To Save Others from His Evil Ways.
After discussing these matters, Qin Shi’s father inquired about Lu Zetian’s family situation. Upon learning that his family lived in a neighbouring village, not too far away, he made a mental note to gather more information later.
The stepmother’s eyes began to dart around. “We should visit your place. When are you having the wedding banquet? When is the wedding?”
Qin Shi replied, “We’re not having one. Zetian’s leave is tight, and the three children need care. Tomorrow, I’ll visit his family, and the day after, we’ll leave.”
This had been agreed upon beforehand. Qin Shi saw no need for elaborate ceremonies, which she considered a waste of time and money.
Lu Zetian had asked her twice to make sure she really didn’t mind skipping the formalities. Seeing that she truly didn’t care, he agreed. He also disliked such ostentatious displays.
“But that’s too hasty! We haven’t even met your in-laws yet!” the stepmother protested.
Qin Shi smiled, “Then tomorrow, Zetian can bring his parents over for a meal so we can all get acquainted.”
Turning to Grandma Qin, she said, “Grandma, let’s kill a chicken and use some preserved pork. We should properly entertain Zetian’s parents, right?”
Grandma Qin clutched her chest. They only had two chickens, which laid eggs! The preserved pork had been saved for a special occasion, meant for the New Year!
She wanted to scold but didn’t dare, so she remained silent, seething inwardly.
Seeing that Grandma Qin had tacitly agreed, Qin Shi was satisfied. “I’ll cook tomorrow, Zetian. You can taste my cooking.”
Qin Shi’s father smiled warmly and praised his daughter, “Our Er Ni is an excellent cook. Her dishes are delicious!”
Her aunt blurted out, “You always use too much oil and seasoning in your cooking. No wonder it tastes good!”
She stopped speaking when Qin Shi’s father shot her a glare.
The aunt awkwardly fell silent, listening without further comment.
After chatting about various trivial matters, Qin Shi noticed it was getting late. “Zetian still has to go home. We shouldn’t keep him any longer. I’ll walk him out.”
“Aren’t you staying for a meal?” her father asked, surprised.
Lu Zetian replied, “No, I need to get back. My family is waiting for me.”
Lu Zetian hadn’t said much during the entire visit, but whenever he did speak, the Qin family tensed up, feeling inexplicably nervous. Seeing him ready to leave, they quickly agreed, saying they would see him tomorrow.
Qin Shi noticed how eager they were for Lu Zetian to leave and chuckled inwardly. They were all brave within their own confines but timid when faced with an outsider.
As Qin Shi walked Lu Zetian to the gate, their eyes met.
“No need to see me off any further. Go back inside,” Lu Zetian said.
Qin Shi nodded, “See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.”
With that, Qin Shi turned around and headed back inside without any hesitation or unnecessary politeness.
Lu Zetian watched her go back into the house before he started walking home. After a few steps, he found himself smiling, though he wasn’t sure why.
Back inside, Qin Shi saw her family still sitting around the dining table. Not wanting to get involved in their arguments, she simply said, “I’m going to my room to pack. Call me when it’s time to eat,” and then left for her room.
As soon as Qin Shi left, the family resumed their argument over the bride price, each wanting a share.
“Er Ni is my child, so the bride price should belong to our side of the family!”
“We haven’t divided the family yet! Are you trying to rebel? The bride price belongs to the common fund!”
“Mom, take some of it out to help Cong Cong find a job.”
…
Qin Shi didn’t listen closely, but the sounds of the argument were loud and clear, creating a lively atmosphere.
She started sorting through the original owner’s belongings and found there wasn’t much worth taking. The clothes and shoes were all old and worn, so she only packed two decent outfits. There were no other personal items, just various books.
Flipping through them, she selected some useful ones and packed the rest to give to her neighbour Xiaohua, who was one of the original owner’s few friends. Xiaohua was also preparing for the university entrance exams, and Qin Shi hoped these annotated books would help her.
Before dinner, Qin Shi had finished packing, ending up with just a medium-sized bundle. She touched the luggage and felt a pang of sadness and pity for the original owner. “Look at this, living in this family for twenty-four years, and this is all you have to show for it.”
“But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to live the rest of your life well.”
…
Because of Lu Zetian’s visit, dinner at the Qin household was delayed until nightfall. The children glanced at Qin Shi with various thoughts swirling in their heads, brimming with questions they didn’t dare to ask. The tension at the dinner table was palpable, making the meal difficult to swallow.
While the rest of the family ate awkwardly, Qin Shi ate quickly and with focus, seemingly unaffected by the atmosphere.
After finishing her meal, she put down her bowl and reminded Grandma Qin, “Make sure to return the money early tomorrow. Otherwise, Zetian will have to delay another two days to personally go to the police station.”
Grandma Qin nearly choked on her food, glaring at Qin Shi with hatred, gritting her teeth as she replied, “Got it.”
Qin Shi nodded and returned to her room.
The younger members of the family, sent off to do chores without understanding what had happened, were all filled with curiosity. They exchanged glances, and finally, Qin Shi’s most favoured cousin, Qin Cong, spoke up.
“Grandma, what were you all talking about?”
Grandma Qin glared at Qin Cong, “What business does a child have meddling in adult affairs? Can’t you keep your mouth shut while eating?”
Qin Cong was stunned, not used to being scolded like this by Grandma Qin.
Seeing even Qin Cong get scolded, the others kept their heads down, eating quietly, afraid of drawing her ire.
That night, most of the Qin family couldn’t sleep until late. The day had been filled with too many events, leaving them restless and preoccupied.
