Taohua Village, the He Family Residence
The village chief and the He family had organized two search parties to look for Feng Liuya.
One group, made up of women, scoured the village, while the other—a dozen or so able-bodied men—searched the mountains. Yet, despite working through the night, they found no trace of the little girl.
Exhausted and hungry after the long search, everyone gathered at the He family’s home. The He had set up two makeshift stoves in the courtyard, each with a large iron pot over a roaring fire.
One pot held warming ginger soup, while the other was filled with a fragrant mix of cured meat, rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes—a hearty meal prepared by the Hes. There were also two large baskets of coarse grain pancakes.
Since Liuya had gone missing after leaving the He household, the family was consumed with guilt. Seeing how the villagers had worked through the night to help, they couldn’t let everyone go without a hot meal.
“Everyone, come and have something warm to eat after working all night…”
The He family forced themselves to stay composed as they urged the villagers to eat.
The previous day, when Liuya hadn’t returned after two hours, the Hes went to the village chief’s house to fetch her, only to discover she had never gone to play with Xiaohong.
Both families panicked. The entire village was searched, but there was no sign of Liuya—though, thankfully, no strangers had been spotted either.
Perhaps the girl had left the village on her own or was hiding somewhere.
As night fell with still no trace of her, the village chief organized a search party.
But they found nothing…
Now, the villagers ate mechanically, their faces weary and downcast, the atmosphere heavy.
Feng Liuya had suffered so much—abused by her family since childhood, never eating a full meal or wearing decent clothes.
Recently, she had nearly been sold to a brothel, then sent off as a child bride, and just yesterday, she had been beaten again…
For a six-year-old to endure so much—who knew if she had been driven to despair?
With the New Year approaching, a death in the village would be an ill omen…
“You Hes—did you sell my granddaughter?! Give her back to me—!”
Suddenly, Old Lady Li’s shrill voice pierced the air as the Feng family—except for Feng Dabao and Feng Erbao—stormed into the He family’s courtyard.
The Hes’ expressions darkened at the accusation, and Old Madam He’s face twisted in disgust.
Xiao Li, trailing behind her mother-in-law, shouted, “You Hes are guilty of child trafficking—that’s a crime! If you don’t want to be arrested, you’d better pay us compensation—at least a hundred taels of silver!”
A—hundred taels?!
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The villagers already knew how cruel the Fengs were to Liuya, but now, hearing them demand such an outrageous sum, they realized the family wasn’t just heartless—they were shameless to the core!
But knowing how formidable the Hes were, the other villagers hesitated to get involved.
The village chief’s gaze turned grim.
The Hes were furious. Huiying, the wife of He Fourth, stepped forward and jabbed a finger at Xiao Li’s face.
“You shameless, rotten-hearted wretches! Which eye of yours saw us selling Liuya?! If you dare slander us again, I’ll have my family fetch the constables! We Hes walk with our heads high—we’re not afraid of an investigation!”
Straightening her back, Huiying spoke with such righteous conviction that it was hard not to believe her.
Besides, everyone in Taohua Village knew Huiying’s family was from the county town—it wouldn’t be hard for her to call in a few constables.
Commoners feared officials, and since the Fengs couldn’t let Taoniang’s money come to light, Xiao Li immediately shut her mouth. The rest of the Fengs didn’t dare say another word.
Seeing them cower, Huiying sneered.
“I think you’re the ones playing thief while shouting ‘catch the thief’! You wanted to sell Liuya before—now that the Zhangs don’t want her as a child bride, maybe you’re planning to sell her again! If anyone’s suspicious, it’s you Fengs!”
“That’s bullshit!”
Old Lady Li, unable to take it, jumped forward, her neck stiff with defiance.
“We Fengs haven’t seen Liuya since you took her away—everyone in the village can vouch for that!”
After Huiying had taken Liuya the previous day, many villagers had lingered outside the Fengs’ home, watching the drama unfold. Eventually, the Fengs had shut their doors to escape the scrutiny.
“Oh really? Then why did Feng the Eldest, her own uncle, beat her until she coughed up blood? Old Man Bai said if that slap had been slightly off, she’d have lost an ear! If we hadn’t stepped in, Feng the Eldest might’ve killed her!”
Huiying was sharp-tongued and unrelenting, mocking her elders without a hint of fear. Old Lady Li and Xiao Li couldn’t match her, even when ganging up.
“Aunt Hui, but my sixth sister did disappear after you took her…”
Feng Sanya timidly interjected.
Hearing this, Old Lady Li and Xiao Li seemed to regain their vigor, puffing up like roosters.
“See?! Our Liuya disappeared after you Hes took her! You owe us an explanation!”
Old Lady Li’s face was as vile and detestable as ever, though she at least dropped the demand for a hundred taels.
By sunrise, the Fengs and Hes were locked in a heated argument, with even the village chief unable to mediate.
Just as the chaos peaked, Huang Yaning’s small, exhausted figure appeared in everyone’s line of sight.
The Fengs looked as if they’d seen a ghost, while the Hes, the village chief, and the other villagers were overjoyed.
They crowded around her, asking where she had been and if she was alright.
Yaning had already prepared an excuse: she had tried to take a shortcut to the county town, hoping to go from there to the capital to find her mother, but had gotten lost and spent the night in the mountains…
Seeing the dried grass clinging to her hair and clothes, her damp shoes and trousers, no one doubted her story.
The villagers sighed in relief that she hadn’t encountered any wild beasts, while inwardly cursing the Fengs for driving a child to such desperation.
Realizing the entire village had been searching for her, and seeing the Hes’ haggard faces and dark under-eye circles, Yaning felt a pang of guilt.
Yesterday, she had been consumed by vengeance for Minmin…
She hadn’t considered how much trouble her actions would cause for the Hes and the villagers…
“Village Chief, Granny He, uncles, aunties… I’ve caused you all so much trouble—I’m sorry.”
Her apology was sincere. She silently vowed to repay these kind villagers someday.
“Child, if you’re ever wronged again, come straight to me. Don’t ever do something like this!”
The village chief’s tone was stern, but his eyes held no anger—only concern.
“Thank you, Village Chief. I understand.”
Yaning nodded obediently.
