"Let's go, let's go! Isn't this much rice enough?" Tao Wan's mother said angrily. "Nobody's rice falls from the sky. We have so many mouths to feed!"

Tao Wanniang said in a sarcastic tone, while also slapping Ling Dahu's hand, "You think you're so kind-hearted, so magnanimous!"

Wang Hongyu also punched Ling Dahu, her face full of heartache.

Ling Dahu still smiled憨憨地, and deftly pushed the cart.

"Brother, he's gone!"

Ling Dapeng followed behind, glanced back, and said.

"She didn't even ask our names, how are we going to remember your great kindness in the future!"

Ling Dapeng's words immediately silenced everyone.

"Ha, Dapeng, what you said really hit the nail on the head. Right, they don't even know our names, yet they talk about gratitude. What are they grateful for!"

Tao Wanniang said with a teasing tone, "Alas, sons grow up and are no longer under their mother's control. My eldest son is truly a kind-hearted man!"

"Sister Tao, Da Hu Zi is kind-hearted and will be blessed in the future."

Aunt Liang chuckled and said, "Sister Tao, you said we gave you money before you took us in, but I don't remember giving you any!"

Tao Wanniang glanced at Liang Da Niang, who was smiling, and remained silent for a moment.

The bracelet was exchanged for five taels of silver, so wasn't that considered giving it away?

"Sister Tao, I know that your whole family are really good people. Xiao Qiao and I will truly remember your kindness!"

"There's no need for that. Once you get to the provincial capital and find Xiao Qiao'er's father, we'll go our separate ways."

Tao Wanniang said, "Five taels of silver to hand over Aunt Liang and the child to the child's father is more than enough!"

"Sister Tao, once you get to the provincial capital, have you thought about what you'd like to do?"

With another seven or eight days' journey to the provincial capital, Aunt Liang couldn't help but start chatting.

"We'll see when the time comes; there's always a way for someone to survive."

Tao Wanniang liked to cook, but it wasn't good to set her sights too high all at once, so she gave a casual, perfunctory answer.

“Mother, Pengzi and I can go to work as farmhands for rich people. People in the village used to say that farmhands for landlords earned two hundred coins a month.”

Ling Dahu said with anticipation, "Not only do I feel warm inside after doing a good deed, but I'm also almost at the provincial capital. Thinking about the future gives me hope."

“Okay, you can go work as farmhands and support your families.”

Tao Wanniang echoed Ling Dahu's words, saying, "Don't let your mother have to subsidize you later."

"Mom, you've taken care of us all this way. Now you can stay home and do whatever you want. We'll take care of you!"

Ling Dapeng called out from behind, also feeling that the future wouldn't be too bad.

The group chatted and laughed as they walked until nightfall, and then spent the night in a field of withered rice paddies.

The croaking of frogs filled the night, but Tao Wanniang didn't think about catching frogs to eat. After all, she still had rice and eggs on hand. It was just that her right eyelid was twitching, which made her feel inexplicably uneasy.

The next morning, the group set up a pot and made breakfast. Just as they finished eating, they heard heavy footsteps coming from the edge of the field.

"Following the scent, I'll find you, you wretched woman! You killed my brother, prepare to die!"

With a furious shout, a face that made Tao Wanniang's heart pound with fear jumped down from the ridge of the field. Who else could it be but the scarred bandit man?

"Hurry up!" Tao Wanniang grabbed a kitchen knife and shouted at the others. Even though her body wasn't strong enough, she still had combat experience in her mind.

But it was too late. The scarred man blocked their way, holding a large knife and looking fierce.

"You wretched woman, do you know how badly you've ruined us brothers' lives?"

The scarred man glared menacingly at Tao Wanniang and said viciously, "Today I'm going to skin you alive!"

"What...what are you saying? I didn't kill any of you. I was just in self-defense and drugged you!"

Tao Wan's mother and her group abandoned everything and retreated while talking. Their two sons shielded their wives and children behind them, both looking terrified.

"The smoke you deliberately set off attracted the soldiers. If I hadn't woken up quickly and escaped with my life on the line, I'd probably be in jail right now!"

The scarred man glared at Tao Wan's mother. "I've been chasing after you all the way here, asking countless people. Your whole family is too conspicuous. Thank goodness, the kids say you're all good people. Bah! You wretched woman, you're going to die!"

As the scarred man spoke, he slashed at Tao Wanniang with the knife in his hand.

"You all go quickly!" Tao Wanniang ordered the others to leave again, and she also pretended to roll to the side, hoping to avoid the scarred man's knife.

"grandmother!"

Xiao Qiao'er's cry made Tao Wan's heart sink.

Aunt Liang actually stood in front of Tao Wanniang, and was slashed on the shoulder by the scarred man.

"Hurry up..."

As if experiencing a sudden burst of lucidity before death, Aunt Liang fiercely grabbed the knife that was slashing at her body, preventing the scarred man from pulling it out.

Tao Wanniang seized the opportunity. When the scarred man failed to draw his knife, her frail body seemed to possess boundless strength as she jumped up and chopped the cleaver directly at the scarred man's neck.

"Damn it!" the scarred man cried out in pain, immediately reaching out to cover his neck, but a large amount of blood spurted out. Enraged, the scarred man tried to strangle Tao Wanniang.

"You're hopeless. Why do you cut a chicken's neck when you kill it? It's to bleed it out!"

Tao Wanniang nimbly dodged, "Soon you'll bleed to death. Are you starting to feel dizzy? Come on, come and kill me!"

"With your crooked neck like that, you dare to fight me? My kitchen knife can kill wolves and snakes, and it can kill villains like you too!"

As Tao Wanniang dodged, she provoked the scarred man with her words. Soon, the scarred man collapsed to the ground, blood still gushing from his neck.

Tao Wanniang immediately ran to Liang Da Niang.

"Aunt Liang, what are you doing? You...you..." The broadsword was deeply embedded in Aunt Liang's shoulder, and since she was holding on tightly, there was no way to save her...

"Take care of... Little Qiao'er!"

Aunt Liang said weakly, "Little Qiao'er, Little Qiao'er..."

Little Qiao'er, who had been terrified, finally came to her senses and ran to Aunt Liang's side, tears streaming down her face.

"Grandma, don't scare me. Grandma, I can't live without you!"

"Remember, your father's name is Liang Laifu, and he works in the government office..."

Before Aunt Liang could finish her explanation, her head lolled to the side, and she died in Tao Wanniang's arms.

"Grandma, Grandma..."

As if unwilling to accept reality, Xiao Qiao'er continued to push Aunt Liang's body, crying and shouting, which was heartbreaking to watch.

"Little Qiao'er, your grandma has passed away. Don't worry, we will take you to the provincial capital."

Tao Wanniang comforted her, reaching out to pat Xiao Qiao'er's back. This matter... was beyond her expectations and made her feel extremely heavy-hearted.