Qiligou, Guxian County, Liaoning Province, China, 1965

On a barren hillside in the north, the cold wind was biting, and the sky was so gloomy that it seemed as if it would press down at any moment.

A few withered trees swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound, as if accompanying the tragedy that was about to unfold.

Several villagers, dressed in thin cotton-padded clothes, carried a small, square coffin made of a few simple wooden planks, leaving deep footprints in the snow as they walked with difficulty.

The thin coffin stopped under a few bare trees on Lianggang Hill, where several people were already digging a pit.

There were no white banners, no mourning clothes; the funeral was so simple it was heartbreaking, yet it also carried an indescribable eeriness.

Digging pits in winter is really tiring. Several villagers jumped out of the pit, covered in sweat, and said, "That's enough, it's big enough."

The brigade leader went over to take a look and nodded. He gestured to the people carrying the coffin, and just as the villagers were aligning the small coffin and shouting "Get down!", a woman with disheveled hair and covered in mud and snow came tumbling and crawling up.

"Ah~, Tang Shengjun, you heartless bastard, you rotten-hearted scum! That's your own niece! How could you bear to bury her alive?!"

The woman rushed towards the small square coffin like a madwoman, crying out, "Ah~, my Yueyue!"

When the brigade leader and the villagers heard that the child was not dead, they were all shocked for a moment, and then quickly protected the coffin and put it down.

Tang Shengjun quickly stepped forward and stopped the crazed woman. "Third son's wife, this girl has been weak since birth. We've raised her for almost four years, which is enough. In these bad years, the food for one less person can feed a strong laborer."

"You, get out of here! My Yueyue doesn't eat your food. As long as I, Lin Cuicui, am alive, no one can bury my Yueyue alive."

Lin Cuicui glared angrily at Tang Shengjun, her eyes bulging, which frightened Tang Shengjun so much that he dared not move his foot forward.

He shouted, his voice stern but his voice weak, "These are all things Mother agreed to. This girl is already barely breathing. What difference is there between her and being dead?"

Lin Cuicui pointed at Tang Shengjun, "Tang Shengjun~, if you dare to bury my Yueyue today, I'll kill myself right now. You can bury her if you dare to take my life!"

Her screams echoed across the empty hillside, like a sharp knife slicing through the cold winter.

After yelling, she turned around and started breaking the wooden planks with her bare hands.

Tang Shengjun thought the girl was unlucky, so he couldn't even use a decent plank. Then, Lin Cuicui, in a fit of rage, snapped the thin plank in two. Ignoring the blood on her hands, Lin Cuicui reached out and broke the other planks.

The captain and the others also saw the situation inside the coffin. The tiny child was emaciated, his body nothing but skin and bones, his dark eyes tightly closed and sunken in their sockets. His two small hands were crossed, hugging his curled-up self, as if trying to give himself warmth and strength.

Everyone's eyes reddened at the sight. Several men silently came over to help, and soon the wooden board was broken apart. Lin Cuicui wiped her hands on her dirty clothes and quickly picked up the child.

Lin Cuicui was stunned as soon as she touched him, and then tears streamed down her face.

Her fourth child, her fourth child, is gone, gone! Clearly, clearly when Tang Shengjun went to her house to snatch the child, the child was still fine, still breathing.

Ah~

Lin Cuicui let out a long howl, then her hair snapped open, flying wildly in the wind, and bloody tears slowly streamed down her face. She turned and glared at Tang Shengjun, "Tang Shengjun, I swear I will never forgive you! You, give me back my son's life!"

He then put the child back into the coffin and picked up a stone, smashing it against Tang Shengjun's head.

"Quick, stop her!" The captain was frantic. If someone died, Lin Cuicui would go to jail.

Tang Shengjun was terrified. He was stunned and didn't know what to do.

The captain blocked Lin Cuicui's path, gripping her hand tightly, and turned to shout at Tang Shengjun, "Hurry up and leave! We'll settle the score with you later!"

Lin Cuicui was incredibly strong at this moment, and it was clear that even four large men couldn't subdue her.

The captain turned around and looked at Lin Cuicui, "Third sister-in-law, calm down. You'll go to jail if you kill Tang Shengjun."

There are still three children and a third child to take care of at home. The family can't be without you!

Besides, the child is gone now. Let her be laid to rest as soon as possible.

Lin Cuicui deflated like a punctured balloon, the stone slipping from her hand. She slumped to the ground, her body limp, staring blankly ahead.

The brigade leader and the villagers fell silent at the sight, their hearts filled with sorrow, yet they didn't know how to comfort Lin Cuicui. It was tragic, truly tragic.

Suddenly, a soft, sweet "Mommy~" reached everyone's ears.

The brigade leader and the villagers felt a chill run down their spines, and goosebumps rose all over their bodies.

They didn't even have the courage to turn back.

Lin Cuicui turned around instantly and looked at the coffin in disbelief. She saw a thin little person sitting in the coffin with big eyes, calling for his mother.

Lin Cuicui thought she was hallucinating, but even if it was, she refused to give up. She immediately crawled on her knees toward the coffin.

"Yueyue, my little Yue'er~"

Tang Yue wanted to stand up and respond to her mother, but she was too weak to do so. She could only smile and reach out her little hand to her mother with difficulty.

She was originally a minor cultivator in the cultivation world, with low aptitude. She only reached the ninth level of Qi Refining after three years of cultivation. This time, she went to the secret realm to search for treasures with the disciples of her sect. However, she was caught in the crossfire of her senior brothers' battle with the strange beasts and became cannon fodder.

When she regained consciousness, she felt a pair of large, icy hands pull her out of the ice cave. Although her body was still freezing cold, Tang Yue felt warm from head to toe.

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!