“Exactly,” another person said, “their family used to be landlords. If you ask me, we shouldn’t have lent them money…”
The sound grew softer and softer. Xie Zhuo stood beside Xu Yan, took her hand, and rubbed it.
Xu Yan had lost the momentum he had when he started hitting people. He turned to look at the three dumbfounded kids, pursed his lips, and walked towards them with a smile.
"Third Aunt and Third Uncle were just too angry and couldn't hold back. You mustn't follow their example. Hitting people is wrong. You should reason with people."
The three children nodded.
But his face did have an expression that said, "Third Aunt, you haven't been reasonable with anyone from beginning to end."
"Also," Xu Yan raised his hand and pinched Xiao Bao's cheek, "when did you learn to talk nonsense? Since you call me 'big brother' so affectionately, then from now on, don't call Lin Dong by his name, just call him 'brother'."
Xiao Bao: "..."
Before Xiao Bao's brother could even utter a sound, Lin Dong had already rushed to Xu Yan's side, grabbing her hand and refusing to let go.
He hadn't cried even though he was so scared, but now that his two uncles and aunts, who used to beat and scold him and even sold him, were gone, he couldn't hold back his tears any longer.
She was crying so hard she was almost convulsing.
"It's alright now," Xu Yan comforted him gently, bending down to pat his head. "From the moment your third uncle brought you home, you've been our family's child. No one will ever take you away again, and no one will ever give you away or sell you."
Da Bao and Xiao Bao also came over, clumsily but sincerely following Xu Yan as he touched his head.
Lin Dong wanted to cry, but feeling that Da Bao was about to rub his hat off, he held back his tears for the time being, let go of Xu Yan's hand, and went to grab him.
"Why are you using so much force?" Lin Dong asked, his voice still slightly nasal.
"Huh? Am I strong?" Da Bao was a little confused.
"If it weren't for the hat, your scalp would have been rubbed off," Lin Dong said, adjusting his hat.
Distracted like that, she couldn't cry anymore.
Lin Dong was in a low mood. While Xu Yan was talking to Fang Xia, Xie Zhuo led them to a spot on the street where the snow hadn't melted and made a few small snowmen. Only then did he smile.
“The prettiest one is Third Aunt,” Lin Dong said, pointing to the snow-white little snowman in Xie Zhuo’s hand.
Then, pointing to the strongest one, he said, "This is my third uncle."
Behind them were three small snowmen of similar size. The three snowmen argued for a long time about which one was them, until Kaixin sat on them and ruined them all.
When Xu Yan came out of the tailor shop, she saw three sullen kids and Xie Zhu, who was forcibly suppressing his laughter and scolding the puppy.
Even at its strongest, the winter sun feels like it has a fuzzy texture when it falls on people's heads and faces; there is no burning sensation, only endless warmth.
Before spring arrived, Xu Yan and Xie Zhuo finally packed all their things and, along with their children, Liu Mancang, and Zhao Jisheng, boarded the train to City B.
A week before his departure, Xie Zhuo went to the home of the widower who had almost beaten Lin Dong to death. This time, the old man couldn't escape and was beaten up in the dark.
Xu Yan actually wanted to call the police, hoping to get this scumbag arrested and sentenced to ten or eight years in prison. However, in the end, because he had three young children at home, the two of them changed their minds.
No one knows what will happen to his three daughters if the old widower is really arrested. Perhaps they will starve to death, perhaps they will become petty thieves to survive, or perhaps they will be sold into slavery...
As for what would happen after she was sold, Xu Yan didn't want to think about it. After all, Lin Dong had already made her miserable enough, and the girls might suffer even more.
Who knows?
After several days of deliberation, Xu Yan and Xie Zhuo finally decided not to call the police, but to beat up the old widower who had hit Lin Dong to vent their anger, and then the family would live a peaceful life together.
When the train arrived in City B, it was the weekend, and Xu Yan's whole family came over. As soon as they got off the train, Chen Lihua ran over and hugged Xu Yan.
“You’ve finally arrived,” Chen Lihua said.
He touched Xu Yan's face again, wanting to say "Why have you lost weight?", but when he touched Xu Yan's fair, smooth, and slightly chubby face, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
"You've become so beautiful after all these years!" Xu Yan's brother, Xu Shu, stepped forward and naturally took over the conversation.
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