Chapter 67: Beloved by the Era, Destined to Be a Scapegoat? It Doesn’t Matter—My Father Will Intervene 4

“I plan to leave with Zhi Zhi and Sang Sang, but if I take both of them, I won’t be able to earn any money. So, I was thinking of bringing An An and Hua Hua along, and you too, Mom.”

Aunt Liu frowned. “It’s fine to take An An, but forget about Hua Hua. She’s just a girl, and as for me, I’m already half a step into the grave. Why would you bring an old woman like me?”

Qin Ye’s gaze was sincere. “Don’t say that, Mom. Having an elder at home is like having a treasure. As for those two so-called treasures in my family, they have nothing to do with me now. All I have left is you, Mom.”

Once again, Aunt Liu was moved. She wiped her tears with her hand.

An An was Liu An’s nickname. He got his name because Aunt Liu gave birth to him on the riverbank while working. An An is a homophone for “bank.”

In these times, one needed a letter of introduction to travel. With the original connections, Qin Ye could get one and ensure survival.

Now Qin Ye’s plan was to take the Liu family with him: someone to do housework (Hua Hua), a free worker (Liu An), and someone to look after the children (mother-in-law). It was perfect.

Most importantly, the Liu family knew their place and were grateful. If you treated them well, they would always remember it. Unlike his own family, who, if you treated them well, just thought you were weak and easy to bully, taking it for granted that you should work yourself to the bone for them.

By now, Qin Sang Sang, having eaten her fill, was getting sleepy and whined to be held.

Hua Hua, the youngest in the family, wasn’t good at looking after children, so Aunt Liu took the child from her, quickly coaxing Sang Sang to sleep.

There was nothing for Qin Ye to do.

“But we still have so many things at home.”

Aunt Liu hesitated. She agreed with taking Liu An along, knowing her son-in-law was helping her family. But bringing her and Hua Hua seemed too much.

If Aunt Liu had her way, she would let Qin Ye take Zhi Zhi and Sang Sang, while he took Liu An out to seek a living…

No, that wouldn’t work either. Liu Feng would definitely make a scene. Even if her son-in-law kept sending money home every month, Liu Feng would still think he was secretly giving some to the Liu family. If Liu Feng didn’t turn the sky upside down, that would be a miracle.

“The land can be cheaply rented to people we trust, and the house can be looked after by relatives who rent the land. Mom, you don’t know—life in the city is wonderful. In families where everyone is a worker, they pay people to cook and clean.”

“What? Pay people to cook and clean?” Aunt Liu was stunned. “Isn’t that what landlords do?”

“It’s different. They pay for it. If you don’t like the work, you can quit anytime.”

“Would anyone take someone like me?”

“They would. You could earn more than ten yuan a month.”

Hearing that she could earn money, Aunt Liu was immediately tempted. But she was still hesitant.

Qin Ye wasn’t in a hurry and let Aunt Liu think it over.

That night, the two children slept with their grandmother, while Qin Ye and Liu An squeezed onto one bed.

He didn’t sleep well.

Everything in the Liu household was shabby—the house, the furnishings, the clothes, the bed. The only thing worth mentioning was how clean and tidy everything was; there was no strange smell.

This was better than the Qin house, which had a peculiar odor. Especially in the original owner’s room—after his wife was gone, Liu Feng didn’t care, and the two kids, the older not even four, the younger still tottering, were left on their own.

It was a miracle they were still alive.

Life was already so hard, no need to demand cleanliness at home.

The next day, the weather was good. Aunt Liu was pickling vegetables, Qin Ye asked Hua Hua to boil water, and then bathed the two children.

Aunt Liu disapproved—Zhi Zhi was fine, but Sang Sang was too little and might get sick. But Qin Ye was their father, so how he raised his children was his business. Aunt Liu held her tongue, not wanting to be annoying.

Luckily, the children didn’t fall ill. With Qin Ye’s “cheat,” nothing would go wrong.

After bathing them, he dressed them in new clothes the original owner had brought home for the kids, and gave a good Dacron shirt, meant for Liu Cai, to Aunt Liu. Unfortunately, Liu Cai was gone.

In the original story, this shirt ended up with Liu Feng, who used the Dacron fabric she bought herself to make clothes for the grandchildren and the family’s favorite, but not for Sang Sang and Zhi Zhi.

Now, the shirt went to his mother-in-law.

Aunt Liu wouldn’t wear it herself—she saved it for Hua Hua to wear when she grew up.

Because of this, Hua Hua worked especially hard.

Liu An went out to catch fish, not to slack off, but actually to catch fish in the river. He came back elated, with a bucket containing a large, lively fish.

Aunt Liu scolded him. There were few kids left in the village, and even adults sometimes had accidents. She’d rather go without the fish than risk Liu An’s safety. If something happened, after losing her eldest daughter, losing her son would break her.

