“Anyone who bullies Xiao Lan again, I’ll… I’ll fight them to the death!”

Though tiny in stature, Liu Fen’s words carried no intimidation, but everyone knew she wasn’t joking!

Even a rabbit will bite when cornered.

Liu Fen was a mother rabbit backed against a cliff. If she stepped back, her daughter Xiao Lan would be the first to fall—how could she retreat?

Xia Da Jun clutched his bruised waist, “Have you gone mad, woman!”

Liu Fen stood before Xiao Lan, indeed appearing somewhat deranged. Xia Da Jun raised his fist but couldn’t bring himself to strike. One punch would knock Liu Fen down, but then what? Xia Da Jun suddenly felt afraid.

His daughter Xiao Lan’s gaze was ice-cold, completely devoid of warmth.

His wife Liu Fen’s eyes held hatred and fear.

“Mother, let’s go.”

Xiao Lan lowered the scissors and stepped forward to support Liu Fen’s shoulders. Despite all her timidity and cowardice, at this moment this woman was incredibly brave. Her protection of Xiao Lan gave her the familial love that had been beyond reach in her previous life. For this alone, no matter how ignorant or fearful Liu Fen might be, Xiao Lan couldn’t abandon her.

Liu Yong spat viciously: “You dog, there’s not a single good person in your Xia family. You don’t want your wife or daughter? Does my niece have to stay and beg for food at your house? I’m telling you right now, Xiao Lan will have nothing to do with the Xia family from now on.”

Xiao Lan was 18, an adult.

Though rural areas were isolated and conservative, the broader social environment encouraged women’s independence—”Women Hold Up Half the Sky” was the leader’s slogan. Xiao Lan living alone would only invite gossip, not break any laws. Unlike in the old society, she didn’t need the clan’s approval… As for reputation, Xiao Lan had none left anyway!

Xiao Lan had to practically drag Liu Fen away.

Not because Liu Fen was reluctant to leave, but because her eyes were full of hatred—the situation had truly stirred something in this usually submissive woman.

Xiao Lan then approached her eldest uncle, Xia Chang Zheng:

“I’ll settle accounts with Sister Zi Yu later about how she ‘cared’ for me.”

Getting into university wasn’t such a big deal.

University students were precious in ’83, but Xiao Lan hadn’t been illiterate in her previous life. Though she’d forgotten most of what she’d learned from textbooks, she could always relearn it. Once she got her life in order, she might try for university herself, just for fun.

Xia Chang Zheng unconsciously released Liu Yong.

Xiao Lan’s demeanor was unsettling. Unlike her previous tantrums, she now carried an air of inviolability—naturally so, as in her previous life, she had climbed her way up to become an executive in a multinational company’s China division. Even when it came to making scenes, Xiao Lan’s worldly experience made her more sophisticated than the Xia family.

The scissors in her hand could be pressed against her neck or stabbed into others at any moment.

Usually, Xiao Lan preferred using intelligence over violence to solve problems—after all, why use precious jade to strike worthless tiles when she’d worked so hard for her success?

But now she wasn’t precious jade; at least others saw her as someone they could bully at will.

If she wasn’t harsh enough, wouldn’t everyone step on her?

Though Xiao Lan had delicate features, her sudden icy demeanor made even Xia Da Jun inexplicably fear her. He watched helplessly as the three of them pushed the bicycle away, disappearing at Da He Village’s entrance.

The gossip who had been frightened earlier emerged again, stirring trouble with their chatter:

“Da Jun, why didn’t you give her a beating?”

“No respect for elders—that’s lawless!”

“Your brother-in-law must have struck it rich, now he’s got the nerve to stand up for your wife. She couldn’t even give you a son, only you’re kind enough not to mind.”

“Is your mother sick from anger?”

“Xiao Lan is too much, always threatening to kill herself…”

These voices clouded Xia Da Jun’s thinking, and his elder brother Xia Chang Zheng approached, sighing: “From Xiao Lan’s tone, she seems to hate even Zi Yu now. This girl can’t tell good from bad—Zi Yu never got angry with her, yet she… Well, never mind these troublesome matters, let’s go check on Mother!”

After his brother’s few words, Xia Da Jun felt both ashamed and guilty, unable to lift his head.

The three brothers closed the main gate, disappointing the gossiping women.

While Xia Da Jun went to attend to Old Lady Xia, Wang Jin Gui pulled her husband aside to discuss Xiao Lan’s now-empty room.

