Font Size:
With determination, the words of apology flowed smoothly from Wang Mei’s mouth, “Sister, we were wrong. We not only wronged you, but also almost caused your death. We won’t provoke you again. Please forgive us. We won’t dare to do it again.”
The onlookers finally understood. This young girl wanted this couple to kneel and apologize to her mother. Considering the humiliation suffered by Zhang Lan and her husband, this request was not unreasonable; it was a normal demand.
“Good, it should have been like this from the beginning. These two should have knelt and apologized long ago. Last time, they almost killed someone and then tried to escape. This apology is already a bargain,” the crowd cheered.
Zhu Qiyu and her children’s faces didn’t look good, but they couldn’t do anything at this point. They couldn’t abandon their previous efforts.
Wang Qian pointed at Wang Mei and said, “Aunt, remember this. You’ll regret provoking us. This is just a lesson for you. If you try to do something like this again, don’t say I didn’t warn you as your niece.”
Afterward, she waved her hand and said to Yu Wanying, “Grandpa Yu, I can’t stand these two. Take them away and don’t dirty my eyes.”
Wang Mei and her husband were forcibly taken away, with Zhu Qiyu anxiously following with her children. She wanted to intervene, but she didn’t have the heart to argue with her husband at this point. Once her daughter’s situation was resolved, she would deal with the greedy old man at home.
“Old Zuo, Old Wu, go back and take a look. Come back tomorrow. I’ll take the people back first,” Yu Wanying instructed. He then left the noisy compound with his group. The collective workers, who had hidden in the crowd, also came out to maintain order. They hadn’t dared to say anything earlier, not knowing the other party’s background. After witnessing the drama, they quickly came out to appease the crowd once they understood the situation.
Wang Zhenhe and the elders quickly left the compound with Zhang Lan. Wang Qian had some unfinished business, so she and her older sister stayed behind for the time being. However, Zu Zhanshan and Wu Changyong stayed to accompany the sisters. They couldn’t intervene in the family affairs of the Wangs, but serving as bodyguards for the sisters was not a problem.
“Uncle He, thank you. Why don’t you come to our house to catch up? It’s been a long time since we last met,” Wang Qian suggested.
He Zhengkui, feeling apologetic for helping in front of so many people, hugged Wang Qian. “Little girl, I feel guilty. My son is also involved. I can’t face your parents.”
Wang Qian waved her hand. “Uncle He, don’t say that. Big brother also has his responsibilities. Besides, he was also deceived. It’s not his fault. When my mom gets better, we’ll come to see you.”
He Zhengkui patted her short hair, feeling envious of Wang Zhenhe. How could he raise such a responsible child? He didn’t have that blessing.
“Go back and see your mom. We’ll talk later. Hurry back,” He Zhengkui urged.
After settling matters, Wang Qian hurried home with the two elders and her older sister. She knew that Zhang Lan had regained consciousness, but she was unsure if her mother’s heart could handle it.
Upon returning home, they found that Hao Lianchun and the others had already tidied up the broken items. However, everyone’s expressions were grim. “Grandma Zuo, how’s my mom?” Wang Qian asked as soon as she entered.
“Qianqian, you and your sister should go check on her. Your mom has a fever, and your dad has gone to get someone to give her an injection,” Hao Lianchun replied.
Wang Qian and Wang Xuan rushed into the room, while Mingcheng and the others stayed by Zhang Lan’s side. Wang Qian felt her mother’s condition was not good. She then checked her mother’s pulse, which seemed abnormal. “Mom, we’re back. How are you feeling?” she asked.
Although Zhang Lan was a bit disoriented, she recognized her daughter’s voice. She mumbled, “Qianqian, I’m fine. Don’t worry, dear.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Qian couldn’t help but shed tears.
“Mom, listen to me. Wang Mei and the others have been taken away. They’ll probably face some hardships. Don’t get upset. We still have each other. The broken things are gone, but we can buy new ones. Old things are gone, new things will come,” Wang Qian comforted her mother.
“Brother, Grandpa might move in later. He said he won’t live with them anymore. I felt sorry for him, so I agreed. You and the sisters can help with the luggage. Also, bring over a hen from their house for Mom’s soup. Every time they cause trouble, they never compensate. This time, we can’t let it go. We’ll use their hen to help Mom recover,” Wang Qian added.
