TSWPF – Chapter 40 Afraid

Li Qingling fed Liu Zhirou a bowl of egg custard. Seeing that Li Qingning had woken up, she warmed a bowl of goat’s milk and fed her with a small spoon.

The little one drank goat’s milk mixed with spirit water every day. Her skin was no longer red and wrinkled; it had become fair and smooth, very cute.

Even though her eyes couldn’t see clearly yet, they would turn toward a sound. The children in the household loved teasing her.

Liu Zhirou lay on Li Qingling’s lap, standing on tiptoe, looking at Li Qingning, her little mouth calling out, “Sister, sister…”

When she saw Li Qingning turn toward her, she called even more excitedly.

Li Qingling smiled, not stopping her, letting her tease Li Qingning.

“Sister, when can my sister play with me?” Liu Zhirou leaned her little head close and planted a smacking kiss on Li Qingning. “Why does my sister sleep all day?” The little sister was like a piglet—eat until full, then sleep; sleep until full, then eat.

She wanted to take her out to play, but it wasn’t possible!

Before Li Qingling could answer, Liu Zhiyan spoke up, “Little Ningning is still young. When she’s as big as you, then she can play with you.” He glanced at Li Qingning again, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

Liu Zhirou looked down at herself, then at tiny Li Qingning, nodding as if she understood.

Seeing her little figure, Li Qingling chuckled, about to speak, when she heard Madam Liu’s voice.

“Li Qingling… Li Qingling…” It came from the doorway of her house.

Li Qingling remained calm, continuing to feed Li Qingning goat’s milk.

Ever since she decided to set up a stall to sell egg pancakes and had Aunt Huang collect the eggs, she had been mentally prepared for Madam Liu to come looking for her.

If Madam Liu didn’t come after finding out, that would have been strange!

Li Qingfeng gripped the pen tightly, looked at Li Qingling, and called out worriedly, “Sister.”

He knew that if grandma came, it wouldn’t be for anything good. If he could, he wouldn’t even call her grandma.

Li Qingling gave Li Qingfeng a reassuring smile, signaling him not to worry—she had things under control.

Seeing her so calm, Li Qingfeng’s heart also settled.

Madam Liu stood at Li Qingling’s doorway, calling several times with no response. Her expression darkened.

She looked at the lock on the courtyard gate, frowning. Could it really be that no one was home?

She slammed her forehead in frustration, almost dumbfounded. If someone were home, how could the door be locked?

Muttering to herself, she spat toward the gate, kicked the courtyard door a few times, and, unwilling, began to turn away.

After a few steps, she remembered the Liu family. Li Qingling might be at their house. Even if she wasn’t, Li Qingfeng and that troublesome little girl would be there.

Her eyes glinted with calculation, and she strode toward the Liu family’s house.

At the gate, she pounded hard on the courtyard door, calling Li Qingling loudly.

Her shouting startled Li Qingning, who pouted and was about to cry.

Li Qingling quickly stood, scooping her up and gently comforting her.

Once the little one stopped crying, Li Qingling handed her to Li Qingfeng to continue feeding goat’s milk.

Li Qingling then strode to the door, face cold, and flung it open.

Madam Liu hadn’t noticed in time and nearly fell inside, but luckily grabbed the doorframe just in time.

Once steady, she ignored everything and began yelling at Li Qingling.

“Li Qingling! How can you be so heartless? Trying to make me fall, right?”

If she hadn’t steadied herself, she would have hit the ground hard, head cracking. Li Qingling’s heartlessness was shocking.

Li Qingling pursed her lips, eyes coldly on Madam Liu. After Madam Liu finished yelling, she asked in a cold voice, “Grandma, did you come here just to scold me?”

If she could start her own household, she wouldn’t have to care about so many things—but unfortunately…

Madam Liu snapped back to the main point. She cleared her throat, eyes wide, glaring at Li Qingling: “Did you tell Huang Daidi to collect the eggs?” The shameless girl hadn’t said it before, and now she had sold the eggs, exposing her to the villagers and causing her face to lose all dignity.

