gathering firewood as an excuse and took An An up the mountain.

Since that dream, Li Dazhuang had avoided bringing An An in this direction.

Even when they did come, they stayed near the outskirts—never venturing deeper.

He also made a point of practicing running while holding An An, just in case something ever happened. He wanted to be able to run faster with his son in his arms.

An An’s cheeks were flushed red from the cold. His hands were tucked tightly into his sleeves, too afraid to take them out.

The wind and snow stung his eyes, making it hard to keep them open. Frustrated, he ground his little teeth—still not fully grown—and was clearly very upset.

If not for the thick layers of clothing making movement difficult, he would’ve punched his dad right then and there.

Li Dazhuang didn’t want to bring An An here either, but there wasn’t much choice.

A bite of meat wasn’t worth more than his son—but with the new year approaching, his sister was likely to visit.

She had helped raise him when he was little. In his memory, she had always doted on him. Even after getting married, she never forgot to bring him treats when she visited.

But times were hard now. Even if her husband’s family was doing okay, they wouldn’t tolerate her bringing things home all the time.

If her husband didn’t truly love her, who knew how many fights would’ve broken out by now.

Back then, their family had nothing. Even if they knew her mother-in-law disapproved, they couldn’t afford to prepare proper gifts in return.

But this year was different—they had Xiao An’an now.

After walking for a while, Li Dazhuang started to feel the chill himself. He stopped to rest, leaned close to his son’s ear, and whispered:

“Son, listen—if we can catch just one pheasant today, that’s enough, okay? Just one. Any more and we won’t be able to sneak it back.”

An An couldn’t open his eyes, but he could still hear his dad.

Though he didn’t quite understand why his dad was saying something so strange, there was no one else around, so it must’ve been meant for him.

So, An An gave a soft “Mm” in response.

Li Dazhuang might not excel at much, but when it came to cutting corners and sneaky tricks, he was a master.

With An An along, he couldn’t imagine failing. He even picked up some dry branches along the way and was already thinking about where to hide a pheasant if he caught one, so no one would notice.

Most of the villagers had gone to watch the pig slaughter. No one would return home until the meat was divided.

“Xiao An’an, it’s all thanks to you.”

An An still didn’t understand what this had to do with him. All he knew was that the wind felt like it was biting his face.

He was already miserable—but he didn’t dare cry.

An An’s instincts told him that if he dared to cry now, the wind would bite even harder.

They had only gathered half the firewood when, from a distance, Li Dazhuang spotted two brightly colored wild pheasants with their heads buried in the snow, only their vivid tail feathers sticking out.

Without a second thought, Li Dazhuang tossed An An into the snow and strode over to pull the pheasants out.

No one knew how long the birds had been there, but they were frozen stiff. Still, the meat looked fresh.

Li Dazhuang’s eyes lit up with excitement as he quickly hid the pheasants.

If there had only been one, he would’ve given it to his sister. But with two, they could keep one for themselves and treat his sister to a proper meal when she came back.

The way Li Dazhuang had abandoned An An was so smooth and practiced that before the child could even react, he was already lying on his back in the snow, limbs flailing.

This time, even though An An knew crying would only make his face hurt more from the cold, he couldn’t hold it in. He burst into loud wails.

The sound of his son crying finally caught Li Dazhuang’s attention. He hurried over and picked An An up.

“There, there, don’t cry. I didn’t forget about you. I just didn’t want the pheasants to get away, you understand?”

Granny Li was terrified that such a tiny child might catch cold and had bundled An An up like a little ball, even putting on a hat that used to belong to Xiao Hua.

Even though Li Dazhuang had tossed him into soft snow, it had still startled him.

An An didn’t want to hear any of his father’s explanations. He sniffled and turned his head away in a clear show of anger.

“Waaah.”

Li Dazhuang carried An An in one arm and the two pheasants in the other, heading back while gathering the firewood they’d left behind. He hid the pheasants among the firewood to bring them home.

Not everyone in their household had gone to the pig slaughter. Grandpa Li didn’t care for the commotion and had stayed home by the fire.

When they got back, Li Dazhuang dropped the firewood in the courtyard and carried An An inside.

At first, Grandpa Li showed no reaction when he saw his son. But the moment he noticed An An was awake, his face lit up with a smile so wide it deepened every wrinkle.

“Well now, Xiao An’an, come let Grandpa hold you.”

Having been out in the cold, Xiao An’an was shivering. But the moment he heard Grandpa’s voice, he raised his arms eagerly. Even though he was bundled up thickly, just lifting his arms wore him out.

