Chapter 1: The Wen Family Daughter-in-Law "Ran Away

Early spring, the ice and snow were melting, and all things were reviving. It should have been the beginning of everything beautiful, but the atmosphere was ruined by a group of aggressive men.

"I told you long ago that You Shan's woman wasn't a steady one, but you wouldn't believe it. Look now, the auntie's body isn't even cold yet and that woman has already run off. Leaving those poor children behind is truly a sin!" The man in the lead, holding a hoe, cursed angrily. Spittle flew everywhere, and his free left hand gestured forcefully; it was clear he was furious.

"Alright, Brother Lai Fu, things are already like this at Brother You Shan's house, so just say a little less. Where are we heading now?" Huang Ergou, standing beside Sun Lai Fu, looked blankly at the several fork roads at the village entrance.

Sun Lai Fu was stunned. He stopped and turned to ask the other men, "Where was it that Deng Village was again?"

The others all shook their heads.

Huang Ergou held his breath, nearly choking. It turned out that nobody even knew where the Deng family lived, yet they had come out in such high spirits to stand up for Wen You Shan.

Sun Lai Fu seemed to realize this was a serious problem. He scratched his head in embarrassment and gave a sheepish laugh. "How about we go back and ask?"

The group felt incredibly stifled. Carrying their hoes and dragging their feet, they walked back in silence. When they ran into a few old women on the road who pressed them for answers, they were too embarrassed to reply.

Circling around the entire village to the hillside of the back mountain, Sun Lai Fu panted twice and prepared to knock on the door, but the broken wattle gate collapsed at the touch. The group of men was dumbfounded.

A half-grown boy ran out of the house. He was covered in dirt, as if he had just returned from digging coal. Seeing the visitors, he visibly relaxed and hurried over. "Uncle Sun, why are you here? My father isn't home."

Sun Lai Fu had been feeling a bit awkward, but hearing that Wen You Shan wasn't home, his anger flared up. "Yuanliang, did your father go looking for your mother again?"

Wen Yuanliang nodded silently.

Sun Lai Fu couldn't help but lecture Wen You Shan. "I keep saying your father is stubborn. Your mother has already run off, so what is he still looking for? The world is vast; where is he going to find her? He’d be better off earning money to feed you all."

Wen Yuanliang pursed his lips and said nothing, a flash of ferocity crossing his eyes, though it wasn't directed at the rambling Sun Lai Fu.

Just as Sun Lai Fu was mid-rant, spittle flying, Huang Ergou interjected, "The main point, don't forget the main point. Yuanliang, do you know where your maternal grandfather's family lives?"

Wen Yuanliang shook his head honestly. If he had known, he wouldn't have been waiting blankly at home.

Hearing this, the group's hearts sank. If even Wen Yuanliang didn't know, didn't that mean the Deng woman had planned to run away from the very beginning?

The Deng woman, who was being cursed by the crowd, was currently lying in the Renshengtang Medical Hall in town.

A beautiful woman in fine silk leaned against a handsome middle-aged man and asked softly, "Shen-lang, is that woman about to wake up?"

"Don't worry, my lady. The doctor said it should be within an hour or two. If you can't wait, shall I have a servant take you back first?" Shen Bian carefully wrapped his arm around the woman's shoulders, cherishing her deeply.

The woman shook her head slightly, a flush appearing on her fair face. "I want to wait for her to wake up so I can thank her properly. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't even know I was pregnant. Shen-lang, this child is a gift from the heavens because we have performed good deeds. I must accumulate blessings for him."

Shen Bian revealed a helpless yet doting smile. He instructed the servants to take good care of the woman and went out to find the doctor.

Facing the doctor, Shen Bian’s demeanor became more imposing. "How is that woman?"

The doctor replied tremblingly, "Her pulse has returned to normal, and the wounds on her body have begun to scab. By all accounts, she should be awake."

No sooner had he spoken than there was movement in the side room. The doctor hurried in to check, shouting excitedly, "She's awake! She's finally awake!"

The roaring sound in her ears made Chen Ningya frown in discomfort. When she slowly adjusted to the light and opened her eyes, she found herself lying in an unfamiliar room. The person standing beside her looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him. Thinking of this, Chen Ningya revealed a bitter, faint smile. How long had it been since she had seen anyone? She was starting to find everyone familiar.

Before Chen Ningya could collect her thoughts, Shen Bian entered the room. Seeing the woman on the bed had opened her eyes, a relieved smile appeared on his face. He chuckled, "It's good that you're awake; that means you're out of danger. Does this lady feel any discomfort?"

Chen Ningya’s pupils dilated sharply when she saw Shen Bian, and her breathing suddenly became rapid. She would recognize Shen Bian’s face even if it were turned to ash, but he shouldn't be this young.

Before Chen Ningya could make sense of it, Shen Bian said, "We found you in a ditch on the mountain road. You were covered in blood and there was no one else around, so we had to bring you to the medical hall in town. Now that you are awake, we can notify your family to come. Also, your injuries were clearly caused by an attack. What exactly happened?"

Shen Bian’s eyes were full of inquiry, with the air of someone intending to get to the bottom of the matter. He was the newly appointed magistrate, and he could not ignore such a heinous incident occurring within his jurisdiction.

Chen Ningya already understood her situation somewhat, though she couldn't fully accept it yet. With a pale face, she said weakly, "I have a bit of a headache. Could you let me think for a moment?"

Seeing the layers of gauze wrapped around Chen Ningya’s head, Shen Bian didn't want to push too hard. He nodded slightly, gave a few instructions to the doctor, and went out.

The room fell silent, and Chen Ningya was finally able to clear her thoughts. She hadn't expected that she could be reborn after death, and it wasn't a dream. Was it that even the heavens couldn't bear the things she had done in her past life and wanted her to start over? Since the heavens had given her this chance, she would definitely not repeat the same mistakes.

Chen Ningya clenched her fists tightly and slowly closed her eyes.

When the doctor brought in the medicine, Chen Ningya finally spoke. "Doctor, please invite my savior in. I have something to say."

When Shen Bian arrived, his wife, Madam Luo, was with him.

As soon as they entered the room, Chen Ningya struggled to get out of bed.

Madam Luo hurriedly said, "Don't move. The doctor said your injuries are extremely severe. If we hadn't happened to run into you, I'm afraid..."

"Thank you, sir and madam, for saving my life. I cannot repay such a life-saving grace. This humble woman is willing to work like an ox or a horse to repay your great kindness," Chen Ningya said, leaning against the edge of the bed in agitation.

Madam Luo smiled softly. "It was just a matter of convenience for us; there is no need for you to work like an ox or a horse. However, if you want to repay us, perhaps you could tell us how you got these injuries, and where your home is? We can send someone to notify your family to come."

In her past life, Madam Luo had said the exact same thing. At that time, Chen Ningya had been desperate to leave the Wen family. She had not only spilled her own grievances but also added fuel to the fire, dragging Wen You Shan down with her. As a result, her children lost their mother and immediately lost their father too; some died, some fell ill, and those who survived went down the wrong path. All of this was because of her.

(End of chapter)