CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 17: DOES SHE WANT TO POISON TINGFAN?

Song Tingfan shook his head quickly, "Sister-in-law, I don’t want it, you buy it."

"I have, your old shoes are too small and need replacing." Lin Qiao saw he wasn’t picky, so she picked according to his size, and after a while asked, "Boss, how much?"

"Thirty-two cents." The boss yawned and smirked, "Not cheap."

Song Tingfan heard it was so expensive, and quickly tugged on his sister-in-law’s sleeve, whispering urgently, "Sister-in-law, I don’t want it, it’s too expensive."

"Little Uncle, as long as it’s comfortable for you to wear."

Lin Qiao didn’t think thirty-two cents was expensive, but for her at the moment, it was quite pricey.

But could she not buy it for the villain?

Compared to Silver Coin, life is more important.

"Boss, wrap it up for me, and like last time, add some fabric."

The boss glanced at her, this widow has changed her ways? Wasn’t it said by the Second Sister that this widow often mistreated the little uncle? Doesn’t seem like it.

She smirked, swiftly wrapping the items, probably made some Silver Coin, and even gave her an outdated silk flower.

With the fabric purchases, it totaled forty cents.

The two had nothing else to buy, so they rushed back to the village.

After a day’s journey, they were both tired, ate some simple food and went to sleep.

Night fell, and the sound of frogs echoed from afar.

The boy on the bed turned back and forth, and after a while, got up quietly, taking out the new shoes from the cabinet, he touched them again and again, feeling as if something filled his heart.

He wanted to buy his sister-in-law a new pair of shoes.

Bright and colorful, the kind of embroidered shoes that look nice.

...

In the morning, a voice sounded at the Song Family’s door, "Tingfan, heading up the mountain to hunt."

Song Tingfan, who had just fetched water, walked out and responded, lips tilted up, joyfully saying, "Uncle, Cousin, I’ll be right there."

Then he quickly went into the house, took out his bow and arrow, and after glancing at the still-closed door next to him, hesitated for a moment, walked over and knocked, "Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law."

Lin Qiao, in her sleep, was startled awake by "Sister-in-law", instinctively remembering the villain after the transformation, her breath halted.

Soon consciousness returned, she sighed and looked towards the door, "Little Uncle, what’s wrong?"

"Sister-in-law, I’m going with Uncle and them to hunt in the mountains." Song Tingfan said.

Lin Qiao quickly got up, dressed in her outer clothes, opened the door and was greeted by the young boy, "Little Uncle, wait a moment."

After speaking, she hurriedly went into the kitchen and quickly brought out food and a bamboo tube for him.

"There are rice and potato pancakes left from last night, take them with you to eat on the way, if there’s more, share some with Uncle and Cousin."

Last night there was leftover food, and with this heat, it would probably have gone bad by the next morning, so she turned them all into pancakes.

"Hurry up and go, be careful, don’t get separated from Uncle and them."

Song Tingfan looked at her for a while, obediently took the items, but then thought of something, he said, "Sister-in-law, make sure to keep the door closed, don’t open it until I come back."

"Alright." Lin Qiao closed the door under his watch, then took a few pancakes to fill her stomach.

Here, Song Tingfan met up with Song An, he took out the pancakes and carefully shared them, "Uncle, Cousin, would you like some?"

Song Hao saw the colorful pancakes, sniffed them, they smelled good, and unceremoniously took a bite, "Delicious, Tingfan, where did you buy them?"

Seeing he liked them, Song Tingfan’s eyes showed more joy, he proudly said, "Sister-in-law made them."

Song An took a bite, hearing this he was a bit surprised, "She cooks for you now?"

Song Tingfan didn’t hesitate to nod, "Sister-in-law treats me well."

"Strange, has that wicked woman changed?" Song Hao had seen the miserable state of Song Tingfan after being beaten, so he didn’t quite believe Lin Qiao would be so kind as to cook.

Thinking of something, he suddenly spit out, and at the same time knocked the pancake out of Song Tingfan’s hand, "Could it be poisoned?"

