The moonlight outside the window gradually slanted westward, and the cold wind rustled the paper windowpanes. Lin Wanqiu lay in bed, listening to Shen Tingzhou's steady breathing beside her, but she couldn't fall asleep. She knew that Lin Moli's return was just the beginning, and a new storm was about to break. That fake Li cadre must have deeper entanglements behind him, and their target was very likely Nian An. After all, Nian An was her weakness; seizing Nian An was equivalent to seizing her leverage.

She quietly took out the jade pendant hidden in her clothes, feeling its warm touch on her fingertips. The medical supplies and first-aid skills in her spatial storage suddenly became incredibly important. She silently planned in her mind that tomorrow she must take out all the anti-inflammatory medicine and bandages from her space and hide them in an easily accessible place. At the same time, she also needed to remind the villagers in the sideline work group to be extra vigilant towards strangers, especially those who approached Nian'an.

After an unknown amount of time, the first light of dawn appeared outside the window, and the cold night finally passed. When Lin Wanqiu got up, Shen Tingzhou was already practicing his boxing in the courtyard. In the morning light, his figure was as agile as a leopard, and every move he made carried immense power. Nian'an rubbed her eyes and came out of the house. Seeing her father, she immediately ran over with a smile: "Dad, teach me boxing!"

Shen Tingzhou bent down and picked up his son, the sharpness in his eyes turning into tenderness: "After you finish breakfast, Dad will teach you a few self-defense techniques." He deliberately emphasized the words "self-defense," but his eyes glanced towards the direction outside the courtyard wall.

Lin Wanqiu brought out breakfast and watched the father and son, a faint smile playing on her lips. No matter who Lin Moli had backing, no matter what schemes they plotted, she would never again be at their mercy like in her past life. She had her spatial ability, her skills, Shen Tingzhou, and the support of her fellow villagers. This time, she was determined to protect her family and make those with ill intentions pay the price.

Just as they finished breakfast, Aunt Li's voice came from outside the door: "Wanqiu, it's time to go to the workshop, everyone's waiting!" Lin Wanqiu responded and pulled Nian'an to her side, earnestly instructing her: "Nian'an, today Dad will take you to school. After school, you must wait for Dad to pick you up. You can't go with anyone, understand? Especially strangers, and... you can't go with Aunt Lin Moli either."

Although Nian'an didn't know what had happened, seeing her mother's serious expression, she nodded vigorously: "Mother, I understand. I will definitely wait for Father to come and pick me up."

Shen Tingzhou handed Nian'an a small whistle: "If you encounter danger, blow this, and Dad will come soon." The whistle was made of copper and had a sharp sound that could travel a long distance.

After seeing Nian'an off, Lin Wanqiu headed towards the workshop. Just as she reached the village entrance, she saw Zhang Lan huddled together with several women, whispering amongst themselves. Upon seeing Lin Wanqiu, they immediately fell silent, their eyes darting away. Lin Wanqiu sneered inwardly and walked straight over: "Sister-in-law, what did Lin Moli say to you last night?"

Zhang Lan was startled, but tried to remain calm, saying, "No...we didn't say anything, we just chatted about everyday things." Her eyes darted around, avoiding Lin Wanqiu's gaze.

Lin Wanqiu stared into her eyes, her tone carrying a hint of authority: "Sister-in-law, I advise you not to get involved with Lin Moli. You know better than I do what kind of person she is. Don't blame me if you cause trouble later." After saying that, she ignored Zhang Lan's unpleasant expression and turned to walk towards the workshop.

The workshop was bustling with activity. The soy sauce team was stirring fermenting soybeans, while the pickled vegetable team was busy pickling the newly delivered radishes. The air was filled with various aromas. Aunt Li came up to us with a smile and said, "Late Autumn, yesterday's goods sold really well! Director Wang just sent someone to tell us to send an extra fifty catties of soy sauce next week!"

Lin Wanqiu smiled and agreed, but she remained on edge. While instructing everyone on their work, she kept a close eye on her surroundings, her gaze frequently drifting towards the village entrance. She knew that Lin Moli and that fake Li cadre wouldn't let this go easily; their next move would likely be imminent.

Sure enough, around noon, Uncle Zhang, who had gone to the county town to deliver goods, rushed back, his face pale: "Wanqiu, something bad has happened! They say in the county town that there's been a gang of thugs targeting children lately. Yesterday, a child in the neighboring village was almost kidnapped!"

Lin Wanqiu's heart sank, and the spoon in her hand clattered to the ground. Her worst fears had come true. Lin Moli's collusion was probably not with any county revolutionary committee officials at all, but with these thugs who specialized in human trafficking. Their late-night spying and today's ambush were all to find an opportunity to strike at Nian'an.

She took a deep breath and immediately said to everyone, "Everyone, please stop for a moment and listen to me. Things have been unsettled in the county town lately. There have been thugs abducting children, and Nian'an and the children in the village are in danger. From today onwards, all children must be picked up and dropped off by adults to and from school. No one can afford to be careless."

Upon hearing this, the villagers immediately erupted in excitement, all expressing their determination to keep a close eye on their children. Seeing their anxious expressions, Lin Wanqiu added, "Shen Tingzhou has already gone to the county town to inquire about the situation. With him there, everyone can rest assured. Let's finish our work first, and then take turns patrolling the village entrance and the area near the school this afternoon."

After arranging things at the workshop, Lin Wanqiu immediately headed towards the school. On the way, she saw Lin Moli standing under an old locust tree not far from the school, pretending to admire the scenery, but her eyes kept glancing towards the school gate. Standing next to her was the fake Li from yesterday, whispering something to two shady-looking men. The two men had murky eyes and were clearly not good people.

Lin Wanqiu immediately hid behind a tree, her heart pounding. Sure enough, Lin Moli had colluded with thugs to harm Nian An! She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms; the pain kept her alert. Now was not the time to alert them; she had to wait for Shen Tingzhou to return before figuring out a way to wipe them all out.

A cold wind swirled through the air, carrying snowflakes. Lin Moli seemed to sense something and glanced behind the tree. Lin Wanqiu quickly took a few steps back, holding her breath. When she peeked out again, Lin Moli had already separated from the group and was gracefully walking towards the village, a smug smile on her lips.

Lin Wanqiu watched her retreating figure, a ruthless glint in her eyes. "Lin Moli, since you dared to harm my son, don't blame me for being ruthless. This time, I will make you and your backer pay a heavy price." She turned and walked quickly home, her steps quick, already plotting her next move—she wanted to make these people pay the heaviest price for their evil deeds.