Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Candor

Madam Wang still wanted to argue, but a woman at her side caught her elbow and hissed, “Ming Xiu’s mother—look at her. The child’s shaking with chills. Hurry and take her home to change!”

“Exactly,” another chimed in. “She’s a grown young lady, and her clothes are soaked through. If a man saw her like this… wouldn’t she be the one who suffers once word gets around?”

“There’s only one man here.” Madam Wang lifted her chin, voice sharp as a needle. “If he dares to stare, I’ll make him take responsibility for my daughter.”

As she spoke, she craned her neck and searched the crowd for Tang Yi Chen—only to find him far off near the reeds, standing as if he couldn’t wait to be anywhere else.

A few of the village women hid their mouths behind their sleeves and snickered.

Madam Wang’s intention was almost comically obvious, as though she feared no one might miss what she was thinking.

In a village like theirs, plenty of families shared the same surname. Many were so distantly related they were already beyond the five degrees of kinship, so marriage wasn’t forbidden. Still, if people had any other choice, they avoided marrying too close to home. Neighbors were too near; any quarrel could ignite into a war, and one careless spark could turn in-laws into enemies.

If Madam Wang truly meant to climb into the Tang family, she should have started years ago by currying favor with Li Tao Hua. Instead, she’d spent every chance sneering at her and picking fights. In her heart, she’d dismissed Li Tao Hua as “only a stepmother,” convinced Tang Yi Chen wouldn’t take her seriously.

Who could have guessed the entire Tang household had been won over by Li Tao Hua long ago?

“Mom…” Tang Ming Xiu’s lips were tinged pale. She clutched Madam Wang’s sleeve with trembling fingers. “I’m cold…”

She was terrified her mother would keep stirring trouble until Qin Hui Yin snapped—and Qin Hui Yin had every reason to. If Qin Hui Yin said one wrong sentence, everything Tang Ming Xiu had done could be dragged into the open.

Madam Wang clearly understood she couldn’t gain anything from Li Tao Hua in front of so many eyes. With Tang Ming Xiu practically handing her a way out, she seized it. She grabbed her daughter and hurried off through the crowd, still muttering under her breath.

Li Tao Hua watched them go, then snorted. “My dear girl, let’s go home. Hot bath, right away. Yi Xiao and Lu Wu should’ve gotten the water ready.”

Qin Hui Yin followed at her side, wet clothes heavy and cold against her skin.

Tang Yi Chen deliberately stayed back. Only after the mother and daughter had walked a good distance did he fall in behind them, keeping a careful space as if the air itself might catch gossip.

All the way home, Li Tao Hua scolded, half furious, half shaken. “Soft-hearted. That’s what you are. Madam Wang’s daughter isn’t worth saving. You could’ve shouted for some men from the fields—”

“Mom.” Qin Hui Yin kept her voice gentle, because Li Tao Hua’s anger came from fear. “She’s still a young lady from a respectable family. If a man hauled her out, it would sound awful once the story got twisted.”

And worse—if Tang Ming Xiu had actually drowned, the people nearest her would have been blamed first. Qin Hui Yin and Tang Yi Chen would have been labeled murderers with nothing but their own mouths to defend themselves.

She didn’t want to save Tang Ming Xiu.

Women like Tang Ming Xiu weren’t only foolish—they were vicious. If it wouldn’t have dragged Qin Hui Yin and Tang Yi Chen into it, Qin Hui Yin would have taken Tang Yi Chen by the wrist and walked him far, far away from the river.

When they reached the yard, Tang Lu Wu and Tang Yi Xiao rushed out to meet them.

“How is it?” Tang Lu Wu asked, eyes sweeping Qin Hui Yin from head to toe. “Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

“I’m fine.” Qin Hui Yin tried to sound light, though her teeth still wanted to chatter. “I was the one who went into the water. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to myself.”

“The bathwater’s mixed already,” Tang Lu Wu said, all business. “Go wash up quickly and warm yourself. The river’s getting cold—don’t catch a chill.”

“Thank you, Sister Lu Wu.”

Tang Yi Xiao leaned in with a sour look. “I helped too. Why aren’t you thanking me?”

Qin Hui Yin pinched his cheek, smiling despite herself. “Thank you, little brother. How are you this cute?”

“I’m a man,” he protested, offended on principle.

“You little brat.”

“You—”

“Enough.” Li Tao Hua tapped Qin Hui Yin’s forehead, irritation barely hiding her relief. “If you’ve still got the energy to tease Brother Xiao, then you’re truly fine.”

