Chapter 11

Zhao Dahe was shocked. “That’s Xiaoshu?! How did he end up like this? Is he still alive?”

“You carry him. We must hurry to the town’s clinic,” Meng Yao ordered Zhao Dahe.

Zhao Xiaoshu’s body was dirty and covered with mud and grass. Zhao Dahe thought it must have been the grass and dirt from the graveyard. These things coexisted with the dead, so Zhao Dahe did not want to touch Zhao Xiaoshu.

Meng Yao glared at Zhao Dahe coldly.

Zhao Dahe’s stubbornness quickly softened. He said helplessly, “All right, fine. I’ll carry him.”

Mr. Niu drove the oxcart and sent the trio back to the town.

“Sigh, I’m so tired of driving you guys around. My body hurts,” Mr. Niu grumbled.

“I’ll double the fare, Mr. Niu, ” Meng Yao said.

Mr. Niu said awkwardly, “I didn’t think of increasing the price. I didn’t mean it that way. I just feel bad for you. Xiaoshu doesn’t look so good, so you should take him to a doctor.”

“I know you’re kind, but I’ve indeed troubled you. It’s what I should do.” Meng Yao said, “We’ll walk home if you don’t accept this money.”

Meng Yao didn’t think Mr. Niu was taking advantage of the situation. She could not bear not to pay him extra since he towed three people on his oxcart.

“Zhao Ting is blessed to have a reasonable wife like you,” Mr. Niu sighed.

Zhao Ting’s name was like a switch, triggering the memories of Ying Luo’s predecessor. Zhao Ting was her predecessor’s husband.

When the Zhao family forced Ying Luo’s predecessor to marry, she brought Zhao Ting home and told them they had already married. However, a few girls in the Meng family still had yet to marry.

If one married a woman who had lost her innocence, others would think the girls of the Meng family were immoral.

To protect the family’s reputation, the Meng family had no choice but to announce to the public that Meng Yao had gotten married. However, Zhao Ting was the one who had married into the Meng family.

During that time, the Meng family was angry at losing many betrothal gifts, so they separated Meng Yao from Zhao Ting.

Ying Luo’s spiteful predecessor named all her children with the Zhao surname. The Meng family’s marriage brought about loneliness.

Although they didn’t sever their relationship like Song Xiu’er did with her family, the Meng family didn’t contact each other for more than ten years even though they lived in the same village.

When Ying Luo’s predecessor married Zhao Ting, they were not very loving. Instead, they respected and treated each other as guests.

When Meng Yao got pregnant, Zhao Ting said they should raise money by starting a small business. He wanted to sell items to make a profit.

Meng Yao was good at embroidery, so she accumulated some silver with her skills. Meanwhile, Zhao Ting was a clever man, and his small business went smoothly.

The two did well back then and built the brick house themselves. Unfortunately, the good times did not last long. When Zhao Xiaoshu and Zhao Xiaohua turned four, Zhao ting did not return.

Later, someone reported that he had encountered robbers. Zhao Ting fell into a river when he tried to escape. The villagers searched for a few days but could not find his body. He was most likely dead. Otherwise, he would have returned long ago.

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The original Meng Yao fantasized about Zhao Ting returning. She refused to believe he was dead but finally gave up when she hadn’t heard any news of Zhao Ting’s survival.

After that, several people approached the Meng family to collect debts. At that time, the original Meng Yao was exhausted and sought help from her family. Unfortunately, the Meng family did not help the widow and her child.

She gritted her teeth and persevered by resuming her embroidery. Then she raised her children by selling the things she sewed. The original Meng Yao was not without redeeming qualities from that point of view.

However, Meng Yao’s love for Zhao Ting slowly transitioned to hate that would deepen whenever she encountered difficulties.

Ying Luo guessed that her predecessor’s hatred toward Zhao Ting had reached the extreme when she died. Fortunately, Zhao Ting was dead. Otherwise, Meng Yao wouldn’t have been able to hide him from the person she slept with then.

…

Mr. Niu stopped the oxcart at the town entrance. “You guys go quickly. I will still wait for you here.”

Zhao Dahe carried Zhao Xiaoshu and jogged, barely keeping up with Meng Yao.

Meng Yao followed her predecessor’s memories and headed straight for the Hundred Herb Hall, the best medical center in town.

Other than external injuries, Zhao Xiaoshu was in the same state as Song Xiu’er. He was malnourished due to long-term hunger.

Zhao Xiaoshu and Zhao Xiaohua were twins, and Zhao Xiaohua was toot. Even if there were two Zhao Xiaoshus tied together, they would not be as chubby as Zhao Xiaohua.

“Who is this child to you?” The doctor’s face turned ashen, and his face sank when he saw Zhao Xiaoshu.

Many hot-tempered parents beat their children, but he had never seen anyone beat them to this extent. Parents usually beat their children, but they should at least let them eat their fill.

The doctor touched Zhao Xiaoshu’s arms and knew he was eight to nine years old. But Zhao Xiaoshu looked like a six-year-old because he was small and thin.

“That’s my son,” Meng Yao said.

The doctor sized up Meng Yao, and his expression became even more unsightly. He wondered if the family could afford to eat. However, the woman before him looked well fed.

Meng Yao raised her hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, and when she opened her mouth again, she choked, “D-Doctor, please tell me what’s wrong with my son. There were too many people in the family, so I wanted to send him to the town’s carpenter shop to learn some skills to make a living in the future.”

“His mentor said he was not allowed to go home until he mastered carpentry. I’ve always thought of my son day and night, so much so that I can’t sleep sometimes. I even dreamt that my son had ended up in a graveyard, so I didn’t care what the carpenter said and rushed over.”

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“There was no one at the carpenter’s shop when I arrived, so I went to the graveyard. My son was unconscious when I found him. If I hadn’t gone there…” Meng Yao sniffled as she spoke, and the doctor’s expression changed. He knew that some mentors would mistreat their apprentices.

“There will always be evil people in this world. Don’t cry, Ma’am. Although your son is in terrible condition, he won’t die. Take him home so he can recover. Your son can always learn the craft when he’s stronger and more mature,” the doctor comforted Meng Yao.

“You’re right. I didn’t think this through properly. ” Meng Yao said guiltily.

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. It’s the fault of that black-hearted carpenter,” The doctor said indignantly. “The carpenter will pay for his crimes sooner or later. Please tell me which shop your son worked at.”

“It’s that one.”