After wearing it: I traded a pig for a man.

Wang Qingqing's smile was somewhat forced, but she didn't hide anything: "I came back this time to borrow grain. I brought Daya with me, but she can't walk and I can't carry her."

Jiang Yun Ning nodded, understanding in his heart.

It seems her guess was correct; Wang Qingqing was having a very difficult time in her husband's family.

Although my cousin's husband, Zhang Hansheng, lives in the town, his family only has a few acres of poor land, and having lost his father at a young age, he hasn't accumulated much wealth.

Old Mrs. Zhang loved her son dearly and couldn't bear to see Zhang Hansheng do hard labor.

Therefore, the Zhang family had always lived in poverty.

After several years of rising land taxes, all the grain from the fields was handed over. Before long, they couldn't even afford to eat.

He then hurriedly sent Wang Qingqing back to her parents' home to borrow grain.

Perhaps knowing it would be shameful, neither Zhang Hansheng nor Old Lady Zhang showed their faces.

Jiang Yunning looked at Wang Qingqing and felt a pang of heartache.

She reached out and pulled Wang Qingqing's hand towards her.

Part of his thin arm was exposed, covered in bruises, clearly from being beaten.

"What's wrong?" Wang Qingqing asked, while hurriedly pulling her clothes up to cover her arms.

She assumed Jiang Yunning hadn't noticed.

"It's nothing," Jiang Yun Ning said, not revealing the truth. "It just feels like it's been so long since I've seen Daya. How about bringing her along next time?"

Wang Qingqing nodded in agreement.

The two aunts had already gone into the kitchen to cook, and Wang Dashan and Wang Erlin returned just as the food was being served.

Jiang Yun Ning stated his purpose clearly, and unsurprisingly, he launched into another long speech: "How could we possibly accept your money?"

"Second Uncle, if you don't want the money, I'll find someone else. I just don't know if they'll be as dedicated to the work as you and Aunt."

She deliberately feigned a worried expression.

"Look at you." Wang Dashan glanced at Wang Erlin: "We'll just take what Yun Ning gave us."

He realized that Jiang Yun Ning was now very clever and had many ways to get them to compromise.

"Exactly, how can you trust outsiders as much as you trust your own people?" Lin Yanzi thought more deeply.

This job isn't something that ends after a while; it seems like they have to go every day. If they just work without getting paid, they'll neglect their own jobs.

Over time, it's inevitable that rifts will develop in family relationships.

That's how it was settled.

"Let's start tomorrow then," Jiang Yun Ning said happily.

She enjoys dealing with people like her second aunt; clear financial matters are essential for a lasting relationship.

After the meal, Jiang Yunning prepared to leave, and Wang Qingqing also stood up to go back.

Wang Dashan carried out fifty jin of millet, opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just shook his head.

"Qingqing." Zhang Yuying's eyes reddened as she tenderly touched her shoulder. "Your parents are here, don't be afraid."

"I know," Wang Qingqing said, her head bowed.

She knew that her parents had always wanted her to divorce and return home, but she couldn't bear to part with Daya.

The Zhang family definitely won't give Daya to her. If she leaves, Daya won't have a mother to protect her, and she might be sold somewhere.

"Sister Qingqing." Jiang Yuning looked at her thin, almost skin and bones body. "Get in the car. Jiang Che and I are going to Anning Town anyway, so we'll give you a ride home."

She had never been to Anning Town before, so she decided to go and see what the differences were between Anning Town and Anping Town.

Jiang Che didn't speak. He listened to Jiang Yun Ning speak, and without waiting for Wang Qingqing's response, he directly picked up the millet and put it on the oxcart.

Anning Town and Anping Town are adjacent, and it only takes half an hour to get there by oxcart.

The closer Wang Qingqing got to her home, the more restless she became.

Jiang Yuning and his wife brought her back. It wouldn't be right not to let her come in and sit down, but if she came in, her mother-in-law would probably say some nonsense.

After hesitating several times, I still couldn't bring myself to ask them to leave.

Before the oxcart had even come to a complete stop, the group heard a child crying coming from the courtyard.

Wang Qingqing's face turned pale. Without caring about anything else, she jumped off the oxcart and ran into the house.

