Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

As soon as Tao'er finished speaking, the courtyard erupted in chaos.

"What?"

He sold his own granddaughter?

Is this something a human being would do?

"They sold him for just three or four taels of silver?"

What a terrible thing to do!

"No wonder Tao'er started hitting people as soon as she got back. If I were her, I would have hit her too!"

"That Wang woman is so heartless! Even tigers don't eat their cubs!"

The villagers pointed and whispered, their eyes filled with disdain as they looked at Wang.

The elderly people who had just tried to speak up for Wang were now silent, only shaking their heads and sighing.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Su'e swayed and her face turned deathly pale.

She staggered to Wang Shi, her voice trembling: "Mother... what did you say?"

Tao'er wasn't lost back then?

"Did you sell her?"

Liu Daniu was also dumbfounded, standing there stunned, his lips trembling as he couldn't utter a word.

When Wang realized that her act had been exposed, she simply stopped pretending and got up from the ground.

With his hands on his hips and his triangular eyes rolled, he said confidently, "So what if I sold it?"

I am her grandmother!

"She's just a girl, she'll get married sooner or later, and once she's married, she'll belong to another family. What's wrong with me selling her?"

"You..." Zhang Su'e clutched her chest, trembling with anger.

"What do you mean, 'me'?"

Wang got more and more excited as she spoke.

Did I spend those three taels of silver?

I'm only doing this for your own good, you big shots.

Who told him to be so incompetent!

You should be thanking me!

Besides, I sold her to a wealthy family to be a maid, so that she could live a good life, a hundred times better than staying at home eating chaff and wild vegetables!

I'm doing this for her own good!

Upon hearing this, Zhang Su'e felt dizzy and her vision went black; she fell backward.

"Mother!" Tao'er reacted quickly and helped Zhang Su'e up, and Qingge also rushed forward to help.

"Quickly, carry him inside!"

Tao'er's voice deepened as she helped him up while taking out a water bag from her sleeve, which contained water mixed with spiritual spring water.

She unscrewed the cap and carefully fed it to Zhang Su'e.

Zhang Su'e's face was deathly pale, and her jaw was clenched.

Tao'er gently pinched her philtrum and fed her a few more mouthfuls of spiritual spring water.

She slowly regained consciousness, tears streaming down her face: "Tao'er...it's all my fault..."

"It's because your mother is incompetent; she can't even protect her own daughter..."

"Mother, stop talking."

Tao'er held her hand, her eyes reddening, but her voice remained steady, "It's not your fault."

Liu Daniu stood there, as if all his strength had been drained away.

He looked at his mother, then at his wife lying on the ground, then at Tao'er. His lips trembled for a long time before he finally spoke: "Mother... how could you... Tao'er is your own granddaughter..."

You just watched as Su'e and I searched for Tao'er for so many years without saying a word?

How could you be so heartless?

"What happened to your granddaughter?"

Wang spat.

"You money-losing good-for-nothing!"

So what if it's sold? It's not like the sky is falling!

What do you mean by me being heartless?

There are so many people in the family eating.

Where is it free?

"I gave birth to you, I'd sell you..."

Liu Daniu's body went limp, and he squatted on the ground, burying his head in his hands and sobbing quietly.

Liu Sanniu's eyes darted around, and he stepped forward, feigning concern as he advised, "Brother, don't blame Mother. She had no choice back then; the family was just too poor."

Besides, my niece Tao'er came back safe and sound, and she's not missing a single piece of flesh.

We're family, what can't we overcome?

Even if you break a bone, the tendons still connect it!

So many years have passed!

Tao'er gave him a cold look: "Third Uncle certainly knows how to talk."

"In that case, how about letting my younger sister go to a wealthy family to work as a maid and experience a good life?"

Liu Jiaojiao covered her face, shrinking back in fright, and shrieked, "I'm not going!"

Don't you dare hurt me!

Liu Sanniu's smile froze, and he coughed twice: "This...this can't be the same..."

Even if he agrees, his mother will not.

Liu Jiaojiao was more favored than him.

"Why is it different?"

Tao'er stood up, her gaze sweeping over the faces of Wang Shi, Liu San Niu, and Liu Jiao Jiao, before finally settling on Liu Daniu and Zhang Su'e.

She noticed that Zhang Su'e's complexion was better than before, but she was still pale and looked extremely weak.

