Xia Xian took her money, her bundle, and the gold bars, and left without looking back, refusing to linger at the Chu family home any longer.
It was already dark, which made it easier for her to slip away unnoticed. However, she did not head straight home. Instead, she stopped near the supply and marketing cooperative. Seeing that no one was around, she ducked behind a large tree and crouched down. By the faint light from the cooperative, she pulled out a hair clip, pried it open, and inserted it into the keyhole. With a bit of fiddling, the lock clicked open.
In her previous life, to save money, she had learned to repair everything herself, which had helped her hone many skills—lockpicking among them.
As the lock clicked open, the contents of the box were revealed. Gold bars were stacked neatly inside; their color, their shape—they were truly beautiful! She hadn't dug in the wrong spot after all! Xia Xian couldn't help but pick up a gold bar and kiss it fiercely, finally setting her heart at ease.
***
At the Xia family home, Father Xia and Mother Xia already knew about the despicable things the Chu family had done. Since Eldest Master Chu was already dead, there was no way to keep it a secret.
Lei Juan picked up her rice bowl to eat, but suddenly let out a long sigh and set it back down.
"What's the matter? You’re sighing and groaning while we’re trying to eat. If you don't want to eat, don't ruin everyone else's appetite." Father Xia was munching on some pickled vegetables, clearly annoyed.
"That's right, Mom. If you have something to say, just say it. There’s no need to sigh on purpose for us to hear," added the eldest daughter-in-law. She looked as though she understood what was happening, yet she didn't stop shoveling food into her mouth. With so many people in the house and so little grain, if you ate slowly, you’d go hungry.
"What else could it be? My sister is a widow now. It’s no wonder Mom isn't happy." Little Brother Xia wiped his nose and said loudly. He understood the situation too—or perhaps everyone in the house understood, but some chose to play dumb.
"Since you’ve all figured it out, I won't hide it anymore. I want to go to the Chu family tomorrow and bring Xia Xian home." Lei Juan set her chopsticks on the table. Ever since she found out Eldest Master Chu was dead, this thought had never left her mind.
"We definitely need to bring her back, but we can't be hasty. If we take her away just days after Eldest Master Chu passed, the Xia family will look heartless." Father Xia was also troubled by his daughter's situation, but he cared about his reputation. Xia Xian already had a reputation as a "husband-killer," and if they brought her back so quickly, he feared being gossiped about. He couldn't stomach that.
"What do you mean 'heartless,' Dad? Did Eldest Master Chu take your brains with him when he died? They’re the ones who were heartless, tricking my sister into marrying into that family!" Little Brother Xia pouted, deeply dissatisfied. "I told you guys a long time ago we should have just gone over there and grabbed her back. We didn't need to wait for him to die to discuss it, but none of you listened!"
"Go eat your food! You’re not even as tall as the table, talking about 'grabbing her back.' If a real fight broke out, they’d knock you down with one hand!" Father Xia rolled his eyes. The kid didn't know anything!
"I’m still young, but don't I have you and my big brothers? There are so many of us, and there are only two of them left at the Chu house. Are we really afraid of them?" Little Brother Xia was only seven, but he had the spirit of a fighter. Seeing her youngest son like this, Lei Juan felt a measure of comfort, but she felt disappointed that her two older sons remained silent. "What about you two? What do you think? Speak up."
Second Brother Xia looked conflicted. "Mom, it’s not that I don't want to bring Xia Xian back. The problem is, our house is just so small. We finally got her married so that Xingxing and Lanlan could share a bed. Three people on that small bed is already too crowded, and the children aren't happy about it. Why not let her stay at the Chu house until she remarries? We can find her a new match quickly. She has to marry someone eventually, and staying there for a while can be considered the Chu family’s compensation to her for room and board."
"I agree with bringing her back, but money is tight. Could she contribute a little more to the household expenses?" Eldest Brother Xia asked tentatively. This wasn't a small matter. If Xia Xian came back, she would be a widow. Having only been married for a few days, she wouldn't want an older man, and she wouldn't want a poor match either—it wasn't going to be easy to find someone. Eldest Brother Xia’s implication was that she could come back, but she would need to pay rent on top of the usual living expenses.
Seeing her husband say this, the eldest sister-in-law, who hadn't even finished swallowing her food, waved her hands. "Cough, cough, cough! Mom, I didn't tell him to say that! I support bringing Xia Xian back. We can just live like we used to. It's better for her to squeeze in with us than to stay with those horrible Chu people. The longer we wait, the less likely they are to let her go!" As she spoke, she stepped hard on her husband's foot. He only cared about money, money, money! If her mother-in-law blamed her for this, she’d be so wronged!
"Ow! Why did you step on me?" Eldest Brother Xia shouted in pain.
Lei Juan rubbed her temples, suffering from a headache. What kind of children had she raised? "Xia Xian is your own sister, and you're this calculating..."
Xia Xian, who had been listening outside, knocked on the door before they could start arguing.
"Dad, Mom, I'm home."
"Xia Xian! It's Xia Xian's voice!" Lei Juan was overjoyed and immediately got up to open the door.
"Mom!"
"Xia Xian! It's really you! Are you okay? Why are you back so late, and so suddenly? Did that mother and son at the Chu house do anything to you?" She hugged her daughter tightly, unable to stop herself from looking her over, terrified that something had happened to her.
"I'm fine," Xia Xian said. "The second son and his mother wanted me to marry him, but I refused. We had an argument, and the director of the neighborhood committee helped me. The police have already arrested them. I just took the opportunity to run home."
Xia Xian’s eyes were crinkled in a smile, clear and bright, as if she hadn't suffered any hardship at all. She was still the same innocent, kind-hearted girl. In her past life, she had lived a miserable life, and her mother had suffered right along with her, passing away early. Being able to see her parents again this time, Xia Xian felt nothing but joy.
"Mom, I missed you so much." As she laughed, Xia Xian’s eyes turned red. She leaned into her mother’s arms, unwilling to let go for a long time.
"Good girl, you’ve suffered." Lei Juan’s eyes were also filled with tears. The mother and daughter wept together, Lei Juan worried sick about her daughter's future. She hated herself for not seeing the true colors of the Chu family earlier! She hated that she hadn't gone to the Chu house to check things out two days before the wedding! She hated herself because, on the day of the wedding, she had seen that Eldest Master Chu looked sickly, but she had believed their nonsense about it just being poorly applied powder! It had resulted in her daughter becoming a widow, leaving her in such an awkward position.
"What! That Chu family is nothing but animals! To think he would covet his own sister-in-law!"
"You're back just in time! You must absolutely refuse him!"
Once they heard what the mother and son had planned, the Xia family felt sickened. They all firmly opposed it and told Xia Xian she should stay at home. They stopped talking about their earlier petty calculations; after all, they were family, and there was still love between them.
"Mm, I’ll stay at home for two days," Xia Xian said. "They will likely come looking for me. Once I’ve dealt with them, we can talk. Dad, brothers, sister-in-law, don't worry. I won't let you be shamed, nor will I be a burden to the family. I will pay for my living expenses. Once I’ve finished with those two scoundrels from the Chu family, I’ll move out. I know the house is small; I don't blame any of you."