Xiao Xiaomei was only a little more than three years younger than Xiao Changyi; she was twenty-one this year. She had married off at the age of fourteen and had not seen An Jing and Xiao Changyi for many years. Along with the changes in An Jing and Xiao Changyi’s appearance, it was no wonder she didn’t recognize them.
However, once she learned from Hehua that these two people were An Jing and Xiao Changyi, Xiao Xiaomei decided to keep her distance from them in the future.
Because it was just too bizarre!
Xiao Changyi had only returned for a year, and her mother and brother were poisoned to death. This man truly brought calamity upon them!
She wanted to keep far away from him, lest she also be cursed to death.
Therefore, whenever she encountered An Jing and Xiao Changyi, Xiao Xiaomei would quickly take a detour, her steps hurried, as though afraid Xiao Changyi would curse her to death.
The majority of Jiuping Village’s population had died, and those who died were the ones being taken to their final resting place yesterday. One Person, who had taken a detour, was beside Hehua, and An Jing and Xiao Changyi could tell with their little toes that this person was Xiao Xiaomei, running home to mourn.
Seeing Xiao Xiaomei hurry off as if her husband himself were the plague, An Jing immediately sneered, "She’s afraid of being cursed to death by you."
"Why are you getting upset at her?" Xiao Changyi bowed his head and gently nuzzled her forehead, "Didn’t you say I wouldn’t curse anyone to death? I believed it, without a single doubt. Alright, don’t be angry now, let’s go home."
Only then did An Jing stop being angry, smiling, "It’s good that you don’t care."
"Before I met you, I stopped caring about how others saw me." After thinking, he added, "I stopped caring since the year I was abandoned."
An Jingxin’s heart suddenly clenched, a painful, raw ache. The fingers intertwined with his naturally tightened. She felt sorry for her husband.
If it weren’t for being abandoned since childhood, growing up alone and enduring the world’s cold-heartedness, her husband’s personality wouldn’t have turned out so cold and reclusive.
Xiao Changyi’s grip on her fingers tightened as well, but said nothing more.
"Husband, let’s go home," An Jing suddenly said with a smile again, though her voice was thick with a nasal sound.
Xiao Changyi’s grip on her hand tightened once more as he softly replied, "Mhm, we’re going home."
It was she who had given him a home.
It was he who had given her a home.
As soon as Xiao Xiaomei took the detour back to her parental home, she saw Hehua sweeping the yard, with Xiao Douzi following her around, mimicking whatever Hehua was doing.
Xiao Douzi was the son of Xiao Gousheng and Hehua and was only four years old this year.
Xiao Xiaomei looked at Xiao Douzi with complicated feelings then said to Hehua, "Sister-in-law, come inside, I have something to tell you."
Although Hehua didn’t know what Xiao Xiaomei wanted to talk to her about, most of the Silver Coin used for the funeral arrangements had been provided by Xiao Xiaomei from her husband’s family. She was quite grateful for this, and also being of a timid nature, she obediently held Xiao Douzi’s hand and followed Xiao Xiaomei into the house.
In the main room, Xiao Xiaomei sat in the seat of honor, while Hehua sat on a small stool, holding Xiao Douzi, looking completely timid.
Xiao Xiaomei took ten coins out of her purse and placed them on the table, then said, "Sister-in-law, you know that my life at my in-law’s place is not smooth, and very difficult. Otherwise, I wouldn’t seldom come back to check on you all. Now, this is really all I can manage; I can’t take out any more."
Hehua immediately expressed her gratitude, "Xiaomei, you’ve already helped the family so much. Thank you. Without you, Mother and Gousheng wouldn’t have had the money for a proper burial."
Xiao Xiaomei turned to look at Xiao Douzi, then sighed, "Sister-in-law, what do you plan to do in the future? You alone won’t be able to raise Douzi well."