Li Qiao was stunned, "Isn't this money for burning to the dead?"
But there was no other way, she caught sight of some paper clips, which were fixed with two and priced at a dime, she said, "Put it on my father's account."
"You're even running a tab for a piece of paper."
On her anxious way back, Li Jinhua called out to her from behind, scolding, "Third sister! I've been looking for you, didn't I ask you to go to the threshing field?"
Li Qiao looked over the young man beside Li Jinhua, in his early twenties, with a handsome face and about 175 centimeters in height, clad in a Zhongshan suit with leather shoes.
Everyone else was poor and disheveled, so this person's bright and shiny appearance indicated his family must be well-off.
He hurried over to Li Qiao in big strides, "Qiaoqiao, I've already made up my mind, let's run away first. Once the rice is cooked, my mother won't be able to disagree."
"After all the blind loyalty my third sister has shown to you, she even attempted suicide at the Qin family, how can you think of hopping on the train before buying a ticket? If word gets out, how can she face anyone?" Li Jinhua cursed.
Cai Hechuan's face looked ugly, "Then what do you suggest we do?"
Li Jinhua promptly handed the decision over to Li Qiao, "Third sister, what do you think?"
Li Qiao considered carefully, had the serious matter of the suicide spread to her parental village already? And yet her parents and sisters didn't ask a single question?
Li Jinhua was similarly mindful of Li Qiao's interests, yet as a sister knowing about the suicide attempt, she didn't show any concern but was single-mindedly helping her and Cai Hechuan elope.
She originally planned to return home to discuss divorce with her parents, but now she changed her mind.
"You little vixen!" A thunderous voice scared Li Qiao into a shiver.
"Seducing our Hechuan behind my back again, I'll beat you, a wretch born without a mother's care!" Mrs. Cai He Qiurong threw her shoe at Li Qiao.
Li Qiao dodged swiftly, and seeing the shrew's aggressive stance, turned and ran. It was not that she couldn't fight back, but she needed to maintain her dignified ladylike image.
He Qiurong, frustrated at hitting air, chased and cursed, "You little vixen! Today I must teach you, on behalf of your dead mother, how to behave."
Li Qiao was astonished, a dead mother?
So the well-dressed Jinhua and Jinniu were born from a stepmother?
She finally understood Jinhua's actions.
Supporting her love was false; making her the target of all was the real purpose.
How wicked!
She was almost home when Qin Jin's figure burst into view.
She hid behind him.
Qin Jin, just coming out from the outhouse, was a bit stunned, "What's going on?"
Upon seeing the furious Mrs. Cai, he immediately understood. Like a dog returning to its vomit, she had hooked up with Cai Hechuan once back in the village and was now being chased around by the family head for everyone to see.
Such an embarrassment!
Li Jinhua and Cai Hechuan almost simultaneously caught up with He Qiurong.
Seeing one's rival only intensified the animosity.
Qin Jin swung his arm and landed a punch right on Cai Hechuan's face.
Deal with the adulterer first, then the adulteress!
Cai Hechuan, a frail scholar, was no match for Qin Jin who often fought; he was soon pinned to the ground and rubbed raw.
He Qiurong shouted hysterically, "Help! Someone! He's killing someone!"
The scene was a complete mess.
Li Qiao, worried about the consequences, plucked up the courage to step forward and grabbed Qin Jin's punching arm tightly.
With one less hold on him, Cai Hechuan took the chance to fight back.
Li Qiao noticed sharply and turned to block, taking a solid punch to the waist, which left her seeing stars from the pain.
Cai Hechuan was stunned; he had used all his strength with that blow, and even though he was still lying down, he still reached out to help her up.
Before anyone else, Qin Jin pushed her aside and cursed, "What the hell are you doing here, woman, when men are fighting?"
He thought she was going to take sides, but instead, she took a punch for him.
What on earth was she up to?
He Qiurong pulled the disheveled Cai Hechuan up, brushed the dirt off him, and lamented that his good clothes had gotten dirty and that his handsome face was swollen. She then unleashed a torrent of curses on Qin Jin, "You little bastard without a father's discipline or a mother's teaching, what's so great about you picking up my son's cast-off fling?"