Seeing how eager he was to leave his arms, Li Dazhuang felt a little hurt.

“In this freezing weather, where did you go? What were you doing? How could you let An An get this cold?”

Xiao An’an trembled again from the chill. Grandpa Li took his tiny hands in his own.

No matter how hard An An had tried to keep his hands warm earlier, it hadn’t helped much. They were still icy cold.

“I didn’t want to take An An with me, but if I left him behind, someone might’ve seen.”

“Got lucky, though—found two frozen pheasants. Isn’t Big Sis coming back in a few days? Her mother-in-law’s always talking, saying she brings things every time but never takes anything back.”

Big Sis never paid those words any mind. Back when times were tough, conflicts were everywhere—even the dog passing by would get kicked.

But Li Dazhuang remembered. He’d always told himself that once he made something of himself, he’d make sure his sister had something to take home, so she wouldn’t be looked down on.

Grandpa Li didn’t know what to say. He knew his daughter had a hard time at her in-laws’.

But knowing didn’t make it any easier. There wasn’t much he could do.

“When your sister-in-law gets back, talk it over with her.”

“I’ll tell Ma, let her speak with Sis-in-law.”

“That works too.”

Grandpa Li rolled up An An’s sleeves. The child stretched out his little hands, trying to spread his fingers wider to get more warmth from the fire.

Before long, the sound of villagers returning with meat filled the air. From the lively chatter, it was clear the production team had slaughtered quite a few pigs this year.

When the three of them stepped into the courtyard and saw the extra bundle of firewood, Sister-in-law Li—experienced in such matters—immediately closed the door behind them.

Granny Li beamed with pride as she brought the meat into the kitchen.

Though the goal was to ensure every household got some meat, not all cuts were equal. Those who got pig intestines wore sour expressions all the way home.

Their family was lucky this year—the two slabs of meat they received were rich with fat.

Sister-in-law Li moved the firewood aside and went over to the firepit. She asked her younger brother-in-law what had happened.

“I was bored over there, so I thought I’d gather some firewood. Who would’ve guessed I’d get lucky and find two frozen pheasants?”

Granny Li, having just put the meat away, came in and saw Li Dazhuang struggling to explain. She quickly guessed what he was thinking.

They couldn’t tell her eldest daughter-in-law outright. That would only stir up resentment.

Li Dazhuang had said there were two pheasants. If possible, one could be sent with her daughter to her in-laws’—it would make for a good New Year. The other they could keep for themselves, make a stew, and feed her precious grandson.

But if they split it that way, her daughter-in-law would likely have something to say. Granny Li didn’t want any arguments during the New Year.

Xiao An’an kept tilting his head to look at Grandma, trying to draw her attention, letting out little “ah” sounds every now and then.

“My little darling, Grandma has things to do today. Let Grandpa hold you for a bit.”

As long as it wasn’t his father, Xiao An’an wasn’t picky. He nodded obediently.

That evening, while preparing dinner together, Granny Li brought up the matter with her daughter-in-law.

“Those two pheasants Dazhuang found today—I’ve been thinking. You’ve been married into our family for so many years, and we’ve never really had anything for you to take back to your parents.”

“And Xiao Chun too—she’s been married off for years now. Since there are two birds, how about you each bring one home when you visit your families this year?”

Sister-in-law Li’s hands slowed noticeably as she cooked.

They were all family, and her mother-in-law wasn’t even trying to hide her intentions.

It was obvious she only brought it up to make sure her daughter got one. Sister-in-law Li was just the excuse.

“Forget it, Ma. There are only two. Let’s keep one for ourselves. I can’t even remember the last time we had chicken. I’ve really been craving it.”

“That’s fine. If we get lucky again, we’ll make it up to you.”

Granny Li let out a quiet sigh of relief. She hadn’t truly wanted to keep both. If they had no chicken for the New Year, she’d be thinking about it constantly.

But to keep the peace, she’d rather swallow her pride.

Sister-in-law Li saw right through her mother-in-law’s little scheme but didn’t call her out. She kept cooking.

Her thinking was simple. If she brought the chicken to her parents’ home, at most she’d get a few compliments. The meat would end up in the bellies of her brothers, their wives, and their kids.

Compared to that, feeding her own children well was far more important.

She hadn’t been the most favored child in her family growing up. Ironically, she lived better now in the Li household than she ever had before.

“No rush. If we come across more, we’ll save them.”

Granny Li’s smile turned warm and genuine. She was truly pleased to see her daughter-in-law put their family first—even if she’d never admit it out loud.

