“Qiaoqiao, your Third Aunt just washed this fruit. I brought it up for you. If you need anything, just say the word. You’re home now, so don’t stand on ceremony—we’re all family here.”
“Thank you, Third Uncle. I have everything I need. It’s perfect here.”
Mr. Xiao’s expression was gentle, his eyes filled with kindness. He glanced around the room and smiled. “This is the room your mother used to live in. We clean it every day. Now that you’re staying here, Qiaoqiao, it feels just right.”
He seemed to be reminiscing, and Li Qiao listened quietly.
These were memories belonging to her mother and the Xiao family. Mr. Xiao pointed to a decorative piece on the desk and said with a smile, “She loved this music box the most. Whenever she couldn’t sleep at night, she’d listen to it for a while before dozing off… And this one…”
Li Qiao listened in silence, her gaze complex as she studied Mr. Xiao.
After a long pause without hearing a word from Li Qiao, Mr. Xiao turned and met her probing eyes.
He coughed awkwardly. “It’s all in the past now. Everything’s fine these days. Get some rest early, Qiaoqiao!”
“Goodnight, Third Uncle.”
After the door closed, Li Qiao’s expression turned pensive.
She went to bed, lying down and drifting into a peaceful sleep.
Meanwhile, the photo she had posted earlier had ignited the darkness festering in Li Man’s heart.
——-
Out in the countryside, Li Man stared at the yard full of fruits and vegetables, consumed by overwhelming jealousy.
Why was everything different from her past life?
In her previous life, Li Dazhi had already become the richest man. But now, he kept losing money.
Starting with just buying and selling fruits, they had expanded into various kinds of produce. They were making a little money, yes, but they were still far from being wealthy!
As she packaged vegetables, Li Man grew so agitated that she kicked over a bamboo basket.
Just then, Li Dazhi returned and saw what happened. He flew into a rage. “I worked hard to get these—I didn’t bring them home for you to ruin!”
“Ruin? So what if I ruin them?”
“You ungrateful brat!”
Li Dazhi scolded Li Man but didn’t bother to pick up the spilled vegetables.
Instead, he grabbed a bottle of alcohol and started drinking.
The sight of it enraged Li Man. She glared furiously at the bottle in his hand.
“Go cook a couple of dishes. Your Uncle Huang is coming over soon.”
Li Man had reached her limit. She grabbed a broom and started hitting Li Dazhi. “Drink, drink, drink! Go ahead and drink yourself to death! If that bastard Huang dares to show his face here again, I’ll beat him till he’s crawling on the floor!”
Li Dazhi yelped in pain, running around the yard as she chased him.
“You wretched girl! I’m your father! How dare you… Ow, ow, ow! Li Man, I’m your father! How can you hit me…?”
But Li Man was too furious to care.
Li Dazhi had it coming.
Before long, Li Dazhi dashed out of the yard and ran straight into his drinking buddy.
“Lao Huang! That little witch has gone mad…!”
“Ah!”
Li Man swung the broom, hitting both of them. In her frenzied state, she showed no mercy.
Lao Huang fled.
Left behind, Li Dazhi was bruised and battered. It wasn’t until the neighbors stepped in that Li Man finally stopped.
By then, Li Dazhi was truly terrified.
Eventually, Li Man reined in her anger.
She threw the broom aside and shot a fierce glare at the cowering Li Dazhi.
Then, she slammed her bedroom door shut.
Sitting on her bed, she kept scrolling through Li Qiao’s social media post. Of course, she recognized all ten people in the photo!
Four were the Li brothers, and six were the Xiao brothers.
They had actually posed for a picture with Li Qiao.
In her past life, the four Li brothers had been cold and distant toward her, and the six Xiao brothers had ignored her completely.
Weren’t they both their sisters? Why did Li Qiao get all their affection?
