Clutching the money wrapped in cloth, she turned and looked at the large, open gates of the courtyard house on the staircase. Liu Yuelian's heart was filled with an indescribable mix of emotions.
She had expected to have a big argument with Tian Jing this time.
She had even prepared herself to throw a tantrum, to make a scene, and force Tian Jing to pay for medical expenses.
To her surprise, as soon as she arrived, Tian Jing received her calmly.
She listened patiently as Liu Yuelian recounted the events.
And then she offered her a warning.
When Xiao Wei collapsed, she was truly panicked, as if a beautiful mirage before her eyes had suddenly shattered.
Now, her feet were finally on solid ground, but it was too late.
From the moment she believed Sun Liyang's words, that she was the true daughter swapped by trickery, her mind had been in turmoil.
She had sworn to thank her birth parents for allowing her to enjoy the care of the Liu family, and had declared with righteous indignation that the fake daughter must be driven away.
As it turned out, the fake daughter was the real one, and she, the true daughter, was merely the daughter of a fallen family.
She bowed deeply towards the gates of the courtyard house and turned to leave. She would never return in this lifetime.
Back in the provincial capital, she immediately deposited the money and called Ouyang Lei.
She calmly told Ouyang Lei about her current predicament.
Then, clutching her aching chest, she uttered words of ruthless severance:
"Send me a hundred thousand, no, two hundred thousand. I promise to never bother you again, nor to meet with you."
Having chosen Xiao Wei, she had already hurt Ouyang Lei and her son. She could not turn back now.
So she would continue down this path.
Years later, Tian Jing learned from Zeng Jingrong that Liu Yuelian had immigrated abroad using Xiao Wei's identity.
She lived with Xiao Wei, who was not fully self-sufficient, diligently working the land on a manor there.
She didn't even contest the assets of the Xiao family, quietly earning money and quietly taking care of Xiao Wei.
Tian Jing even sighed, saying that Xiao Wei was a blessed person.
She had been doted on by her father in the first half of her life, and was cared for by her own daughter in the second half.
She even personally visited her maternal grandfather's grave to reassure him.
This, however, is a story for another time.
Let us return to Kushan Mountain.
After Li Dani agreed to meet the disabled retired soldier,
Li Zhengguo arranged for her to meet him.
The man was twenty-nine years old, with normal legs and a missing right forearm. His name was Wei Xiaoyong.
He was the youngest among the forty retired soldiers working in Kushan Mountain.
His skin was tanned, his features were regular, and his posture was upright. If one didn't look at the empty sleeve, one wouldn't notice his disability at all.
Li Dani had not expected his disability to be so minor. She had deliberated for several days.
Li Dani agreed, and Wei Xiaoyong had no objections either.
The two began to date.
Slowly, many villagers learned of it. Some offered blessings, while others scoffed.
However, there were no gossips or rumors, which comforted Li Dani greatly.
As her paternal uncle's wife had said, the villagers had all been reformed by Uncle Zhengguo.
She was only twenty-one. There was no rush to date. The village now advocated for late marriage and late childbirth.
It was useless for Wei Xiaoyong to be anxious.
He was marrying into her family, and it was normal for the woman's side to observe him carefully.
They had been dating for about a year.
Li Dani noticed that her paternal grandparents had not voiced any objections, and she assumed they had tacitly agreed.
So she discussed with Wei Xiaoyong that they would get their marriage certificate and have a wedding banquet this winter.
Wei Xiaoyong was naturally willing. Li Dani was not talkative, but she managed the household affairs with perfect clarity.
After Li Aiguo was imprisoned, Li Dani realized she couldn't manage twenty greenhouses. She followed Village Chief Li's example and sublet fifteen greenhouses back to the village.
She knew that contracting them to outsiders would bring in more money.
But as a single woman, she didn't know if she would be bullied.
Furthermore, she lacked experience in dealing with people. It was simpler to sublet them to villagers.
After they started dating, during the spring plowing this year, Li Dani still managed five greenhouses.
And she told him that once he joined the Li family, he would be in charge of these matters.
Such a sensible and understanding girl, implying that she considered him the head of the household, deeply moved him as a man planning to marry into her family.
They were preparing to ask a matchmaker to set a date, but a complication arose with the matchmaker.
After Grandfather Xiao was buried, Li Dani said they would wait until after the forty-ninth day memorial.
She just needed to inform Matchmaker Captain Li first.
Captain Li told them it would be more appropriate to inform Grandpa Li and Grandma Li.
The two carried gifts carefully selected from the county town and visited them.
Accountant Li received them very calmly.
Hu Hongju, however, was incessantly critical, finding fault with Wei Xiaoyong for this and that.
Li Dani was very satisfied with Wei Xiaoyong. Not only did Wei Xiaoyong have an upright character that put her at ease,
but his care for her in their daily lives also deeply moved her.
She had never felt such warmth, even from her own parents. She felt it from Wei Xiaoyong.
This was what she desired: a shoulder to lean on and a support system.
Her grandmother, who had hardly cared for her and even added fuel to the fire when her father beat her, why should she pick fault with Wei Xiaoyong?
She was here to go through the motions, not to seek her opinion.
"This is the man I want to marry and bring honor to my family. What business is it of yours?"
"Coming to visit is showing you respect, and yet you're being picky?"
"What were you doing all this time? If you're not satisfied with this and not satisfied with that, why didn't you introduce someone to me?"
"You didn't care if I'd become an old maid, so why should I care about your feelings?"
"If Grandpa weren't still here, I wouldn't have come to inform you, no matter how big the matter."
After reprimanding her grandmother, Li Dani took Wei Xiaoyong's left hand and said, "Grandpa, we're leaving now."
Accountant Li smiled and nodded, "Good, good. Dani has grown up. Grandpa is happy."
Li Dani's eyes immediately welled up with tears. "Grandpa, I'll be fine. I'm not like my mother, and I won't be like her."
Accountant Li nodded, "Grandpa believes you. You are a descendant of my Li family. Live well with Xiaoyong. Xiaoyong is a responsible man. Your Uncle Zhengguo has excellent judgment."
Li Dani cried even harder.
She had also been implicated by her mother's reputation, but she was not as fortunate as Damai and Xiaomai.
Not only did Damai and Xiaomai have a good uncle, but they also had a responsible father.
Wei Xiaoyong put his missing arm around Li Dani and gently patted her back. "From now on, you have me."
He raised his hand and wiped away her tears with his sleeve. "Let's go back."
Li Dani nodded vigorously.
Watching the pair walk away, leaning on each other, Accountant Li nodded with satisfaction.
Turning around, he saw Hu Hongju pouting. He waved his hand and slapped her.
"Go back to your Hu family. You don't need to meddle in my Li family's affairs."
"You've led Aiguo to prison, and you still have the nerve to stay in my Li family?"
"Dani is giving you face, and that's only out of respect for me. You ungrateful wretch, get out!"
Hu Hongju covered her face, furious.
"Li Zhengguo and Tian Jing didn't have good intentions. They deliberately introduced a disabled person to Dani."
Accountant Li backhanded her again.
"You've been in my Li family for decades, alienated my eldest son, and sent my youngest son to prison."
"Now, no matter how much I hit you, you won't leave. What are your intentions?"
Hu Hongju, accustomed to being beaten, covered her face and went back to the kitchen.
If she provoked her husband again, he might actually send her back.
She was about to become a great-grandmother, and if she were sent back to her maiden home, her brothers would skin her alive.