But Erbao, being only one and a half years old, was a naive child who had no clue about these things. When he saw someone approaching with food, he would happily greet them. 

“Second aunt,” Tian Jiao called out. 

Xu Qiu’s expression softened when she saw Tian Jiao. She smiled and said, “Be good. You two go play. Dabao and Erbao are in the small square. I won’t go there. Just remember to come back for dinner.” 

She treated Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran nicely. She knew her limits. In this time, even with gold everywhere, she might not get it all, especially since she was lazy. 

With these two around, the Zhang family could prosper. They just needed Zhang Zhi to follow their lead. So, Xu Qiu didn’t want to offend them. Although she was angry now, she could still talk to them nicely. 

Zhang Zhi didn’t know what Xu Qiu was thinking. He felt that she could speak nicely to Tian Jiao at this time. This was for his sake and because of his identity. He felt even more touched and softened: “I’m sorry, Qiuqiu, don’t be angry…”

Xu Qiu looked at him with a cold expression. She turned and went into the room, completely ignoring him.

If an ordinary man was treated so coldly, he might have gotten angry and started a fight. Fighting with one’s wife was common in rural areas in the past.

But Zhang Zhi didn’t react that way. He kept a sweet expression and followed her inside, speaking in a gentle tone to comfort her.

****

The couple was having a quarrel, and others stepped back. Tian Jiao quickly pulled Xiao He away.

The small square was beside a building. The afternoon sun shone on the house, creating shadows. A cool breeze blew, making it a popular spot for people to relax.

When Tian Jiao arrived, many people were chatting, and it was lively.

But Ding Yushu was also there, which explained Xu Qiu’s anger. Ding Yushu was holding Erbao in her arms.

Erbao was simple-minded. He would accept anyone and wouldn’t recognize just one person. He loved food and would follow anyone who offered it. The Zhang family worried about this, as boys were valuable, so they always kept an eye on him to prevent human traffickers from taking him away with food.

Now Ding Yushu was holding out candy to Erbao, so he willingly let her hold him.

Dabao, the older boy, who had grown a lot, watched her with suspicion.

He remembered how Ding Yushu pretended to fall to avoid having a second child and abandoned her one-month-old baby to leave. 

He didn’t show any expression, but he kept these thoughts in his heart.

Seeing Tian Jiao approach, Dabao’s eyes brightened, and he ran over: “Sister, go and bring Erbao over.”

Tian Jiao nodded and walked over.

Nearby people noticed her, and several aunts smiled at her: “Oh, Jiaojiao has grown up and is beautiful.”

“Is Jiaojiao’s university fun?”

“Jiaojiao, is there good food in the big city?”

“Of course! Look, Jiaojiao has gained some weight.”

Tian Jiao felt embarrassed but answered them politely and approached Ding Yushu.

Ding Yushu eyed her suspiciously. Tian Jiao smiled sweetly and held out her hands: “Erbao, do you want me to hold you?”

Erbao, eating, suddenly sensed a familiar and comforting smell. His eyes lit up, and he lost interest in the candy. He quickly reached out and said, “I want it!”

Ding Yushu pulled back, pretending to be sad. “Jiaojiao, it’s hard for me to see him…”

Tian Jiao frowned: “But I only come back once every six months.”

Ding Yushu paused and waved the candy in front of Erbao: “Erbao, do you want some candy?”

Erbao pushed her hand away: “No, I want my sister!”

Ding Yushu’s face turned ugly for a moment, but she finally let go.

Erbao slid down from her lap and rushed into Tian Jiao’s arms: “Sister, hug me!”

“Sister can’t hold the baby anymore. Let’s walk.” Tian Jiao stood up quickly. The food at home had gotten better, and the second baby had grown heavier, making it hard for her to hold him.

Erbao pouted in disappointment and looked at her with sad eyes.

Tian Jiao mirrored his expression. They stared at each other for three seconds, and Erbao finally gave up and walked away on his own.

Candy?

That was forgotten.

Dabao approached happily and looked proudly at Ding Yushu. But then, for a moment, he felt like he saw a snake?

After shaking it off, he felt normal again.

But when he faced Ding Yushu again, he still felt a bit scared.

This woman once wanted to harm the baby in her belly. Would she want to harm the second baby too?

After all, she was getting divorced now, and a big reason might be because of Erbao. If it weren’t for Erbao, Dad might not have ended up with Aunt Xu Qiu.

He kept this strange feeling to himself but didn’t speak up.

Dabao wasn’t good at studying, but his family wasn’t ordinary. After years of influence, they were wise.

***

Dingjia Village and Lanshan Village are close. It takes about ten minutes by bike.

This was Ding Yushu’s first time visiting here, and she came almost every two days after that.

Since Erbao listened to Tian Jiao, Xu Qiu would have Tian Jiao stand by whenever Ding Yushu came.

Xu Qiu was busy and didn’t have time to be angry about this.

Her wedding with Zhang Zhi was approaching.

