“Xiaoju,” Shen Wenhai sternly interrupted, preventing Shen Qingju from continuing.

However, Shen Qingju ignored him and only looked at Shen Qingwan.

Shen Qingwan was not foolish.

She had always been curious about why her appearance bore no resemblance to the Shen family.

Coupled with their attitude toward her and Shen Qingju’s mention of her background, she immediately realized a possibility.

“What do you want to say? That I am not their biological daughter? Whether I am or not, it no longer matters. I am already married and have no connection to you anymore. Do you think you can still use this to threaten me?”

Her tone was indifferent, making Shen Qingju anxious.

“Don’t you want to know who your biological parents are? Don’t you want to find them? My father bought you from a human trafficker. You might have been stolen from your real parents, and they must be searching for you.”

She had learned this truth when she was ten years old, when her mother told her.

This was why she and her brother always bullied Shen Qingwan—because they knew she was not their real sister.

Her mother had explained that when she and her father had been married for two years without conceiving, they followed the village elders’ advice that their fate was childless.

The elders suggested that buying and raising a child might bring them offspring of their own.

Believing this, they purchased a baby girl from a trafficker.

When Shen Qingwan was bought, she was just over a year old, beautiful, and delicate, like a carved jade doll.

They had treated her well at first, thinking that if they never had a child of their own, they would raise her as their daughter.

However, less than a year after she was brought into the house, her adoptive mother became pregnant.

Initially, they believed that Shen Qingwan had brought them good fortune and continued treating her well. But when their second child was born, their patience for their adopted daughter dwindled.

Eventually, she was subjected to harsh treatment—beatings, scoldings, and forced to do all the hard labor at home.

Shen Qingwan remained expressionless, showing no interest in what Shen Qingju had revealed.

“Even if you hadn’t told me, I would have figured it out. So why should I give you any food?”

Shen Qingju was not stupid. She thought for a moment before speaking again.

“We have the little clothes you wore when you were bought. The fabric is of high quality, and your name is embroidered on the collar, which proves you came from a wealthy family. If you want to find your biological parents, those clothes are your only clue. Give us silver and food, and we will give them to you.”

Shen Qingwan had no interest in finding her real parents, but she did want to take back what belonged to her.

“Name your price.”

She directly offered silver, making Shen Qingju excited.

She turned to her parents eagerly.

Although Shen Wenhai was unhappy that she had revealed the truth, if they could exchange it for money, it was worth it.

Shen Wenhai held up five fingers. “Five taels. Not a coin less.”

“Five taels? That’s too little. At least twenty!” Shen Qingju’s mother objected.

“Father, what about her mule cart? That’s worth a lot too!”

The greed on their faces was disgusting.

Shen Wenhai had only asked for five taels because, as a farmer, he rarely saw even a single tael of silver at a time.

He feared that if he asked for too much, Shen Qingwan might refuse or be unable to pay.

Shen Qingwan impatiently interrupted them. “Five taels. Take it or leave it.”

She would not let them manipulate her.

She was willing to pay five taels for her own reasons.

Shen Wenhai hesitated, then gritted his teeth and said, “Give it to her.”

Jiang Shi, Shen Qingju’s mother, was relieved that she had brought the clothes with them when they fled. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have gotten any silver for them.

Shen Qingju also felt relieved.

With this money, they could buy food, and she would not have to resort to other means to survive.

On the third day of their escape, all their money and food had been stolen.

They had been surviving on tree bark and grass roots.

Their grandparents had died of starvation on the sixth day.

With no food left, they had considered selling Shen Qingju in exchange for supplies.

Her own brother had suggested it.

To avoid being sold, she had proposed returning to Shen Qingwan for help.

She had seen many women trade their bodies for food along the way.

She had done the same, enduring humiliation again and again, just to avoid being sold.

Now, with silver in hand, she finally felt she could escape that fate.

Jiang Shi took out a beautifully crafted green silk garment from her bundle.

Shen Qingwan handed over five taels of silver and took the clothing.

It was an exquisite baby’s bellyband, embroidered with peonies. At the top, her name, “Qingwan,” was stitched in gold thread.

No wonder Shen Wenhai, who was nearly illiterate, had given her such an elegant name—it had been her real name all along.

Shen Qingju’s name must have been chosen later to match hers.

Having received their silver, Shen Wenhai and his family hurried off.

The city gates would soon close, and if they did not enter in time, they would not be able to buy food.

Shen Qingwan watched them leave and suddenly called out, “Father, keep your silver safe—that’s all the money I have.”

Shen Wenhai was startled. Shen Qingwan’s words had drawn attention to him.

Clutching the silver, he bolted toward the city gates.

Several people who had been lurking nearby quietly followed.

Shen Qingwan saw them, of course.

Her silver was not so easy to take.

Five taels meant little to her, but she was unwilling to let that family benefit from it so easily.

Shen Wenhai and his family rushed into the city, oblivious to the people tailing them.

As soon as those men entered, the city gates closed.

Once inside, Shen Wenhai saw vendors closing up for the night. After searching for a while, he found a stall selling steamed buns in an alley.

He ran over and bought ten large buns.

Though he was starving, he was not foolish enough to waste all the silver at a restaurant. Eating white flour buns already felt like a luxury.