Lu Mingkai stared at the pale-faced woman lying on the bed, too scared to take a single step forward. His small hands clutched Shen Fugui’s pants tightly. Seeing this, Mingfang shuffled over to him and gently put her arms around him.

Watching the children weeping but too frightened to approach her broke Shen Meng’s heart. She wanted to reach out to them, but before she could say anything, two more children entered the cramped room.

They wore ragged clothes patched in layers, their hair a matted mess, looking as if they hadn’t bath in ages. The smaller of the two was even barefoot. But what struck Shen Meng most wasn’t their appearance; it was the expression on their faces. Both children looked at her with cold, detached eyes and a slight upturn of their lips, as if they took pleasure in her approaching death.

Shen Meng’s heart pounded in shock. To think she could see such dark thoughts in children so young! The realization hit her like a rock in her throat, stuck there, impossible to swallow or cough up.

A gust of wind blew in through the window, making her cough violently. When she finally recovered, she realized she was drenched in cold sweat.

Liu Sanjin, who had been too stunned to speak, snapped out of it at the sight of Shen Meng’s weak coughing. She had arrived with plenty to say, but from the initial shock of seeing Shen Meng’s haggard state to watching Shen Fugui’s concern, she realized this wasn’t going to be a simple matter.

“Come on, Mingkai, go see your mother. Can’t you see how badly she’s hurt? And look at this family—they’re all just standing around, letting her die without even calling a doctor. Do you understand what they’re trying to do? They want to take the brick house your father built for your mother and you kids! Without your mother here, just imagine how they’ll bully you!” he cried out, hus voice full of bitterness.

Shen Fugui hadn’t planned on crying, but as he looked at his severely injured daughter, his young grandson, his cruel in-laws, and his own powerlessness, he couldn’t hold back. Tears flowed freely down his weathered face.

“Now, now, in-law,” Liu Sanjin stammered defensively. “When she first got back, she was fine, just a bump on the head—if it had been serious, of course, we would have gotten a doctor! Our Lu family has a good reputation in the area; we wouldn’t mistreat anyone!”

“Really? Then why is my daughter lying here half-dead? And why are my grandchildren left to fend for themselves while you sit around enjoying yourself at home? They’re out there, starving so badly they’re catching sparrows to eat. If they weren’t starving, why would these young kids be out looking for food?” Shen Fugui retorted, his voice filled with accusation.

Liu Sanjin fell silent, momentarily speechless. She knew well that they had deliberately left the children out of their lunch plans to save more food for themselves. Although they had made some thin porridge for the children in the cooking pot, it wasn’t exactly generous.

Already not fond of Mingyang and the other children, Liu Sanjin felt a surge of irritation at being called out on this. She shot the children a venomous glare.

Wu Xianglan muttered prayers under her breath, terrified that Shen Meng might actually die and come back to haunt her. She dared not say a word. Zhou Jiaojiao also kept quiet, realizing that now wasn’t the time for arguments. She had to play nice if she wanted to keep the three-room brick house. If she didn’t handle things carefully, her family might end up with a bad reputation.

“Sister-in-law, please hang on. Mingkai is still so young. If you go, how will the kids manage without you?” Zhou Jiaojiao forced out a few tears, trying to show concern.

Shen Meng ignored her. All she cared about now was making herself appear as pitiful as possible to win over the children’s sympathy. Clearly, winning over Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang was out of the question, so she focused her attention on Lu Mingfang and Lu Mingkai. Girls tended to have softer hearts, and small children were even easier to win over.

“Jiaojiao, would you move aside? You’re blocking my view of the kids,” Shen Meng said, her voice faint.

Hearing this, Shen Fugui didn’t wait to see if the kids were willing. He nudged them both forward, right up to the bed, pushing Zhou Jiaojiao aside in the process.

“Xiaomeng, look, Mingkai and Mingfang are here. If there’s anything you want to say, just take your time. Don’t rush, dear.”

Stumbling backward, Zhou Jiaojiao nearly twisted her ankle but held her tongue, hoping Shen Meng wouldn’t have the clarity of mind to bring up the matter of the house.

Shen Meng looked at the two children in front of her, steeling herself as she pinched her thigh beneath the blanket to bring tears to her eyes. The eye drops she just used were definitely shoddy and the effect was terrible. Not only did they become useless after a while, but they also caused dry, sore and tired eyes.

“Mingkai, my son, I’m so sorry. I carried you for ten months, and I watched you grow up bit by bit. How could I not love you? But I was only nineteen when you were born. I was inexperienced, anxious, and your father wasn’t around. No one was there to help me. You were so small, and I used to wake up in the middle of the night to check if you were still breathing, terrified that something would happen to you… You’re my own flesh and blood. How could I not love you?”

As she spoke, Shen Meng gently placed her hand on Lu Mingkai’s head, softly stroking his hair.

Held firmly by his grandfather, the little boy had no chance to flee. He looked at the woman who usually yelled at and hit him, now sobbing as she claimed to care for him. He didn’t understand her words, but the unfamiliar tenderness in her touch left him frozen in place.

Mingfang, too, had tears streaming down her face, though more out of fear than emotion. She was afraid the hand that was patting Mingkai’s head might suddenly deliver a slap instead.

“Mingfang, my sweet child, I owe you, Mingyang, and Mingliang an apology. When I married into this family, you were so kind to me. Such a young girl, not even eating so she could bring me food in the new house, your little hands all burned from the hot bowl. I know I haven’t been kind to you since then, and I regret it. They say daughters are their mother’s sweet little cotton-padded jacket., and if I had the chance again, I would cherish you. Father, would you bring out the black pouch from the cabinet? I set aside some fabric to make Mingfang a new dress for the New Year, though I’m afraid I won’t be able to finish it myself.”

Shen Meng’s words were halting and labored, her breaths shallow, making the Lu family too anxious to interrupt, lest her life slip away and Shen Fugui place the blame on them. And with Mingyang and Mingliang both old enough to remember, they knew better than to let things get messy. If Lu Zhenping found out she died because of their negligence, he’d certainly be furious.

Mingfang, watching her grandfather pull a black pouch from the cabinet and take out a green peony-patterned fabric, felt a sharp pang in her heart. Despite her dislike for the bad woman, a part of her softened.

Leaning against the doorframe, Lu Mingyang sneered silently. This woman really is manipulative, he thought. Even on her deathbed, she’s trying to fool us. Not long ago, she’d bragged about getting a new piece of fabric to make herself a pair of pants. And now she was pretending it was for Mingfang, just to leave a good impression. Probably hoping to keep getting offerings and incense after she’s gone.