The three cousins were sweating profusely, and they didn't dare to stop for two days.
Although no one said it out loud, everyone knew in their hearts that they were competitors.
Even if Zhao Youcai's family was poor, they still had three houses and six acres of land.
When they were looking for money, they saw the grain piled up in the house, which they estimated to weigh about three or four hundred pounds.
The whole family has passed away, leaving only Lingdang as the child.
In other words, whoever takes the bell home will own all the grain, land, and other possessions in that house.
How much can a child eat? Besides, a six-year-old child can work in the fields.
No matter how you calculate it, this is a sure thing that you'll make a profit.
This is why the three cousins were so proactive.
The six men searched Zhao Youcai's house from top to bottom, but they didn't find a single penny.
The three cousins exchanged glances, and they realized they had identified a key figure.
That's a bell.
He is now the only one who is very likely to know about the Zhao family's wealth, and Tao Guihua will definitely give Lingdang some instructions before she dies.
What mother would want her child to suffer in this world?
"Where's the bell? Where is the bell?" The eldest aunt was the first to remember and was about to go look for it.
All their relatives are at home, so where can a child like Lingdang go?
At this moment, Aunt San recalled and said, "It should be at Da Zhuang's wife's house. I saw her wearing the bell these past few days."
"Hmph, Da Zhuang's wife seems pretty honest on the surface. Could she be thinking of getting a piece of the pie too?"
That would be absolutely unacceptable!
First of all, those of them who are relatives would absolutely not agree!
So, the six of them went to knock on Dazhuang's door in a grand procession.
Qian Shuishui was eating at home with Lingdang when she heard someone banging on the door. Lingdang was so startled that she dropped her chopsticks on the ground.
Qian Shuishui helped pick it up. "Lingdang, eat some more. Otherwise, if you get sick, it won't be easy to see a doctor."
There are no doctors in the village who can cure illnesses, and Lingdang has not had a good appetite these past few days due to excessive grief.
Seeing that her face had become thinner, Qian Shuishui felt extremely distressed.
"Dazhuang's wife, Dazhuang's wife, is Lingdang at your house?" came a shout from outside the door.
The bell was raised, and its gaze was somewhat vacant as it looked towards the door.
Qian Shuishui reassured her, "I'll go open the door, you can continue eating."
She thought there would only be one person, but when she opened the door, she saw six people standing outside.
Qian Shuishui knew these three families: Lingdang's three uncles and aunts.
However, she remained wary when she remembered what Dazhuang had said.
"Lingdang is eating. The child hasn't eaten well for several days. Let's talk about it after he finishes eating."
The three uncles and aunts smacked their lips; none of them had eaten yet.
These past few days, they haven't been able to eat or sleep well because of Zhao Youcai's family situation; it's not easy for anyone.
The auntie gave a smile and said, "Well... Da Zhuang's wife, we have something to ask Ling Dang."
Qian Shuishui didn't care about any of that. "What? Don't you even have time to feed the child?"
The second aunt was impatient and wanted to step forward to reason with them, but her husband pulled her back in time.
"Alright then, we'll wait here. Tell Lingdang to eat quickly."
Qian Shuiping glanced at them indifferently, then slammed the door shut behind him again.
At the dinner table, Qian Shuishui looked at Lingdang with some heartache.
"Lingdang, your uncles and aunts are looking for you. Go see them after you finish eating."
Zhao Lingdang paused, biting her lip, her eyes welling up with tears again.
"Auntie, I don't want to go."
Qian Shuishui nodded and encouraged, "Lingdang, they are your family after all. I'll be with you later, and I'll protect you if anything happens."
Zhao Lingdang thought for a moment before nodding as if she had made up her mind.
Under the bleak autumn wind, the three uncles and three aunts, hungry and exhausted, waited at the door for almost an hour.
Just as they were about to break down the door, Qian Shuishui finally opened it from the inside.
The six people rushed over, all of them now wearing smiling, caring faces.
"Lingdang, how was your meal? Let's go to your third aunt's house tonight, she'll make you egg noodles."
"Hey? Let's go to our house. My second aunt has some meat."
Seeing how attentive his relatives were, the little boy seemed to know something.
He said calmly, "I'm not going to anyone's house. I'll just eat at Aunt Shui's."
"That won't do!" The older woman was a little unhappy. "Aunt Shui is an outsider. How can she be as close to you as we are?"
Qian Shuishui stood to the side, her face somewhat stiff.
Zhao Lingdang sighed, "Uncles and aunts, thank you for your concern for my parents and grandparents. If you need me for anything, please just say so."
The uncles and aunts exchanged glances, not caring that there were outsiders present.
"Alright, since that's the case, we'll get straight to the point. The money we three families advanced for your family's coffin... the head of the village said he'd find the money in his savings and give it to us after the funeral. Lingdang, now that you're all alone at home, you must know where your parents' money is hidden, right?"
Zhao Lingdang shook her head, "I don't know..."
"What!" Third Aunt raised her voice, not understanding what she meant. Did she mean for them to pay those twenty coins for nothing?
"Lingdang, think carefully again, did your mother tell you anything a few days ago?" The aunt continued to ask, not giving up.
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