After saying that, he turned around and left angrily.

Chen's mother said with a stern face, "Xiu'er, don't listen to your third sister-in-law. Girls should study hard and be reasonable. Look at your eldest and second sisters-in-law, and then look at your third sister-in-law. That's the difference!"

"Besides, it's not like our family can't afford to send our children to school."

Chen Zhixiu knew that her mother was trying to comfort her. Although the Chen family was not poor, with so many people eating and going to school, every penny had to be spent carefully.

For several days in a row, Xiao Tuantuan followed Chen Luo to learn martial arts at night and pestered Chen's mother to learn about medicinal herbs during the day, leading a very fulfilling life.

Nan Nian and Rong Manli, knowing that Xiao Tuantuan was going to study, sent her a lot of things, including money.

Chen Zhixiu naturally refused to accept it, but she couldn't go against Nan Nian and Rong Manli's wishes, so she could only remember their kindness in her heart.

When Li Dandan found out about the money the two had given each other, she felt even more resentful.

The sun was exceptionally hot that day. Xiao Tuantuan was squatting in the courtyard identifying medicinal herbs. Just as she was about to rest for a while, she saw Chen Xue running over.

"Come with me." The imperious voice forced Xiao Tuantuan to look up and look at Chen Xue with a puzzled expression.

Without saying a word, Chen Xue pulled Xiao Tuantuan out.

Five-year-old Xiao Tuantuan was obviously not as strong as Chen Xue. Because she was in such a hurry, she stumbled and almost fell to the ground.

Chen Xue gripped Xiao Tuantuan's arm with extreme force, and the pain made Xiao Tuantuan want to break free.

Having finally broken free from Chen Xue's grasp, he saw Li Dandan.

"Mother!" Chen Xue pulled Xiao Tuantuan over again.

Looking at Li Dandan under the big tree, Xiao Tuantuan became even more puzzled. What exactly were they going to do?

Li Dandan looked around and, seeing no one, immediately picked up Xiao Tuantuan: "Come on, your third aunt will take you to buy some delicious food."

Xiao Tuantuan lowered her eyes. Something was definitely amiss. Everyone knew that Li Dandan disliked her the most, so why would she buy her food?

Instead of alerting her, she feigned innocence and looked at Li Dandan, her soft voice saying, "Thank you, Third Aunt."

Li Dandan scoffed inwardly, her eyes full of disdain. What an idiot!

"Mother! Tuantuan is missing!" After finishing her embroidery, Chen Zhixiu realized that Xiao Tuantuan was nowhere to be seen and assumed that her sisters-in-law had taken Tuantuan out to play.

However, when Nan Nian and Rong Manli returned, they did not see Xiao Tuantuan, and Chen Zhixiu realized that something was wrong.

Chen's mother put down her cooking spoon, wiped her hands, and came out: "What happened? How come Tuantuan is missing?"

Chen Zhixiu turned pale with anxiety and rushed out.

Nan Nian and Rong Manli also became serious, briefly explained the situation, and then went out to search as well.

"How could this be? How could he disappear in Chenjia Village? This is impossible!" Chen's mother muttered to herself as she found Chen Luo.

Chen Luo's heart sank, and he quickly said, "It's impossible for a child to be lost in Chenjia Village. Go and look for him."

"Tuan Tuan! Tuan Tuan!"

Chen Zhixiu was so anxious that she broke out in a cold sweat: "Tuantuan!"

"Don't worry, Xiu'er, we'll find her." Nan Nian said quickly when she saw that Chen Zhixiu was about to cry. "Perhaps Tuanzi has already gone home."

Chen Zhixiu's eyes lit up, and she nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, Tuantuan is the most obedient. Even when playing outside, she won't go far."

With that, Chen Zhixiu ran quickly toward the Chen family.

Nan Nian lowered her eyes and pondered for a while before following after them. Halfway there, she exchanged a glance with Rong Manli and said calmly, "Where is Li Dandan?"

"At home," Rong Manyi said. "I've already sent someone to investigate."

Nan Nian nodded and said sarcastically, "What an idiot."

A cold glint flashed in Rong Manli's eyes. He really was a fool.

The family gathered at the front gate, and after exchanging glances, Chen Zhixiu's heart sank to the bottom.

