CHAPTER 21: CHAPTER 21: THE WIDOWED SISTER-IN-LAW PREPARES TO MEET A MAN AT NIGHT

Mrs. Wang Zhou was washing a cloth as she comforted, "Madam Tingfan, don’t be sad, life goes on."

"Tingfan is a sensible child. Once you’ve raised him, he will appreciate your efforts."

Lin Qiao sought kindness from the antagonist but spoke with "selfless dedication," "I don’t seek my little brother-in-law’s gratitude. I just hope to raise him well, let him start a family and career, and give an account to my husband and in-laws."

Others disagreed, responding, "Madam Tingfan, don’t think like that. Tingfan should take care of you."

"Exactly, raising him makes you like a second mother to him."

"It’s only natural for a son to care for his mother."

...

Tie Dan returned to the tree but didn’t see Song Tingfan, so he ran to the Song Family’s door and shouted, "Tingfan?"

Song Tingfan was busy roasting bird eggs, and upon hearing the call, he quickly buried the eggs.

He intended to save them all for his sister-in-law.

He walked out, "What’s up?"

"Did you get the bird eggs?"

Before he could reply, Tie Dan sniffed, eyes lighting up, and said, "Roasted bird eggs."

"Tingfan, I want some."

Their snacks were always foraged from the wild by themselves.

Song Tingfan: "..."

He pursed his lips, "I’ll let you have one."

Don’t call my sister-in-law anymore.

Tie Dan nodded, waiting with him by the stove. A quarter of an hour later, the roasted eggs were ready.

The roasted eggs smelled delicious, their browned shells emanating an aroma.

Song Tingfan picked the smallest egg and gave it to Tie Dan. Tie Dan took it, grimaced from the heat, but quickly peeled it and popped it in his mouth munching, "Delicious..."

"Tingfan, give me one more."

"No," Song Tingfan refused without hesitation.

Tie Dan stared at the roasted eggs, swallowed, and pleaded, "Tingfan, just one more, just one more."

Seeing that Song Tingfan wouldn’t relent, he added, "Give me one more, and I won’t call her sister-in-law anymore."

"I’ll call her... I’ll call her an ugly duckling."

Instantly, a teenage voice protested from the kitchen, "No way, my sister-in-law is the prettiest."

"Sister-in-law is the prettiest, the prettiest. Tingfan, please give me another bird egg."

"You can’t call her sister-in-law, she’s my sister-in-law."

"Yours, yours. Tingfan, give me another bird egg."

Hearing "yours," Song Tingfan’s stern and handsome face softened a bit. He handed over another egg firmly, "No more."

Tie Dan wasn’t greedy. Happily nodding, he didn’t eat it, "I’ll take it back for my sister."

"Tingfan, I’ll come back to find you for more eggs tomorrow."

He had just walked out when he met Lin Qiao coming home. He wanted to greet her but remembered his promise to Song Tingfan and ran away quickly.

Lin Qiao found it a bit strange but didn’t think much of it.

She walked toward the kitchen, "Little uncle, are the eggs ready?"

Hearing her voice, Song Tingfan turned happily to see the pretty face of the woman, "Sister-in-law, they’re ready."

He quickly handed her a bowl, "Sister-in-law, eat. Then awkwardly pulled back quickly, "Hot, I’ll peel them for you."

Lin Qiao was about to say no, Song Tingfan already started peeling, soon done, but with dust-laden hands, the egg was a bit dirty.

He awkwardly looked for something to clean it but wasn’t sure what to use. Suddenly a hand took it directly, and he saw his sister-in-law eat it, "Sister-in-law, it’s dirty."

Lin Qiao found that the roasted egg was delicious, "Not dirty, little uncle, roasted eggs are delicious."

Seeing that she liked it, Song Tingfan’s eyes gleamed brightly with joy, "Sister-in-law, you can have them all."

"I’ll go pick more tomorrow. There are plenty on the back mountain." With that, he handed the whole bowl to her.

"Don’t go to the back mountain, it’s dangerous."

Lin Qiao reminded, like an elder, taking an egg, peeling it, and handing it to him, "Little uncle, you eat one too."

Song Tingfan was taken aback, his ears turned slightly red. He ate it, but didn’t dare to look at his sister-in-law.

"Sis... Sister-in-law, I’m going to check the seedlings."

Lin Qiao naturally noticed his reaction, thinking the antagonist was really pure, getting embarrassed by his sister-in-law peeling an egg.

As for other things, she hadn’t thought deeply at all.

After all, she was like a reborn "mother" to the antagonist.

...

After lunch, Lin Qiao stayed home doing embroidery work, nearly finishing the fabric bought last time. Once the herbs in the yard dried, she could sell them in town.

This time, it should be one hundred cents.

At dusk, Lin Qiao put down her embroidery to call Song Tingfan for dinner. Not finding him outside, she went to his room, "Little uncle, it’s time to eat."

Inside, Song Tingfan hastily pulled a blanket over to hide something, "Sister-in-law, coming."

Lin Qiao naturally saw this, glanced at his covered spot, and quickly looked away, pretending not to notice.

But she wondered what the antagonist was hiding?

Song Tingfan peeked at his sister-in-law a few times. Seeing she didn’t ask anything, he sighed in relief, thinking she hadn’t seen.

The dinner wasn’t as good as lunch, mostly leftovers, with less quantity. Lin Qiao barely started eating before the dishes were gone.

Fortunately, she had eaten a lot for lunch and wasn’t too hungry.

By the time everyone left, the crescent moon had risen, hanging high in the night sky.

Just as Lin Qiao and Song Tingfan stepped into their house, someone came calling Lin Qiao.

"Qiao’er"

A low man’s voice came through the door crevice.

Qiao’er?

Lin Qiao was momentarily confused until she realized someone was calling her. She instinctively glanced at Song Tingfan but couldn’t make out his expression.

She replied, "Who?"

"It’s me." A voice came again from outside.

Lin Qiao recognized Zhang Dong’s voice, puzzled as to why he’d look for her at night.

Surely it wasn’t for a rendezvous.

Indeed, the next second, he said, "I’ll wait for you at the usual place."

Lin Qiao: "..."

What kind of bizarre plot was this, sister-in-law planning a nightly tryst in front of the nephew?

No way!

The plot can’t go like this.

She improvised, "Little uncle, don’t be afraid, tomorrow I’ll ask the village chief to ensure no one bothers us again."

Her voice trembled slightly, as if feigning courage without fear.

She added, "Despicable people, always bullying us uncle and sister-in-law, if this continues, I’ll fight them with a knife."

Song Tingfan, biting his lower lip, relaxed slightly, looking her way without a word.

Not getting a response from the antagonist, Lin Qiao felt anxious, worried he knew some secrets?

If so, she’d want to curse her past self.

"I’ll find a piece of wood to bar the door."

She hastily found and placed wood against the door, securing it further with another piece.

Watching her hustle, Song Tingfan felt conflicted, had he misunderstood her?

Clearly...

Thinking about her recent kindness, he shook off bad thoughts, "Sister-in-law, don’t worry, I’ll protect you."

Finally receiving a response, Lin Qiao sighed in relief, tender yet firm, "Little uncle, I’m not afraid with you around."