Li Qingling was momentarily stunned but quickly realized that Huang Daidi meant Aunt Huang.

There was no need to hide anything; Li Qingling simply nodded, admitting she had instructed Aunt Huang to collect the eggs.

Madam Liu exploded. Taking two deep breaths, hands on her hips, she scolded Li Qingling:

“You black-hearted, heartless thing, colluding with others to steal my eggs?”

Her eggs?

Li Qingling raised an eyebrow, calm, saying, “Grandma, are you saying you also sold eggs? How many?”

Madam Liu’s face alternated between red and white. Selling eggs to her granddaughter wasn’t honorable. If Li Qingling was sensible, she would have returned the eggs.

Seeing Madam Liu glaring silently, Li Qingling frowned and asked again.

Madam Liu gritted her teeth, snorted coldly, “Fifty. If I hadn’t thought selling them in town was too far, I might not have sold them to Huang Daidi directly. Who knows if she made a profit off me?”

“Li Qingling, give me back my eggs. They were meant for your grandfather’s health supplement, you can’t take them.”

Li Qingling chuckled lightly, a half-smile on her face: “Grandma, when did I ever take your eggs?”

Madam Liu, hands on her hips, glared: “Your house has fifty eggs that belong to me. The villagers can testify. Everyone saw you selling eggs at Huang Daidi’s house.”

She proudly forgot that those eggs were sold to Aunt Huang, not given freely.

Li Qingling spread her hands, feigning ignorance: “I really didn’t know your eggs were in my house. I bought them all from Aunt Huang. The villagers can testify. If you truly want your fifty eggs, go ask Aunt Huang; I genuinely didn’t know.”

Trying to pull her away, Madam Liu’s hand trembled. This shameless girl had the audacity to deny taking her eggs.

“Grandma, what are you trying to do? Rob me openly?” Li Qingling’s voice was icy as she gripped the door handle. “You got away with my mother’s incident before. If I catch you again, don’t blame me for being unkind.”

One step back, and Madam Liu would have advanced ten steps more if Li Qingling gave in. Greed never satisfied her.

Madam Liu paused, glancing at Li Qingling. Thinking of the fifty eggs, her hesitancy hardened.

“What are you going to do to me? Send me to the authorities?!” She stopped trying to pull Li Qingling and threw a tantrum: “Everyone, look! My granddaughter doesn’t honor her elders and even takes their things! Truly unfilial!”

Watching her throw herself to the ground, Li Qingling’s expression grew colder. Had she not been already engaged, such an accusation would ruin her marriage prospects.

No one was more ruthless than Madam Liu.

If her father were alive, she would have asked him whether Madam Liu was really his biological mother.

“Grandma, I’ll count to three. If you don’t get up and keep throwing a tantrum, don’t blame me.”

Patience had limits, and Madam Liu had exhausted all of Li Qingling’s patience.

Madam Liu howled, peeking at Li Qingling. Seeing her icy expression, she shivered but, unwilling to give up the fifty eggs, howled again:

“Everyone, look! This is my granddaughter! She not only takes my eggs but also threatens me! Heartless, truly heartless!”

The villagers, curious, started moving toward the Liu household.

Li Qingling knew she needed a swift resolution. She didn’t want to play the pitiful innocent girl—it was exhausting.

“Fine, grandma, continue your tantrum. I can’t argue with you. I’ll have to ask the village chief and Grandpa Li to come.” Saying this, she released the door handle and stepped outside.

Old Li valued face above all. Knowing Madam Liu was throwing a tantrum here would anger him.

Madam Liu hesitated, remembering how last time, when Madam Lin was divorced, Old Li had slapped her twice and warned her to return to her parents’ home if she ever embarrassed the family again.

She trembled, quickly got up, and ran from the Liu household. Passing Li Qingling, she bumped into her hard, but fortunately, Li Qingling reacted in time and steadied herself, avoiding a fall.