My mother must have suffered a lot over the years, and her health has long been deteriorated.

Now is not the time to get entangled with these people; we need to settle my mother first.

Tao'er took a deep breath and said to Qingge, "Qingge, carry my mother inside; it's windy outside."

"Yes, young lady."

Without saying a word, Qingge bent down and gently picked up Zhang Su'e, carrying her into the house.

Zhang Su'e was about to say something when Tao'er pressed her hand down: "Mother, you rest first, I'll take care of things here."

Liu Daniu hurriedly stood up, wanting to follow him inside, but Tao'er glanced at him and said, "Father, you come in too."

She turned to Ayan and Huanhuan and said, "Ayan, take your younger sister inside with her older sister first."

Ayan nodded obediently, took Huanhuan's little hand, and followed behind Qingge.

Huanhuan glanced timidly at Wang Shi and whispered, "Sister, that old woman is so scary."

"Don't be afraid, your older sister is here." Tao'er patted her head.

When Wang saw that Tao'er was about to leave, she thought that Tao'er was scared, so she immediately perked up and shouted at the top of her lungs, "What's wrong?"

You think you can just run away when you can't win an argument?

You little brat, you hit Grandma and you think you can just let it go like this?

You wait, I'll have Xiao Si sue you!

"I'll put you in jail!"

Tao'er paused, turned around, and said coldly, "Wang, I haven't settled the score with you for selling your granddaughter yet."

"Once I've settled my mother in, we'll settle things one by one, slowly."

That look sent a chill down Wang's spine for no reason, and she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Tao'er went inside and closed the door behind her, shutting out the noise from outside.

The room was dimly lit. Zhang Su'e lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), her complexion still pale, her lips white, and her eyes sunken.

Tao'er reached out and felt her pulse, her brows furrowing slightly.

Her mother's health was depleted more severely than she had imagined.

He suffered from chronic hunger, longing, and insomnia, and also had to endure Wang's mistreatment, all of which caused varying degrees of damage to his internal organs.

If she hadn't come back, and things had dragged on for another year or two, something terrible might have happened.

"Dad, go fetch a basin of hot water."

Tao'er said without looking up.

Liu Daniu quickly went out and soon returned with a basin of hot water.

Then, looking helplessly at his wife and daughter, he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, but ultimately said nothing.

Tao'er then took out a water bag from her sleeve.

She always carried this water bag close to her body, and the spiritual spring water inside was something she had specially stored.

She fed Zhang Su'e a few more sips. After drinking it, Zhang Su'e felt a warm current sweep over her whole body, making her feel indescribably comfortable. Her complexion also visibly improved.

"Peach... what kind of water is this?"

Mother felt much better after drinking it.

Zhang Su'e asked weakly.

"This is spring water; it's good for your health."

Tao'er didn't say much, but tucked the blanket around Zhang Su'e. "Mother, you should get some sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

Zhang Su'e was indeed extremely tired, her eyelids were so heavy she could hardly lift them, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

She didn't know that Tao'er had pressed her sleep acupoint.

Tao'er straightened up and glanced at Liu Daniu: "Father, tell me the truth, what kind of life has my mother been living in the Liu family all these years?"

Liu Daniu lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong, and stammered, "Your mother... she had a hard time..."

"Not easy?"

Tao'er's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear: "How many times was she beaten and scolded by Wang Shi?"

How many meals did you go hungry?

How much work did you do?

Father, you saw it all. Did you protect her?

Liu Daniu's tears fell again. He squatted on the ground, covering his face with his hands: "It's because your father is incompetent..."

"It's because Dad is a coward..."

Tao'er remained silent for a moment, then did not press the matter further.

She could tell that this father wasn't heartless towards his mother; he was truly crushed by her.

Having lived under someone like Wang for so many years, one's courage has long been worn down.

But now that she's back, things are different.

Tao'er turned around and walked to the door, pushing it open a crack to peek outside.

In the courtyard, the villagers were still gossiping. Wang was surrounded by several old women, talking animatedly, probably trying to make amends for herself.

Liu Sanniu stood by, trying to smooth things over with a smile, while Liu Jiaojiao grumbled and cursed, making veiled accusations.

Tao'er closed the door, went back into the room, sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and had already made up her mind.

This one must be divided.

If they don't separate, this family will never have a good life.