Zhou Lanfang was engrossed in watching TV, and when she heard the fat aunt’s words, she responded irritably.
"You must have heard wrong. Mianmian is working in Shu Tun, what’s this about calling for help?" Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁
If someone really was calling for help, that would be better.
Dead, out of sight, out of mind.
"Then I must have really misheard," the fat aunt said with her lips, but inwardly she curled her mouth disapprovingly. It’s different when it’s not her own daughter. If it were Siyu, Lanfang would certainly be the first to run.
While a few of them were watching TV for a while, Auntie Liu also arrived. Because of the dried vegetable selling, she’d been very happy these past two days, busily scouting for spots with lots of wild vegetables and hadn’t come to watch TV.
As soon as she came, everyone greeted her and asked why she hadn’t come to watch TV these past two days.
Fearing others would gather wild vegetables and compete with her business, Auntie Liu naturally wouldn’t tell the truth and brushed it off with an excuse.
No one suspected anything.
She happened to stand next to the fat aunt, who was rather gossipy and didn’t really like Zhou Lanfang much. Unable to hold back, she began to gossip with Auntie Liu about what had just happened.
"Look at Lanfang, she doesn’t treat Mianmian like her own daughter at all! She used to think Siyu was going to get the progress award and couldn’t stop bragging about it to the entire village, mentioning it every day. But when Mianmian got it, not so much as a peep from her – she hasn’t mentioned it even once."
Auntie Liu, who had always liked Shen Mianmian, and with Mianmian having found a job for Xiaocui and some work for her too, liked her even more.
When she heard what the fat aunt said, she immediately began to feel indignant for Shen Mianmian.
"Lanfang’s favoritism hasn’t just been for a day or two now. She’ll regret it in the future. As much as she dotes on Siyu, when it comes to being looked after in her old age, it’s going to be Mianmian, isn’t it? It’s clear to everyone else, but she just doesn’t see it."
"In her eyes, Mianmian isn’t even as good as a little dog. When other people’s dogs go missing, they at least go out looking for them," the fat aunt whispered closer to Auntie Liu, lowering her voice even more, "I’m telling you, when I was on my way here, I heard someone calling for help at the entrance of the village, and it sounded like Mianmian. I mentioned it to Lanfang, and she couldn’t care less. She just kept watching her TV."
"What?" Auntie Liu’s face changed, her voice suddenly rose by more than ten decibels, "What did you say?"
Everyone in the room watching TV was drawn by her loud voice, all turning their heads to look, thinking the two women were quarreling.
The fat aunt was also startled by Auntie Liu’s reaction, "I must have heard wrong, why are you reacting so strongly?"
Zhou Lanfang had not even reacted that much before.
With a steely face, Auntie Liu said, "You all are so unconcerned, but what if it’s true and something has happened to Mianmian?"
Her own Xiaocui was also with Shen Mianmian. If something had happened to Mianmian, wouldn’t Xiaocui be in trouble too?
Hearing this, the fat aunt also started to panic.
"You all come with me to the entrance of the village and check it out."
Auntie Liu, without saying another word, turned around and walked out.
Everyone was confused, not yet aware of what had happened, but they followed out of curiosity. On the way, after listening to the fat aunt, they learned what was going on.
Zhou Lanfang initially didn’t want to go, but she worried about gossip if everyone else went and she didn’t, so she followed unwillingly.
A group of people hurried all the way to the grove, some even brave enough to scout around inside it, but they found nothing.
"I told you that you heard wrong. Now you’ve gone around spreading it, making such a big fuss – isn’t that embarrassing?" Zhou Lanfang complained about the fat aunt with a sarcastic tone.