Once Wang Chunhua finally left, dragging her grievances and curses with her, the courtyard fell into an uneasy silence.
Lu Lingmei was the first to regain her composure. With a firm yet gentle tone, she stepped toward the gate and began ushering away the curious onlookers.
When she returned Widow He was already beside Chen Meilan, speaking to her in a low, soothing voice. Chen Meilan still looked shaken, her eyes red, her hands trembling faintly as she tried to steady herself.
Even Li Jianguo stood in stunned silence.
Unlike Li Jianmin, who had long since grown accustomed to Li Shuying's fighting skills this was the first time he had witnessed his younger sister fight.
It left him speechless.
Widow He sighed softly and said, "Meilan, I believe what little Shuying did today was right. How long will you continue yielding to Wang Chunhua and her lot? This month, she comes asking for money for study materials. Next month, she will find another excuse. Such people do not wish for your well-being—they only wish to see you struggle."
Lu Lingmei nodded in agreement.
"That is true," she added. "Sister Meilan, it is time you begin to think for yourself. Wang Chunhua's family will never let you live in peace."
She paused, then continued thoughtfully, "When brother-in-law returns, you should gather your parents, him, and also invite Brigade Leader Liu and other village elders to speak and settle this matter once and for all. Otherwise, this trouble will never end."
Widow He gave a sharp nod.
"Exactly. Today, that old hag bullies you. Tomorrow, her children will bully your children. This must stop somewhere."
Then her gaze shifted to Li Shuying, and a faint smile appeared on her weathered face.
"But I must say," she added, "I am truly proud of what little Shuying did today."
Her eyes carried unmistakable approval.
"Words alone would never have worked on people like Wang Chunhua and Sun Guifeng. Scolding them? Threatening them? Useless. But their children—that is where their hearts lie. Strike there, and they will finally feel pain."
She turned back to Chen Meilan.
"You should be proud of your daughter as well."
Li Shuying, having finally suppressed the fury stirred by the earlier confrontation, relaxed slightly. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Aunt He," she said, her tone light but meaningful, "my step-grandmother just threatened to spread rumors throughout the village—that my brothers and I are unfilial."
Widow He waved her hand dismissively before she could finish.
"I understand what you are implying," she said with a snort. "Do not worry—leave that matter to me."
Her lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Half the women in this village have grievances with Wang Chunhua or her household. Once I speak, who will stand on her side? Rest easy."
Li Shuying smiled and inclined her head slightly. "Then I must trouble you, Aunt He."
As Widow He and Lu Lingmei prepared to leave, Li Shuying's gaze suddenly fell upon their figures.
In her mind flashed the images of Widow He's children, and Lu Lingmei's twin boys, Liu Weimin and Liu Weiguo—their thin frames.
Her heart tightened.
Without another word, she turned and hurried out of the house.
The sky had already dimmed into dusk, a faint wash of grey-blue lingering at the horizon. Taking advantage of the fading light, she reached into her schoolbag and, with a thought, drew ten fresh apples from her system's storage.
Round. Plump. Flushed with a natural sheen.
Even in the dim light, they seemed almost unreal.
She quickly placed them into her bag and returned inside.
Widow He and Lu Lingmei had just reached the doorway when they saw her re-enter.
Widow He opened her mouth to bid farewell...
But before she could speak, Li Shuying stepped forward swiftly and placed five apples into her hands, and another five into Lu Lingmei's.
Both women froze.
Even Chen Meilan stared in shock.
Widow He lowered her gaze slowly, looking at the apples in her palms as though they were something out of a dream.
Her voice trembled.
"Th-this… what is this?"
Li Shuying smiled gently.
"These apples are for you, Aunt He… and for you as well, Aunt Lu."
Lu Lingmei reacted immediately, shaking her head vigorously as she tried to push the apples back.
"No, no, we cannot accept this," she said hurriedly. "These are yours—you should keep them for your family."
Widow He also came to her senses and attempted to return them.
But Li Shuying had already taken a step back.
"Aunt He, Aunt Lu," she said calmly, "I know very well what I am doing."
Her voice softened.
"These are not just apples. They are a small token of gratitude—for all the years you have stood by our family."
She paused, her eyes warm.
"We are fortunate to have neighbors like you. As the old saying goes, a good neighbor is worth a thousand taels of gold. Compared to that, what are a few apples?"
Widow He's eyes grew moist, yet she remained stubborn.
"No," she said firmly. "Little Shuying, do you not understand the value of food these days? If you have something good, you must keep it for your own family. Why waste it on an old widow like me?"
