Chapter 108 A Guilty Heart
Just as Liu Zhixia finished washing the wild vegetables, Liu Xuejun came running back, panting.
"So fast? You've finished asking all the questions?"
Liu Xuejun looked annoyed and lowered his voice: "Don't even mention it! I just saw my ex-sister-in-law! She was acting suspiciously at the village entrance, as if she was afraid of being seen. But her guilty look only made her more conspicuous, and I spotted her immediately."
Liu Zhixia's eyes sharpened: "She came back?"
Liu Xuejun was taken aback: "Really? There's not a sound at all at home."
"She must have come back."
Liu Zhixia spoke with certainty, then instructed, "Don't mention this to my older brother. I'll talk to Mother. Don't make a fuss."
Although Liu Xuejun was puzzled, he still obediently nodded: "Oh, okay!"
Liu Zhixia turned and went into the house, closing the door behind her.
She took out a pen and paper from her storage space and began to write and draw on the table.
I've been learning to read with my fourth brother lately, and I have no problem with most commonly used characters, but my handwriting still looks a bit like a child's.
After dinner, Liu Zhixia pulled Zhang Xiuying into the inner room and mysteriously handed her a note.
What is this?
Liu Zhixia smiled and said, "A new recipe for pickled vegetables."
Zhang Xiuying took a look and laughed: "Didn't we used to draw pictures? Now you've switched to writing? Your handwriting looks like earthworms."
"Only my daughter and I know how to draw, and as for writing... it's for everyone's convenience."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiuying immediately clutched the note tightly and said warily, "It's better to draw a picture! Even if someone steals it, they won't be able to understand it. If it's written down, wouldn't that just be a waste of their time?"
Liu Zhixia blinked: "Mother, what I want is for people to understand."
Zhang Xiuying was taken aback, then realized what was going on and lowered her voice, "What happened?"
“Shen Hongmei came back this afternoon and even came into my room.”
Liu Zhixia briefly recounted her findings and speculations from the afternoon.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiuying's face instantly darkened. She gripped the "recipe" tightly, gritting her teeth, "I understand. If that ingrate dares to lay a hand on me, I'll make sure he regrets it this time!"
It was late at night, and the family prepared to rest.
Da Bao stood at the door of the two elders' house, twisting the hem of his clothes with his little hands, reluctant to leave.
Seeing this, Liu Shouren asked cheerfully, "Dabao, what's wrong? Do you want to sleep with Grandpa and Grandma?"
Da Bao nodded, his voice barely audible, "I want to sleep with Grandpa and Grandma!"
Liu Shouren felt sorry for his grandson who had just lost his mother, and picked him up in his arms: "Okay! You can sleep with Grandpa and Grandma tonight!"
Zhang Xiuying was busy with her work when she heard this and laughed, "Alright! Old man, take Dabao to the outhouse. I'll put this treasure away first. The new formula my daughter gave me must be hidden well."
As she spoke, she deliberately slowed down her movements, carefully placed the note into the tin box, locked it in the drawer, and finally hung the brass key back around her neck.
Da Bao stared wide-eyed, remembering the entire series of actions clearly.
Afterwards, he obediently followed his grandfather to the outhouse, and then crawled into the old couple's bed when he returned.
In the middle of the night, snoring filled the room.
Da Bao quietly crawled out of bed, and by the moonlight, carefully picked up the scissors and, with a snip, cut the red rope around Zhang Xiuying's neck.
He held his breath, picked up the key, opened the drawer, and took out the metal box.
In the darkness, Zhang Xiuying stood with her back to her grandson, her eyes tightly closed, tears silently soaking her pillow.
That damned Shen Hongmei!
How could they incite such a young child to steal?! That's their own son!
At this moment, Zhang Xiuying felt as if her heart was being cut by a knife, and a deep sense of disappointment welled up in her towards this grandson.
Unaware of the situation, Da Bao stuffed the folded "recipe" into his inner pocket, then carelessly put the keys and scissors back in their original places before shivering as he crawled back into bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next afternoon, Shen Hongmei staked out the spot like a thief.
Only after Liu Zhixia left did she tiptoe into her old room.
Hearing the noise, Da Bao ran out of Lao Si's room next door and pulled out the note like a treasure.
"Mom, Grandma said this is the recipe. I can't read, can you take a look?"
Shen Hongmei grabbed it and unfolded it, looking at the crooked handwriting. However, she couldn't read, but she was sure it was stolen from Zhang Xiuying.
Overjoyed, she hugged her son's face and kissed him passionately: "You're such a good son!"
Before she could even feel happy, she looked up and saw the entire Liu family standing in the courtyard, their eyes fixed on her coldly like knives.
Shen Hongmei's legs went weak with fright, and she instinctively shrank behind Da Bao. But how could such a young child possibly block her guilty conscience?
Zhang Xiuying stood in the center of the courtyard and shouted, "Shen Hongmei! Get out here!"
Da Bao burst into tears and rushed over to hug Zhang Xiuying's leg: "Grandma! Don't be angry with your mother! It's Da Bao's fault!"
Hearing her grandson's pleas for mercy and seeing the cowardly figure inside the house, Zhang Xiuying was furious.
"You're making such a young child take the blame? Have you no shame? Get out here!"
Seeing no movement inside, Liu Xiangyang rushed in and dragged Shen Hongmei to the yard like a dead dog.
"Hand over the items!"
Liu Xiangyang's eyes were bloodshot as he roared angrily.
"Xiangyang... I didn't..." Shen Hongmei was about to feign pitifulness when she met Liu Xiangyang's murderous gaze and was so frightened that she swallowed her words back.
"Are you even human? How could you encourage your own son to steal?!"
Liu Xiangyang grabbed her hair and slapped her hard across the face!
"Smack!"
Shen Hongmei was beaten until she saw stars, covered her face and trembled, but she clenched her fists tightly and refused to let go.
She'd already been beaten; this formula was her lifeline! If she couldn't get it back, going back to the Shen family would be the same – certain death!
Liu Zhixia stepped forward and said coldly, "Ex-sister-in-law, don't make us take action. Hand it over, and we'll let this matter go."
Shen Hongmei gritted her teeth and remained silent.
Liu Xiangyang completely lost his patience and rushed over to forcibly pry her fingers open.
Empty? !
"Where is it? Where did you hide it?!"
Liu Xiangyang roared and was about to search her when Shen Hongmei suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, "Help! Murder! The Liu family has killed someone!"
This shout attracted the attention of the nearby villagers.
When everyone saw Liu Xiangyang grabbing Shen Hongmei, they all rushed forward to break up the fight.
"Xiangyang, what are you doing? Let's talk this out!"
Liu Xiangyang trembled with rage: "That bitch came back to steal things!"
Shen Hongmei immediately burst into tears: "Uncles and aunts! I didn't steal! I came back to get my own things! Just because we're divorced doesn't mean they can keep my things!"
This crying and fuss made the villagers waver a little.
An older woman advised, "Xiangyang, this is where you're wrong. Let's part amicably. Let her take what belongs to her. She's Dabao's mother, after all. Don't make things too ugly."
Liu Xiangyang shoved aside the people trying to break up the fight, pointed at Shen Hongmei, and sneered:
"Things that belong to you? You married into the Liu family without bringing a single needle! The clothes you're wearing were bought by my mother! What in this house belongs to the Chen family?"
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