My whole family sucked my blood; after being reborn, the little cook went on a killing spree.

Su Wan Ning certainly wouldn't pay for the meat herself.

She pulled off Li's purse, counted out thirty coins, and gave them to Little Radish. "Twenty coins for meat. Also, please see if anyone has any bamboo shoots. Give me two. Thank you, Little Radish."

"Don't worry, sister!"

The little radish skipped and hopped away.

Su Wan Ning ignored Li Shi, found a large rock to sit on, and only started crying when she saw someone coming.

"Auntie, wake up! Wan Ning can't carry you!"

"Can anyone help me find my uncle and brother? Waaah!"

The group quickly moved Li back home, and then split up to look for Lin Mao and Lin Jiabao.

Li was lying on her side on the bed, with blood seeping from the back of her head.

"Auntie, let me apply some more medicine for you."

Su Wanning gently unwrapped the cloth strips that the village doctor had just wrapped around his neck.

In her past life, after she was injured and returned home, it was Li who found a doctor and bought medicine for her, saying it was a unique secret recipe. Although it was painful, the medicine was very effective. She was deeply moved and always endured the pain. Li, on the other hand, would cry herself to sleep every time, feeling "heartbroken".

She could only force herself to change her dressing, but this made her feel even more that Li cared for her.

More than ten days later, the scabbed wounds suddenly ulcerated. She rushed to the county town to find a doctor and learned that it was a harmful powder mixed with raw aconite and wolfsbane! The poison had already seeped in, and the only option was to cut out the flesh and remove the bone, otherwise she would lose both hands.

She was in so much pain she felt like she had died. Li was furious, but when she went to find the doctor again, he had already run away.

Li cried, screamed, and threatened suicide, apologizing and saying how stupid she was to have been deceived. She had to comfort Li in return, unaware that she herself had been the one deceived from the very beginning.

Fortunately, she found the same medicine in the county town today.

Li had actually woken up a long time ago, but she didn't want to. If she woke up, she would still have to make wontons, and she wasn't that cheap!

But the next moment.

The wound that had stopped hurting suddenly throbbed with pain!

She shuddered violently, sat up straight on the edge of the bed, and shouted angrily, "What did you spill on me?!"

The pain spread throughout my head, a throbbing, needle-like pain!

"Auntie, this is a good medicine. Although it hurts, it works better than other medicines."

Su Wan Ning returned the words of advice Li Shi had given her in her past life, put away the medicine bottle, and handed over the strip of cloth, "Quickly bandage your wound, and we'll do it again before going to bed tonight."

"No! We don't need it!"

Li refused repeatedly, and was about to say something more when an anxious shout came from the courtyard.

"Something terrible has happened! Lin Lao Er has gotten himself into big trouble and has been detained by the Li family!"

Li's face turned pale instantly.

Just then, the group of people who had gone out to look for Lin Mao returned, escorting one person. That person was Cui Niu, who worked with Lin Mao; the Li family had sent him to deliver the message.

It was said that Lin Mao had failed in his duty of care, and all the hams prepared for the birthday banquet had become damp and moldy, rendering them unusable. Each ham cost five taels of silver, and there were thirty in total, meaning the loss on the hams alone would amount to one hundred and fifty taels of silver.

If we can't make a profit, we'll sell him to the mines!

Cui Niu said anxiously, "Those hams were cured a year and a half in advance, and you can't buy them anywhere else... We haven't even investigated his responsibility for the mistake yet. Anyway, take all the money you have with you. Come with me now."

He looked at Li.

For a moment, Li was stunned, then suddenly turned to Su Wan Ning, her voice urgent, "Wan Ning! Quick, how much silver do you have left? Take it out and save your uncle!"

"Auntie~"

Su Wan Ning raised her right arm and sighed, "Aunt, I'm lucky to be alive, where would I get any money?"

"Are you just going to watch your uncle die?"

The resentment in Li's eyes grew stronger.

Su Wanning kept staring at her before changing the subject, "However, I can go over and see what's going on."

"Yes! You've seen a lot in the Imperial Kitchen, you must have a way! If you can handle the ham properly, we won't have to lose money, right? You must save your uncle. I'm going to find Jiabao now."

Li hastily wrapped her head up and got out of bed.

Upon hearing this, Cui Niu immediately took Su Wan Ning back to Xiushui Village.

Su Wanning also took the opportunity to ask more detailed questions while they were on their way.

It turns out that the two were just day laborers, helping the Li family build a tent for their birthday banquet. A few days ago, Lin Mao was called away temporarily to guard the warehouse, but who knew that such a big mistake would happen.

Su Wanning confirmed repeatedly that the birthday banquet was indeed to be held by the Li family's patriarch.

Could it be that I misunderstood Xu Lingxi, and that it wasn't the Xu family that tortured and killed me, but this Li family?

In his past life, Lin Mao got into trouble, but Zhao, the镖头 (bodyguard), stole his belongings. They must have used his silver notes to ransom Lin Mao. After he got home, those beasts acted as if nothing had happened, keeping it a complete secret from him, and even feigning gratitude, making him feel indebted to them.

This is truly a reversal of the natural order!

It's even possible that it was because of this incident that Lin Mao later colluded with these people, eventually leading to his abduction and murder! Such a beastly act, being sold to the mine like that is far too lenient on him.

If I don't add fuel to the fire, how can I face the suffering I've endured?

Xiushui Village is not far from Shili Village.

However, the two villages are clearly different.

Shili Village is desolate, but the closer you get to Xiushui Village, the more lush the greenery becomes.

As soon as I arrived at the village entrance, I saw many people working enthusiastically. A large area of ​​bamboo and wood sheds had been erected, with eight large stoves at the end. The sheds were fully equipped with tables and chairs, and the roofs were covered with oil paper.

Another stone-paved road extends into the distance, reaching the outskirts of the village, where a dozen or so men are taking turns building a canopy for it.

The outer ring is lined with trifoliate orange trees and thorny bushes, and further in are pink and white crabapple blossoms, with farm women watering the plants one by one.

It was full of vitality, showing no signs of drought.

Su Wan Ning's heart sank slightly.

Such extravagant behavior indicates that the Li family is no ordinary wealthy gentry. To them, whether it is Lin Mao who made a mistake or themselves in their previous life, they are nothing more than ants, and they can be crushed to death.

However, now that she's been reborn, she won't be at the mercy of others like she was in her previous life. She will personally find the answers to her torture and murder, and repay them a thousandfold. Not only that, she'll also seek connections, money, and her own powerful backing, ensuring that no one will ever again look down on her!

Suppressing her turbulent thoughts, Su Wan Ning quickened her pace.

Just as they passed through the sea of ​​flowers, they heard Lin Mao's cries of pleas, "I really didn't mean it! I... I'm innocent! Please don't hit me!"

"I can't afford to pay that much money. Give me two more days, and I'm sure I can think of a solution. Please!"

Two days?

Isn't this the day she was supposed to come back?

Su Wan Ning's eyes turned cold, but her voice was full of worry, "Uncle! Are you alright, Uncle?"

Everyone turned around at the sound and saw a young woman walking briskly. Although her eyes were anxious, her steps were fast but not chaotic, and her posture was upright and imposing. However, her right arm seemed to be injured, which aroused everyone's curiosity.

Lin Mao, who was kneeling on the ground and had been crying with snot and tears streaming down his face, was stunned.

Is this young lady calling me "Uncle"?