Before Han Zhuang could speak, the others objected. In recent years, the harvests had been poor, and there wasn't enough food. So the militiamen led them into the deep mountains to hunt and gather wild game. The militiamen dared to take them into the mountains because they were skilled. Where did they get their skills? Xiao Man taught them. Before Xiao Man became the captain, the militiamen in their village weren't nearly as capable.

A: "Han Zhuang's wife, isn't it because you're a coward?"

B: "Exactly. Why would the captain scare you?"

Ding: "Exactly. Why would the captain scare you like that?"

Han Zhuang also felt that Xiaoman wouldn't scare his wife: "Qiaoqiao, go back and cook. We'll be done with work soon."

"I...she...she really did it on purpose."

A: "You think it's true just because you say so? Then let me ask you, how did the captain scare you?"

B: "Yes, tell us, let's hear it, and see if you're just a coward or if the captain is deliberately scaring you?"

C: "It must be because she's a coward."

Ding: "Exactly."

Li Qiaoqiao was extremely frustrated: "You...you don't believe me? She really did it on purpose."

A: "We really don't believe it. How did the captain scare you? Tell us."

Li Qiaoqiao was too embarrassed to admit that she had been sleeping at home during the day and hadn't even noticed Wang Xiaoman had entered her house. Besides, Xiaoman hadn't done anything except ignore her. If she said that Xiaoman had ignored her and taken a couple of steps towards her, she would assume Xiaoman was a robber. Then... then these people would definitely say, "See, you're just a coward."

Seeing that Li Qiaoqiao couldn't speak and wasn't leaving, Han Zhuang urged her to go home and cook.

As Li Qiaoqiao walked home, she pondered: Why was I so frightened by Wang Xiaoman? Wang Xiaoman didn't seem to have done anything wrong. After thinking for a while, Li Qiaoqiao came to a conclusion. She felt that she had just woken up and her mind was still a little foggy, which was why she was frightened by Xiaoman.

Having reached this conclusion, Li Qiaoqiao stormed home. She went straight to the main room as soon as she got home.

Xiaoman is teaching Erniu to count.

When Erniu saw her mother, she hid behind Xiaoman.

As soon as Li Qiaoqiao came in, she wanted to say: "I asked you who you are, why didn't you say?" She had just said "I" when Xiaoman looked at her.

As soon as Li Qiaoqiao's eyes met Xiaoman's, she couldn't help but take a step back.

Xiaoman narrowed her eyes, and Li Qiaoqiao shivered. "I...I...I'll go cook."

Xiaoman didn't say anything.

Li Qiaoqiao quickly retreated from the main room. Once outside, she patted her chest. Only then did she realize that she had been scared out of her wits by Wang Xiaoman again. Li Qiaoqiao glanced back into the main room; even if she had the courage, she wouldn't dare to yell at Xiaoman again this time.

As Li Qiaoqiao passed by the large basin of cloth, she hesitated for a moment, but in the end she didn't dare to call Erniu out to wash.

After a while, it was time to finish work. Han Zhuang was the first to return, because the plot of land he worked on was closest to his home. Han Zhuang also knew that he had been able to eat his fill these past few years thanks to his second brother and sister-in-law. So as soon as he got back, he went to the main room: "Second sister-in-law, you're back?"

Xiaoman: "Mmm."

Erniu called out "Dad" when she saw Han Zhuang.

Han Zhuang agreed, "Second sister-in-law, you sit down, I'll go wash up."

Xiaoman: "Mmm."

After Han Zhuang left, Xiaoman asked Erniu, "Are your great-grandmothers coming back soon?"

"Um."

"Then Second Aunt will go and prepare some water for them to wash their faces. You can play by yourself, okay?"

"good."

Xiaoman had just come out of the main room when Tian Dahua returned: "Xiaoman! You're back?"

Xiaoman smiled and said, "Yes, Mom, Hanbin, Naonao, and Tengteng are back too."

