The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

Zhou Duo’er had no idea that in just a few short days, she’d already thought about snatching Sun Jiaming away on two separate occasions. Nor did she realize how dangerous such thoughts were. When an idea takes root in someone’s mind, it can become an obsession, inevitably leading them down the wrong path. But she didn’t understand.

Zhou Gu’er, of course, had no idea what Zhou Duo’er was thinking. She had no interest in knowing, either. Her mind was entirely focused on one thing: how to make some money.

"Du’er, Du’er, what are you smiling about? You look so happy."

Li Hua had been about to turn and give the girls a few instructions when she noticed her youngest daughter smiling. It was a rather unsettling smile.

"Ah? Oh, it’s nothing, nothing at all."

Zhou Duo’er snapped back to reality. ’I must have gotten lost in my thoughts.’ She had been imagining the wonderful life awaiting her and couldn’t help but smile. Of course, she could never say it out loud. She couldn’t very well admit she wanted her big sister to marry Sun Jiaming, only so that she could steal her brother-in-law away when she was older. She’d drive her sister to hang herself. And if her sister had a child? She’d starve it to death. Only a child she bore would be a true son to Sun Jiaming.

’If I dared to say that out loud,’ she mused, ’Mom and that Zhou Gu’er would never forgive me. I heard that Zhou Gu’er even hits people now, and I don’t want to get beaten.’ But she couldn’t suppress the thrill bubbling inside her, and the corners of her mouth kept curling into a smile.

Li Hua didn’t give it much thought. She assumed her youngest was just excited about getting good food at her grandmother’s house, so she didn’t press the issue.

"We’re almost at your grandma’s house. If your aunt says something you don’t like, just keep quiet. We didn’t bring much of a gift, so let’s not make things unpleasant."

Li Hua still felt a knot of unease. It was her own father’s birthday, yet her husband hadn’t come with them, choosing to go out drinking instead. People would surely gossip if they knew. Still, she thought, it was probably for the best he didn’t come. If he had, she would have been the one to bear his temper.

But showing up with four children to feed... her sister-in-law was sure to give her a sour look. All she could do was tell her children to bear with it.

"We know."

Zhou Feng’er nodded, and Zhou Duo’er bobbed her head in agreement.

"Mom, why are you nagging? What’s there to be afraid of? If she dares to stop me from eating, I’ll just have Uncle beat her."

Zhou Cai’s face was a mask of impatience. ’In his mind, women were simple things. You smile at them when you’re happy, and you hit them when you’re not—just like his dad did with his mom.’

"Don’t talk such nonsense! This isn’t our home."

Li Hua shot her son a glare. ’How is he becoming more and more like his father?’ she thought despondently.

"Stop dawdling and hurry up! I’m starving. I want to go play with Li Tie and the others."

Zhou Cai’s face was etched with impatience. He had not an ounce of patience or respect for Li Hua.

Li Hua shook her head and could only hurry to catch up. She was used to being wronged, and though she hated seeing her children suffer along with her, she was powerless to change anything.

Zhou Gu’er saw everything with perfect clarity. She knew exactly what to expect at the Li Family home. She even remembered how much she had dreaded visiting them in her past life; she had always been the least welcome, the one who bore the brunt of their displeasure. But this time around, it didn’t matter. ’Every family has its kind and honest members,’ she thought, ’just as it has its fierce and cunning ones.’

’If you’re good to me, I’ll be good to you. If you’re not, we’ll simply see less of each other. It’s not like I plan on depending on anyone anyway.’

Once they reached Li Family Village, Li Hua would smile and greet everyone she met, and they all stopped to chat with her.

Some asked what she’d brought for her father’s birthday. Others asked why her husband hadn’t come along. The questions were endless, and though each one stung, Li Hua forced a smile and answered them all.

Gu’er’s heart ached for her adoptive mother. It only strengthened her resolve to build a good life for herself so she could take care of her in the future.

As they turned into the lane where the Li family lived, Gu’er spotted her maternal grandfather, Li Shan, squatting by the fence gate, smoking a long-stemmed pipe.

Li Shan wore a gray cloth shirt and black trousers. On his feet were black cloth shoes, but he wore them like slippers, with the heels crushed down under his feet.

Li Shan wasn’t tall and his skin was dark and weathered. Though only sixty, his face was a roadmap of wrinkles, making him look much older.

Her grandfather showed none of the festive cheer one might expect from someone celebrating a birthday in a later era, but in these times, such things weren’t a big deal.

"Dad, what are you doing out here? Why aren’t you inside?"

Li Hua hurried forward to ask.

"Grandpa."

Zhou Cai, Zhou Feng’er, and Zhou Duo’er also went up to greet him, while Gu’er hung back.

"Ah, you’re here. Go on inside. I’m just finishing my pipe."

Li Shan said. He didn’t smile at the sight of Li Hua, but a faint trace of one appeared when he saw Zhou Cai and the other children.

Gu’er knew her grandfather wasn’t particularly fond of her adoptive mother. ’But thinking about it, that makes sense,’ she reflected.

Li Hua exchanged a few more words with her father before leading the children into the courtyard.

The courtyard was full of people.

"Hua’er, you’re here! And Gu’er, Feng’er, Du’er, Cai Zi, you’re all here too! Quick, come let Grandma have a look at you. Where’s your father? Why didn’t he come?"

Gu’er’s grandmother, Zhou Ercao, was delighted to see her daughter and grandchildren, calling out to them eagerly.

"My dad went out drinking,"

Zhou Cai blurted out.

Li Hua’s face flushed with shame, but there was no way to take back her son’s words.

The people in the courtyard didn’t say much. They all knew what kind of man Zhou Mazi was. It was better that he didn’t come; his presence would only cause trouble.

"Hua’er, why don’t you take them and find a seat? We’ll just finish cleaning up here and then come inside to talk."

Gu’er’s eldest aunt, Bai Erni, seemed like a good person. She quickly smoothed over the awkward moment, urging them all to sit down and calling for her own daughter to bring over some stools and pour water.

Once they were settled, she took the basket from Li Hua. She glanced at its contents but didn’t say anything.

The gift Li Hua had brought was admittedly modest, but Bai Erni knew what her sister-in-law’s situation was like. The poor woman had a difficult life. Just showing up was a sign of her sincerity; it was good enough that she hadn’t come empty-handed. Bai Erni wasn’t one to be picky about such things.

"Don’t worry about us, Sister-in-law. Are you washing dishes? I’ll help."

Li Hua quickly rolled up her sleeves. You couldn’t just show up as a guest and not lift a finger to help.

Gu’er took a look around. A large plank had been set up in the yard as a makeshift countertop. On it were vegetables, meat, two fish, and a whole chicken.

It was such a lavish spread. Gu’er hadn’t expected it. It wasn’t her fault she was surprised, though. In her past life, she hadn’t come for the birthday. Li Hua had wanted to bring her, but Zhou Mazi had cursed them out and nearly hit her, so Gu’er had stayed behind. Zhou Mazi took the rest of *his* family instead. Gu’er remembered him coming home that night, cursing up a storm. Her adoptive mother’s eyes were red, clearly from crying. When Gu’er asked what had happened, no one would answer her. Her adoptive mother said nothing, so she never found out what had gone on that day.

Besides the food, there was also a large water vat in the yard and a big basin filled with plates and bowls.

There was no way the Li Family owned that many plates and bowls; some must have been borrowed from neighbors. They were all piled in the basin, clearly waiting to be washed.

’Since I’m here, I might as well help out,’ Gu’er thought. ’I can’t just let Grandma wait on us at her age.’ With that, she also rolled up her sleeves, ready to help wash the dishes.