Chapter 7: Little Lucky Star

"Sister-in-law Wang, where are you off to in such a rush?"

Several older women cooling off under the tree saw Wang Cuilan hurrying toward the west end of the village with a bamboo basket on her back. They exchanged glances—could there be some good drama to watch?

"A bunch of noisy, long-tongued gossips. What business is it of yours where I’m going?" Wang Cuilan didn't even turn her head, throwing the insult over her shoulder as she ran even faster.

"Tsk, that woman has a foul mouth," the older women muttered, curling their lips.

"Mom, where are you going?" Lin Yuannan asked, stopping in his tracks with a hoe on his shoulder. "What happened?"

Wang Cuilan was passing the path everyone took home from work and ran into Lin Yuanxi, Lin Yuannan, and Lin Dawei. She didn't even lift her eyelids, her legs moving at a frantic pace.

"Second son, you and the third one go home. I’m going to find your mother." Lin Dawei handed his hoe to his second son, put his hands behind his back, and chased after Wang Cuilan without looking back. Seeing no one around, he whispered, "Lan, what did you hear this time?"

Looking at her frantic, mystical behavior, could it be that Little Ni had said something again?

"There are two big, fat wild rabbits at the west end of the village." Wang Cuilan darted her eyes around like a thief. "We have to get there fast, or the Liu family will snatch them up!"

"The Liu family?" Lin Dawei frowned and pondered. "The Liu family that supposedly produced a 'lucky star'?"

"Lucky star?" Upon hearing this, Wang Cuilan slapped Lin Dawei on the back. "Lucky star my foot, more like a disaster star!"

"Only our Little Ni, who descended from heaven to repay our kindness, deserves to be called a 'lucky star.' That girl is nothing!"

How could a lucky star only bring prosperity to herself while everyone else around her had bad luck?

The Liu family still had the nerve to show off. Bah!

Lin Dawei winced in pain, but seeing Wang Cuilan moving so quickly, he couldn't help but pick up his own pace.

It was fortunate they had listened to their little granddaughter yesterday; otherwise, their eldest son's leg would have been ruined. On their way back, the downpour was so heavy that people could barely walk, let alone manage the already unstable ox cart.

If they had tried to send the eldest to town, his legs would likely have been crippled.

"We're here!"

Seeing the large rock ahead, Wang Cuilan ran over excitedly. She circled the rock, but there wasn't a sign of a fat rabbit—not even a tuft of fur. Her face darkened. "That's strange."

Could the Liu family have picked them up already?

"Where are they?" Lin Dawei also poked his head around, searching everywhere. "I don't see any rabbits."

"They have to be here!" After what happened yesterday, Wang Cuilan trusted what she heard implicitly. She lay on the ground to search carefully and climbed onto the rock to look around, only then noticing a larger rock a short distance ahead.

She walked over and immediately saw a rabbit lying on the ground, looking as if it had knocked itself unconscious. Overjoyed, she rushed over and picked it up. The rabbit was big, fat, and still kicking—it was alive!

"Hey, there really is one!" Lin Dawei’s eyes widened, his face flushed with excitement. "Our little granddaughter is truly divine! She really is the lucky doll sent by Guanyin to repay our kindness."

A rabbit knocking itself unconscious on a big rock—who would believe it if they heard it?!

He rubbed his hands together and hurriedly searched the area again. After rummaging around, he actually found another rabbit in a deep pit that couldn't jump out. He reached over and grabbed it. "Is this the one?"

Seeing this, Wang Cuilan quickly took the rabbit, stuffed it into her basket, and covered it with something. After scrambling to hide them, she said with a beaming face, "As expected of our precious granddaughter, whatever she says comes true."

The two of them headed back, one carrying the basket and the other holding the lid down—the fat rabbits couldn't be exposed. Who knew that they would run into the Liu family's second son, the biological father of the Liu family's "lucky star," after only a few steps.

"Oh, Uncle Lin, Auntie Wang." Liu the Second had been urged by his daughter, Liu Meng, to come here to find wild rabbits. He was stunned to see them. "What are you doing here?"

Wang Cuilan’s eyes darted around. "My eldest son hurt his leg, so we came out to find some medicinal herbs for the pain."