Tian Dahua laughed as soon as she heard this: "Really? Oh dear, I've never seen Naonao and Tengteng before. Naonao and Tengteng, come out quickly and let your auntie take a look."

"Han Bin took them out to play."

"Then I'll go wash my face first."

"good."

Tian Dahua wanted to go to the kitchen to get some hot water. As soon as she entered, Li Qiaoqiao asked her, "Sister-in-law, do you dare to talk to her?"

Hearing this, Tian Dahua recalled when she first learned that Han Bin was going to marry Xiaoman, she was also afraid that Xiaoman would bully her: "Your second sister-in-law is a very good person. You'll know once you get to know her. You're busy, I'm going out."

"Wait, Mother, Second Brother, and Second Brother's two children are back too?"

"Hmm. What? You weren't home just now?"

"I...I thought she came back by herself."

Tian Dahua looked into the pot: "So you didn't cook for them either?"

"I... I'll make some more."

"Um."

After Tian Dahua finished washing, she prepared several basins of water. Just as she finished, Grandma Han, Han Dashan, and Han Gui returned.

The three of them were very happy to know that Tang Huihui, Han Bin, Nao Nao, and Tengteng had all returned.

A few people were chatting in the yard when Han Bin returned from outside with Da Bao, Da Ni, Nao Nao, and Tengteng.

Da Bao pulled Nao Nao along.

Da Ni pulled Tengteng along.

Grandma Han smiled so hard her eyes almost disappeared when she saw Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Oh my, these two little guys look so alike."

Xiaoman looked at Naonao and Tengteng: "Kowtowing to Great-Grandma."

Nao Nao and Tengteng: "Okay."

After standing in front of Grandma Han, Nao Nao and Tengteng clasped their fists together and said, "May Grandma Han enjoy boundless happiness and longevity." After saying that, Nao Nao and Tengteng knelt down and kowtowed to Grandma Han.

Grandma Han was overjoyed: "Good, good. Come, let your great-grandmother take a good look."

Tengteng took a piece of candy out of his pocket: "Great-Grandma, have some candy."

Nao Nao pulled a walnut out of her pocket: "Great-Grandma, have a walnut."

"You eat, you eat. Oh my, why are these two little ones so affectionate?"

Tang Huihui came out of the house: "These two children are so filial."

Grandma Han: "No wonder you were reluctant to come back. I wouldn't have come back either."

"That's right."

Then, Nao Nao and Tengteng kowtowed to Han Dashan again.

When they reached Han Gui, he forbade the children from kowtowing: "Bowing is fashionable now, and I like to follow the trend. Bow, bow."

Nao Nao and Tengteng glanced at Xiaoman. They spent a lot of time with Xiaoman, so they were used to asking her for help whenever they needed it.

Xiaoman nodded.

Nao Nao and Tengteng bowed to Han Gui, Tian Dahua, and Han Zhuang.

Li Qiaoqiao was cooking in the kitchen, and no one mentioned her. Han Zhuang didn't think of it either.

After the ceremony, Da Ni and Da Bao took Nao Nao, Tengteng, and Er Niu to play on the side.

After a while, the food was ready. Li Qiaoqiao brought all the dishes to the table. After everyone was seated, Xiaoman looked at Li Qiaoqiao.

Li Qiaoqiao jumped in surprise: "Second...Second Sister-in-law, you..." Li Qiaoqiao wanted to say: Why are you looking at me? I can't eat it. But she didn't dare to say that: "Do you...do you...have something wrong?"

Xiaoman: "No."

Li Qiaoqiao breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she reached for the bowl, her leg snapped with pain. After the pain subsided, she tried to pick up the bowl again, but the pain returned. After that, she tried again, only to have her leg hurt once more.

Tang Huihui was already angry that she made Erniu wash diapers, and now she saw that Erniu had tried to pick up the bowl several times but hadn't. Tang Huihui suddenly snapped: "If you don't want to eat, go wash diapers!"