Chapter 2: So They Are From That Family!

The woman, upon seeing Song Liyun disheveled and sitting on the ground, soaking wet, immediately raised her voice and shouted, "Oh my! Liyun, why did you run to the river to play so early in the morning and fall into the water?

Look at the state you’re in now. If you don’t go back with your grandma, your Second Uncle is going to be furious when he finds out.

Mother, hurry and take Liyun back to change her clothes!"

Running to the river to play... falling into the water... Second Uncle furious?

This short, stout woman who had suddenly appeared was like a key, instantly unlocking a certain part of Song Liyun’s memory. The experiences of a stranger flooded into her mind like a tide. Her heart shook violently, and she froze on the spot...

…………………………………………

So this girl belongs to Old Woman Gu’s household!

Upon learning the girl’s identity, the Village Chief’s wife’s expression turned sour.

With a grim face, she and another woman helped Song Liyun up from the ground and said in a flat tone, "It’s autumn now, and the wind is biting. Staying wet like this will make you sick. You’d better hurry back with your grandma and change into dry clothes.

Girl, take this advice from your aunt: no matter what, one must stay alive to have a chance at a better future.

If not for yourself, think of your brothers, Zhenping and Zhen’an. If something were to happen to you, how would they survive?"

At this moment, her words lacked the initial warmth and concern, replaced entirely by helplessness.

The other woman supporting her arm lowered her voice and added, "That black-hearted step-grandmother of yours won't care about the brothers. Only if you live well can you help them.

Sigh, if you could marry into a good family in the future and take little An with you, that would be a salvation."

Hearing the woman suggest that Song Liyun take little An with her when she married, the Village Chief’s wife quickly scolded, "Dali’s wife, don't talk nonsense. Little An is a grandson of the Song family; how could he be taken away by a bride?

You—you’re just making things difficult for the girl!"

Everyone knew how hard it was to scrape by under Old Woman Gu’s thumb, and that the brothers lived pitiful lives, but Song Liyun couldn't be expected to manage it.

Hadn't they just seen this girl driven to jump into the river?

Song Liyun noticed the shift in the Village Chief’s wife’s attitude and realized there must be some hidden reason why she couldn't show further closeness.

Having rested long enough to regain her strength, she stood steady and said, "Thank you, Grandma Huang! Thank you, Sister-in-law Dali. I will live well with my brothers."

After listening for a while, she had learned their names and titles; the woman called the Village Chief’s wife was a kind-hearted person.

With the original owner's memories, she knew that the brothers Zhenping and Zhen’an mentioned by the two women were "her" own brothers.

Song Liyun’s own family had died at the very beginning of the apocalypse.

In the years that followed, she had survived alone in various bases, long ago developing a cautious and composed nature.

But hearing that "she" had immediate family, a strange tremor surged in her heart, and tears almost fell.

Empathizing with the original owner, she must have missed her own kin.

Seeing how sensible she was, the Village Chief’s wife, Madam Huang, just wiped her eyes and turned her face away.

Knowing Song Liyun’s identity, the others couldn't stop the short, stout woman as she pushed through the crowd to grab Song Liyun.

"Liyun, be a good girl, stop being stubborn, and come home with your Second Aunt to change your clothes."

Little Madam Gu’s fat face was piled with smiles, her hand gripping Song Liyun’s wrist tightly, as if the cooked duck would fly away if she let go.

"Second Aunt, I don't even know why I’m supposedly being stubborn, or why I came to the river in the first place. Why don't you tell me?"

Song Liyun jerked her hand away, her voice cold.

In front of everyone, she didn't give Little Madam Gu any face at all.

Little Madam Gu’s face darkened, and she opened her mouth to scold, but seeing Song Liyun’s arched brows and eyes as cold as knives, her heart skipped a beat.

She knew her husband had been too hasty. Even a rabbit bites when cornered; the little wench was to be sold off just one night after returning home, so she must be unhappy.

Now, not only had she jumped into the river to seek death, but she was also talking back in public. She was clearly trying to tear off the mask and force others to back her up.

She couldn't let this little wench have her way and ruin their plans.

She didn't know how much the Village Chief’s wife and the others knew.

Little Madam Gu’s eyes darted around. Instead of foolishly rushing in to scream and hit, she began to feign concern.

"Liyun! Whatever it is, let’s go back and talk about it. We are family, after all.

You are a daughter of the Song family; we elders only want what’s best for you, we wouldn't harm you.

Don't listen to others sowing discord and chilling the hearts of your grandma and Second Uncle."

These words were vague, as if someone were truly inciting Song Liyun.

The surrounding people showed contempt, and those with short tempers turned and walked away.

Song Liyun ignored her completely and only spoke to Sister-in-law Dali.

Seeing Song Liyun refuse to give her face, Old Madam Gu nearby flew into a rage and began to curse.

Filthy language poured out—calling her a "cheap wench," "disgraceful wretch," and threatening that she would "deal with her" as soon as they got home.

Seeing the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law show no concern for the person who had jumped into the river, but instead curse viciously, the Village Chief’s wife, who had been quiet since Old Woman Gu appeared, finally exploded: "Old Woman Gu, we’ve all seen how you oppress the two grandsons of the eldest branch. Outsiders shouldn't interfere in family matters, but today this is a matter of life and death. If you keep acting recklessly, I’ll have Old Hei report this to the authorities."

Old Woman Gu already had a belly full of fire with nowhere to vent. Seeing the Village Chief’s wife speak up, she became as excited as if she’d been injected with adrenaline.

She slapped her hips and twisted her waist, cursing in a disgraceful manner: "Old Yellow-skin, go ahead and report it! I, Gu Chunhua, wasn't raised to be scared. Song Liyun is a member of my household; it’s not your place to tell me how to treat her. Even if I beat this unfilial girl to death, she deserves it.

Don't think you can rule the world just because your man is the Village Chief. Let me tell you, if I had married into the Song Old Hei family first, you would only be a concubine standing under the kang, and you wouldn't have the right to speak in front of me."

The Village Chief’s wife’s face turned beet red, and she gritted her teeth: "Madam Gu, you are shameless! That was decades ago, and Old Hei doesn't even acknowledge it, yet you keep bringing it up. Look at yourself—an unwanted old maid who only deserved to marry a widower as a stepmother."

This hit a sore spot for Madam Gu. She shook off her daughter-in-law’s support and, ignoring Song Liyun, began to scream at the Village Chief’s wife: "I like to talk about it, so what? You go tell Old Hei to come and say it himself!"

At this moment, in her heart, having a shouting match with her romantic rival was more important than her granddaughter’s defiance.

In the blink of an eye, the situation shifted from Song Liyun jumping into the river to two women fighting over a man, with Little Madam Gu chiming in with snide remarks. The villagers, who had originally been watching Song Liyun, turned their attention to the spectacle.

As the shouting match raged by the river, Song Liyun was escorted into the village by Sister-in-law Dali and several other women.

The villagers they passed along the way learned of her identity. Looking at the soaked and bedraggled Second Miss Song, some looked on with sympathy, some were indifferent, and most closed their doors to avoid trouble, their attitudes ambiguous.

(End of chapter)