Abandoning Wife and Selling Daughter? Turning Around to Marry a Powerful Minister and Wiping Out Your Entire Clan! - Chapter 8

The room was filled with the scent of burning mugwort, and wisps of smoke curled in the air.

The person lying on the bed was still in a deep sleep. The slow rise and fall of her chest showed that she was alive, while the sweat on her temples told of the pain she had endured during treatment.

Zhang Xiaolan was still wrapped in silk cloth, tied to the bed. She looked both pitiful and heartbreaking.

“Mother…”

Tao Shi saw that it was her son who had entered and pulled him aside. “Son, you don’t need to worry. The doctor already said that the treatment was very successful. Xiaolan’s endurance really impressed him. You should go to work as usual. Aunt Tao and Aunt Xiuying will come to help me. It’s not convenient for you to stay here.”

Tao Yi Ming pulled at the corner of his mouth. “Yes, I understand.”

He took a deep look at the person on the bed before leaving.

Before heading to work, he made sure to prepare enough food and necessities for the house. He placed them in different spots and showed the two aunts where everything was before reluctantly leaving.

As autumn arrived, the temperature gradually dropped, which was better for Zhang Xiaolan’s wound healing.

She lay in bed every day, drifting between dreams and reality. Her mind was hazy—sometimes she saw Nanny, sometimes Zhou Quan, sometimes Xiang Ning, and sometimes her parents.

Dreams and illusions blurred together, making it hard to tell what was real.

Finally, she opened her eyes. The silk bindings around her body were gone, and the intense pain in her legs was no longer there. Her legs were still fixed in place, but her whole body felt much lighter.

She was no longer in the treatment room but back in her own bedroom—familiar yet strange. The mugwort smoke curled up from the corners, and Tao Shi was sleeping on a temporary bed nearby. Outside, two women were talking.

Listening carefully, she could also hear birds chirping and chickens and ducks making noise.

She recognized the voices of the two women. The softer one was Aunt Tao, while the louder one was Aunt Xiuying. They were old neighbors of Tao Shi.

She instinctively tried to sit up and was surprised to find that she could.

But after lying in bed for so many days, her body was too weak. She lost her strength and fell back down.

The sound of her fall startled the two aunts outside, who rushed in immediately.

“Xiaolan, what happened? Are you okay?” Their faces were filled with concern. They wanted to check if she was hurt but hesitated, realizing she wasn’t their child. They awkwardly wiped their hands on their clothes.

“Aunts, I’m fine. I just tried to sit up but didn’t do it properly and fell back down.” Zhang Xiaolan smiled, finding them simple and kindhearted.

“Your godmother went to buy groceries. She’ll be back soon.”

“The doctor came yesterday to check on you. Most of your burns have healed, but your broken leg will take longer to recover.”

“Don’t worry about the scars on your legs. If they fade, great. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter. We women don’t rely on looks to survive. If a man dislikes them, just kick him aside!”

“That’s right! But tell me, do you plan to remarry after your divorce? I have a nephew—strong and manly…”

“What’s so great about your nephew? My nephew is a true gentleman and a perfect husband candidate…”

Zhang Xiaolan watched as the two aunts got more and more carried away, her eyes curving into a smile. Two small dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth.

How wonderful. This was what a simple, peaceful life should be like. So much better than a world filled with scheming and deception.

“I’m back! What are we eating for lunch today?” Tao Shi’s voice came from outside.

The two aunts froze and immediately jumped up.

“Oh no! I was in the middle of cooking!”

“Ah! I was washing clothes!”

They rushed out in a panic, and Aunt Xiuying almost tripped over the doorstep.

Zhang Xiaolan’s smile grew even wider.

Tao Shi had a habit of checking on Zhang Xiaolan when she returned home.

When she entered the room and saw Zhang Xiaolan awake, smiling, she was overjoyed.

“Aunt Tao, cut some meat later. Let’s have a good meal tonight to celebrate!”

She was beaming with happiness. Seeing Zhang Xiaolan trying to sit up, she quickly helped her up.

“You’re much better now. I can finally relax.”

That night, the family gathered for a lively meal, raising their cups in celebration.

After the feast, when everyone had gone to bed, Zhang Xiaolan was still smiling as she lay down.

Zhou Xiang Ning hid in the forest. The night was deep, and dark shadows swayed all around. The rustling sounds of movement filled the air.

She wasn’t sure if she had escaped those people. She could only stay completely still, not daring to move or make a sound.

“That little girl sure runs fast! I’ve been looking for her for so long and still haven’t found her. Just wait till I catch her—I’ll tear her apart!” A voice came from the bushes nearby. Zhou Xiang Ning held her breath.

The man kept complaining and even stopped walking!

Zhou Xiang Ning didn’t dare to breathe too loudly. In the silent night, even the smallest sound was noticeable.

“Brother, why do we have to send that girl up north in such a hurry? She’s quite a beauty. If we took her south and trained her for a couple of years, she could become a top performer.” Another man chuckled. “Maybe we could even have a taste ourselves.”

“Shut up!” The other man, clearly the leader, snapped. “Whoever pays more, gets her. Why do you care so much? Just hurry up and find her. If we lose this one, you’ll cover the loss!”

The two continued searching, using sticks to sweep through the underbrush.

“Ah!” The man who had been laughing suddenly screamed, nearly making Zhou Xiang Ning scream as well.

“Keep it down!” The leader sounded nervous. “What happened?”

The man grabbed his hand in fear. “Something bit me!”

The leader reached down and was bitten too. He gritted his teeth, grabbed the snake by its neck, and threw it far away.

“What should we do, Brother?” The man’s breathing was rough, his voice trembling. “Are we going to die here?”

“Shut up!” The leader was annoyed but still comforted his companion. “Let’s go back! No more searching! There’s medicine on the cart—take it first!”

They supported each other and limped away, their voices fading into the distance.

Zhou Xiang Ning remained cautious. Sure enough, after a while, the two men returned to check the area. Only after confirming that no one was there did they finally leave.

When everything fell silent, something wrapped around Zhou Xiang Ning’s hand.

“Thank you, Little White.” She gently stroked the snake on her arm, feeling deeply grateful.

Little White had gone out and bitten them on purpose to scare them. But unfortunately, the leader recognized the snake and played along, tricking his companion into thinking it was poisonous.

Zhou Xiang Ning knew the snake was harmless, so she had waited patiently.

Sure enough, the men had come back to check.

Now that they were truly gone, she finally relaxed. At least she no longer had to worry about being sold.

Zhou Xiang Ning sat on the ground, hugging her knees, burying her face in them.

“Mother, Xiang Ning misses you. Where are you?”

“Mother is here.”

Zhang Xiaolan watched as her terrified daughter cried, desperately wanting to hold her.

She suddenly opened her eyes. Above her was the newly replaced bed canopy. She was still in her own room.

There was no sign of her daughter.

Her heart was still pounding, and she felt lost.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Someone was pounding on the door.

Something had happened!