Chapter 4

Xue Lingshan tried several times to steady her breathing, but the anger still sent her blood surging. A metallic taste of blood even rose in the back of her throat. She had prayed desperately before the Buddha for five years. Her heart had been shattered, and she had shed every last tear. Yet no matter what she did, she could never find her precious daughter. Liu Chunhua clearly had the opportunity Xue Lingshan had dreamed of, yet she had treated it as worthless. Not only had she failed to care for the child, she had even abused her! At the thought of this, Xue Lingshan slowly turned her head, her voice icy as she questioned the old man. “Why did Liu Chunhua beat Doudou?” It was the first time the old man had faced the fury of someone in a position of power. The moment their eyes met, his legs went weak. The noblewoman’s gaze was terrifying. Then he glanced at the soldiers surrounding them, their dark gun barrels pointed in his direction. He immediately dropped to his knees, trembling violently with fear. Xiaohong took a money pouch from her bosom and tossed it into the old man’s arms. “Just tell us everything exactly as it happened. We won’t make things difficult for you.” The old man weighed the pouch in his hand. It was surprisingly heavy! Good heavens! He could work his entire life and still never earn this much in silver dollars. After all the hardship Doudou had endured, the child had finally encountered a benefactor. Thinking this with envy, the old man did not stop talking. “Ah! You have no idea. It’s truly a terrible thing!” “Doudou’s biological father died when she was very young. He left her only one dress as a keepsake. But this afternoon, Liu Chunhua took that very dress and gave it to her stepdaughter to wear. Doudou became upset and wanted it back.” “The child didn’t know her own strength and pushed the stepdaughter down. Liu Chunhua flew into a rage and immediately grabbed a rattan cane and started beating her!” Xue Lingshan immediately remembered the stepdaughter she had seen in the car that afternoon. She was almost as tall as a grown woman! And built like a bull. How could a tiny five-year-old child possibly have pushed down someone that strong? “Hurts…” A tiny, kitten-like whimper came from her arms. Xue Lingshan lowered her head. Doudou’s entire body was burning hot and flushed red. Her clothes had been soaked through with blood, staining them a different color. The pain was so intense that even her eyelashes trembled. Xue Lingshan’s nose suddenly stung. She stood up with Doudou in her arms. “Back to the residence! Quickly! Find the best doctor!” Before getting into the car, Xue Lingshan turned back toward the soldiers. “And the two people who abused my precious daughter…” Every word seemed to be ground between her teeth, filled with overwhelming resentment and fury. Xue Lingshan coldly ordered, “Bring them here as well!” ** It was already late at night when Liu Chunhua finally realized that Doudou was missing. After all, she had carried the child for ten months and given birth to her. When a little child suddenly disappeared, she was bound to feel at least somewhat worried. The village roads were pitch-black at night and riddled with potholes. If Doudou accidentally slipped into the river, she could drown without anyone ever knowing. Liu Chunhua lit a lamp and woke her stepdaughter. She intended to go outside and look for Doudou. The girl had been woken in the middle of the night, yet she showed no resentment. Instead, she obediently fetched Liu Chunhua’s shoes for her. Tilting her face up, she asked, “Ma, is Doudou angry with you?” Liu Chunhua froze. “Angry about what?” “I know you want both Doudou and me to live better lives. That’s why you value the job at the auction house so much that you were even willing to take out that dress. But Doudou is still young. She doesn’t know what’s good for her.” The stepdaughter looked worried as she continued, “I only borrowed a few copper coins from her to buy shoes, and she pushed me so hard. You took her dress, too, so she must be even angrier with you. She probably ran away from home just to scare you.” Liu Chunhua immediately flew into a rage. “How did that become her dress?” She genuinely could not understand. Hadn’t she been the one providing Doudou with food, clothing, and everything else? Wasn’t it perfectly reasonable for Doudou to contribute to the household in return? All this commotion over a few copper coins and a worn-out dress—was it really necessary? The