RYEY – Chapter 128 Seeds of Hatred

Li Le rolled her eyes at Miao Qing. She wasn’t like her mother—weak and soft-hearted. She would never forget how Miao Qing schemed against her eldest brother, tried to trip her mother, and even bullied her second sister-in-law.

“Big Brother, if you marry Miao Qing, then you’re no longer my brother!”

Just as the car was about to leave, Li Le suddenly shouted to Li Bing. He froze for a moment, then smiled and nodded. Marrying Miao Qing? Impossible. He already had a woman he liked in the military district.

Miao Qing’s face instantly turned pale. She stared at Li Le’s now obviously fair and round face and finally remembered the things she had done to her and her mother.

Regret surged through her. She bitterly regretted her past actions. But karma had already been set in motion, and regret was useless. She clasped her hands together toward Li Le and Mother Li, signaling an apology.

Li Le snorted coldly from her throat. If not for Second Sister-in-law marrying into their family and making life better for them, would Miao Qing have schemed against her brother? Shameless thing!

Cheng Qiao smiled. This Li Le really did say exactly what was in her own heart. She bent down and whispered a few words in Li Le’s ear. Li Le’s eyes went wide, her face full of delight.

Li Huan couldn’t hold back. “Qiao, what’s the good news? Say it out loud so we can all be happy.”

“Second Brother, let me say it. Second Sister-in-law said Big Brother already has someone he likes. She figured it out because she saw his wallet was made out of newspaper. Only a woman would make something like that for him.”

Li Huan blinked. Now that she mentioned it, he vaguely remembered his brother did have such a wallet. He’d even wondered why his brother was so idle and girly to make one from newspaper. So that was the reason!

Mother Li quickly grabbed Cheng Qiao’s hand, her eyes shining with joy. “Qiao, is this true? You didn’t mistake it?”

“Mom, I don’t think I’m mistaken. Think about it—Big Brother is a soldier. What soldier has the time to make a wallet out of newspaper?”

Mother Li thought about it and agreed. Their sorrow lifted, replaced by hope again. Maybe Bing would find a like-minded woman to spend his life with.

“Mom, don’t get too happy too soon. Miao Qing is still a vicious woman, scheming just like her father.”

Mother Li nodded, but when she recalled her son talking about that shelterbelt project, she figured Miao Qing probably couldn’t endure such hardship. There was still hope.

Seeing it was still early, Cheng Qiao simply took Li Le to the First Primary School. Using her position as a teacher there, she helped Li Le register for classes.

“Second Sister-in-law, could you also help enroll Wang Xianghua?”

Cheng Qiao nodded. Since her rebirth, Auntie Wang had helped her a lot. If Auntie Wang wasn’t willing to pay the fee, she could cover it herself—it wasn’t expensive, only two yuan and fifty cents.

Mother Li pulled five yuan from her pocket. Li Le was her daughter; how could she let her daughter-in-law pay? Cheng Qiao didn’t argue. Such small matters weren’t worth disputing.

They wandered around the county for a while, bought some pastries and daily goods at the supply and marketing cooperative, and even ran into Qiu Min. Cheng Qiao quickly handed over the wedding gift money.

“Auntie, hello. What brings you shopping today?”

“Ah, Qiu Min, my eldest son is returning to the army today, so we all came to see him off. And congratulations on your marriage to Skinny Monkey—that’s wonderful news!”

“Thank you, Auntie. You must come to the wedding.”

“Of course, of course, we’ll all be there. Is the new house ready?”

“Yes, it’s right next to the First Primary School. We rented a small flat, one yuan and twenty cents a month. We paid two years upfront.”

“That’s good. Then let me wish you—Qiao, what was that phrase again?”

“Holding hands and growing old together… and wishing you a son soon. Mom, which one do you want to say?”

“Say them all, say them all! Give them every blessing for their marriage.”

“Haha, thank you, Auntie. And congratulations to you too, on becoming a grandmother soon. May your family flourish.”

“Good girl, thank you for the kind words. I really do hope Qiao gives our Li family more children.”

“Mom, the first child should take Cheng’s surname. Cheng Qiao is an only daughter—she has to carry on the Cheng family name.”

Qiu Min’s face went pale. That damn Li Huan! The baby wasn’t even born yet, and he was already saying such things. Wasn’t that putting Cheng Qiao in a difficult spot?

“Huan’er, I was thinking the same. If the first child is a boy, he’ll take Cheng’s surname.”

Qiu Min: “…”

So she’d worried for nothing.

“Thank you, Mom. I’ll thank you on behalf of my father too.”

“Qiao, you should thank me directly.”

Li Huan tugged at Cheng Qiao’s sleeve with a playful grin. Suddenly, her heart ached—how had she failed to cherish such a man in her previous life?

They chatted happily, then carried their big and small bags home. But before they reached the village entrance, they saw Chen Weidang, Chen Weimin, Zhaodi, and their two sons rushing out.

“Village Head, heading to the county?”

“Li Huan, come with me.”

“Where to?”

“Chen Chunhua wants to see us. She says she’s going to overturn her case. Come help us take a look.”

“Big Brother…”

Chen Weimin’s eyes turned red. If not for that rascal Li Huan and Cheng Qiao, would Chunhua have married Wang Tuozi? If she hadn’t married him, she wouldn’t have gone to the brick kiln.

If she hadn’t gone there, she wouldn’t have met that high-ranking official, wouldn’t have become a whore, wouldn’t have been imprisoned, and wouldn’t now be facing execution.

“Village Head, I’m not going. This has nothing to do with me.”

“How can it not? If you hadn’t extorted money from us, would Chunhua have married Wang Tuozi?”

Zhaodi exploded, lunging at him and swinging at his face. But Li Huan had been practicing the martial arts techniques Ye Jun gave him. There was no way Zhaodi would land a hit.

He simply sidestepped left, and Zhaodi’s momentum sent her sprawling to the ground. Seeing this, Chen Weimin also rushed at him.

Li Huan wouldn’t strike a woman, but a man was different. He kicked straight at Chen Weimin’s stomach.

“Chen Weimin! It was clearly Chen Chunhua who tried to harm my wife. It was you who coveted Wang Tuozi’s betrothal gifts and pocketed the bicycle. And now you have the gall to blame me? I’ve seen shameless people before, but never anyone as shameless as you!”

“You rascal, we’ll fight you to the death!”

Chen Weimin’s sons, Chen Chunjian and Chen Chunli, also jumped in. But even against three at once, Li Huan held his ground easily. Only when Chen Weidang roared did the four of them stop.

“Chen Weimin, I’m truly disappointed in you.”

Chen Weimin: “…”

This big brother was useless. Always siding with outsiders! But in this situation, they couldn’t do without him. So he lowered his head. Yet deep in his heart, the seeds of hatred had already been planted.