Kill the beasts in the courtyard, I fled to Hong Kong, surrounded by beauties on both sides.

The sky outside the window gradually changed from deep black to dark blue, and then to pale white.

Qin Huairu sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), the rusty scissors in her hand gleaming coldly in the morning light. The tip of the blade was pressed against the pale blue vein on her left wrist, a position she had held for half the night.

She tried three times.

The first time, the tip of the knife pierced her skin, and a drop of blood seeped out. Xiao Dang groaned in her sleep, her hand trembled, and the scissors fell.

The second time, she gritted her teeth and pressed down hard. The blood began to spread, and Huaihua suddenly rolled over, her little hands flailing in the air as she mumbled, "Mommy." All her strength vanished instantly.

The third time, and this is it. Dawn is breaking, the two children are fast asleep, and there's a rustling sound coming from the yard. This is the last chance.

A thin scab had formed on the wound on her wrist, causing a slight stinging pain. She looked at the dark red spot, then at the innocent faces of her two sleeping daughters. Xiao Dang's eyelashes were long, like two small fans, casting soft shadows under her eyelids. Huaihua's mouth was slightly open, sleeping without any guard.

"Mom is dead, what will you do?" This thought hit her like a bucket of ice water, making her shudder.

Will Jia Zhangshi care? No, she only cares about the sticks. Yi Zhonghai? He only cares about his authority and his calculations. Sha Zhu? He's disappointed in himself. The others in the courtyard? They're all watching the show.

No one will care about these two "money-losing" girls. They'll be left to fend for themselves like weeds, or... like Chen Xiaoyu, they'll "accidentally" fall into the water.

"No..." Qin Huairu squeezed out a hoarse voice.

She can't die. If she dies, Xiao Dang and Huaihua will truly have no way to survive.

With a "clatter," the scissors fell to the ground.

The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet morning, but thankfully, the children were still asleep.

Qin Huairu bent down to pick up the scissors and walked to the mirror. The woman in the mirror had disheveled hair, sunken eyes, and chapped lips. Only in her eyes did something seem to be dying, while something else was coldly burning in the ashes.

She is no longer Qin Huairu.

That weak, dependent woman who always used tears and fragility to gain a foothold in the world was buried along with the deceased Jia Zhangshi and Banggeng the moment she picked up the scissors last night.

The one who survived is Widow Qin.

Widow Qin lived only for her two children.

She scooped up some cold water, hastily washed her face, gathered her hair behind her head, and tied it tightly with an old strip of cloth. She pulled out a dark blue, faded but still relatively clean old jacket from the bottom of the closet and put it on. Then, she began tidying the house.

His movements were swift, his gaze calm, even carrying an almost cold focus.

She gathered all the corn stalks and Jia Zhangshi's belongings—those things that caused both sorrow and gossip—into a tattered bundle and stuffed it into the deepest part of the bed. She poured out the last bit of cornmeal in the house, weighed it carefully, and figured it would last at most three days.

Three days.

She has to find a way to survive within these three days.

Morning: Subdistrict Office and Police Station

At 8:30 a.m., Qin Huairu appeared at the Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office.

When Director Wang saw her, he was startled: "Huai Ru? You... why are you here?" The Qin Huai Ru in front of him, although haggard, had her back straight and her eyes were frighteningly calm. She was completely different from the little wife who used to always burst into tears before she could speak.

"Director Wang, I have a few things to take care of." Qin Huairu's voice was steady, without any sobs. "First, I've obtained my mother-in-law Jia Zhangshi's death certificate, and we need to change the household registration title on the grain ration book. Second, can the neighborhood committee provide any subsidies for the funeral expenses of my son Jia Geng and my mother-in-law? Third, do my current family circumstances qualify me for special hardship assistance?"

Clear and concise, getting straight to the point.

Director Wang paused for a few seconds before reacting: "Ah... this... changing the grain ration book requires a death certificate, household registration book, your ID, and a certificate issued by the hospital. As for the subsidy... I need to check the regulations."

"I've inquired about the regulations," Qin Huairu said, pulling out several crumpled pieces of paper from her bosom. These were the street relief regulations she had copied down with a pencil stub by moonlight last night. "For families facing special difficulties, if two or more immediate family members die unnaturally, they can apply for a one-time death benefit and a monthly fixed allowance. My mother-in-law and my son died within three days of each other, so we should qualify."

Director Wang took the papers, looked at the neat yet trembling handwriting, and sighed inwardly. She knew about the Jia family's situation and sympathized with Qin Huairu, but…

"Huai Ru, there are regulations, but approval takes time, and it's not guaranteed to be approved. Resources are scarce right now, and the neighborhood committee is also facing difficulties."

"I understand," Qin Huairu nodded, "but I have to go through the necessary procedures. Also, can the change of ration book be processed today? We have two children at home, and we need rice to cook."

