Pushed to the Brink

After bidding farewell to Su Li, Third Uncle's family happily returned home. Along the way, Mrs. Sun kept murmuring about going back to her maiden home to talk business with her brothers.

"My eldest sister-in-law is a clever and capable woman; my eldest brother's family selling vegetables will definitely be fine! My second brother is honest and very strong... Oh, and my maiden home has a donkey cart, which we can use to transport vegetables to sell farther away... My youngest brother's wife is from a neighboring town of Qingmiao City, she knows that town well. I'll ask her which wealthy families live there so we can sell specifically to the rich... And Shiyong, he's grown up now, should go out and see the world, learn business from his uncles. Our Qingmiao City territory is enough for just the two of us; let Shiyong go out and earn a bride price for himself..." Mrs. Sun happily chattered all the way, planning her family's life and imagining a more comfortable future for both her own and her maiden family, humming a little tune.

When they arrived home and pushed open the door, they saw there was no firelight inside the house.

Mrs. Sun called out, "Lanxiang!?"

No one answered inside. Mrs. Sun panicked and rushed in, seeing Su Lanxiang curled up on the kang with her eyes closed, her small body curled into a ball.

The fire basin in the house, as well as the quilts and bedding on the bed, were all gone!

"Lanxiang, wake up, don’t scare your mother!" Mrs. Sun’s face turned pale with fear as she shook her daughter hard.

Su Lanxiang groggily opened her eyes and cried upon seeing Mrs. Sun and her father, "Father, mother, grandpa and eldest uncle came and moved the kitchen stuff! Grandpa said there was no coal fire in the house and it was very cold, so they took away our fire basin and the quilts on the bed. I tried to stop them, but grandpa even hit me... boohoo..."

Mrs. Sun immediately cried with anger, "This is trying to drive someone to death!"

Su Sanyun was also furious, his face flushed a dark purple.

Su Shiyong touched Su Lanxiang’s forehead and was shocked, "Father, mother, sister has a fever!"

Mrs. Sun and Su Sanyun felt her forehead and confirmed she had a high fever. They feared the little girl had been beaten and frozen, which caused her illness!

"Shiyong, quickly carry your sister, let’s find Doctor Wu!" Mrs. Sun had no time to think of anything else, fearing her daughter might die from illness.

Su Shiyong carried Su Lanxiang and the three hurriedly rushed out. Only after stepping outside did they remember that Doctor Wu’s daughter, Wu Caiwei, was about to give birth, and Doctor Wu was at Su Li’s house accompanying her.

So they carried Su Lanxiang and headed to Su Li’s house.

Meanwhile, Su Li had just sent off Third Uncle and the Hua family couple and was about to rest when Qingmu came to report, "Madam, Third Uncle and the others have returned again, saying Lanxiang is sick and looking for Doctor Wu."

Side room.

Su Lanxiang lay with her eyes closed, burning a high fever. Doctor Wu took her pulse and glared fiercely at Su Sanyun and his wife, "The little girl is severely malnourished, beaten, and frozen. The illness came on severely and suddenly! How can you be such terrible parents? If you have a child, you must raise them well. Don’t treat her like livestock just because she’s a girl!"

Mrs. Sun’s eyes reddened, but she couldn’t argue. She loved her daughter, but before the family split, the old lady of the house had the final say, and after the split...

Su Sanyun punched the table in self-reproach and cried, "It’s all my fault. As a father, I couldn’t protect my own daughter. I’m useless!"

"Hmph, crying won’t do any good!" Doctor Wu snapped at Su Sanyun, "No manly spirit at all, makes people look down on you!"