Song An paused briefly and quickly spat it out too, though being an adult, he wasn’t as exaggerated as Song Hao.

Song Tingfan reacted, looking at the pancake covered in dirt, he was a little angry, "Cousin, no."

He bent down to pick it up, then blew on it and explained with pursed lips, "I ate them all last night, sister-in-law also ate them."

Song Hao awkwardly touched his nose, "Tingfan, I was just worried about you."

Song An reached out and slapped him, scolding, "You’re fifteen or sixteen, why are you still so rash? Poisoning, poisoned your brain."

Song Hao pouted, not daring to retort his father.

Clearly, he also spat it out quickly just now.

Then he put his arm around Song Tingfan’s shoulder, "Tingfan, don’t be mad, later cousin will catch birds for you to play with."

"I’ve grown up." Song Tingfan said seriously, but with his young face it was a bit amusing.

"Yes, yes, Tingfan has grown."

Song Hao reached for a pancake, now fearlessly eating it, after finishing he tore a leaf to clean his hands and added, "Tingfan, why has she suddenly become so good to you?"

Song An was also curious.

Song Tingfan put the remaining two pancakes into his arms before answering, "Sister-in-law said she was mentally unstable before, didn’t mean to hit me, the other day she said sorry, and..."

He paused for a moment and added, "And let me hit back."

"Huh?" Song Hao couldn’t believe it.

Song An was somewhat convinced, Lin Qiao married into the Song Family, her husband died, then her in-laws and father-in-law also died, anyone else might not have been able to withstand it.

Lin Qiao peacefully treating Song Tingfan well put him at ease, "Just live well."

"Tingfan, your sister-in-law isn’t having an easy time either, help out more with the housework if you can, if you can’t manage, come and call us."

Song Tingfan nodded earnestly.

...

After tidying up inside and out, Lin Qiao took ten cents of Copper Coin to the neighbor, knocked on the door, "Is anyone home?"

Mrs. Wang Zhou from the second house of Wang Family was chopping pigweed in the yard, heard the voice and paused, then looked towards the door, somewhat displeased, "What do you want?"

Lin Qiao pretended not to know, still smiling warmly, "Aunt Wang, I’d like to buy some vegetable seeds from you, I want to plant some vegetables."

"Vegetable seeds?" Mrs. Wang Zhou’s face softened significantly upon hearing it was to buy vegetable seeds, asked further, "What seeds?"

"Anything’s fine." Lin Qiao replied.

"Come in, I’ll go get some for you to see." Mrs. Wang Zhou went inside and brought out several types of seeds, scallions, garlic, mustard greens, turnips, peppers.

Lin Qiao wanted to buy some of each, "Aunt Wang, can I buy a little of each?"

"Sure, one tael per cent." Mrs. Wang Zhou eyed her a few times, thinking this Widow Song seemed like a different person.

"Then please weigh one tael of each for me, Aunt Wang." Lin Qiao handed her six cents, expressing gratitude several times.

Mrs. Wang Zhou wasn’t a rude person, with her words so courteous, there was no reason to refuse, she laughed and said, "What’s the trouble, I’ll measure them right away."

Leaving the Wang Family, Lin Qiao returned home, took a hoe and dug several spots by the yard, planted a few seeds to try.

She had only seen others plant before, didn’t have much experience herself.

Didn’t know how long she was fussing, the door suddenly opened, Song Tingfan came back carrying things, without seeing her he started calling, "Sister-in-law."

Probably thought she was embroidering indoors, directly ran inside, not seeing her, he panicked a bit, "Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!"

After going to the kitchen and not finding anyone.

Lin Qiao: "..."

She patted her muddy hands, "Little Uncle, I’m here."

Song Tingfan rushed over, excitedly saying, "Sister-in-law."

Lin Qiao naturally rubbed his head, smiling, "Little Uncle, can’t you see your sister-in-law?"

Song Tingfan was a bit shy, then timidly said, "Sister-in-law, I thought..."

You left.

Abandoned me.