With trembling hands, I pushed open the door and saw Li Dandan and Chen Xue sitting on a stool gnawing on bones.

"Tuan Tuan! Where's Tuan Tuan?"

Li Dandan finished the last bite of meat, glanced at everyone, and said dismissively, "How would I know where Tuantuan went? He's probably playing outside! This kid without a father is just wild!"

"I'm not saying this to be mean, but little sister, you really need to discipline her properly."

"Look at our Xue'er, how obedient she is!"

Chen Zhixiu didn't care about Li Dandan's sarcastic remarks at all; all she wanted to do now was find Tuantuan.

However, she searched every room but couldn't find Xiao Tuantuan anywhere.

“Mother…no…” Chen Zhixiu said in a trembling voice, and could no longer hold back, she burst into tears, “Tuantuan is missing! It’s my fault! Mother…Tuantuan is missing…it’s my fault for not watching her properly…”

"Sleeve!"

Seeing Chen Zhixiu's body go limp, Rong Manli rushed over and hugged her tightly.

Nan Nianlai quickly brought over a stool and let Chen Zhixiu sit down: "Xiu'er, it's okay, Tuantuan will definitely come back."

After saying that, Nan Nian looked at Li Dandan and asked, "Tell me, where did you take Tuantuan?"

Li Dandan's eyelids twitched, and she felt nervous, but she remained unmoved on the surface: "Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that? How would I know where Tuantuan went?"

Nan Nian turned her gaze to Chen Xue.

Chen Xue was still a child, and the panic in her eyes was clearly not hidden from Nan Nian: "Xue'er, tell your aunt."

Chen Xue swallowed hard and said with her head down, "I saw Tuantuan walk out of the village. I called her but she ignored me."

Nan Nian sneered: "Very good."

Li Dandan was instantly enraged and stood up abruptly: "Nan Nian, what do you mean? Tuantuan is missing, and you're blaming me and Xue'er for it? What, are you going to admit to things we didn't do?"

"Tuantuan isn't without legs, is she? I don't know where she went! I think maybe God couldn't stand her eating and drinking for free at the Chen family, so He took her away!"

"Smack!"

With red eyes, Chen Zhixiu glared angrily at Li Dandan and said in a low voice, "Third sister-in-law, please watch your words! Tuantuan is just lost, not dead, and will not die!"

"Ah!" Chen Zhixiu's slap instantly ignited Li Dandan's anger, and she lunged at Chen Zhixiu like a madwoman, yelling, "Why did you hit me! I'll beat you to death!"

The usually gentle Chen Zhixiu defied this time, grabbing Li Dandan's arm tightly: "My daughter will be alright! She will!"

The heart-wrenching roar startled Li Dandan for a moment.

Chen's mother quickly pulled the two apart. Seeing Chen Zhixiu's tear-streaked face, she felt heartbroken: "She'll be alright. Tuantuan is so smart and well-behaved, how could anything happen to her!"

Upon hearing this, Li Dandan curled her lip, her face full of disdain, and muttered under her breath, "That's hard to say."

"If you can't speak properly, then shut up." Rong Manli frowned, her cold eyes sweeping over Li Dandan.

Li Dandan flinched and lowered her eyes.

Meanwhile, as darkness fell, Xiao Tuantuan, with her short legs, quickly walked towards the Chen family: "I have to hurry, or Mother will worry."

"You knew perfectly well that Li Dandan had ill intentions, so why did you go along with her?" The mechanical voice was filled with doubt.

Xiao Tuantuan was silent for a while, then raised her eyes and slowly said, "I have to let Mother know what kind of person I am, her third aunt, so that she won't be deceived in the future."

When Xiao Tuantuan arrived at the Chen family's gate, covered in sweat, she heard Li Dandan's sarcastic tone: "Don't blame me. I may not like her, but I wouldn't harm her!"

Xiao Tuantuan gave a barely perceptible smile, then put on a wronged look, quickly pushed open the door, and went in. Her soft, sweet voice was exceptionally clear: "Third Aunt, Tuantuan has been waiting for you for so long! Didn't you say you were going to take Tuantuan to buy food? Why did you go home by yourself?"