more Liu Chunhua thought about it, the more she felt that she had raised an ungrateful child. She ate the family’s food and used the family’s belongings, yet the moment she was expected to repay them, she started causing trouble. She had never seen such a selfish child. “Forget it. We’re not looking for her tonight!” Liu Chunhua waved her hand dismissively. Her stepdaughter was stunned. “How can we do that? Doudou is still so young. What if something happens to her?” Liu Chunhua grew even angrier. “She’s the one who ran away. Who else can she blame? She deserves to suffer a little out there. If she doesn’t experience hardship, she’ll never realize how good we’ve been to her!” As they spoke, the headlights of a vehicle suddenly shone through the narrow path outside the farmhouse. The bright beams split the darkness apart, so dazzling that they could barely keep their eyes open. Bang! Bang! Bang! The wooden door was practically being pounded off its hinges. Liu Chunhua’s heart jumped. She hurried forward and cautiously opened the door a crack. She stuck her head out to look and was instantly overjoyed. It was the military lord! Could it be… Had the noblewoman changed her mind? Did she want to adopt her daughter after all? The military lord saw her and did not even bother with basic pleasantries. With an expressionless face, he simply gestured behind him. Several burly soldiers immediately stepped forward, seized Liu Chunhua and her stepdaughter, and forced their arms behind their backs before escorting them into the vehicle. “Eh? Eh! Where are you taking us?” Liu Chunhua was thrown into the car. When she turned around, she happened to see the excitement on her stepdaughter’s face. Yet Liu Chunhua herself felt a little uneasy. Something seemed wrong about this atmosphere. The two military officers sitting in the front of the vehicle were stern and expressionless. They ignored her completely and refused to answer any of her questions. The deathly silence lasted for nearly two hours. The vehicle drove from the village all the way to the city center. The bumpy roads gradually gave way to smooth pavement, while the buildings around them became increasingly grand and magnificent. Eventually, the vehicle stopped in front of a villa. A soldier opened the door and spoke the first words they had heard all night. “The Madam wants to see you.” It was hard to tell whether Liu Chunhua felt more frightened or more delighted at that moment. She climbed out of the vehicle, took her stepdaughter’s hand, and followed the soldiers into the villa. The grand hall was lavishly decorated, with floors so polished they practically dazzled the eyes. The hall was spacious enough to race horses in. Even though it was already deep into the night, servants were still moving back and forth throughout the room. Yet Liu Chunhua and her stepdaughter were simply left standing there, with no one paying them any further attention. Liu Chunhua had intended to remain reserved, but her stepdaughter was already unable to contain herself. She hurried over to the sofa and leaned closer to examine the jade inlay decorating it. “Ma,” the girl exclaimed excitedly, “we’re going to be rich!” Liu Chunhua quickly hushed her. “Shh. The noblewoman may not necessarily be planning to adopt you.” “If she isn’t going to adopt me, then why would she want to see us?” the girl countered. Liu Chunhua thought about it. That made sense! The trace of worry in her heart immediately vanished. Mother and daughter began examining the sofa and coffee table from every angle. The more they looked, the more they felt that these weren’t merely pieces of furniture. They were looking at their bright and glorious future! “From now on, this is our home.” Growing bolder, Liu Chunhua moved over and sat down on the sofa. The moment she sat, however, everything suddenly felt wrong. The servants passing by repeatedly glanced at the mother and daughter. They whispered among themselves and occasionally shook their heads. The sofa beneath Liu Chunhua was soft and comfortable, yet she felt as though she were sitting on pins and needles. It was as if she were standing naked in front of everyone, stripped bare and made into the subject of ridicule. Another ten-odd minutes passed. Xiaohong hurried into the hall with the doctor. At first glance, she spotted the two women. Her brows immediately knitted tightly. “Ridiculous!” “You mother and daughter are absolutely outrageous!” Xiaohong shouted furiously, “Who allowed you to sit down?!”