Cheng Xiaoxiao was speechless. Was it that big of a deal just to eat a bowl of wontons?
"Dad, big brother, just eat without worry! Now we have a way to earn money; are we afraid of not affording wontons? When we earn more, I'll treat you to a big feast at a restaurant."
"Here it comes." With that, three bowls of wontons were placed in front of them. "Enjoy, dear customers."
"Thank you, boss! Your wontons smell so good," she said as she quickly tasted one, "Mmm, delicious!"
Hot! She inhaled and fanned her mouth with her hand.
Watching Cheng Xiaoxiao eat happily, the two had no choice but to pick up their chopsticks.
Happy to hear the little girl praising his wontons, the boss beamed, "You have good taste, young lady. My, Li Si's, wontons are a renowned snack in town; anyone in a ten-mile radius who smells them comes for a bowl."
"No wonder your business is so good. It really tastes great. I'll definitely come back for another bowl next time," Cheng Xiaoxiao replied with a mouthful of hot wontons, not forgetting to chat with the boss.
After finishing the wontons, the little girl felt full of energy. Life should be flavorful like this.
The boss, in a good mood, even charged Cheng Xiaoxiao two copper coins less, reminding her to come again next time.
The shopping was almost done, and finally, at the bun stall, she bought some meat buns, packed them up to bring back for Erya and Brother Jia to eat. Ah! She truly was a thoughtful sister.
When the three of them arrived at the ox cart, most people were already there. Seeing Mr. Cheng carrying so many things, one enviously remarked, "Whoa! Cheng the Second, you hit the jackpot, buying so much stuff."
Another crippled woman chimed in, "Everybody knows Chen the Second's family is supporting a scholar child; they can barely make ends meet. Where would they get money for all this? Who knows where the money comes from..."
Cheng Rong retorted defiantly, "Aunt Liu, you can eat food recklessly, but don't talk recklessly. What's it to you where our money comes from? It's not yours anyway, why meddle in our business?"
The woman called Aunt Liu pursed her lips, "I wasn't talking to you, boy. Why are you jumping in? Anyway, your mother and I are sisters. Don't forget your own family."
"Alright, alright, everyone say a little less. We're all neighbors," Cheng Dali interjected to calm things down.
At this moment, the last ones returning, Cheng Genzi and his wife, put their carrying pole and bamboo basket onto the ox cart, looking at the remaining small baskets, fans, and chopstick cases.
So these two were craftspeople with bamboo! Look at the fan and chopstick case, even carved with patterns — they looked quite appealing. If this were modern times, they'd definitely be trendy products online.
Old Cheng looked at the leftover items and asked, "Genzi, was business not good today?"
The man called sighed, "There were many lookers today, but few buyers."
"Exactly, and they haggled so low. Our products are genuine and useful. Those people really have no eye for quality," Cheng Genzi's wife, Niu, couldn't help but complain.
A new topic interrupted the earlier unpleasantness, and the group sat on the ox cart, ready to return to the village.
During the ride, Niu and Aunt Liu argued again, while Cheng Xiaoxiao remained calm, not saying a word because...
Beep! A familiar mechanical sound rang in Cheng Xiaoxiao's mind
[System Rescue Mission Activated]
[Detected someone five kilometers from the host, in the 3 o'clock direction, who needs help. Please proceed quickly, host! Please proceed quickly!]
"77, what's going on here? How am I supposed to get there over such a distance?" This system task seemed too unreliable.
"Host, 77 currently doesn't have enough energy to take you there. I can only sense that the person in need is a woman, badly beaten and on the brink of death," the system replied sorrowfully. It was too weak right now to be of much help.
Cheng Xiaoxiao knew she couldn't rely on it. She tugged on her father's sleeve and asked, "Dad, what's that place back there?"
As she spoke, she pointed to the forest on the right.
Following the direction his daughter pointed to...
"Beyond those two mountains is Shangqiao Village, which is where your aunt got married," Mr. Cheng replied honestly, unsure why his daughter asked about that.
Upon hearing that it was her aunt's village, an idea struck Cheng Xiaoxiao. Just when she was looking for an excuse, it was delivered to her.
"Dad, when was the last time you visited Aunt? Shouldn't we check on Aunt? I heard from Erya that I have two little cousins!"
Mr. Cheng's expression wasn't good, and he said nothing.
Cheng Xiaoxiao...
Though father and daughter spoke quietly, Cheng Rong, sitting on the other side of Cheng Xiaoxiao, still heard them.
Sneering, he said, "Xiaoxiao, did you forget? Our dear aunt didn't even visit when grandma and grandpa were sick last year. Grandma kept thinking of aunt, but didn't see her one last time. Even the funeral was just a quick appearance by my uncle, and then there was no further contact."
"Aunt and those two ungrateful brats aren't filial; why bother thinking about them." Speaking of them made Cheng Rong angry. It was even him who went to notify aunt last year, only to be barred from entering.
Cheng Xiaoxiao was a bit dumbfounded.
How was she supposed to carry out her plan? The Task Taker was in Shangqiao Village, and her only connection was her aunt. What excuse could she find to go there now?
While pondering, they reached the village entrance, and Cheng Dali, seeing how many things Cheng Yong had, graciously helped carry them to the doorstep.
As soon as they arrived, Xiaohua ran over from next door, "Big brother, big brother, you're finally back."
Seeing Cheng the Second, she added, "And second uncle, you should come too. Xiaolan is here."
"Who? Qiao Xiaolan?" Cheng Rong asked, unsure.
Xiaohua nodded, then explained the situation, and everyone headed towards the eldest uncle's house.
"Waaaa......"
In the courtyard knelt a ten-something thin girl, skin and bones, crying incessantly. Seeing Cheng Yong come in, she knelt before him, clutching his pants, "Second uncle, you must save mom. If you and big uncle don't save her, mom will not survive."
Turns out, their aunt wasn't unfilial. It was because Qiao Xiaolan and her sister had a father who was a pervert, addicted to alcohol, beating his wife and kids when drunk. Because Cheng Chudong didn't give him a son, ending the Qiao family line, they tortured the mother and daughters in various ways. This time, more viciously, over a piece of meat, her mom got beaten and locked in the woodshed without food for a day. Qiao Dalan secretly brought food to her mother, finding her very ill. Without rescue, she wouldn't last, forcing Xiaolan to secretly seek help.
She even heard grandma and dad planning to sell the sister to a baby broker, who would come for her in a couple of days.
Normally, when their mother was sober, she forbade them from seeking their uncles, not wanting to burden them since they had their struggles. She hadn't fulfilled her filial duties, hoping her brothers would honor their parents, and forget about her, an unfilial daughter.
They knew their mother suffered, unwillingly. But with no choice, after hearing that grandma was seriously ill last year, she wanted to visit, but dad broke her leg, still not fully healed.
Xiaolan knew that if not for the sisters, their mother would've long given up.
Upon learning the whole story, the Cheng brothers were enraged, realizing their little sister had married into a wolf's den, oblivious for so many years.
Fifteen years, their little sister was only thirty, yet about to be tormented to death by that dog of a man. Seeing the two brothers about to immediately seek revenge, everyone quickly restrained them.