It was a casual lie, but as she said it, she suddenly remembered that her eldest son, Lin Yuandong, had been tripped by someone, which was how he injured his leg. The only person working in the same field as Lin Yuandong was Liu the Second—though Liu the Second had heavier work and fewer work points than Lin Yuandong.

Could it have been Liu the Second who tripped him?

Thinking of this, Wang Cuilan’s face sank. "Liu the Second, we’re leaving now."

"Eh, eh." Liu the Second stepped aside to let them pass.

Wang Cuilan dragged Lin Dawei away and told him about her suspicion on the way.

Lin Dawei clicked his tongue. "When we get back, let's ask the eldest. We'll ask in front of our precious granddaughter; maybe we'll hear something."

"Agreed." Wang Cuilan thought of the two fat rabbits in the basket and immediately cheered up. "When we get back, we'll slaughter one for the third daughter-in-law. We can't let our little granddaughter who came to repay our kindness go hungry."

Lin Dawei nodded repeatedly; he couldn't agree more.

On the other side, Liu the Second was scratching his head in frustration. "I've looked several times, but I don't see any rabbits."

"There’s no way Mengmeng would be wrong."

Ever since Liu Meng was born, the good fortune of the past year had made the Liu family truly prosperous. While others were still struggling to get enough to eat, their family was already eating meat.

Liu the Second’s family treated Liu Meng as a great lucky star and trusted everything she said one hundred percent.

"Mengmeng, Dad didn't see any rabbits." Not finding them, he immediately went back to ask. "Are the rabbits at the west end of the village?"

"Yes." Liu Meng tilted her head, her large, round eyes clear and bright. She gave a sweet, obedient smile. "Did Dad not find them?"

"I didn't see any."

That shouldn't be.

Liu Meng frowned and asked as if casually, "Did you run into anyone when you went, Dad?"

"I ran into Uncle Lin and Auntie Wang from the village. They were carrying a basket and walking very fast." Liu the Second opened his mouth and let it all slip out.

"Maybe they picked them up." Liu Meng’s sweet expression dimmed, though she quickly hid it. "It’s okay, Dad. We’ll definitely be able to find rabbits next time."

"Alright, Dad listens to you."

When Liu the Second heard that the rabbits had been snatched away, his expression turned ugly. He patted Liu Meng’s little face, turned around, and squatted outside the door.

It was a real pity he hadn't managed to cripple Lin Yuandong’s leg two days ago.

No, the rabbits couldn't be taken for nothing. Since the Lin family had snatched their little lucky star's rabbits, they would have to pay for it.

Remembering that there would be a round of job adjustments in the village soon, where all work points would be reallocated, Liu the Second’s eyes rolled, and he came up with a good idea.

As for Liu Meng, her face darkened after Liu the Second left.

The Lin family... wasn't that the family of the female supporting character?

They were like a bad penny that just wouldn't go away!

"Eldest daughter-in-law!" Wang Cuilan pushed open the courtyard gate. "Come out quickly and skin the rabbits for stew!"

"What?" Fang Hongying, who was inside taking care of Lin Yuandong, pushed the door open and ran out immediately. "Where did the rabbits come from?"

Wang Cuilan slapped Fang Hongying’s outstretched hand. "You talk too much, asking this and that. Hurry up and skin the rabbits! Da Ni, Er Ni! Don't you see your grandfather taking off his shoes? Hurry up and bring him water to wash his feet! You useless girls, all you know how to do is eat!"

"Yes, Grandma." Da Ni brought a basin of water, wobbling as she delivered it to Lin Dawei, then picked up his sweat-soaked shoes and left them in the yard to dry.

Er Ni was nearby starting the fire. She was positioned further back, and because she was in the way, she was kicked hard by Er Fu as he ran past. She changed positions with tears in her eyes.

"What are you crying for, you useless money-losing goods? Hurry up and go get firewood!"

Zhang Miao looked down and saw Er Ni crying. Thinking of how she had given birth to these two girls and hadn't been pregnant for years, she felt a surge of anger at being called a "hen that doesn't lay eggs."

She slapped Er Ni twice across the face and chased her out.

Er Ni went into the yard to fetch firewood with her red, swollen cheeks. At only five years old, she already knew how to do everything. Da Ni was only a year older than her, and her life was even more miserable.

(End of chapter)