Li Shuying's expression turned earnest.
"Aunt He, you, Sister Yuzhi, and Brother Baogen—you are family to me," she said softly. "You have stood with us through thick and thin. If we prosper today, then should we not prosper together?"
Lu Lingmei's heart wavered, yet she still hesitated.
"But little Shuying…" she said gently, "these fruits are too precious. These days, we hardly even see apples, let alone eat them. How can we accept such a thing so casually?"
Chen Meilan, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"Aunt He, Lingmei—if little Shuying is giving these to you, then keep them," she said gently. "Let the child show her gratitude."
Li Shuying smiled, her expression warm and sincere.
"Mother is right," she added softly. "And these apples are not just for you. They are also for Sister Yuzhi, Brother Baogen, and little Weimin and Weiguo. The children will surely enjoy them, so please… accept them."
At the mention of their children, both women's resolve wavered.
In these harsh times, it was always the children who bore the greatest hardship.
Widow He's son, Hao Baogen, was already twenty-one, yet still unmarried. After his father's death, he had dropped out in his first year of high school, hoping to find work in the county. But fate was unkind—no work came, and he had no choice but to return to the fields. Her daughter, Hao Yuzhi, only seventeen, had also left school midway and now stayed at home, quietly shouldering the burdens of the household.
As for Lu Lingmei, her twin sons, Liu Weimin and Liu Weiguo, were barely two and a half years old. Even at such a tender age, they tried to help in whatever little ways they could—but what could children so young truly do, except endure hunger with silent obedience?
For them, even a full meal was a blessing. Fruits such as these, were things of stories, not of life.
The two women could not help but imagine the expressions on their children's faces upon seeing these apples.
Joy.
Surprise.
A rare, fleeting happiness.
The thought alone made their hearts tremble.
Yet at the same time, they felt a deep discomfort, as though accepting such a gift weighed heavily upon their conscience.
Sensing their hesitation, Li Shuying spoke again, her voice steady and reassuring.
"Do not worry, Aunt He, Aunt Lu. We still have more apples at home. Let us all share in this rare blessing together."
She paused, then added lightly, "In fact, I was also planning to send some to Grand-Aunt Li later."
Hearing this, and seeing the calm assurance in Chen Meilan's eyes, the last of their resistance crumbled.
Widow He and Lu Lingmei finally accepted the apples.
They thanked them repeatedly, their voices thick with emotion, before carefully hiding the fruits within the folds of their clothing—as though guarding a precious treasure—and quietly took their leave.
Once they were gone, the courtyard fell into a long, heavy silence.
Li Jianmin stood with his head lowered, unmoving.
The sting of his mother's slap still lingered—not only on his cheek, but deep within his heart.
After a while, Chen Meilan turned to Li Shuying.
Her voice, though calm, carried a weight of concern.
"You are planning to go to Baicheng?"
Li Shuying sighed inwardly.
She knew well that today's entire commotion had been stirred by Zhao Hongmei overhearing her plans.
Still, she nodded.
"I miss Father," she said quietly. "I want to go and see him."
Chen Meilan's expression grew complicated.
It was only natural for children to long for their father... this, she understood.
But her worries lay elsewhere.
"Do you know how expensive and dangerous it is to travel to the city?" she asked, her brows knitting together. "And we have no money left. How do you plan to go?"
Then, as if recalling something, she looked sharply at her.
"And those apples—where did you get them? They were fresh, of excellent quality. No one would give such things away for nothing."
Faced with the sudden barrage of questions, Li Shuying felt a brief dizziness rise within her.
But she quickly steadied herself.
Her gaze shifted toward Li Jianguo.
He understood at once.
Without a word, he turned and stepped out of the room.
Li Shuying then looked back at her mother.
"Mother," she said softly, "do you trust us?"
Chen Meilan was taken aback by the question.
"Of course I trust you," she replied instinctively. "But what does that have to do with this?"
Li Shuying met her gaze, her expression turning serious.
"Then I hope you will not ask further questions after I tell you this."
A brief pause.
"Mother… I have a way to obtain supplies—and to earn money from them. I have my own savings now. These apples were acquired through those channels."
Her voice softened slightly.
"This time, I am not only going to see Father. I also wish to bring some things for him."
At that moment, Li Jianguo returned.
He carried two heavy bundles in his arms, placing them carefully before Chen Meilan.
Then he stood beside Li Shuying, his posture firm.
"Mother," he said, "what little Shuying has said is true. Little Third and I already know about this."
He hesitated briefly, then added reassuringly,
"Do not worry—we are not involved in anything improper. The people she deals with are relatives of a trusted acquaintance. It is safe."