"Mother!" Wang Qingqing's eyes reddened with heartache as she looked at Daya, who had fallen to the ground. She quickly ran over to stop the rattan cane in Old Lady Zhang's hand. "Daya? Where does it hurt? Tell Mother, let Mother take a look."

Daya cried with tears streaming down her face, shrinking fearfully into Wang Qingqing's arms.

"Waaah, Grandma, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to."

Daya's cries were so pitiful that Jiang Yuning couldn't help but want to rush in and give the vicious old woman a good beating.

But this isn't her home, and it's quite obvious that Wang Qingqing doesn't want a divorce yet.

"You damn good-for-nothing! I raised you all these years and you can't even wash your own clothes properly. What good are you? I should have thrown you into the latrine and drowned you when you were born."

Grandma Zhang stood with one hand on her hip and the other holding a rattan cane, pointing at Wang Qingqing who had come in empty-handed.

"And you! I sent you to borrow grain, and you took so long to come back. Where's the grain?!"

Jiang Yun Ning's eyes were gloomy as he instructed Jiang Che to carry the grain inside.

"Auntie," she said, forcing a smile as she tried to suppress her anger, "what's wrong? Why are you so angry?"

"Who are you?" Old Mrs. Zhang didn't recognize her and glanced at her suspiciously for a few moments until she saw Jiang Che carrying millet in, at which point she smiled.

"I'm Qingqing's younger sister." Jiang Yuning looked at her and pointed to the millet in the basket on her back: "This is fifty catties of millet."

As the two were talking, Wang Qingqing pulled Daya to her feet and wiped away her tears.

"Mother, this is my younger sister, Yun Ning, and her husband, Jiang Che." She forced a smile. "They gave me a ride back."

Grandma Zhang hummed in agreement, but her face lacked the warmth one would expect when her daughter-in-law's family came to visit.

Anyway, with Da Ya, that money-loser, around, Wang Qingqing wouldn't run away no matter what. She was too lazy to deal with Wang Qingqing's poor relatives.

"Then you two chat. Go home early when you're done, so the roads won't be uneven in the dark." Old Mrs. Zhang rolled her eyes and carried her basket into the house.

These blatant words of dismissal made Wang Qingqing's face flush red.

Jiang Yun Ning didn't care at all, and looked at Daya who was hiding behind Wang Qingqing.

The skinny little girl had two big, round eyes on her face, which looked quite out of place.

His clothes were patched and draped in grime, and his eyes held only fear; he showed none of the qualities a child should have.

Daya gripped Wang Qingqing's pants tightly and peeked out to steal a glance at the stranger who had suddenly appeared in the house.

As soon as he poked his head out, he met Jiang Yun Ning's gaze and quickly ducked back inside.

Jiang Yun Ning sighed. This child was even more pitiful than Jiang An He was back then.

She squatted down and took out a few copper coins from her pocket.

"Da Ya, your auntie came in a hurry today and didn't bring you a gift. Keep it and go buy some candy, but don't let Daddy and Grandma find out. Okay?"

She spoke softly, afraid that Old Mrs. Zhang inside the house would hear.

"No," Wang Qingqing quickly stopped her. "Yun Ning, there's no need to be so polite."

Jiang Yuning kindly brought her back, but she was treated coldly, so how could she possibly ask for money from her again?

They dared not make too much noise pushing and shoving, and Wang Qingqing once again felt extremely frustrated and embarrassed.

Jiang Yunning stuffed the copper coin directly into Daya's pocket: "Daya, next time your aunt comes, I'll remember to bring you something delicious."

As she spoke, she patted Da Ya's head, stood up, and looked at Wang Qingqing. "Sister, we're leaving now. If you need anything, just ask someone to pass on a message to me. Things are better at home now; we'll help out however we can."

Even if it wasn't for Wang Qingqing, it had to be for this poor girl and her loving uncle and aunt.

Seeing the closed door to the main room, Jiang Yun Ning still called out, "Auntie, we're leaving."

When Grandma Zhang heard this, she opened the door, came out, and pretended to deliver it to the door.

When they saw the oxcart tied to the side, their eyes widened in surprise.