After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

A crowd of onlookers gathered around, their pointing and whispering like a buzzing of flies.

"Isn't that the Lin family's daughter? I heard her husband just died not long ago."

"Who are those two men over there? They don't look like they're from our village; they're dressed so smartly."

"Tsk tsk, there's always trouble around a widow's door. Her husband just died and she's already taking a man she doesn't want to be with back to her parents' home. She's even going to be sold off by her own brother to pay off debts. This is going to be interesting."

As those words entered her ears, Lin Qingqing felt a burning pain on her face, as if she had been slapped in public.

It felt like being stripped naked and thrown into the snow, surrounded by prying and malicious eyes.

Jiang He's face instantly darkened. He threw down the branch in his hand and was about to rush into the crowd.

A hand landed on his shoulder. Jiang He turned around, his once clear eyes now swirling with malice: "Let go. I'm going to kill him."

Gu Qiangying clicked her tongue: "This is on the main street. Do you want the whole town to laugh at Qingqing?"

Jiang He paused for a moment, then gritted his teeth, "We can't let him bully my sister like that!"

Gu Qiangying chuckled lightly, "Even when slaughtering a pig, you have to close the door."

He patted Jiang He on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down, then picked up the black medical kit and walked towards Lin Dajun.

Lin Dajun was being grabbed by the collar by several thugs when he saw someone approaching—a bespectacled, well-mannered man—and immediately perked up: "See that?! That's that...that rich guy! You're asking him for money! He's definitely rich!"

The thugs looked Gu Qiangying up and down a few times.

A white shirt, black trousers, and shiny leather shoes—he looks like a fat sheep.

The leader of the thugs released Lin Dajun and walked over with a nonchalant air: "Hey buddy, you're settling this kid's score for him?"

Gu Qiangying stopped two steps away, not even glancing at the menacing thugs. Instead, she took out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes she had just bought, pulled one out, and handed it over in a gentle tone:

Excuse me.

The thug was stunned; he neither accepted the cigarette nor moved aside.

Gu Qiangying wasn't annoyed. She put the cigarette away and adjusted her glasses.

"This money is what he owes you; the wronged should have their culprit, and the debtor should be held accountable. However, this man now needs to take us home to familiarize ourselves with the place. If you trust him, wait here; if you don't..."

He paused, then pulled a ten-yuan note from his pocket and stuffed it into the greasy pocket of the thug's shirt.

"This is the deposit. Have him show you the way. We'll settle the accounts with you in half an hour, including interest."

Ten yuan was no small sum. The thug patted his pockets, glanced suspiciously at Gu Qiangying, then at Jiang He beside him with a menacing look, and finally waved his hand: "Fine, wait here. If you don't come out in half an hour, I'll set this house on fire!"

Upon hearing that he could walk, Lin Dajun scrambled to his feet, dusted himself off, and fawned over Gu Qiangying, saying, "I knew you were a straightforward guy! Come on, let's go home and talk!"

Gu Qiangying ignored him, turned around and walked to Lin Qingqing's side, handed the cigarette case in her hand to Jiang He, and then very naturally put her arm around Lin Qingqing's shoulder.

"Let's go home."

Lin Qingqing's body stiffened as he led her forward.

The hand didn't actually touch her, but it erected a barrier behind her that blocked her view.

The Lin family's house was located deep in the alley. A dilapidated wooden door was half-open, and the "Fu" character pasted on the door had faded to a pale white.

The yard was piled with clutter, rotten wood, broken pottery jars, and a few skinny chickens scavenging for food.

The air was filled with a musty smell, mixed with the stench emanating from the outhouse.

Lin Dajun walked ahead, and as soon as he entered the courtyard, a woman in a gray cloth jacket rushed up to him.

"Oh my son! You're finally back! Those heartless bastards didn't do anything to you, did they?" Li Guihua hugged Lin Dajun tightly, feeling him up and down to make sure he wasn't missing any limbs, before plopping down on the ground and wailing, "I can't live like this anymore! Heaven is blind! They're trying to force our whole family to our deaths!"

Under the eaves, a gaunt old man squatted on the threshold, holding a pipe in his hand, puffing away. His face was obscured by the swirling smoke, and only muffled coughs could be heard.

That's Lin Qingqing's father, Lin Laoshi.

He was a man whose name didn't match his character. Although he was honest his whole life, he was also a coward. He was a bully at home who only knew how to smoke in silence, and he relied on the woman to hold up the family when things went wrong.

After Lin Qingqing walked in, she stood in the center of the courtyard, looking at this familiar yet suffocating scene, feeling as if a huge stone was pressing on her heart.

