Liang Bingan spoke the plain truth.

Yet even after all this time, though Liu Fang knew it well, she still refused to accept this reality.

After being proud for so many years, how could Liu Fang bear to humble herself before her second sister and brother whom she had looked down upon?

Though she needed Liu Fen to restore their status, she showed no genuine remorse. Upon discovering Xia Dajun’s marriage to Xiao Yu, Liu Fang couldn’t help but gloat. After Liang Bingan’s scolding, the smile disappeared from her face.

“What’s the use of telling Li Fengmei? She can’t stand to see me doing well. She’s not even from our family, yet she prevents me from seeing Second Sister!”

Liu Fang despised her sister-in-law, growing irritated just talking about her.

She had gone to Shangdu countless times, and spoken all manner of soft words, but Li Fengmei wouldn’t believe her.

Forget about helping mend her relationship with Second Sister – Li Fengmei wouldn’t even share Liu Fen’s contact information, guarding it as if against a thief.

Liu Fang only heard from Seven Wells Village that Second Sister had moved to Beijing, but the villagers didn’t know where exactly. Perhaps Chen Wangda knew – Liu Fen’s household registration was still in Seven Wells Village, and village matters sometimes required contacting her. But Chen Wangda wouldn’t tell her either… Liu Fang was somewhat afraid of Village Chief Chen.

Liang Bingan suppressed his anger.

Why had he married Liu Fang in the first place?

In his youth, he was drawn to her pretty face. Now he regretted it – what use was a woman with only looks and no intelligence?

Even their daughter was the same – pretty enough, but could she compare to Xia Xiaolan’s achievements?

Still needing to rely on the Liu family, Liang Bingan contained his fury:

“Just go find Aunt Huanhuan. She’ll inform Second Aunt Huanhuan and your cousin. Whether they knew about this before or not, they’ll be grateful for your visit. Huanhuan will soon take the college entrance exams – don’t you want her to have support? We have time to take things slowly. With more instances like this, you and Second Aunt Huanhuan will gradually restore your relationship.”

Liang Bingan saw clearly that though young, Xia Xiaolan was ruthless – there was likely no chance of a breakthrough there.

Liu Fen, however, was simple and honest, once valuing sisterly bonds deeply.

Breaking through with Liu Fen was the key to restoring relations between the families.

Liang Bingan calculated well. He needed Liu Fang’s cooperation now, and as her husband of many years, how could he not understand her? While others favored sons over daughters, Liu Fang was the opposite – indifferent toward their son Liang Yu but deeply concerned for their daughter Liang Huan.

She would do anything beneficial for Liang Huan.

To put it bluntly, if Fan Zhenchuan’s mother hadn’t taken a liking to Liang Huan and hinted at wanting her to marry Fan Zhenchuan, Liu Fang wouldn’t have panicked and pushed out her niece as a substitute. What followed was complicated – wanting both to save Liang Huan and profit from the situation, the Liang family actively matchmade, not knowing they’d hit a wall. Because of Xia Xiaolan, Fan Zhenchuan met with disaster, and Liang Bingan lost his position!

Sure enough, at the mention of Liang Huan, Liu Fang’s expression softened.

Her daughter couldn’t live worse than others, yet the family could no longer provide support. Liang Huan’s grades were merely average – it wasn’t certain she could enter university next year. Should Liang Huan be confined to Hedong County, marry any random man, and live an ordinary life, falling further behind Xia Xiaolan?

The thought of Liang Huan’s mundane future pained Liu Fang terribly:

“Fine, I’ll go to Shangdu tomorrow and make sure to handle this well!”

Liang Bingan felt relieved, “This is good. Heaven couldn’t bear to see us suffer, letting you witness Xia Dajun with Fan Zhenchuan’s maid. Xia Dajun made his fortune? That fool, picking up Fan Zhenchuan’s cast-off shoes – worn by who knows how many others. Even if he’s wealthy now, he won’t keep it!”

Bitterness tinged Liang Bingan’s voice.

Why could even a peasant like Xia Dajun make his fortune while he could only idle at home?

Heaven was truly blind sometimes.

But Xia Dajun was even blinder – with women everywhere to marry, he had to get involved with Xiao Yu.

Did Xia Dajun know about Xiao Yu’s connection to Xia Xiaolan?

With the Fan family affair between them, Xiao Yu might even hate Xia Xiaolan!

If Xia Dajun understood the situation, wouldn’t he and Xiao Yu scheme against Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen?

Were Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen touchable now? Whoever challenged them would suffer. Thinking that Xia Dajun might end up worse than the Liang family, Liang Bingan felt schadenfreude. If Xia Dajun didn’t know the situation, that was even more amusing. It wasn’t just the Liang family who had misjudged – that blind Xia Dajun somehow produced a capable daughter like Xia Xiaolan. Though capable, she was still Xia Dajun’s daughter, yet he didn’t cherish her. He deserved his coming misfortune!

Liang Bingan contentedly poured himself a drink, sipping slowly. While calling Xia Dajun a peasant, he was mentally competing with that same peasant. Having fallen from Director Liang to such circumstances, what did he have to be happy about?

Meanwhile, Liu Fang went to Shangdu the next day, giving Li Fengmei a headache at the sight of her.

Though Li Fengmei coldly ignored her, Liu Fang brought big news.

“You say Xia Dajun remarried?”

Liu Fang looked worried, “Indeed. I could hardly believe my eyes. You’ll never guess who he married – Fan Zhenchuan’s former maid, his distant relative. Many in Hedong County knew about their affair, which even caused Fan Zhenchuan’s wife’s death. After Fan Zhenchuan’s arrest, this maid disappeared… Sister-in-law, how can anyone believe these two getting together have no ill intentions toward Second Sister and Xiaolan? I was so worried when I saw them, I had to tell you immediately. You must warn Second Sister to be careful. That maid seems pregnant, and Xia Dajun dances to her tune!”

Li Fengmei showed Liu Fang no kindness.

The Fan family affair was Liu Fang’s doing, yet now she played the good person.

Still, Liu Fang had a point – Fan Zhenchuan’s adulterous maid marrying Xia Dajun was troubling from any angle.

Though Afen and Xiaolan now lived lives beyond Xia Dajun’s imagination, and that vermin couldn’t harm the mother-daughter pair anymore, it was better to be wary than sorry. This matter needed to be mentioned to Xiaolan.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll tell Afen. Thanks for coming all this way.”

Liu Fang forced a smile, “I know I wronged Second Sister before and recognize my mistakes. Being able to help her now eases my conscience a bit.”

Li Fengmei didn’t believe anything Liu Fang said and sent her away, then called Beijing at the right time. She’d speak if Xiaolan answered, but hold back if it was her sister-in-law – Li Fengmei trusted her niece’s capabilities more.

Fortunately, Xia Xiaolan answered. Li Fengmei quickly relayed Liu Fang’s news.

On the other end, Xia Xiaolan pondered:

“What’s up with my aunt – looking for entertainment or has she changed? Alright, Aunt, I understand. Don’t tell Mom yet – let me think about how to explain it.”