Chapter 31: The Vicious Aunt

Luo Yaqing officially joined the knitting circle.

Every day during lunch break, she sat beside Zhang Guiqin and a few other experienced knitters, holding her ball of yarn.

She asked humbly, learned patiently, and studied diligently.

She was learning the basic knit stitch.

It wasn’t hard.

In fact, it was pretty simple.

At least Luo Yaqing thought so—probably because she was just too smart.

From casting on to using both hands with the knitting needles, she only practiced three times.

Everyone said she had talent.

Looking at her half-finished scarf, Luo Yaqing felt a strong sense of accomplishment.

Once she finished the scarf, she planned to knit a sweater next.

When she shared this idea, everyone paused their knitting needles.

“Knit a sweater? It’s not difficult, but it takes a lot of time.”

“Yeah, a sweater takes over a month of free time.”

“Yaqing, I think you should knit gloves instead—you can finish them in two or three days.”

One person after another offered kind advice.

Zhang Guiqin also chimed in, “Yaqing, knit a pair of gloves to match the scarf—make it a set.”

The others quickly echoed, “Yes, make it a matching set.”

Luo Yaqing replied, “I still want to knit a sweater.”

Everyone: “……” So stubborn.

One senior scratched her head with her knitting needle and said, “Keeping your legs warm keeps your whole body warm. Lower body insulation is more important than the upper body. If you have an old sweater, just make do for now.”

Then she asked, “Yaqing, how many pairs of wool pants does your husband have?”

Luo Yaqing thought for a moment. “He has plenty of thermal pants.”

She had sorted Han Zhixu’s clothes before and didn’t see any wool pants. Even though they slept in the same room, she hadn’t noticed if he wore them.

The senior exclaimed, “Thermal pants alone won’t cut it! Without wool pants, your legs will freeze off in the twelfth lunar month.”

Winters in North City were long and bitterly cold—keeping warm was essential.

Luo Yaqing wavered. “Then I’ll knit wool pants.”

The sweater could wait.

“Auntie, come with me to buy some yarn after work.”

Zhang Guiqin chuckled, “What’s the rush? Wait until you finish your scarf first.”

She glanced at Luo Yaqing’s scarf. After ten days, it wasn’t even half a meter long.

At this rate, she’d need another month to finish.

Luo Yaqing didn’t argue—she just started knitting faster.

Knitting was addictive, especially for beginners.

Even though her project wasn’t done, that didn’t dampen her enthusiasm.

The next day at lunch, Luo Yaqing went alone to the supply and marketing cooperative.

She chose black-brown yarn and bought two more knitting needles.

The total cost was six yuan.

She had only taken a few steps after leaving the shop when someone blocked her way.

“Stop right there!”

“??”

Luo Yaqing looked at the woman in front of her, quickly searching her memory. It was the original host’s biological aunt, Qin Shuzhen.

A woman with a harsh face and a cropped Liu Hulan-style haircut.

She ran from Kyoto to Beicheng.

Qin Shuzhen glared at Luo Yaqing furiously. Life was hard for everyone, but this little brat got to live comfortably.

“Yafen is suffering at the farm, and you’re out here shopping?!”

“Heartless wretch!”

Luo Yaqing froze for a moment—it was all so sudden, she didn’t react in time.

She immediately responded coldly, “Her suffering has nothing to do with me.”

Qin Shuzhen’s face contorted with rage. She raised her hand to slap Luo Yaqing but stopped halfway.

“Yaqing, you promised us you’d get Yafen out of there!”

Luo Yaqing nodded, “Mm.”

The original host had indeed written back to the capital, swearing she would save Luo Yafen from her misery.

Qin Shuzhen demanded, “It’s been two months! Why is she still at the farm? Have you even tried?!”

Luo Yaqing nodded, “I tried, but I couldn’t get her out.”

The original host had argued with Han Zhixu over this—yelling, smashing things, even hitting him.

Qin Shuzhen’s face darkened in disbelief. “You’re an officer’s wife! Getting someone out of a farm should be easy! You just don’t want to help!”

“……”

“Ungrateful brat! When your parents died out there, who brought you back to the Luo family?”

“……”

“If we hadn’t taken you in, you might not even be alive today—probably would’ve starved to death!”

“……”

“You should be grateful! How can you ignore your own family? Are you even human?!”

“……”

The barrage of moral guilt-tripping nearly overwhelmed Luo Yaqing.

She stepped back to avoid the spit flying from Qin Shuzhen’s mouth.

The original host’s father had left behind enough inheritance to support her for life.

So no, she wouldn’t have starved.

The uncle had brought her back home not out of kindness, but because he had his eye on her inheritance.

The entire family played the “family love” card and tricked the naïve girl into believing everything they said.

Once they got the money, no one treated her well anymore.

Especially Qin Shuzhen and her daughter—they constantly oppressed and bullied her.

But the original host was foolish enough to think such “family bonds” were precious and worth preserving.

Luo Yaqing sneered, “You call yourselves human? You tricked me out of all my money.”

Qin Shuzhen was stunned. She hadn’t expected Luo Yaqing to say that out loud.

She snapped, “We’re talking about Yafen! Why are you bringing up money?!”

Luo Yaqing replied, “Because all I care about is my money.”

Qin Shuzhen struggled to control her urge to slap her. She absolutely couldn’t lay a hand on her.

Hitting a military spouse was a serious offense, and the Luo family had just gotten rid of their past blemishes.

“We didn’t trick you! You spent it all yourself!”

Luo Yaqing frowned, “That much money? You think I spent it all alone?”

Qin Shuzhen exploded, “Don’t be ungrateful! Didn’t you eat and live in our old house? Your clothes, your schooling—didn’t those cost money?!”

“And we still had to cover your expenses! You should be thankful we never made you pay us back!”

Luo Yaqing was speechless. Her uncle had gambled away nearly everything.

With what money did they “cover her expenses”?

She didn’t want to argue anymore. Glancing at her watch, she realized it was almost time for work.

Being late meant a pay deduction.

She couldn’t afford that. Luo Yaqing turned to leave.

Qin Shuzhen grabbed her fabric bag. “Where do you think you’re going?!”

The force made Luo Yaqing stumble a few steps. She turned, eyes blazing.

“Are you insane?! Let go!”

She yanked at her bag.

Qin Shuzhen wouldn’t let go. “Take me to see Yafen! If I don’t see her today, you’re not going anywhere!”

Luo Yaqing said, “She’s at May First Farm. Head south out of town.”

“You’re coming with me!”

Qin Shuzhen already knew the way—she had gone straight there upon arriving in North City.

But she hadn’t managed to see her daughter.

She stayed at a guesthouse for two days and had just planned to go to the military family compound to find Luo Yaqing.

And now, by chance, they ran into each other.

Without hesitation, Luo Yaqing refused, “I don’t have time.”

She had to work.

Even if she didn’t, she still wouldn’t go.

Hearing this, Qin Shuzhen snapped and finally lost control. She raised her hand to slap.

But Luo Yaqing reacted quickly. She let go of the bag they were tugging over…

And with the momentum, Qin Shuzhen—caught off guard—fell straight to the ground.