In the fire-warmed room, Xiao Hua sat beside Grandpa, describing the massive pigs they’d seen slaughtered earlier.

“You wouldn’t believe it, little brother! Those pigs were huge! Mama wouldn’t let me watch, but I could hear them squealing!”

“Waaah~”

Xiao An’an’s mouth dropped open in awe. Li Dazhuang couldn’t help but burst into laughter at his son’s wide-eyed expression.

But the moment he laughed, An An remembered it was all his father’s fault he hadn’t seen the pigs—and nearly froze into a popsicle!

He shot his father a glare, then quickly buried his head in Grandpa’s arms, cutting off any chance of retaliation.

At dinner, Granny Li served her daughter-in-law a thicker portion of stew, making Sister-in-law Li feel a little embarrassed.

She wasn’t as good as her mother-in-law thought. The only reason she had brought up An An was because she knew Granny Li doted on him—it made her happy to hear it.

Besides, if she went back to her parents’ home, she’d only bring one child. With over ten people in that household, she’d be lucky to get two bites of chicken herself.

But here, even though she used An An as an excuse, the little guy didn’t even have teeth yet. And her in-laws treated her own children just as well.

In the end, it was her son and daughter who got the most out of it.

An An always looked forward to mealtime. He’d already started learning to hold a spoon, but now that the weather had turned cold, he was bundled up like a ball.

Stretching his arms or kicking his legs was a chore—he was exhausted just trying.

Before the New Year, Xiao Chun did come home for a visit, bringing plenty of things with her. When she set down the basket, Granny Li felt a sudden pang in her chest.

She went over and took her daughter’s hand, studying her face carefully.

“I told you before, didn’t I? You need to take care of yourself. Don’t worry about us—we’re doing fine.”

Xiao Chun gave a sheepish smile and brushed it off.

“It’s not much, Ma. I’m doing just fine.”

Back when Xiao Chun was little, her parents hadn’t played favorites. But somehow, she’d grown up with a habit of pinching pennies.

Granny Li ached for her daughter, who was constantly belittled by her mother-in-law. But Xiao Chun never seemed to mind.

Whenever they spoke in private, she’d say it was just a few words here and there. Yet she always brought things back, convinced she was getting the better end of the deal.

Xiao Chun stepped inside and glanced at An An.

He was sitting in Grandpa’s lap, warming his hands, while Xiao Hua and Shitou built a snowman in the courtyard.

Sister-in-law Li had brought out the best food they had to welcome her sister-in-law. It was a lot of work for one person, but she didn’t ask her mother-in-law to help.

After all, Xiao Chun didn’t come back often. It was a rare chance for her and her mother to catch up.

Her mother-in-law treated her well, and she wanted to return the favor in her own way.

That’s how a household stayed peaceful.

An An looked curiously at the unfamiliar woman approaching.

Xiao Chun was instantly smitten with his adorable face. She reached out, trying to pick him up.

When her sister-in-law had passed away, someone had come to tell her, but her family had been busy and her mother-in-law hadn’t let her return.

She’d heard the child probably wouldn’t survive and had prepared herself not to see him again.

But not only had he survived—he’d grown into a chubby, sweet, and well-behaved little boy.

“Ma, he’s such a good boy.”

An An heard the praise and, despite trying to hide it, couldn’t help but smile. He lifted his chin proudly, making everyone want to scoop him up.

“He is, and he’s smart too. Go ahead and hold him—he’s not shy around strangers.”

With Grandma’s permission, An An reached out to his aunt.

Xiao Chun had a daughter too, but she was already older. Back then, she’d had to return to work right after giving birth, leaving the baby with her sister-in-law’s daughter.

She’d never held a baby this small before.

Sensing her nervousness, An An leaned into her arms and gave her a cheeky smile.

Granny Li kept glancing at her daughter, and Xiao Chun understood. Her mother wanted to talk in private.

She couldn’t bear to put An An down, so she carried him with her.

Once they were in her mother’s room, Granny Li’s first question was about her life at her in-laws’.

“Is he treating you well? His family isn’t bullying you, are they?”

Xiao Chun held An An’s tiny hand and smiled, shaking her head.

“Don’t worry, Ma. I won’t let myself be taken advantage of.”

“You silly girl. How can I not worry?”

Granny Li held her daughter’s hand, her eyes misting over.

They talked about other things too. Once the words started flowing, it was easier to say what had been left unsaid.