Liu An grinned as he was scolded, then sneaked over to Qin Ye, promising he was useful, could endure hardship, could do any work, and begged to be taken along—he’d do whatever was needed.

In just one day, Liu An and Qin Ye were as close as brothers, with Liu An acting like his little follower.

The original owner would save up some money to take home for the New Year, normally giving it secretly to his wife. Of course, once he left, Liu Feng would snatch it away.

This year, Qin Ye took a few of the kids to the town’s supply and marketing cooperative—everyone got a new outfit, plus sunflower seeds, peanuts, soda, and candy.

There were no suitable children’s clothes, so Qin Ye bought fabric instead—the good kind, smooth to the touch, to make clothes at home.

He also bought meat, white flour, and other things.

After all that, the money dwindled quickly. But it was enough for travel expenses and the journey ahead.

If it wasn’t, he’d find some old friends along the way to help out.

The world was a good place; everyone was kind. At home, you relied on relatives; away, on friends.

It just so happened that Qin Ye had friends everywhere.

When they returned home, laden with bags, they attracted everyone’s attention.

A woman close to Liu Feng hurried over to report the news.

Liu Feng immediately stormed over and started shouting at the door.

“Li Xianglan, you shameless wretch! Your daughter just passed, and now you want your younger daughter to seduce my son and trick him into being your servant? All his money has gone to you, hasn’t it? I’m telling you, never!”

Qin Ye frowned, stepped outside, and raised his voice even louder than Liu Feng’s, making her head spin.

“Mom, wasn’t it enough that you drove your eldest daughter-in-law to her death? Now you want to starve your own granddaughters? I just don’t want to watch my children be tormented to death by you—is that so wrong?”

The onlookers were shocked. What? The Liu family’s eldest girl was driven to death by her mother-in-law?

Liu Feng realized everyone was staring at her and, understanding what Qin Ye had said, was about to retort when he cut her off.

“You’re heartless, cruel, and inhumane, but you’re still my mother. I didn’t want to make our family’s shame public. I tried to avoid you, but why do you keep coming after us?”

“I…”

“I came home exhausted, but the kitchen was locked—I couldn’t even get a sip of hot water.

My wife is gone, but you didn’t send me a single word.

With my wife gone, my two kids were left at home, uncared for, nearly starved to death.

Mom, I sent money home every month—never less than several dozen yuan. Besides money, I sent food and clothes. The dress I bought for my daughter—why did my niece end up wearing it?

My daughter had to wear old, ankle-baring clothes. Was it that I only bought clothes for my own children? No, I bought them for all the nieces and nephews. So why was my daughter’s clothing still snatched away?”

Liu Feng had no chance to interrupt.

Seeing the scornful, disgusted looks from the crowd, Liu Feng slapped her thigh, ready to throw herself to the ground and make a scene, but was interrupted by a child’s wail.

It was Qin Zhi Zhi crying.

Usually, Zhi Zhi only cried quietly. If she cried loudly, her grandmother would hit her.

But now, her mother was gone, her father was arguing with her grandmother, and the shadow Liu Feng cast over her life made her see her grandmother as a monster.

The old monster used to bully her mother, scolded Zhi Zhi and her little sister whenever she saw them, and once even told their cousin to pinch her little sister’s arm, praising his strength as he did.

Finally, their father had come and taken them away, escaping the old monster—but now she’d chased after them to bully their father.

Zhi Zhi panicked and let out a loud wail, running over to help her father fend off the old monster.

Liu Feng was no gentle elder. With Zhi Zhi running toward her, she would have kicked the child away without a second thought.

And in fact, she did just that—she raised her foot and kicked out at Zhi Zhi.

Qin Ye reacted quickly, scooping Zhi Zhi into his arms and pulling her back, just as Liu Feng’s kick came.

But the others didn’t see the details. All they saw was Zhi Zhi running out, crying, then being kicked by Liu Feng—thankfully, her father caught her.

Now, the crowd’s gaze toward Liu Feng grew even more hostile.

Liu Feng froze, not expecting things to turn out this way.

But she was no stranger to creating a scene—immediately, she prepared to throw herself to the ground and wail, determined to accuse her son of being unfilial, of driving his own mother to death for outsiders.

Yet Qin Ye was even faster—he threw himself to the ground, rolling and crying.

“Oh heavens, my own mother is trying to drive me to death! Heaven, open your eyes and see—I have done everything for my parents, but my own mother wants to kill me!

Fine, our family is an eyesore—so she drove my wife to death, tried to kick my daughter to death, and now wants me gone too. I don’t want to live anymore! I’ll die and go to our ancestors to seek justice. What have I done to deserve such hatred from my own mother?”

Now this was truly making a scene.