Chapter 45: The Mastermind
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“What were you doing just now?”
At the old Shao family home, Fang stepped out of her room and happened to see Shao Jinniang closing the front door.
Shao Jinniang pointed to the wooden basin in her hand. “Pouring water.”
“Did you put on powder?” Fang caught the scent of rouge on her daughter.
Lowering her eyes, Shao Jinniang said, “No, my ears were freezing, so I applied some snow cream.”
Fang hummed in acknowledgment, then added, “I thought I heard you talking to someone just now.”
“I ran into Shao Fatty and said a few words,” Shao Jinniang replied.
Fang frowned. “What were you saying to her? She was even accusing you falsely tonight.”
Shao Jinniang said nothing.
Fang pondered, “Has she really gotten married? I notice Fatty Shao is different from before, much sharper now. Look at what she said to Mrs. Wan tonight—she’s clever, no longer clumsy with words... And I heard she’s started doing business in town.”
Shao Jinniang whispered, “What business could she be doing? Mom, don’t believe everything you hear.”
Fang insisted, “It’s true. Someone saw her heading to town with Er Danzi this morning, and they came back loaded with goods at noon. If she hadn’t earned money, where would she get silver to buy all that rice and meat? And lately, they haven’t been extorting money from the village.”
Shao Jinniang leaned the basin against the wall. “Isn’t there still the bride price the He family returned? That money is enough for them to squander for a while. Once it’s gone, they’ll go back to extorting people like before.”
Fang sighed, realizing her daughter had a point. “Ah, what a curse, why did our village have to get this family of troublemakers?”
—
At the Shao family, the three little ones stood under the porch, eagerly peering toward Wang Laizi’s house.
No matter how much Shao Er Dan coaxed, the children refused to go inside.
The sky darkened, and the snow fell heavily.
When Shao Diandian and Wei Ting returned home, they saw the three anxious little “snowmen” waiting.
Wei Ting’s iron heart suddenly softened.
These little ones hadn’t been raised in vain after all.
Just as he was about to move toward them, the three dashed over and simultaneously threw themselves at Shao Diandian.
Big Tiger and Second Tiger each grabbed one of her hands, while Little Tiger lagged behind a step. Unable to pull her clothes, he resorted to clinging onto her leg with both hands and feet—a tiny tiger-shaped leg ornament.
Wei Ting’s mouth twitched.
These little rascals...
Shao old master hadn’t returned yet, so Shao Diandian had the three children eat their dinner first.
She then went to the small east room to treat Wei Ting’s wounds.
By now, Wei Ting was used to her strange medicinal concoctions.
Once she began her medical work, she transformed into a different person—no longer irritable or frivolous, but serious and meticulous.
Straightening up and removing her gloves, Shao Diandian warned, “No stitches are needed, but your old wounds haven’t healed, and you’ve added new ones. Your left calf is swollen again. I don’t need to remind you to rest more, do I?”
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“Mm.” Wei Ting replied indifferently.
After a while, seeing she wasn’t leaving, he asked, “Anything else?”
As she packed up the iodine and cotton swabs, Shao Diandian casually said, “Well, that Shao Jinniang is the village beauty... though she’s just a tiny bit better looking than me. But I still have to give you a friendly reminder: you’re my official husband now, so don’t even think about cheating on me, or else I’ll be utterly humiliated.”
Wei Ting looked at this little plump peacock feigning pride and smiled, “Hmm, she is prettier than you.”
Shao Diandian threw a pillow at him!
Scoundrel!
His flustered expression genuinely amused Wei Ting.
Prettier? He hadn’t even looked!
In the main room, after finishing dinner, the three little ones slid off their chairs and looked innocently at Shao Er Dan, who was watching over them.
“Uncle, we miss Grandpa,” Big Tiger said.
Shao Er Dan replied, “My father will be back soon.”
“Grandpa.”
“Want Grandpa.”
“Grandpa.”
Shao Er Dan sighed, “It’s snowing so heavily, you can’t go. Your sister won’t let you out.”
“Grandpa.” The three were on the verge of tears.
Shao Er Dan surrendered, “Alright, alright, I’ll go call him back, okay?”
After Shao Er Dan left, the three little ones immediately grabbed their small pillows and went to Shao Diandian’s room.
She was tidying the first aid kit.
“Mom, Big Tiger is sleepy.”
“Second Tiger is sleepy too.”
“Little Axe... Little Axe... is the sleepiest!”
Hungry and sleepy—Little Axe always took the cake.
Shao Diandian chuckled, “If you’re sleepy, just go to sleep.”
Big Tiger pointed to Shao Kang’s room, “Grandpa’s not here.”
Second Tiger pointed to Er Danzi’s room, “Uncle’s not here either.”
“It’s so dark!” Little Tiger’s scared expression was exaggerated.
Everyone had gone out, and no one knew when they’d return.
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Shao Diandian rubbed her forehead and sighed, pulling back the covers. “Alright, all of you get in.”
The three little ones scrambled into bed, snuggling under the blankets contentedly and soon fell asleep.
About half an hour later, father and son returned, covered in wind and snow.
Shao Diandian hurried over, brushing snow off them. “Did you get any answers? What did Wang Laizi say?”
“The door was shut,” Shao old master instructed Shao Er Dan.
“Hey.” Shao Er Dan inserted the latch with nearly frozen fingers.
Shao old master warmed himself by the fire and recounted the matter with Wang Laizi.
“It was Zhang Dao’s doing.”
So all of this was Zhang Dao’s scheme.
After being beaten up by the Shao family’s three bullies, Zhang Dao harbored a grudge but lacked the courage to confront them directly. Once, he met Wang Laizi at the gambling den, who had come to gamble.
Wang Laizi had hardly any money and lost it all within minutes.
Zhang Dao lent him some silver, and in return, Wang Laizi agreed to do a favor for him.
At first, Wang Laizi didn’t dare offend the Shao family bullies. But since he owed Zhang Dao money, and Zhang Dao threatened to cut off one of his hands if he disobeyed, he had no choice.
Furthermore, Zhang Dao assured him that the Fifth Master in the prefectural city would protect them both—meaning even if they were exposed, the Shao family wouldn’t dare act against them.
According to the plan, Wang Laizi faked his death to escalate the situation, forcing the villagers to send Shao Fatty to the government office.
Zhang Dao had contacts at the office, which meant Shao Diandian would suffer terribly.
Even if Wang Laizi miraculously woke up days later, Shao Diandian would already have been tortured beyond recognition in prison.
It must be said, this was a truly vicious scheme!
If not for Shao Diandian and Wei Ting’s timely and clever intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
Shao old master and Shao Er Dan gave Wang Laizi a severe beating, leaving him barely alive, to leave his fate to heaven—after doing such a despicable thing, he didn’t deserve to live well!
As for Zhang Dao—
Shao Er Dan gritted his teeth, “I’m going to kill him tomorrow!”
“Why wait until tomorrow?” Shao Kang clenched his weapon angrily, taking Shao Er Dan with him, braving the snowstorm as they rushed to town overnight.
Daring to scheme against his daughter like this, even if it cost him his life, he would see that bastard dead today!
“Zhang, you come out here!”
Shao Kang kicked open Zhang Dao’s gate.
The courtyard was empty.
“Damn! He got away!”