Mingcheng and Mingyuan’s eyes lit up at the mention of catching a chicken. “Alright, you stay here and wait for good news. I’ll catch all their chickens. Big sister, come with us. Let little sister stay with Mom,” Mingcheng said.
After everyone left the room, Wang Qian took a tomato from the space and placed it near Zhang Lan’s mouth, urging her to take a few bites. Although it couldn’t completely cure her mother’s illness, she hoped it would help.
Feeling a bit clearer, Zhang Lan sensed the coolness near her mouth and took a bite of the tomato. After the juice went down, she felt a bit better and understood that her daughter had brought it from the space.
As she became more alert, she asked, “Qianqian, bring me another one.”
Seeing her mother able to speak, Wang Qian quickly brought another tomato and placed it near her mouth. Zhang Lan eagerly ate the tomatoes, feeling the relief of her pent-up frustration.
“Wang Qian, go help Grandma Zuo with cooking. It’s been a busy morning. Your brothers must be hungry. I’m fine now. Once I get an injection, I’ll be stronger,” Zhang Lan said.
Seeing her mother’s condition improving, Wang Qian’s worries eased. When the elders waiting outside saw her come out, they quickly gathered around her.
“Qianqian, how’s your mom?” they asked anxiously.
Seeing the concern on their faces, Wang Qian reassured them with a smile, “Grandpas, my mom should be fine now. You know her heart can’t handle shocks. Wang Mei caused trouble today. I’ll definitely seek revenge when I get the chance. You can go in and see her now. I’ll help Grandma Zuo with cooking. Don’t worry, everything’s fine now.”
Seeing the little girl smile, the elders’ worries dissipated. They knew that Wang Qian was the most concerned about her mother. Her smile meant that Zhang Lan was truly okay.
“Go in and come out soon. Let Lan rest,” Hao Lianchun urged from the kitchen, where she had started cooking. Wang Qian helped with the cooking.
“Grandma Zuo, I’ll go downstairs to boil some water. Later, my brother will go to Grandma’s house to catch a chicken. We’ll make chicken soup for Mom,” Wang Qian said optimistically.
Seeing the optimistic little girl, Hao Lianchun couldn’t help but ask, “Qianqian, were you scared at that time?”
Wang Qian’s unexpected behavior had piqued her curiosity. She couldn’t imagine the kind of strength that supported an eight-year-old girl to stand up and argue with others.
Wang Qian stared absentmindedly at the vigorously burning fire in the stove and said, “Grandma Zuo, to be honest, I was scared too. I was afraid I couldn’t save my mom and dad, especially my mom. If Wang Mei had really attacked, I was afraid my mom wouldn’t make it. I didn’t want to be a motherless child. I thought, even if I couldn’t save them, I would fight back. I was willing to risk my life. If it came to it, one life for another. I didn’t want to see my mom suffer. She’s had a hard life since she married into this family. I don’t want to see her endure any more suffering.”
Tears streamed down her face. She hadn’t experienced the suffering Zhang Lan had endured before she arrived, but she had seen enough afterward. The real Wang Qian had died at the hands of her own relatives, and that had always weighed heavily on her. The loss of such a young life was a burden she couldn’t shake. If she didn’t do something for this family, she felt she would be letting down the deceased Wang Qian.
Hao Lianchun embraced her. “Silly child, you’re still young. Don’t always think about risking your life. Your life is more precious than theirs. If we ever have to fight them, we’ll rely on our brains. Leading a revolution isn’t just about guns; it’s about wisdom. Think about how many underground party comrades relied on their intelligence to gather intelligence without exposing themselves. We need to learn from them.”
Wang Qian looked up at Hao Lianchun. “Grandma Zuo, did you also work underground?”
Hao Lianchun just smiled and patted her head. “It’s not the time to talk about that now. I’ll tell you later.”
Wang Qian suspected that there was more to Hao Lianchun’s story, but the period of secrecy had not yet passed, so she didn’t press further.
After the elders had spoken with Zhang Lan for a while, they all left the room. Hao Lianchun asked, “How is Lan? Is she feeling better?”
“Her complexion has improved a bit, but she still needs to rest. Her heart problem won’t be resolved in a day or two. It’s been hard on our niece.”