Her gaze was calm yet stubborn, making Director Wang feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"Alright then," Director Wang thought for a moment, "I'll submit the change of registration paperwork for you first. As for the grain ration book... who has it?"

"It's with an old man named Yi Zhonghai in the courtyard. He said he'd keep it for me."

Director Wang frowned: "The grain ration book is an important document for residents and should be kept by the head of household or a direct relative. His holding it on behalf of someone else... is not in accordance with regulations. Go back and ask him for it. If he refuses, come and tell me, and the neighborhood committee will intervene."

"Okay, thank you, Director Wang." Qin Huairu bowed and turned to leave. Her back was slender, yet she carried a do-or-die spirit.

After leaving the neighborhood office, she went to the police station.

Officer Zhao, who was in charge of Jia Zhangshi's case, was also somewhat surprised to see her.

"Comrade Qin Huairu? Is there something you need?"

"Officer Zhao, I'd like to ask, is there any progress in my mother-in-law's case?" Qin Huairu asked.

Officer Zhao shook his head: "The investigation is still ongoing. The scene was very messy, like a robbery, but nothing was stolen, which is strange. Also, have you found out what your mother-in-law was doing in the west of the city last night?"

"She said she wanted to find someone to perform a ritual," Qin Huairu said, "but I don't know who exactly. Officer Zhao, I'd like to provide a clue."

"Oh? What clue?"

"My mother-in-law... had a lingering addiction to opium," Qin Huairu said in a low voice. "She quit after Liberation, but I know she still buys it secretly from time to time. There's a black market called 'Zhang's Grocery Store' in Coffin Alley in the west of the city; they might sell it."

Officer Zhao's eyes narrowed, and he immediately picked up his pen to take notes: "Zhang's Grocery Store? Specific location?"

"It's at the very end of Coffin Alley, there's a sign hanging at the entrance." Qin Huairu told her everything she knew. "I suspect she might have gone to buy opium last night and got into trouble on the way."

"Why are you only telling me now?" Officer Zhao asked, looking at her.

"I didn't dare to say it before, and... I never thought of it." Qin Huairu lowered her eyes. "Now it's just me and my two children at home. I hope to find out the truth as soon as possible, whether my mother-in-law caused the trouble herself or someone else harmed her."

Her tone was calm, even somewhat indifferent, as if she were talking about someone else's business.

Officer Zhao looked her over for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, this lead is very important, we will investigate. Thank you for your cooperation."

Leaving the police station, Qin Huairu stood on the chilly street in early spring and took a deep breath.

Reporting the black market operation cut off the opium supply and eliminated any potential avenues for blackmail. Simultaneously, it drew police attention to the west of the city, focusing on shady dealings and outlaws.

She didn't know who killed her mother-in-law, but she hoped the police would investigate as far as possible and ideally never look back at the yard again.

Noon: Confrontation with Yi Zhonghai

At noon, Qin Huairu returned to the courtyard house.

She didn't go home; instead, she knocked on Yi Zhonghai's door.

Yi Zhonghai was eating lunch—a bowl of cornmeal porridge and a dish of pickled vegetables. He was somewhat surprised to see Qin Huairu, especially by her completely different demeanor today.

"Huai Ru? Is something wrong?"

"Uncle, I've come to collect my family's grain ration book." Qin Huairu got straight to the point.

Yi Zhonghai paused with his chopsticks: "The grain ration book? Didn't we agree that you'd get it after the household registration was changed?"

"Director Wang said that the grain rations should be kept by the head of the household or a direct relative; it's not compliant for them to be kept in trust." Qin Huairu looked directly at him. "The neighborhood committee can coordinate this. I think we won't trouble the neighborhood committee staff to make the trip."

Yi Zhonghai's face darkened. He hadn't expected Qin Huairu to move out of the neighborhood committee office.

"Huai Ru, what do you mean by this? I'm keeping it for you because it's for your own good, in case you're young and naive..."

"I've grown up," Qin Huairu interrupted him, her voice soft but cold and hard. "Thank you for your 'care' these past few days, Uncle. Now I'm the only adult left in the Jia family, and I should take responsibility myself. Please return my grain ration book."

Their eyes met.

For the first time, Yi Zhonghai saw no trace of cowardice or pleading in Qin Huairu's eyes, only a deep, still calm, and beneath that calm, an unwavering resolve. He knew that this woman was different now. Further manipulation would likely backfire.

"Alright," Yi Zhonghai put down his chopsticks, got up, took out the familiar ration book from the inner room, and handed it to Qin Huairu. "Take it. But Huairu, you have to carry out the decision made at the general meeting in the courtyard. Your self-criticism must be posted, and you must deeply reflect on your thoughts."