Chapter 2

Sun Ke had also been beaten.

However, after only two hits, her mother stepped in and protected her.

Still, these two strikes were enough to cause long-lasting pain

Even at such a young age, she remembered it all.

Han Qiao was beaten often, but she never made a sound. Sun Xiu and Sun Yi knew she was in a lot of pain. They would fight over all the menial, heavy, and tiring work in the family, but Sun Ke was too young to understand.

“Dear Ke…” Sun Yi cautioned her sternly.

She looked at Sun Ke with crimson eyes, swelling with hatred.

Her second sister had scared Sun Ke, so she hid in Han Qiao’s arms, not daring to make a sound.

Han Qiao hugged Sun Ke.

She looked at Sun Yi and saw her suppressed anger, hatred, and helplessness.

Sun Yi could not endure it as much as Sun Xiu, nor was she as good at hiding it.

“Yi, I promise you, this is the last time your father will hit me.”

Sun Yi looked at Han Qiao, doubt flashing across her eyes. After a while, she said, “If he strikes you again in the future, you can call us, but don’t go to the family.”

“Mother, no matter what happens, we will support you. Even if you have to beg for food, we are willing to do it with you.” After Sun Yi said that, she ran out crying.

Raising her head, Sun Ke added gravely, “Mother, I’m also willing to follow you. Wherever you go, I go. As long as there isn’t a father who beats us, then it doesn’t matter where.”

Han Qiao hugged Sun Ke.

Who said that she’s too young to understand?.

The children of the poor took charge of the house early on, especially with a father like theirs. The two elder sisters were always giving orders, so how could Sun Ke not understand anything?

The only thing was that Han Qiao hid her pain and lied to her.

Sun Xiu took the money and carried the basket to the steamed bun shop at the corner of the street to buy steamed buns. She ran very fast.

She almost bumped into Heng Yi, carrying his prey and eating steamed buns in his hands.

“Sorry, Uncle Heng.” Sun Xiu hurried to apologize.

“It’s fine.” Heng Yi was never good with words.

He looked at the skinny Sun Xiu and moved over slightly.

Sun Xiu quickly glanced at Heng Yi’s hand.

A few big white buns were wrapped in banana leaves and letting off an alluring fragrance. It was so tempting that it made their stomachs roll over. They could not help but swallow their saliva.

However, she recognized a few words. She knew that even being poor, one had to have a backbone. Even if one was poor, one had to be able to stand up straight.

“Fifth Uncle Heng, I’m a bit busy today. I’ll be leaving first.” Sun Xiu said, then she lifted her foot and ran.

Heng Yi didn’t move and stuffed the buns into his mouth.

He looked at Sun Xiu’s frail back as she sprinted while holding the basket.

His cheeks bulged as he swallowed the bun.

The Sun family…

They lived in the house next door to him. He knew what was going on there. However, he was in a bad situation himself and couldn’t interfere. There was nothing he could do to help.

Gossip is a frightening thing.

If others were to rope him in with Mrs. Han, they might want to take her life.

He turned around and was about to leave when the tip of his foot kicked an old purse.

Heng Yi bent down and picked it up. He turned his head to look at Sun Xiu, but she was long gone. Frowning shallowly, he chased after her.

He opened his mouth and bit into a meat bun. He ate it in two bites.

Sun Xiu stood in front of the shop that sold steam buns and mantou. He took a deep breath and swallowed his anxiety. He calmed his violent heartbeat before he went in and said, “Shopkeeper, I want ten mantou.”

This year, steamed buns cost one cash coin each, and steamed buns cost two cash coins. In the Sun household, only Sun Yiming ate a full meal with fish and meat.

The days Han Qiao and her daughters had meat were very few. Of all the days of the year, you could count them with one hand.

As for big, white steamed buns like these, Han Qiao would only make them once a year, on New Year’s Eve.

The shopkeeper took the bamboo basket and put the steamed buns inside.

Sun Xiu was about to grab her purse.

“…”

Where was her purse?

She clearly remembered putting it in her pocket. How could it be gone?

Sun Xiu’s eyes reddened with anxiety.

“Your total is ten coins.”

The shopkeeper’s words sounded like deadly curses to Sun Xiu.

Her entire body trembled. She almost fainted.

