"What's going on? Where did you hide the tofu?" Zhao Jianjun asked with a frown and an unfriendly tone.
Lin Wanqiu shrugged, looking completely innocent: "Comrade Zhao, you saw it too. My house is only so big. Where would I find room to hide tofu? Maybe you were mistaken last night. I did go to deliver sweet potatoes to Grandma Li last night. You can ask Grandma Li if you don't believe me."
Zhao Jianjun was a little doubtful. Could he have really seen wrong? But he clearly saw Lin Wanqiu carrying a bamboo basket, and the aroma of tofu wafted from it. Unwilling to give up, he circled the yard again, even checking the chicken coop, but still couldn't find any trace of the tofu.
"Fine, I'll believe you this time." Zhao Jianjun glared at Lin Wanqiu. "If I find out you lied to me, I won't let you off the hook!" After saying that, he stormed off with his two henchmen.
Lin Wanqiu watched their retreating figures and breathed a sigh of relief; her back was already soaked with sweat. She quickly closed the door and leaned against it to catch her breath.
"Mother, have they left?" Shen Nian'an ran out from the inner room and asked in a low voice.
"It's over, it's alright now." Lin Wanqiu patted his head and said with a smile, "See, your mother didn't lie to you, did she? Your mother has a way to deal with him."
Shen Nian'an nodded, a smile appearing on his face.
Lin Wanqiu knew that Zhao Jianjun wouldn't let this go so easily. If he couldn't find the tofu this time, he might go even further next time. She had to quickly deliver the tofu and then think of a way to completely resolve this problem.
She untied the bamboo basket from her back, opened it, and saw that the tofu was still intact and hadn't been crushed. "Nian'an, let's go deliver the tofu to Grandpa Liu now, and come back as soon as we're done, okay?"
Shen Nian'an nodded, took Lin Wanqiu's hand, and followed her out of the courtyard.
Just as they reached the village entrance, Lin Wanqiu saw a dark figure approaching from afar. Her heart tightened; could it be Zhao Jianjun returning? She quickly pulled Shen Nian'an behind a haystack by the roadside to hide.
As the shadowy figure drew closer, Lin Wanqiu realized it wasn't Zhao Jianjun, but a tall, steady man in a black coat who looked familiar. A moment later, she suddenly remembered the shadowy figure she'd encountered on the mountain—could it be him?
The man seemed to sense something and glanced towards the haystack. Lin Wanqiu quickly lowered her head and pulled Shen Nian'an closer to her.
The man didn't linger and continued walking, soon disappearing into the night.
Lin Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief, but a question arose in her mind—why was he here? Could it be related to Zhao Jianjun?
She didn't dare think too much and quickly pulled Chen Nian'an towards Grandpa Liu's house. After delivering the tofu, the mother and son hurried home. Along the way, Lin Wanqiu felt that someone was following them, but when she looked back, there was nothing there.
Back home, Lin Wanqiu locked the door and closed the windows tightly before finally feeling relieved. She knew that the days ahead would be anything but peaceful; Zhao Jianjun and her awful in-laws would be a constant source of trouble. But she wasn't afraid. For Nian'an's sake, and for her own, she would persevere and live a vibrant life in this era.
Just then, there was a soft knock at the gate. Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened. Could it be Zhao Jianjun returning? She picked up the shovel beside her, walked to the door, and whispered, "Who is it?"
A deep male voice came from outside the door: "It's me, Shen Tingzhou. There's something I want to tell you."
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