After the family split up, my stepmother and scumbag father begged me to come home.

Wang Hehua saw it clearly and quickly threw away the cassava in her hand, rubbing it on her trouser leg.

The onlookers outside the courtyard began to whisper among themselves.

"It really is a poisonous potato..." "They were probably starving, they'd scoop up anything and bring it home." "Poor thing..."

Grandma Lin's face darkened further. She couldn't let the word "pitiful" be associated with her—what would that make her, as a grandmother?

She stood up, supporting herself on Wang Hehua's arm, her voice still trembling, but she was already trying to get back at Wang Hehua: "That brat, digging up poisonous potatoes to eat, is she crazy? I only came to check on her because I was worried about her!"

That was such a strong statement that even she herself didn't believe it.

Lin Qianqian stood still, the knife hanging down, tip pointing downwards. She didn't speak. This scene no longer required her to speak.

Lin Yulong peeked out from behind her, revealing bird eggs and honey that he had secretly hidden when Lin Xiaohua called for the "basket".

Upon seeing this, Lin Qianqian immediately burst into tears, "They're not letting us live! They're trying to force my brother and me to our deaths! We've run out of food, and we went up the mountain this morning to find something to eat, and they're trying to steal it from us! This is outrageous!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Qianqian, that's a poisonous potato! You can't eat it, it'll kill you!"

The discussion immediately erupted.

"Yes, you can't eat those poisonous potatoes!"

"What kind of desperation has this child been subjected to? He's even digging up and eating poisonous potatoes."

"That's right, Grandma Lin even said they dug up something valuable. Who would eat this if they had money? No, even if you don't have money, you can't eat it!"

Grandma Lin's face turned pale and then flushed. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but the gazes of the onlookers were like needles piercing her—not at Lin Qianqian, but at her.

"What's all the noise about?"

"The village chief is here."

Ding Xiaohu, panting heavily, squeezed through the crowd, followed by the village chief.

The village chief glanced at the cassava on the ground, then at Old Mrs. Lin, his brows furrowing deeply: "You've already divided the family property, what are you still making a fuss about? Go back now."

"Village chief, she also has the surname Lin after the family split up..." Old Mrs. Lin's voice had lost its strength.

"Alright." The village chief waved his hand, too lazy to listen to her finish.

"She has an obligation to support me," Mrs. Lin continued.

"Are you kidding me? Are my uncle, my father, and my third uncle dead? It's my turn to support them?"

"You—" Wang Hehua began to speak.

Lin Qianqian didn't give her a chance: "What do you mean, 'what ...

Grandma Lin's lips trembled twice. She pointed at Lin Qianqian, wanting to curse, but something seemed stuck in her throat, and she couldn't squeeze out a single word.

"Alright," the village chief said. "Go back now! If you keep causing trouble, I'll call Lin Qingjiang over to take a look."

Wang Hehua and Lin Xiaohua supported the old lady on either side, and the three of them went out of the courtyard gate. They walked slowly, but did not look back.

Lin Qianqian stood there, watching their backs as she bent down and picked up the cassava from the ground.

They picked them up one by one and put them back into their baskets.

The village chief glanced at her, seemed to want to say something, opened his mouth, but in the end only sighed: "Qianqian, that stuff... really can't be eaten."

"I know, Uncle Village Chief," Lin Qianqian said without looking up. "I have other uses."

The village chief stood there for a while, then walked away with his hands behind his back.

Ding Xiaohu squatted down to help her pick up the cassava and whispered, "Sister Qianqian, my mother said that you and Along can come to my house for dinner tonight."

Lin Qianqian's hand paused for a moment.

"Okay," she said.