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Then a familiar purse appeared in front of her eyes. She quickly grabbed it and opened it with trembling hands. She poured out the money and counted it. Ten coins, no more, no less.

She sighed, as though drained of all her strength.

Drenched in sweat, she looked at Heng Yi. She opened her mouth a few times before finding her voice. Still shaking, she thanked him, “Thank you, fifth Uncle Heng.”

“Yep.”

Heng Yi answered brusquely and turned to leave.

Sun Xiu did not dare to delay. She quickly paid, took the bamboo basket, and rushed home with the mantou.

She raised her eyes and looked ahead. Heng Yi’s figure had long disappeared.

“…”

Sun Xiu bit her lips and forgot her panic.

The houses of the Hengs and Suns were separated by a wall.

If the Suns wanted to know what was happening in the Heng house, it wasn’t hard to find out. And the same was true for the Hengs.

That Sun Yiming was beating his wife and children was no secret. Only, Han Qiao would not make a fuss about it, nor would anyone from her family, the Hans, come to her aid. The neighbors understood what was going on and secretly discussed doing something about it, however, none of them wanted to meddle in other people’s business.

In addition, Han Qiao made paper dolls for coffin displays. The neighbors thought she was an unlucky person, so no one was willing to interact with her, let alone giving her advice.

In the Heng family, Granny Heng doted on her sons. It was not a secret that she used Heng Yi as a beast of burden. Granny Heng, however, was a shrewd lady. Who dared to say that she was doting on them? She could even go around saying she bossed her son around. Those who would want you to meddle in other people’s lives could not find any fault with her.

Moreover, Heng Yi was like a mute donkey. He always kept to himself and never dared to fight back. He didn’t get along well with others, and the neighbors, not wanting to interfere, wouldn’t do anything on his behalf.

No one wanted to provoke a shrew like Granny Heng and cause turmoil in the family.

When Heng Yi returned home, the main door was closed again. The smell of meat could be faintly made out.

He raised his hand and knocked on the door.

“Knock Knock Knock.”

“Coming, coming, you’re knocking me to death, aren’t you.” Granny Heng wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen.

The little grandson hurriedly asked, “Grandma, is the meat cooked?”

“Shut up, who said you could speak.” Granny Heng glared at her little grandson while heading toward the main door.

When she opened the door and saw that it was Heng Yi, a wrinkly smile appeared on her face. Her eyes scanned the burden he was carrying.

On one end of the load were hunting knives, bows, and arrows. On the other end were three pheasants and two hares.

Gone…

Like that, the wrinkly smile vanished, and her eyelids drooped. With a sullen face, she asked, “Why have you come back with so little prey today?”

How much were pheasants and hares worth?

“Didn’t you find any wild boars and deer?” asked Granny Heng.

He quickly took down the pheasants and hares.

“Yeah,” Heng Yi said flatly.

Hunting tools in hand, he returned to his room.

Granny Heng looked at his back. Her mouth opened and closed quickly.

He carried the pheasants and hares to the main room and asked his old man to send the prey to the restaurant.

He didn’t even ask Heng Yi if he was hungry, nor did he boil hot water to wash him after a long day of hard work.

Heng Yi did not mind, though. He fetched some well water and brought it to the bathroom to wash himself. He changed into clean clothes and washed his dirty clothes, then hung them out to dry.

He was about to leave when Granny Heng shouted, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m taking some goods to Officer Lin’s house.”

When Granny Heng heard that he was going off to earn some money, her face lit up. “Go, go quickly.”

Heng Yi, without a word, set out.

Meanwhile at the Sun house, Sun Xiu pushed open the courtyard door and leaned her back against it, almost collapsing.

“Big Sister?” Sun Yi sprang forward to help her up.

“What’s wrong?” Sun Yi asked worriedly.

“Nothing.” Sun Xiu just shook her head.

She refused to vent the fear that lingered in her heart.

“Now that you’ve got the mantou, take them to Mother.”

Sun Yi suppressed her doubts and nodded. She whispered to Sun Xiu, “I feel like there is something different about Mother.”

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Sun Xiu froze.

As the saying goes, a mother is strong. She always knew that one day Mother would stand up for herself and for them.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Sun Xiu asked back.

Sun Yi was a little stunned, but she nodded. “Yes, it is indeed.”

The day they had all been waiting for, was this it?