Li Shuying nodded and stepped forward slightly.
"Mother," she said gently, gesturing toward the bundles, "these… are the things we wish to take to Father."
The room fell silent once more.
But this time, the silence did not last.
Chen Meilan's gaze swept over the bundles on the ground, then returned to her children. The calm she had forced upon herself shattered in an instant.
"What kind of people are you dealing with?" she demanded sharply, her voice rising despite her effort to restrain it. "Do you even understand what you are doing?"
Her eyes were filled with both anger and fear.
"In times like these, when even coarse grain is counted by the handful, what do you think food is? And yet you tell me someone is willing to give you supplies so that you can make money from them?"
Her voice trembled.
"Do you take your mother for a fool?"
Li Shuying stepped forward, her tone gentle.
"Mother, please calm down. Listen to me..."
But Chen Meilan cut her off immediately.
"Calm down? How can I calm down?" she snapped. "What if these people are not good? What if they are criminals? What if tomorrow they force you to do something illegal, what then?"
Her breathing grew uneven.
"You are still children! How can you trust outsiders so easily? Once you step onto the wrong path, there is no turning back!"
Li Shuying sighed softly, though her gaze remained steady.
"Mother… didn't you just say you trust us?" she said quietly. "Then you should also trust our judgment."
Chen Meilan's expression tightened.
"Judgment?" she repeated bitterly. "What judgment can children possibly have? Even grown men, who have lived half their lives, are deceived every day!"
Li Shuying did not retreat.
"Mother, they are relatives of my school friend," she said firmly, repeating the explanation she had prepared.
Chen Meilan frowned deeply.
"Relatives?" she pressed. "Then tell me,
where do these supplies come from? Everyone is starving these days. If obtaining food were so easy, would people be dying of hunger?"
Her question struck straight to the heart of the matter.
Li Shuying did not hesitate.
"Mother," she replied calmly, "in the north, trade is strictly prohibited. But in the south, farmers' markets still exist. Rural farmers can still sell their produce legally."
She paused, then added, "These people bring supplies from the south in bulk. That is how they are able to have such goods."
Chen Meilan fell silent. The explanation… made sense. At least, it sounded plausible enough to quiet the storm in her mind. But doubt still lingered.
At that moment, Li Jianguo stepped forward. "Mother," he said steadily, "do you think we would put little Shuying in danger?" His voice was calm, but resolute. "Do not worry. What we are doing is safe."
In truth, even he always felt unease deep within. But he chose to think practically. Opportunities like this did not come twice.
Li Jianmin, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "Mother… we are the children of a soldier," he said slowly. "We will never do anything illegal." His voice was firm, yet he still did not lift his head. The redness on his cheek had not yet faded.
Chen Meilan's gaze fell upon him. Her heart tightened instantly. A flicker of guilt crossed her eyes.
She looked at her three children, each standing firm, each unwilling to retreat. In that moment, she understood. If she continued to press, she would only push them further away. After a long pause, she let out a quiet sigh. "…Very well," she said at last, her voice softening. "But you must be careful. Do not trust others blindly. And no matter what, do not let this affect your studies."
Li Shuying and Li Jianguo exchanged a glance. Then, almost in unison, they replied, "We understand, Mother."
Chen Meilan nodded faintly. Then she stepped toward Li Jianmin. Raising her hand, she gently ruffled his hair. "I am sorry," she said softly. "I was unfair just now." Her voice trembled slightly. "You four children… you are everything to me. I have poured my blood and sweat into raising you, only wishing that one day you may stand upright and make something of yourselves."
She paused, her eyes dimming. "I know dealing with that Li family is a trial for you. But sometimes… you must endure. Those people are like desperate wolves—once they set their eyes on something, they will stop at nothing to obtain it, they may destroy anyone and everyone in between."
Then she turned to Li Shuying. Her expression grew stern once more. "And you," she said, "must also learn to restrain your temper." Her tone carried the weight of deeply ingrained beliefs. "A woman should cultivate the five virtues of gentleness, virtue, propriety, modest speech, and diligent work. Fighting and raising your hand like that… it does not look proper."
Li Shuying merely smiled and nodded. She did not argue. Some things were too deeply rooted to change in a single day.
Li Jianmin also looked up slightly and said,
"I understand, Mother. I will try not to speak recklessly in front of that old hag again."
Chen Meilan chuckled faintly at his words, the tension in her expression easing at last.
Then, turning back to Li Shuying, she asked, "So… you will be leaving for Baicheng tomorrow?"