"Mom..." she called out, her voice barely audible.

Only then did Li Guihua see her, and her wailing stopped abruptly.

She got up from the ground, her cloudy eyes darting over Lin Qingqing before landing on the two men who looked very wealthy, and finally staring intently at the bulging cloth bag in Lin Qingqing's hand.

"Qingqing, you finally decided to come back?" Li Guihua wiped away her tears, her voice full of reproach. "Your brother was bullied like that outside, and you didn't even do anything about it? Didn't your deadbeat husband pay compensation? Where's the money?"

Lin Qingqing subconsciously hid the cloth bag behind her back.

"That's money for Dajun to get married, that's money to save your brother's life!"

Li Guihua rushed over and reached out to grab Lin Qingqing's arm. "You heartless bastard! You've got money and you don't care about your family anymore? Don't you even know who raised you!"

Jiang He stepped forward, blocking Lin Qingqing's path, his eyes narrowing and revealing a dangerous curve.

"Auntie, don't touch me like that." Jiang He used a twig to push Li Guihua's hand away with disgust. "My sister is delicate. You can't afford to pay for it if you damage her."

Li Guihua was speechless after being taken aback by the handsome young man, and didn't dare to reach out again. She turned to look at Lin Dajun.

Now that Lin Dajun has a powerful backer, he feels much more confident.

He swaggered over to the millstone, sat down, and crossed his legs:

"Sis, stop hiding it from me. That guy already gave me a ten-yuan deposit, which means you have money. Those guys are still waiting outside. Hurry up and give me fifty yuan to settle this."

Fifty dollars.

Lin Qingqing felt a pang of sadness when she thought about the handful of money Xiao Yong had emptied his pockets and stuffed into her hand when she left, including two-cent coins.

"I have no money."

When Lin Qingqing said those words, she was stunned for a moment.

This was the first time in twenty years that she had said "no" in this house.

In the past, whenever Lin Dajun asked for money, Li Guihua would cry and Lin Laoshi would sigh, and she would take out all the pennies she had saved from selling wild vegetables and sewing shoe soles.

If they didn't pay, they would get a beating or be denied food for days.

But it's different now.

She remembered the warm earthen bed in the Qin family home, the golden-brown toasted bread slices Xiao Yong baked, and the fruit candies Li Dongye had slipped under his pillow before leaving.

That's a place that treats her like a human being.

"What did you say?"

Lin Dajun seemed to have heard a joke and suddenly stood up:

"No money? You're kidding me! That guy just casually handed over ten yuan, how could you not have money? I think you just don't want to give it!"

"You traitorous wretch! You took our Lin family's dowry money to marry off your husband, and now that he's dead, all the money is in your pocket. Are you just going to watch me die?"

"That's right, Qingqing!" Li Guihua slapped her thigh again. "If your brother loses his hand, our family line will end! You're so unfilial! I should have drowned you in a chamber pot when you were born!"

The vicious curse pierced me like needles.

No matter how many times Lin Qingqing heard these words, she still felt heartbroken. Her eyes were red, but this time she didn't let the tears fall.

She had also hated these so-called family members, but blood is thicker than water, and besides, she didn't have much of a ruthless streak in her bones, so even if she hated them, she couldn't bring herself to do anything to hurt them.

She may not have a temper, but she can tell who treats her well. Xiao Yong wouldn't replace his tattered vest even though it had holes, and he gave her all his money. She can't let others down.

"That's my money." Lin Qingqing raised her head, her voice trembling. "It was given to me by my current family. It has nothing to do with you."

"Your family?" Lin Dajun sneered, pointing at Gu Qiangying and Jiang He. "You mean these two bastards? Well done, Lin Qingqing, you've really grown bold, getting involved with sluts right after becoming a widow! Since they're your family, it's only right that they give you money! Give it to me!"

As he spoke, he suddenly rushed over to snatch the cloth bag from Lin Qingqing's arms.

"what!"

Lin Qingqing cried out in surprise. Jiang He had already raised the tree branch in his hand, ready to hit Lin Dajun on the head.

Just then, Gu Qiangying suddenly raised her hand and grabbed Lin Dajun's wrist pulse point.

"Ouch—it hurts!"

Lin Dajun, who had been so aggressive just moments before, suddenly let out a pig-like scream and knelt on the ground, his face pale, thanks to Gu Qiangying's grip.

Gu Qiangying smiled warmly, put her index finger to her lips, and said, "Keep your voice down, I'm listening to your auscultation."