Chapter 30: Return to the Village

“What option?”

“Run away, of course!”

“You going to the hospital was basically a warning to them. They might’ve been unsure before whether you were a man or a woman, but now they know for certain it was a woman who attacked them. The only reason they haven’t come looking for you yet is probably because the injuries were serious, and they’re too short-staffed at the moment.”

As soon as He Ziqing heard this, she became even more determined. “Then I definitely can’t drag you into this.”

Qiu Yinuo grabbed the impulsive girl. “Why are you panicking? Honestly, solving this isn’t even that hard.”

“How?”

“Run, lay low for a while. Once this whole thing blows over and people forget about it, you can come back.”

“…” Wasn’t she just saying earlier that running away won’t solve anything? How did her attitude change so fast?

“…You’re right, Sister Yinuo.”

“Enough talking. I’ll go home and pack. You go say goodbye to your aunt. Just tell her the New Year’s coming up and you’re going back to the village with me to visit my mother.”

“Right, I’ll go reassure my aunt with that excuse.” He Ziqing turned to leave, but then suddenly paused and turned back. “Wait, Sister Yinuo, if I’m the one running away, why are you packing too?”

“This time, I might stay in the village for a few months. I can’t go without packing. Dabao and Erbao have a lot of things. Packing everything properly will take at least a whole night.” She also needed to stash away the pickled cabbage, radishes, and preserved vegetables into her space—better to take them along than let them spoil at home.

“You really want to take me to your village?”

“My mother’s been asking me to go back anyway. This New Year’s as good a time as any.”

He Ziqing was so moved she nearly cried. Yinuo hadn’t planned to go back, but now she was willing to compromise just for her.

“You’re so good to me. How can I ever repay you?”

“Just help me take care of the kids. That’s the best way to repay me.” Qiu Yinuo thought of the things at home she couldn’t bring and realized she needed to sort it all out in advance.

He Ziqing nodded eagerly. “Sister Yinuo, as long as you feed and house me, I don’t even want wages anymore.”

“Qingqing, don’t carry this guilt. You did the right thing. Girls should help each other. Sure, it comes with some risks, but just think—because of you, that girl escaped a terrible fate. That’s the best kind of comfort. So stop blaming yourself.”

Comforted by Yinuo’s words, He Ziqing felt her heart lighten.

“Once you’ve said goodbye to your aunt, buy two train tickets on the way back. It takes half a day by train to reach my village. I’m heading home to start packing.”

The first thing Qiu Yinuo did after getting home was feed the twins. Then she told them about going back to the countryside.

[We should stand together with Auntie Qingqing through this.]

“Then you watch your brother for a bit. I’m going outside to start packing.”

[Wait a sec.]

“What now?”

[I need to poop.]

Qiu Yinuo looked disgusted. “…”

[Mom, I’m human. I eat a lot, I poop a lot. I’m not just some doll for display.]

“Fine, I’ll take you out to go poop.” She picked up Erbao too and handled both their messes. “You two behave and play on the kang. I’m going to pack.”

She stored all the food they had prepared for winter in her space. Some large, less essential items were also put away.

Only the useful and lightweight things were left out—what they’d carry with them the next day.

After cooking a little something in the kitchen and making a few pancakes, Qiu Yinuo finally finished her tasks.

She grabbed a key and went to Aunt Yang’s house next door, just in time to catch them having dinner.

Technically, showing up at this hour was a bit impolite, but Aunt Yang’s family wasn’t the least bit displeased. Instead, they greeted her warmly.

“Yinuo, have you eaten yet?” Aunt Yang asked.

“Not yet, but I’ve already made dinner. Just waiting for Qingqing to come back. I actually came by because I have a small favor to ask.”

“Oh, come on now. Why are you being so polite with me? What’s the matter?”

“Well, the New Year is coming soon. My mom asked me to go back with her last time, but I refused. She left upset, and I’ve been feeling bad about it. So, I plan to go visit her for the New Year.”

“You should go. You haven’t been home these past few years—she must be worried sick!”

“Yeah. With spring planting season coming up, I might end up staying a while to help her with the fields. So I’m not sure when I’ll be back. I’d like to leave you a key, Aunt Yang. When you have time, maybe you can open the windows and air the place out.”

“Oh, I thought it was something serious! Don’t worry about it. Leave it to me.”

“Thank you, Aunt Yang. I’ll head back now.”

“Why don’t you stay a little longer?”

That was clearly just polite talk. Qiu Yinuo smiled and said, “No need, I still have to pack my things.”

“That’s true. Yinuo, listen to your mom when you’re home, alright? Don’t make her mad again. People at her age—if she gets too upset and something happens—tell me, wouldn’t you be anxious and worried?”

Qiu Yinuo was also concerned about the twins, so she didn’t stay long. She left the key and a bundle of dried mushrooms she had brought.

“These are hazel mushrooms native to our village. They taste great no matter how you cook them.”

Aunt Yang was too polite to accept, and the two ended up tugging back and forth over it, sweating a bit from the exchange. In the end, she gave in and accepted them.

It wasn’t that she was greedy—it’s just that she had never won a tug-of-war with that hefty daughter-in-law of the Shao family before.

Qiu Yinuo: …Honestly, thanks.

…

By the time He Ziqing came home, it was already dark outside.

Before she could ask anything, Qiu Yinuo told her everything was packed. Her bundle was ready to go; all she had to do was pick it up and leave.

“You should go to bed early too. We’ll head out at dawn tomorrow.”

He Ziqing didn’t know what to say. Everything that needed to be said had already been said. All she could do now was silently swear to herself that she would treat Yinuo and the twins even better from now on.

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Qiu Yinuo and He Ziqing left with their luggage and made their way to the train station.

Meanwhile, in Ping’an Village, Qiu Qianjin had also gotten up early.

A few of his close buddies were heading to the reservoir to break the ice and catch fish, and he planned to join in on the fun. If he could get one or two fish, that would be perfect.

He had already been crashing at his grandma’s place for a week. His uncle and aunt were constantly giving him the cold shoulder. No matter how thick-skinned he was, even he was starting to feel awkward.

Besides, today was the New Year. His mom would be going too.

If he showed up empty-handed, his uncle’s family wouldn’t hesitate to throw jabs at his mom. He didn’t care if they mocked him, but he couldn’t let them treat his mother like that.

Cheng Hongying had gotten up early and was boiling brown rice porridge in the kitchen. Seeing her son up so early, she found it a bit odd.

“You’re up early today. What’s the occasion?”

“I’ve got something to do later. Going out with Dongzi.”

Her brow furrowed at once. “Why are you following them again? You can’t go a single day without getting into trouble, can you?”

Qiu Qianjin chuckled and brushed it off. “We’ll head to grandma’s together at noon.”

With fish in hand, he thought, let’s see who dares give them attitude then.