Xiao Chun’s life wasn’t terrible, but her mother-in-law constantly nagged her for not having a son. She’d lost count of how many times she’d heard it.

She was sick of it.

Granny Li didn’t know what to say. She could only sigh and pat her daughter’s hand.

“Some things… you just have to let them be.”

Xiao Chun didn’t want to worry her mother, so she smiled and changed the subject.

Having another child wouldn’t be hard. But in times like these, how would they raise one after it was born?

As mother and daughter shared their heartfelt conversation, time slipped by quickly. It wasn’t until they heard Sister-in-law Li calling them out for lunch that Xiao Chun finally reached up to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Mom, let’s go eat first.”

After the meal, Xiao Chun would have to head back. She had assumed things at her family home were the same as always—saving every bit of food, to the point where they wouldn’t even bring her daughter back for a visit.

But the moment she sat down at the table and saw the spread of dishes laid out before her, she was completely stunned.

“Eat up. Things have gotten much better at home this year,” Sister-in-law Li said warmly, inviting her sister-in-law to start eating. She then turned to bring over the dishes An An liked and placed them in front of him.

Aside from their mother-in-law, Sister-in-law Li was the one who usually took care of An An. But since Xiao Chun was visiting today, she had taken the initiative to handle everything herself.

If it had been her mother who cooked this meal, Xiao Chun would’ve immediately worried that she’d emptied out the entire pantry just to host her, and she’d be anxious that her mother might end up arguing with her sister-in-law after she left.

But this lunch had been prepared by her sister-in-law. That could only mean one thing—the family’s situation had genuinely improved.

While Xiao Chun was still eating, Sister-in-law Li had already packed up the things she was taking back with her. She even covered the basket with a cloth to keep others from seeing what was inside.

A child as young as An An had no say in anything. Even after finishing his meal, he could only sit there obediently.

Li Dazhuang had a good relationship with his older sister, but he rarely had the chance to talk with her.

After everyone had finished lunch, Sister-in-law Li handed the basket to Xiao Chun.

Every year when Xiao Chun came home, she would bring some things back with her. But they were always small, worthless items, and her mother-in-law would scold her for it every time.

This time, since the basket had been prepared by her sister-in-law, Xiao Chun accepted it without the slightest hesitation.

She told her mother she’d come again next time, then turned and walked out the door, not daring to look back.

She said “next time,” but who could say for sure when that would be?

The last time she’d come home was during the twelfth lunar month of the previous year.

As Xiao Chun walked along the road, some people kept eyeing the basket she carried. With the cloth covering it, there was no way to see what was inside.

But given her family’s circumstances, anyone could guess it wouldn’t be anything fancy.

In this village, people might only think such things silently. But once she reached her mother-in-law’s village, an older woman came right up and asked without hesitation.

“Xiao Chun, back from your parents’ place? What did you bring back? Let me have a look.”

Instinctively, Xiao Chun shifted the basket behind her. Her sister-in-law had probably packed just a few ordinary items, and if people here saw them, they’d only mock her.

If her mother-in-law found out others had seen what was inside, she’d definitely be angry.

Before Xiao Chun could even come up with a response, her mother-in-law strode over with a scowl, snatched the basket from her hands, and scolded her:

“You’re already in the village and still don’t know to come straight home?”

Once they were inside and the door was shut, her mother-in-law was just about to start lecturing her about bringing back more useless junk—when she caught sight of what lay beneath the few vegetables…

She caught a glimpse of what looked like a chicken claw.

Grandma’s expression changed instantly. With a look of disbelief, she leaned in for a closer look.

Was that really a chicken claw?! Her daughter-in-law actually brought back chicken? Even if it was just half a bird, that was more than enough!

A vegetable fell to the ground as she rummaged through the basket. Xiao Chun instinctively bent down to pick it up, and as she was about to put it back, she too caught sight of the chicken. Her face changed immediately.

Could it be… her sister-in-law put it in the wrong basket?

Meanwhile, Li Dazhuang had been in a foul mood all afternoon. His sister had finally come back, but he barely got a few words in with her.

As he sat roasting sweet potatoes, the memory of his brother-in-law mocking his sister surfaced again, making him feel even worse. He couldn’t hold back his emotions and sniffled quietly.

Xiao An’an, who was dozing off in the warm glow of the fire, turned his head when he heard his father sniffle.

“What are you looking at?”

Li Dazhuang asked with a cold face. Xiao An’an hesitated, pursed his lips, and tentatively reached out to touch the corner of his father’s eye.

Realizing what he was thinking about, Li Dazhuang’s expression darkened immediately.