She’d hardly finished speaking when Qin Hui Yin sneezed—hard.

Li Tao Hua’s expression snapped back into panic. “Go. Now.”

She practically shoved Qin Hui Yin toward the bathing area, calling over her shoulder, “Lu Wu—her spare clothes?”

“Prepared,” Tang Lu Wu answered immediately. “In the bamboo basket beside it.”

Only then did Li Tao Hua breathe. She turned and looked at Tang Yi Chen, who’d finally come in.

Tang Yi Xiao took the two fish Tang Yi Chen was carrying and trotted into the kitchen, muttering about how unfair it was that he had to do all the carrying.

Li Tao Hua asked, “How did that girl fall in? Did you see it?”

Tang Yi Chen shook his head. “I didn’t.”

“Weren’t you by the river?”

“I was on the other side.”

Li Tao Hua’s shoulders loosened. “Good. As long as it had nothing to do with you.”

Tang Yi Chen’s eyes cooled. “Why would Aunt think it had something to do with me? I barely speak to anyone in this village.”

“You’re 14.” Li Tao Hua didn’t mince words. “In two months, you’ll be 15. Out here, 15 is already the age to talk engagement. To the village girls, you’re a top match. You don’t pay attention to anyone, so they can’t get close. If they want you to notice them, they’ll use tricks.”

Her mouth curled with contempt. “Don’t underestimate them. The methods are old and stupid—and they still work. Luckily, you weren’t the one who went into the water today. If you had, you’d have trouble piled on your doorstep. Your sister must’ve thought of that.”

“My sister did say it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go in,” Tang Yi Chen admitted.

Li Tao Hua studied him, voice lowering. “Your sister is devoted to you. Do you treat her with true sincerity?”

Tang Yi Chen met her gaze without flinching. “I understand what Aunt worries about. If my sister is sincere to me, then I will be sincere to her.”

Li Tao Hua’s satisfaction was almost visible. Whether he meant it with his heart or only with his mouth, she wanted to hear that promise again and again—proof that everything her daughter gave wasn’t being poured into sand.

Still… unease lingered.

“Do you think Tang Ming Xiu jumped on purpose,” Li Tao Hua said slowly, “or did she slip?”

People fell into the river now and then; it wasn’t rare. But the way Tang Ming Xiu’s eyes had darted—too quick, too guilty—made Li Tao Hua’s skin itch.

“I don’t know,” Tang Yi Chen said.

Li Tao Hua could get nothing more from him, and there was work waiting. She called Tang Lu Wu and Tang Yi Xiao back to help, determined to keep her promise: Qin Hui Yin wouldn’t lift a finger today unless truly needed.

When Qin Hui Yin came out after her bath, her hair damp and her cheeks flushed from heat, she found everyone in motion. Even Tang Yi Chen was in the yard, sleeves rolled up, cleaning the fish with steady hands.

“We should hire someone to dig a well in the yard,” Qin Hui Yin said, eyeing the muddy basin and the constant back-and-forth to the water source. “This is too inconvenient.”

“Fine,” Tang Yi Chen replied without hesitation. “I’ll go to the Village Head and ask him to arrange people.”

Qin Hui Yin spotted her back-basket tucked beneath the eaves. She crouched to straighten the straps. “I didn’t bring this back. You carried it for me?”

“Mm.” Tang Yi Chen nodded toward the fish. “Come look. Tell me what still needs cleaning.”

She stepped closer, peering in. “Gills. The tail—trim the ragged bits. And inside the belly, that dark membrane. Scrape it clean, or it’ll taste bitter.”

Tang Yi Chen kept his head lowered, voice dropping until it barely carried. “I saw it clearly. Tang Ming Xiu tried to push you into the water. Your sudden appearance interrupted her plan, and she panicked—then slipped in herself.”

He finally looked up. “Did something happen between you two?”

Qin Hui Yin’s jaw tightened.

She’d promised Tang Ming Xiu she wouldn’t spread it outside.

She hadn’t promised she wouldn’t tell her own family.

And after nearly being silenced in the mountains, she had no intention of protecting Tang Ming Xiu’s secret at her own expense.

So she told him—quietly, plainly—about stumbling upon Tang Ming Xiu meeting a man named Chun Sheng in secret, and what Tang Ming Xiu had tried to do afterward to keep that meeting buried.