Xiaozhu and Le'er stuck out their tongues and exclaimed, "Shameless!"
Li Xiangli held their hands and began walking forward, saying, "Xiaozhu, Le'er, from now on, remember this: when you encounter such unclean people, just avoid them. Otherwise, you might end up being dragged into their dirty schemes and ruin your own reputation—trust me, it will not be worth it."
Xiaozhu and Le'er nodded solemnly. "Yes!"
Jiang Dong couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and helplessness. Why had Li Xiangli suddenly become so sharp-tongued?
Meanwhile, Feng An and Guo Xiaomei were trembling with anger. Feng An had never had much dislike for Li Xiangli initially, but today's encounter had completely erased any good feelings he might have had about her.
What truly annoyed him was not simply being accused, but the fact that Li Xiangli had exposed her sharp and combative side instead of remaining weak and submissive as he expected.
Feng An was selfish and arrogant. Even though he had been the one to entice Li Xiangli first, his pride led him to believe that his social status was far superior to hers, and she deserved to shoulder the blame. More importantly, she was not supposed to show defiance.
Guo Xiaomei clung weakly to Feng An's sleeve and said, "Brother Feng, look at her! She's saying such things about us. What if she spreads these rumors further?"
This was the kind of behavior Feng An enjoyed—weak and pliable, just like Guo Xiaomei, who could indulge his sense of dominance and fragile vanity.
He pulled Guo Xiaomei into his arms and declared, "Don't worry, with me here, she won't dare say a word. If she does, I'll make her regret it!"
Guo Xiaomei nestled into his chest smugly, but she still feigned fear and whispered, "Brother Feng, I'm so scared."
Feng An quickly wrapped his arms around her and reassured her, "Don't worry. I won't let her bully you."
In his arms, Guo Xiaomei's warmth and softness made Feng An feel a strange satisfaction, unaware that he was merely one of her many targets. Everything was just an act.
Li Xiangli observed this scene and finally understood why Old Lady Guo had treated her the way she did. Her previous life had failed to reveal the full story. Old Lady Guo had always disapproved of her, had been eager to drive her out of the family, and had only grown hostile when Li Xiangli mentioned the possibility of remarriage. It was not because she didn't want Li Xiangli to marry, but because she had chosen the wrong man.
Feng An was Old Lady Guo's preferred choice to marry her daughter into wealth and prosperity. Feng An was initially a frequent visitor at the Guo family, naturally interacting with Guo Xiaomei. Old Lady Guo saw this as an opportunity to marry her daughter to a wealthy man. However, when Feng An declared his intention to marry Li Xiangli instead, Old Lady Guo was enraged.
She had tried to kill two birds with one stone—beating Li Xiangli half to death and sending Guo Xiaomei to smooth things over with Feng An. This ensured that Feng An would always feel gratitude toward Guo Xiaomei. This manipulative chain of events had led to the two of them becoming entangled.
Old Lady Guo was truly clever—she was a master manipulator.
Jiang Dong's voice broke through her thoughts: "Xiangli, did you hear what I said?"
"Hmm? Oh? What did you say?" Li Xiangli was lost in her own thoughts and hadn't been paying attention.
Jiang Dong looked at her solemnly and said, "I said you were removed from the family registry. How are you going to live your life from now on?"
He glanced at her back basket and sighed again. "Are you planning to spend your whole life living off food like that?"
Li Xiangli opened her mouth to respond, about to explain that the back basket didn't contain wild vegetables but medicinal herbs—but Jiang Dong's next words froze her: "Xiangli, how about you marry me instead? I know others have misunderstood you, and I understand your nature. You've only ever wanted to give your children a good life, and now that you're in this situation, I can't just stand by and watch you suffer."
Li Xiangli was stunned. "What? Huh?"
Jiang Dong looked embarrassed but resolute. "I know I'm not as wealthy as Feng An, but at least I can give you and your children a stable life. With you removed from the family registry, you and the children will have no protection. You'll be left destitute without a household registration. If you don't mind, I… I… I can provide you a life."
Li Xiangli quickly cut him off. "Big Brother Jiang, I appreciate your good intentions, but I can raise my children on my own. The things in this back basket are medicinal herbs, and I plan to sell them in the town to earn money. I was just pretending to fool Guo Xiaomei earlier."
Jiang Dong's face turned red. "Medicinal herbs? You know about these?"
"Yes, I learned about them from a doctor I met before. Don't worry, Big Brother Jiang. I wouldn't make such a decision unless I was certain that I could give my children a better life." Li Xiangli looked at him earnestly.
Jiang Dong hesitated. "Well, then…"
Li Xiangli felt uncomfortable. She wasn't interested in marrying anyone. She had only just met Jiang Dong, and she felt no need to get entangled in such matters. Besides, she was only here as an outsider with no claim to anyone's life. She chose her words carefully: "The children said they don't want a stepfather. They only want me to be with them. Big Brother Jiang, you're a good person, but I can't break their wishes. So let's pretend you never said any of that, okay?"
Using the children as a shield was far better than outright rejecting him. Jiang Dong wasn't oblivious. He heard her words and understood. Though disappointed, he nodded: "Alright. Well, we're at your doorstep now. I'll leave this rabbit for you and the children to eat. I won't stay longer."
Li Xiangli had originally planned to invite him for a meal, but she thought it might be inappropriate, so she sent him on his way.
As she began to relax, Jiang Dong returned to her side: "Xiangli, if you ever need help, just let me know. I'll always be there for you."
Li Xiangli smiled warmly. "Thank you, Big Brother Jiang. You're one of the few friends my family has, and I won't be polite with you."
Jiang Dong sighed. Despite his feelings of inadequacy, he wondered why Li Xiangli was such a wonderful woman. Why did she seem so out of reach?
Watching him leave, Li Xiangli couldn't help but feel guilty. She wasn't trying to break his heart. The woman he liked had already died, and she wasn't sure if she could tell him that.
Meanwhile, Guo Xiaomei shared her grievances with her mother upon returning home. She complained about how shameless Li Xiangli had been. Old Lady Guo was furious and swore loudly, "That little bitch is truly insufferable! I think she's asking for trouble! She dares to speak to you like that? I'll deal with her myself!"
The conversation escalated with Old Lady Guo berating her husband, Guo Fugui, for his reluctance to expel Li Xiangli. Her voice was sharp and full of anger. "You're still unwilling to rid yourself of that wild child and her mother, aren't you? You always had a soft spot for that dead little bastard, didn't you?"
Disclaimer:
I am not the original author of this work. This is a translated version of the original text, shared for reading and reference purposes only. All rights to the original content belong to the original author. I do not claim ownership of the original work or its characters. This translation is intended solely for informational and entertainment purposes.