Whether Liu Fen would return was uncertain, but after such an ugly scene, Xiao Lan’s stubborn temperament meant she definitely wouldn’t come back.

Wang Jin Gui wanted to claim the empty room first, as the large Xia family was cramped in one courtyard with limited living space.

Xia Chang Zheng first spent some time with their “bedridden” mother. Only his second brother believed the old lady was truly ill—Xia Chang Zheng knew she was faking, but why expose it? Only this way would his second brother feel guilty, continue listening to their mother, and keep earning money for the family.

Except for the blockhead Xia Da Jun, the other two brothers had their schemes.

Chang Zheng’s wife Zhang Cui also attended to her mother-in-law, occasionally making casual remarks. Da Jun’s anger flared again, wanting to drag the unfilial Xiao Lan back and beat her half to death.

When the timing seemed right, Zhang Cui left the room and, finding a private moment, worriedly told Xia Chang Zheng:

“That wretched girl ran off with her uncle when Zi Yu told us to watch her…”

Though Zhang Cui and Xia Chang Zheng had a son, Xia Zi Yu was promising, so the couple treated their daughter’s words as golden rules. Xia Chang Zheng suppressed his anger: “You dare speak? Wasn’t Xiao Lan supposed to have cracked her skull and been near death? I deliberately delayed returning for two days after hearing the news, only to find her running off with Liu Yong, alive and kicking!”

Zi Yu was right—Xiao Lan was the most vindictive and would surely hold a grudge against their family.

But Wang Jian Hua wanted to be with Zi Yu because of Zi Yu’s excellence, and Xia Chang Zheng didn’t feel he had done anything wrong.

He just followed his daughter’s words. If Zi Yu said Wang Jian Hua would have a great future, then this man couldn’t be given to Xiao Lan. How could he, as an uncle, benefit from his niece’s good fortune? Of course, he wanted his daughter to live well—only then would he have good days ahead!

Xiao Lan had temporarily put everything about Da He Village behind her.

Liu Fen’s home village, Qi Jing Village, was a three-hour walk from Da He Village, one in the east of Anqing County, the other in the southwest. Xiao Lan’s maternal grandparents had fled famine to settle in Qi Jing Village years ago and died early, leaving three children without relatives to care for them. Though Liu Yong had been unruly in his youth, he had managed to raise his two sisters. Xiao Lan had a younger maternal aunt who had married into a neighboring county, though they rarely visited.

Liu Yong himself hadn’t married until his thirties, and had a son—Xiao Lan’s young cousin—now only six years old, the sole heir to continue the Liu family line. When Liu Yong brought Xiao Lan and her mother back to Qi Jing Village, it was pitch dark, avoiding the villagers’ notice.

Xiao Lan’s aunt-in-law Li Feng Mei couldn’t sleep and was waiting in the main room with her child.

Hearing movement at the door, she hurried to open it: “You’re finally back! How are Xiao Lan and the others?”

Liu Yong stepped aside, and Xiao Lan came forward to greet her aunt.

Hearing the strength in her voice, Li Feng Mei’s tone unconsciously lightened:

“I heard you hit your head at home—nearly scared me to death! But your little cousin had a high fever, I couldn’t leave him for a moment… Thank goodness you’re alright!”

Liu Yong had quarreled with her when he returned, about not checking on Xiao Lan sooner.

Li Feng Mei felt somewhat wronged but mostly afraid. If anything had happened to Xiao Lan, Liu Yong would never let it go.

Seeing Xiao Lan appeared fine, Li Feng Mei quickly explained herself.

Xiao Lan wasn’t unreasonable—her aunt-in-law wasn’t like her uncle, they had no blood relation, and who wouldn’t prioritize their child? Blockheads like Xia Da Jun who cared more for others’ daughters were rare.

“Aunt, I’m fine. How is Tao Tao?”

Tao Tao was Xiao Lan’s young cousin, currently being held by Li Feng Mei, looking listless.

Liu Yong spoke impatiently, “Let’s talk inside. Little Sister is here too—she and Xiao Lan will be staying with us from now on.”

Only then did Li Feng Mei notice Liu Fen standing quietly behind Xiao Lan, and Liu Yong’s bicycle loaded with much luggage. Li Feng Mei’s mind filled with questions—there was too much luggage for a simple visit home.

Had they completely fallen out with the Xia family?