Chapter 30 – Be Gentle

Fu Ting: “…”

Ruan Jiaojiao: “…”

Everyone knew that in this area, children going missing was nothing unusual. And most of the time, once they went missing, it meant tragedy.

No matter what, Jindan was still his own nephew. Fu Ting couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

So, he said to Ruan Jiaojiao, “Stay home and take care of the kids. I’ll be back soon.”

Heart aching, Ruan Jiaojiao held his rough, calloused hand and said, “Please be careful. For me and the children, you mustn’t let anything happen to you.”

Fu Ting leaned in close, whispering in her ear, “Of course. Your Brother Ting is still thinking about that ‘New Year’s gift’ of yours!”

Ruan Jiaojiao: “…”

Her little face turned red like a monkey’s backside.

Fu Ting and Fu Jun went out to search for Jindan. Without the men, the courtyard, once lively, suddenly felt cold and empty.

Ruan Jiaojiao hugged the two little boys, emotions swirling inside her.

In the original plot, Xiaobao had been tricked by Jindan into going to the human trafficker Old Liu. He was then abducted.

Although Fu Ting later managed to find him, the trauma left Xiaobao scarred for life. Such a terrifying experience at such a young age made him lose his playfulness, becoming even quieter than Dabao, shutting himself indoors all day until he eventually developed autism.

Just now, Fu Ting had left in such a hurry that Ruan Jiaojiao hadn’t had the chance to say… maybe, just maybe, she could use her knowledge of the original story to find Old Liu’s whereabouts.

But in this era, there were no smartphones, and villagers didn’t even have pagers. She had no way of contacting Fu Ting.

Dabao seemed to guess her thoughts and said, “Mama, Grandpa and Grandma must be worried sick. Why don’t you take us to stay with them?”

Though Xiaobao didn’t fully understand, he worshipped Dabao, so he nodded vigorously like a little chick pecking at rice.

“Yeah, yeah! Xiaobao wants to stay with Grandpa and Grandma too!”

Fu Ting’s parents treated the three grandchildren about the same—not particularly good, not particularly bad.

But Jindan was the eldest grandson. Naturally, he got more attention. Fu Ting’s mother often gave him her share of meat to eat.

Ruan Jiaojiao stroked Dabao’s head, her heart aching again for this child who had been forced to grow up too quickly.

“Alright, Mama will take you to stay with Grandpa and Grandma. And when I come back, I promise I’ll make you flower-shaped steamed buns that look like candied hawthorn skewers. How about that?”

“Yay!”

The two little boys, full of anticipation, suddenly found the day much easier to bear.

Ruan Jiaojiao dropped them off at Fu Jun’s house next door. Fu Ting’s father and mother were keeping vigil for New Year’s Eve. Being older now, they couldn’t go out at night—that would be disrespectful to the ancestors.

When the grandparents saw Dabao and Xiaobao, the worry on their faces softened.

“Dad, Mom, please watch the children for me. I’ll go help too. One more person means one more pair of hands.”

Fu Ting’s mother’s eyes welled up with tears. “Good girl, it’s been so hard for you. I know how Shen Junmei treats you and the kids… yet you’re still willing to help them.”

Fu Ting’s father, who had his back turned, stiffened suddenly at those words.

“Just take good care of Dabao and Xiaobao. I’ll be going now!”

Ruan Jiaojiao didn’t dare look at the two little ones again, afraid that if she did, she wouldn’t have the strength to leave.

Outside, the cold wind howled, snowflakes falling thick and heavy.

Pulling her pink cotton jacket tighter around herself, she ignored Fu Ting’s instructions and stepped resolutely into the storm.

Without a doubt, Jindan was a bad child. But he was still young, and youth meant there was still a chance to set him right.

Besides, he was Fu Ting’s nephew—they shared the same blood. She loved Fu Ting, and so, by extension, she couldn’t abandon Jindan.

A delicate girl, walking through the snowstorm, brows furrowed… it was a striking sight.

And just as she expected, Ruan Jiaojiao found Old Liu and Jindan before Fu Ting and Fu Jun did.

Jindan’s face was bruised and swollen, too scared to even cry. When he saw Ruan Jiaojiao, his eyes lit up for a moment, but quickly dimmed.

Given how he had treated Dabao and Xiaobao before, surely his aunt wouldn’t save him. Maybe she’d even mislead Shen Junmei and Fu Jun, sending them the wrong way so they would miss him entirely.

Jindan’s heart sank with regret. If he had known things would turn out this way, he never would have messed with Old Liu.

How could a kid like him stand a chance against a cunning old hand like Old Liu?

Just as despair swallowed him whole, his aunt appeared before him and Old Liu.

Ruan Jiaojiao tilted her head, a “kind” smile on her face—the very picture of a deceptively sweet, scheming lolita.

“I suggest you hand the child on your back over to me.”

Old Liu had never seen such a beautiful woman, far prettier than any of the women he had abducted before.

For a moment he was stunned, even thinking she might be a ghost.

But when she spoke, he realized—no, this was no ghost. This was a living, breathing woman.

Over the years, countless lives had perished at Old Liu’s hands. He wasn’t the least bit afraid of some “fragile” girl.

“You’re so pretty. Why don’t you become Old Liu’s wife, eh? Heh heh…”

He dropped Jindan to the ground, rubbing his hands together like a fly, and started toward Ruan Jiaojiao.

A greasy man in his forties, yellow teeth flashing, facing off against a stunning young woman in her twenties—it was obvious who held the power.

“I already gave you your chance.”

Ruan Jiaojiao’s smile didn’t falter.

Old Liu thought she must be a fool. What kind of girl, seeing him, wouldn’t run but instead talk big?

But he didn’t get to think for long—

With a swift kick, Ruan Jiaojiao struck his most vulnerable spot. Moments later, her tiny fists rained down on him like a storm.

Don’t be fooled by her small hands—each punch carried real force, every blow landing solidly.

Old Liu was dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected this delicate woman to be such a powerhouse.

All his life he had only ever beaten others—never had he been on the receiving end, and certainly not from a woman!

Watching his aunt thrash Old Liu, Jindan finally realized just how much she had held back when she fought his mother.

At first, he hoped she would hit harder. But soon, he was panicking—

“Auntie! Be gentle! You’ll kill him!”

Sure, his aunt was annoying, but if Old Liu died at her hands, she wouldn’t escape punishment. The whole Fu family would be dragged down.

Thankfully, just then, Fu Ting and Fu Jun arrived.

From afar, Fu Ting spotted his little wife in her pink cotton jacket straddling Old Liu, pounding away mercilessly, while the man beneath her could only beg for mercy.

—It was the second time he had seen her like this. The last time she’d gone so wild… was the last time.

Fu Ting hurried forward and scooped his little wife into his arms.

Even as he lifted her away, her short legs kept kicking at Old Liu.

“Calm down,” Fu Ting murmured coaxingly.

Slowly, Ruan Jiaojiao came back to herself. She smoothed down her messy hair, then smiled sweetly.

“Husband~ You’re here~”