Aunt Wei waved her hand, "I can't stay in your house."

"We know we were wrong about what happened back then. There was nothing we could do at the time." It was clear that Liu Wang was truly remorseful. Deep guilt welled up in his previously dull eyes.

Aunt Wei: "That child is destined for greatness; you just don't have the good fortune for him. Don't say anything more, go back!"

Liu Wang stood at the doorway, watching as Aunt Wei and her family of three led the horse-drawn carriage out.

Liu Shitou chased after her, "Auntie, let me see you off!"

As he spoke, Stone jumped onto the carriage.

Upon reaching the village entrance, Aunt Wei called out to stop the car, "Stone, this is enough!"

“Aunt, let me see you off a little further.” Shi Tou didn’t stop the carriage. “My mother knows she was wrong. She can’t sleep soundly every night. She keeps hearing my older brother crying in her dreams.”

"She's hiding something, she's scared," sighed Aunt Wei. She had sighed countless times that day.

“It’s all my fault. I told her I’d work hard and things would get better. But my mother just wouldn’t believe me,” Shi Tou said calmly. “My mother really wants to see you. She’s afraid she doesn’t have much time left.”

I don't know if Liu Shitou's behavior was an act or if he genuinely thought that way. Anyway, he's not angry about his aunt not helping him.

Liu Shitou: "My mother always says that my eldest uncle loves her the most, but she is always disobedient and makes him angry."

"Xiao Yan, do you have ten yuan in your pocket?" Aunt Wei suddenly asked.

"Yes, I do!" How could Song Yan not have any money in her pocket? She took out ten yuan from her pocket and handed it to her mother-in-law.

Aunt Wei took out another fifteen yuan from her pocket, making a total of twenty-five yuan, and stuffed it into Liu Shitou's hand. "You call me Auntie, and this is all I can do for you. Including the money for your mother, it's thirty-five yuan in total. Helping you this time will give me confidence when I see your uncle in the future. Live your life well from now on, be your own boss, and don't listen to your grandma. You'll get your comeuppance if you do something really wicked."

Thirty-five yuan was no small sum in those days, and Aunt Wei gave him a total of thirty-five yuan. Liu Shitou was no longer a child, so he naturally knew the weight of that amount.

Liu Shitou was very embarrassed. "Auntie, I'll pay you back when I earn money."

Aunt Wei: "Fine! It's yours now. You don't need to send me any messages when you get married! From now on, our two families are no longer related."

Judging from your grandma's demeanor, she probably still calls the shots at home, right? Keep five yuan of this money. You're not a child anymore; you should know your limits.

Alright, drop me off here and head back.

You take this!

The mother-in-law handed a fish that she had left in the car before leaving to Shi Tou.

"Auntie!" Liu Shitou exclaimed gratefully...

Liu Shitou stood there, watching the carriage disappear into the distance.

Aunt Wei: "Xiao Yan, do you think I'm soft-hearted?"

"If spending only thirty-five yuan can buy peace of mind later, it's worth it." Song Yan really thought so. "I'm just afraid it will never end."

"I spent thirty-five yuan to buy peace of mind. From now on, I owe them nothing. I've paid back everything I owed them. I won't feel like I'm enjoying any happiness in the future because of them." Aunt Wei's face, which had been furrowed all day, finally relaxed.

The mother-in-law's words were loaded with meaning, concealing something Song Yan was unaware of. "Mother, how can you say your good fortune is thanks to them?"

The mother-in-law waved her hand and said nothing.

"Mom, did they really abandon the child? What happened to the child afterward?" Song Yan was genuinely curious!

Aunt Wei didn't want to talk about it, saying, "It happened about twenty years ago, let's not mention it!"

Song Yan was incredibly curious. "Who did they ask for the child from?" People in the countryside have many children, so it's easier to get a girl. Boys are less likely to be given away.

"That child is... sigh! I won't say anymore. It's all old news, don't ask about it again." Aunt Wei really didn't want to talk about it.