The next day, Grandma Qin reluctantly left the house, glancing back at Qin Shi working in the yard, grumbling as she took the money and slowly made her way out.
Qin Shi didn’t pay her any mind. She went to the school, collected half a month’s salary, and had a polite farewell with the principal before leaving. It was only a few yuan, but she wasn’t going to let the Qin family have it.
In the afternoon, Grandma Qin returned home, her face as dark as a storm cloud. Upon seeing Qin Shi, she uncharacteristically avoided her instead of glaring.
Curious, the aunt asked what had happened, and learned that the family who had bought Qin Shi’s university spot was in dire straits. The student had been expelled, the family fined by the police, and the father detained for knowing and breaking the law. Further investigation revealed his corruption and embezzlement, resulting in his dismissal and impending imprisonment.
When Grandma Qin had gone to the county, her family had nearly attacked her and then thrown her out after taking the money.
Returning to the town, she went to the Lu family’s home to return the bride price and was openly insulted by Lu Cai’s mother. Grandma Qin then learned that all this was orchestrated by Lu Zetian, the regimental commander, highlighting his influence and capabilities.
Terrified, Grandma Qin’s heart pounded all the way home. When she saw Qin Shi, she remembered the “thorough investigation of three generations” and dared not provoke her any further.
Qin Shi asked if she had really returned the money, and Grandma Qin truthfully confirmed it. She even handed over the key to the spice cabinet without a word.
Her uncharacteristically compliant behaviour made Qin Shi raise an eyebrow, guessing that she was thoroughly scared. She wondered how long this would last.
Thinking of this, Qin Shi decided to play on her fear, “Grandma, you’d better be careful from now on and keep the family in check. Since I’m married to Lu Zetian, the military might keep an eye on our family.”
“If any of you get into trouble, I’m far away and can’t help you. You’d better behave yourselves,” Qin Shi continued, ensuring they wouldn’t cause any more trouble for others.
Grandma Qin immediately believed her, repeatedly assuring that she would be honest and wouldn’t cause any more problems. The old woman was genuinely frightened this time. Seeing a high-ranking official in the county fall so quickly because of this incident was terrifying.
Before long, Lu Zetian arrived with his parents. Qin Shi’s stepmother greeted them warmly, and even Grandma Qin bustled about, serving tea and fetching biscuits from the cupboard, trying to make a good impression.
Lu Zetian’s mother observed the Qin family’s behaviour and glanced at her son, thinking that they weren’t as bad as he had described.
Qin Shi greeted Lu Zetian’s parents confidently, making a good impression with her warm demeanour. When they went to the kitchen, they were impressed by her efficient and skilful cooking. After tasting the delicious meal, which surpassed even the best dishes from state-run restaurants, they liked her even more and decided to take her with them that evening.
“Zetian’s unit urgently needs him, otherwise we could have stayed for a couple more days. Er Ni will come back to the village with us tonight, and we’ll set off early tomorrow.”
“Our village is closer to the town,” Lu Zetian’s mother added.
Qin Shi’s father looked reluctant, and her stepmother pretended to wipe away tears. After a brief conversation with them, Qin Shi gathered her belongings and left with the Lu family.
As they walked away, Qin Shi glanced back at the Qin house. Seeing no one at the doorway, she let an ambiguous smile appear on her face.
Lu Zetian noticed something was off with her and took her bundle, silently offering comfort. His mother also understood and cursed the Qin family in her heart. She then took Qin Shi’s hand and said, “Dear, don’t be sad. I’m your real mom now!”
Seeing Lu’s mother standing up for her, Lu’s father showing concern in his eyes, and Lu Zetian beside her like a guardian, Qin Shi couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m fine,” Qin Shi said as she linked her arm with Lu’s mother. “Mom, Dad, let’s go home.”
“Yes, yes, let’s go home!” Lu’s mother patted Qin Shi’s hand, genuinely loving her straightforward nature. In the short time they had spent together, she had already noticed Qin Shi’s competence, intelligence, and generosity, making her very satisfied with her daughter-in-law.
During the journey back, Lu’s mother kept talking about the children’s everyday matters. Qin Shi, far from being impatient, asked about their habits and preferences.
Lu’s father, the village party secretary, had seen and dealt with many people. He stayed quiet, observing his daughter-in-law, ensuring she wasn’t just putting on an act. Satisfied with her genuine demeanour, he relaxed.
When they reached home, Lu’s mother arranged for Qin Shi to stay in the room specially cleaned and prepared for their little daughter. After settling everything, she couldn’t help but smile as she went to bed.
“I’ve met and evaluated so many people, and it turns out an accidental meeting was the right one!”
“Yes.”
“I think this girl is great—she’s sharp and capable. The kids will be well taken care of by her.”
“Right.”
“I’ll find some time to visit them after they settle down!”
“Alright, sleep now. We’ll talk about it later. From the way Zetian acted, it’s clear he’s serious about this. He’s got it all figured out.”
“He’s learned from the past. After what happened last time, he wouldn’t make the same mistake.”
“This girl is good, but I need to see how she manages the kids before I can be completely at ease.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“It’s good they are leaving soon. It’s not fair to keep relying on the neighbours to look after the kids…”
Lu’s mother kept talking, and Lu’s father gradually drifted off to sleep, responding to her sporadically until he was completely out.
**Nomad: Sorry, I was sick for a while and haven’t been posting new chapters. Only the ones I had scheduled were posted. I will try to get back on track, but please bear with me in the meantime. Thank you.
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