It was delayed to wait for Zhang Rui and the others to be free. Zhang Zhi felt guilty about this, but Xu Qiu didn’t mind. She wanted them to be there since it was important for building relationships.

Weddings in rural areas are complicated. There are no hotels to book everything, so they have to prepare many dishes themselves and decide on expenses.

Tian Jiao was very cooperative. She didn’t like Ding Yushu, who tried to abort her baby and ran away just one month after giving birth, leaving everything behind and taking all the money.

Tian Jiao didn’t believe a woman like this really loved Erbao.

“Erbao, Mommy is here.” Ding Yushu parked her bike in front of the Zhang house and walked straight inside.

She didn’t even look at the festive decorations in the yard but focused only on Erbao.

This was her fourth visit that week, and today was just the weekend.

Erbao recognized her. Though confused about having two mothers, he still called out, “Mom,” and walked over slowly.

When Xu Qiu, who had just come out, saw Ding Yushu with the child, she immediately retreated back into the room, choosing not to confront the situation directly. 

She waited until Ding Yushu carried Erbao out before she reemerged. It was typical that no one said anything to Ding Yushu; after all, she had put in the hard work of raising the child. Now, with Erbao being accepted by others, she could easily hope that he might one day recognize her as his mother and be filial to her. It was only natural for Xu Qiu to feel uneasy, especially given that they were rivals in love.

At this moment, Tian Jiao followed behind, accompanied by Xiao He. 

Ding Yushu, feeling secret anger, glared at the two of them. “You don’t have to follow me around all day. This is my son! I won’t do anything to him.”

Tian Jiao smiled sweetly. “I know, don’t worry.”

Ding Yushu pressed, “Then why are you following me?”

Tian Jiao shrugged, her hands raised innocently. “I want to play with Erbao. Erbao, do you like playing with your sister?”

Erbao immediately piped up, “I like it!” His cheerful voice rang out, brightening the mood around them.

Though Ding Yushu’s expression darkened, she continued to hold her second baby tightly, despite sweating from the effort. She focused on building a bond with him, determined to cultivate their relationship.

Dabao trailed behind, his gaze watchful and wary, often making Ding Yushu roll her eyes in frustration. “I’m your mother! Why are you looking at me like that? Am I going to eat you?” 

Dabao nodded seriously, “It’s really possible.”

Ding Yushu shot back, “I want to see how Xu Qiu raises her child. Has she been badmouthing me to you, brainwashing you against me? After all, I was the one who breastfed you when you were little!”

Dabao shook his head. “Aunt Xu Qiu didn’t say anything. I’m not smart and I can’t study well because I don’t have a mother. My biological mother doesn’t want me anymore, so how can I study well?”

Ding Yushu’s aggressive demeanor faltered as a trace of guilt crossed her face, but it was fleeting. She quickly turned away, returning her attention to the second baby, trying to act like any other caring mother.

The baby was quite lively, laughing and giggling whenever people interacted with him, showcasing his cute chubby face and tiny, white baby teeth.

****

On August 3, the wedding ceremony took place in Lanshan Village.

All the relatives and friends were present, and Tian Jiao finally got to see Xu Qiu’s family.

The Xu family had average financial status and lived in the countryside. With many daughters in the family, girls weren’t highly valued. When they learned their daughter was getting married, they promptly arrived with their son and grandson, demanding reimbursement for travel expenses and a betrothal gift.

Xu Qiu, although appearing quiet and gentle, was no pushover. Upon facing her mother, she firmly rejected their demands with a smile, saying, “Mom, you can ask for a betrothal gift, but let me see the dowry first.”

Mother Xu stepped back, clutching the bracelet on her wrist. “No, I’ve raised you all these years; why do you need a dowry? You know our family is poor.”

Xu Qiu pointed at the bracelet. “That bracelet was given to you by my sister, so use it as a pretense!”

Her sister, whom Xu Qiu mentioned, was Zhang Dong’s wife, Zhang Yanran’s biological mother. Unlike Xu Qiu, she was soft-spoken and compliant, often coaxed by their mother.

When she married, there hadn’t been a wedding banquet due to work commitments, leading Xu’s mother to buy her a bracelet worth two hundred yuan—a sum Xu Qiu had saved for two years.

“No way! You’re getting married; why do you need a dowry? I’m your mother; it’s fine for me to ask for a little gift!” Mother Xu argued.

Xu Qiu remained calm. “I’m still your daughter. You should have taken care of me when I was a child. If you had abandoned me, I could sue you for abandonment now!”

“Oh! The child has grown up and is bullying his mother…” Old Mrs. Xu sat down, acting like a spoiled child.

Zhang Zhi moved to intervene, but Xu Qiu stopped him. “Don’t worry about it; let her do what she wants. It’s not me who will be embarrassed.”

Zhang Yanran, usually indifferent to Xu Qiu, finally stepped forward. “Grandma, if you keep causing trouble, I’ll have someone escort you out.”