Qin Jin refused to back down, "I'll screw your entire household registry! You're the worn-out shoe!" This was quickly followed by a litany of vulgar epithets concerning human anatomy.
Li Qiao thought, doesn't it burn his mouth for a man to say such things?
The neighboring families, hearing the commotion, all came out to watch. He Qiurong took the opportunity to proclaim that Li Qiao was shameless for seducing her son and that Loser Qin also hit people.
Qin Jin was about to fight again, but Li Qiao forcibly dragged him away from the place of conflict.
Li Jinhua said, "Calm down, brother-in-law, this really isn't my sister's fault; it's all because of Cai Hechuan and his mother causing trouble."
"Both of them are no good! Damn it all!" Qin Jin said darkly and walked away, kicking even a passing dog on the way out.
Li Jinhua muttered to his retreating figure, "Brother-in-law, how can you not believe her?"
Li Qiao quietly watched Li Jinhua's performance; first, she instigated a meeting between her and Cai Hechuan, then she intentionally clarified things in front of Qin Jin. Wasn't she just making things worse? Her skills at sowing discord were quite polished.
It seemed this wasn't her first time using them.
Li Jinhua continued, "Sis, you shouldn't blame brother-in-law either. Just take the chance to explain things clearly, and it'll be fine."
Feigning sadness, Li Qiao responded softly, "Mm."
Li Jinhua thought what a pity it was—if He Qiurong hadn't come out to make trouble, Cai Hechuan and Li Qiao would have already left.
…
After returning home, several women had gathered in the courtyard.
Dong Lamei raised her voice at Li Qiao, "Li Qiao! Your aunties told me you met with Cai Hechuan, and his mother caught you. You're married to Jin now; how could you behave so inappropriately? Aren't you ashamed? Where are the peanuts I asked you to buy? You're always lost in your thoughts and good for nothing!"
The older sisters wanted to speak up but were quietly stopped by their husbands.
Li Qiao calmly said, "I just ran into him on the road, the aunties are misinformed. You're my mother, and you should trust in my character. You know I'm good for nothing and you still asked me to buy peanuts; look, I forgot, didn't I? Jinhua should go buy them, as you're the smartest and most diligent one in the house."
In a few words, not only did she clear her name concerning her meeting with Cai Hechuan, but she also subtly pointed out to outsiders how her stepmother knew only how to reprimand and take advantage of others while she herself avoided being taken advantage of.
Li Jinhua was so angry she was panting, but as the task wasn't really meant for her, why should she be the one to buy them? Yet it wasn't appropriate for her to lose her temper in front of everyone, so grudgingly, she agreed.
Dong Lamei was surprised, as the girl usually wasn't too bright or sophisticated, but today she had somehow smartened up.
Li Qiao finished speaking and went straight back to the original master bedroom, found a piece of clean cloth, wrapped it around some yellow paper, and made a simple sanitary pad to use.
Then she began to look for the original occupant's books and study materials.
Of all the pursuits, learning is the most noble.
She still had to study—the previous contests she won had secured her admission to a university, but she also had good grades, so the standard exams should not be a problem for her.
Her two older sisters came into the room, their words full of concern for her. They took turns counseling her about her interaction with Cai Hechuan, stressing that he was unreliable and not worth remembering.
After the farce, Li Qiao was able to discern who was good and who was bad. She promised them she would live a good life with Qin Jin and never see Cai Hechuan again.
Feeling reassured, the older sisters left the room.
Li Qiao carefully organized her books and fastened them with a net to the side of her bike seat.
When Li Jinhua returned with the peanuts, she noticed the books behind Li Qiao's bike seat, and her brows furrowed. Why was Li Qiao taking books? She couldn't be planning to retake the exams, could she?
Could it be that Li Qiao had also been reborn the day before? In this life, did she aspire to strive hard and go to college?
No, that's not right!
If Li Qiao had been reborn, she would undoubtedly be ingratiating herself with Qin Jin straight away, rather than meeting Cai Hechuan so calmly.