“Zhihuan’s mother, are you saying this money belongs to my son Ziyu?” Su Changjiang’s wife, Zhang Fengxia, stared at the eight large bills on her table, visibly surprised.

Su Changjiang, just back from the village committee, also looked puzzled.

“Zhihuan tried to call out to Ziyu, but he walked too quickly. You know how weak my Zhihuan is. She asked me to bring it over to you instead,” Li Qiuhua forced a smile.

If it weren’t inconvenient for her daughter to come herself, Li Qiuhua wouldn’t have stepped foot in the Su family’s house again.

While Su Changjiang, the village party secretary, wasn’t like his younger brother Su Changhe, he was still part of the Su family.

After all, blood ties ran deep, and once the engagement was broken, there was no reason for the families to mingle anymore.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way,” Li Qiuhua said as she stood up.

“Zhihuan’s mother, I don’t even know how to thank Zhihuan for this,” Zhang Fengxia said, standing too, a trace of embarrassment crossing her face.

The broken engagement had been the talk of the village. Yet, not only did Zhihuan’s family not hold a grudge, but they also returned money that many others would’ve kept without hesitation.

“Nothing to thank us for. It’s Ziyu’s money, and Zhihuan just happened to find it. Returning it is only right. I’ll leave you to your business now,” Li Qiuhua said, pursing her lips before turning to leave.

“Wait a moment, Zhihuan’s mother,” Zhang Fengxia called out, grabbing Li Qiuhua’s arm. She turned to Su Changjiang. “Husband, go get 20 eggs and a bag of brown sugar from inside for Zhihuan. She needs to nourish herself.”

“Alright.” Su Changjiang glanced at the two women before heading inside.

“We appreciate your kindness, but I have a lot to do at home, so I’ll be off now.” Li Qiuhua pulled her arm free and strode toward the gate.

By the time Su Changjiang came out with a bag of eggs, the yard was empty.

“Where’d she go?” Su Changjiang asked, looking around.

“She left,” Zhang Fengxia replied with a sigh.

“Then what about these?” Su Changjiang held up the bag of eggs.

“Just put them back,” Zhang Fengxia sighed again, heavier this time.

Zhihuan was a good girl, but her health…

Although she disliked Su Changhe and Wang Chunmei’s ways, as a parent, who wouldn’t want their son to marry a wife with good family background, character, and health?

Li Qiuhua had barely walked out of the Su family’s yard when she ran into someone she least wanted to see.

She instinctively turned her face away and quickened her steps.

“Auntie!” Su Zijie frowned and stepped in front of her.

“We’ll repay your family’s debt as soon as possible. Please don’t come looking for Zhihuan anymore. Her health isn’t good, and she can’t take the stress,” Li Qiuhua said plainly.

“Auntie, just give me some time. I’ll convince my parents to change their minds so they’ll agree to me and Zhihuan being together,” Su Zijie pleaded, his voice almost begging.

Ever since he was a child, he’d known that the third daughter from Uncle Jianguo’s family in the west of the village was his betrothed.

As a boy, he couldn’t resist going to see if his small, frail fiancée had grown taller.

“Zijie, you’re a good kid and will surely meet someone better in the future. Forget about my Zhihuan,” Li Qiuhua sighed.

She had watched Su Zijie grow up, but unfortunately…

“Auntie…”

“I have things to do, and you should head back,” Li Qiuhua said, walking away.

Su Zijie stood frozen, watching her retreating figure with a heavy heart.

“Brother Zijie!”

Xu Jiaojiao, wearing a red dress and brand-new shoes, skipped lightly over to him, her face flushed with shyness.

Su Zijie frowned slightly and stepped back.

“Brother Zijie, when did you get back? Uncle and my brother said the factory was busy?”

“Last night,” Su Zijie replied stiffly, his eyes flickering slightly.

“I heard Auntie injured her leg. Is it serious?” Xu Jiaojiao asked softly, blinking up at him with feigned innocence.

“She’s much better now,” Su Zijie said, his expression darkening.

Last night, as soon as he brought up the idea of breaking off the engagement with Xu Jiaojiao, the house erupted with crying and shouting. In the chaos, his mother somehow hurt herself.

“I heard drinking bone soup helps with healing. I already told my aunt to save me some pig bones tomorrow. I’ll bring them over for Auntie,” Xu Jiaojiao said, her voice syrupy sweet.

“Well, it’s getting late. I need to head back to the factory,” Su Zijie said abruptly, turning to leave.

Watching him walk away as if fleeing, Xu Jiaojiao stomped her foot angrily.

Li Qiuhua shut the courtyard gate with a loud “bang” and stormed into the house, dragging Shen Zhihuan along.

Weidong, who had been feeding chickens by the coop, saw them enter the house. Knowing they had something to discuss, he quickly emptied his bamboo tube of caterpillars into the chicken feed dish and followed them inside.

As soon as he entered, he heard Li Qiuhua warning Shen Zhihuan to stay away from Xu Jiaojiao.

“Third Sister, Mom’s right. Xu Jiaojiao is bad news. Don’t talk to her anymore,” Weidong quickly chimed in.

“Then who is good?” Shen Zhihuan teased.

Weidong frowned in thought before answering seriously, “Mom, Big Sister, and Third Sister are all good.”

“Nonsense! If your Second Sister hears that, she’ll tan your hide,” Li Qiuhua scolded with a laugh.

“She can tan it all she wants. It’s not like she hasn’t done it before,” Weidong muttered, pouting.

Shen Zhihuan laughed and tapped his protruding lips playfully.

The Shen sisters…

Eldest sister Shen Zhimei was soft-spoken and kind but timid and easily bullied.

Second sister Shen Zhilan was the complete opposite—lazy, short-tempered, and gossipy.

Due to the original host’s frail health, Li Qiuhua rarely let her do housework.

When their father and grandparents were alive, they bore the brunt of the chores.

But after Shen Zhimei got married and the family’s elders passed away, the burden fell squarely on Li Qiuhua and Shen Zhilan.

Faced with no way to shirk these tasks, Shen Zhilan grew increasingly resentful of her sickly sister.

Though Li Qiuhua shielded the original host, Shen Zhilan still found petty ways to vent her frustrations—stomping on her books, tearing her clothes, or even spitting in her herbal medicine.