Several brothers, friends of Zhang Rui, who had been following them, stood up. They were store managers and looked formidable, ready to defend against any troublemakers.

Upon seeing them, Old Mrs. Xu fell silent. Xu Ying, who had been quiet, stepped in to help her mother up, gently suggesting, “Mom, today is my sister’s big day; let’s enjoy the feast.”

With her son’s words, Old Mrs. Xu nodded and shot her daughter a resentful look before departing.

Once the outsiders left, Zhang Dong turned to Zhang Yanran, his expression serious. “Yanran.”

Zhang Yanran smiled and affectionately replied, “Dad, what’s wrong?”

Zhang Dong softened his tone, trying to counsel her. “As a girl, you shouldn’t get involved in these matters. It’s not good for your reputation.”

Zhang Yanran pursed her lips, remaining silent.

Tian Jiao couldn’t hold back, muttering, “What’s the point of having a reputation in front of someone like that?”

Zhang Dong automatically replied, “You are girls; you’ll get married in the future.”

Tian Jiao felt a surge of frustration. Her past experiences had made her wary of such traditional views. The reason she had never fallen in love or married in her previous life was due to encounters with male chauvinists who believed women should be docile and submissive. The tattoo of a flower on her neck had only pushed away suitors who expected her to conform to their ideals.

Then she said that after getting married, she would handle the household chores because her job was easy and free.

It’s really easy.

Tian Jiao later became too lazy to go and has stayed single since.

At that moment, hearing familiar words again, Tian Jiao replied, “I did nothing wrong. If someone missed us because of that reputation, it was meant to be. There will always be someone who knows who we truly are. Besides, what era is it now? Why should girls marry? We are getting married, not marrying. We are equal!”

Zhang Dong was speechless: “You are such a sharp-tongued girl.”

Zhang Rui quickly apologized with a smile: “Brother, Jiaojiao didn’t mean you, don’t be angry.” Then he hugged his daughter and said, “Well said, find a husband for Daddy in the future, so that Daddy can stay with you.”

After saying that, he glanced at the young man on the other side of Tian Jiao.

Tian Jiao didn’t notice his gaze, only looking at Zhang Dong, lowering her head a bit shyly: “Uncle, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean you, but I still think Yanran did a good job.”

She wasn’t used to calling her sister that, and her family didn’t remind her. It didn’t matter anyway, as the two children had a very good relationship.

Zhang Yanran and Tian Jiao got along well because they shared similar logic.

So after hearing Tian Jiao’s words, she nodded and added, “Yes! I agree with Jiaojiao, well said. Besides, don’t worry that I won’t be able to get married because of my reputation. There will definitely be many people who want to marry me.”

Zhang Dong narrowed his eyes slightly: “By the way, why don’t you see Jiang Luan?”

Zhang Yanran’s face turned red instantly. She didn’t dare to look at him and whispered, “He was also training during the summer vacation. We didn’t tell him to come.”

Her voice became much quieter, sounding especially guilty.

Zhang Dong’s eyes grew sharper, but Zhang Rui couldn’t take it anymore and stood in front of his older brother: “Brother, let’s go see how many people have come.”

Then he pushed his older brother out.

Zhang Yanran let out a breath and pulled Tian Jiao away: “Let’s go back to the room. It’s not fun here.”

She only came out to see her grandmother because she did. Zhang Dong also came out for that reason.

Tian Jiao nodded, holding Xiao He with her other hand.

It was too noisy outside; let them go upstairs and do their own thing.

…

The wedding was going on. Many guests were divided into several tables. Around eleven o’clock, almost everyone was there and chatting. There was even a band invited to sing and entertain the guests. The scene was lively, and voices were raised so everyone could hear each other.

Just then, there was a commotion among the crowd.

Li Mizhen stood at the door in panic and shouted, “Erbao!”

Her voice was loud enough to be heard from far away.

Erbao was actually very well-behaved. He wouldn’t leave the yard without the adults’ permission at home. Xu Qiu reminded him to remember this.

But what is happening now?

Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran were standing on the second floor. When they heard the shout, they looked out the window in panic.

Li Mizhen shouted for a long time, but there was no sign of Erbao.

Suddenly, someone said something to her, and Li Mizhen rushed out immediately.

Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran looked at each other, confused: “Did Ding Yushu come today too?”

Besides her, no one would take the second baby away without saying anything.

But both of them were puzzled.

Soon, the result was told to them.

Li Mizhen came back from outside with a pale face, crying, “The eldest or the third child! Erbao is missing! Ding Yushu took him away, come out and find him!”

Almost instantly, the happy scene changed, and everyone stood up instinctively.

An uncle who knew the Zhang family well said in a rough voice, “Auntie, are you sure you didn’t see Ding Yushu outside?”

Li Mizhen slapped her thigh and cried, “Oh my poor grandson, didn’t you see it? Erbao was so well-behaved, how could he just follow someone? Her aunt saw Ding Yushu coming over; it must be her, that jinx! Yanran! I’m going to skin her alive! Woo woo…”