Volume 1, Chapter 15: Sworn Brothers

Yang Huifang charged in with a group of people, and Qin Xiangdong quickly pulled Sun Yaqin behind him with agile reflexes.

"Watch out!"

A look of contempt curled the corners of Yang Huifang's mouth. The youthful sparkle in her eyes had long since faded, replaced by a glint of malice.

"Sun Yaqin, you’re just like your second sister, always out seducing men. Is this the pretty boy who beat up my brother the other day?"

Yang Huifang grabbed the arm of one of the young men. "They’re the ones bullying me!"

At the man's command, the others prepared to strike.

"Hold it!" Sun Yaqin barked, a burst of intensity that stunned even Qin Xiangdong.

"Yang Huifang, I truly don't know if you're just stupid or willfully ignorant. Your parents and your older brother have all been arrested. What, with the New Year approaching, does your whole family want to reunite in prison?"

"And you!" Sun Yaqin pointed at the man standing up for Yang Huifang. "You’ve really got guts, choosing to wear a green hat made of iron!"

The man grew anxious. "Stop spouting nonsense. Huifang was set up."

Sun Yaqin sneered, sweeping her gaze over the young men until it landed on a familiar face. She remembered from her past life that Yang Huifang had been entangled with this man, a situation that eventually led to a beating from Yang Zhigang.

"If you don't believe me, ask this little brother here. He and Yang Huifang should be quite familiar with each other."

For some reason, Yang Huifang felt Sun Yaqin’s gaze like a fire, burning her cheeks. No one knew about her affair with Zhao Liu—how could Sun Yaqin possibly...

The lead man wasn't a fool; seeing their nervous expressions, he understood enough.

"Zhao Liu!"

The man named Zhao Liu immediately dropped to his knees. "Brother Qian, I... I was wrong. I was drunk that day... I was possessed by the devil. It was her! She seduced me!" Zhao Liu pointed nervously at the man called Brother Qian.

The man swung a heavy slap across Yang Huifang’s face. Having only been discharged from the hospital a few days prior, she couldn't withstand the blow and collapsed to the floor.

The restaurant owner, hearing the commotion, rushed over. "Folks, take your business outside. Don't cause trouble in my shop and disturb the customers."

The owner’s firm tone intimidated the group. The man named Qian dragged Yang Huifang away, and the brief episode came to an end.

The private room quieted down. "Brother Xiangdong, I’m sorry you had to witness that mess."

After these past few days, Qin Xiangdong knew exactly what kind of people Sun Yaqin's relatives were, so he didn't take it to heart.

Sun Liancheng pulled Sun Yaqin toward him. "Sit on my side." He had let Qin Xiangdong take the lead earlier, and he wasn't about to let his sister be taken advantage of.

"Come on! Brother Qin, I toast you!"

Sun Liancheng seemed to have some pent-up frustration and was determined to drink Qin Xiangdong under the table. However, as they drank, they grew closer, and by the end, Sun Liancheng was draping his arm around Qin Xiangdong’s neck, calling him "brother."

"Brother Qin, your tolerance is impressive... *hic*..."

Sun Liancheng’s eyes were glazed over; it was clear he had drunk too much.

"Comrade Yaqin, I think your brother has had enough. Let me take you two home."

Sun Liancheng shook off the hand. "I’m not going back! Brother Qin, tell me the truth—do you like my sister?"

With his secret laid bare, Qin Xiangdong looked awkward, his eyes darting away.

Sun Yaqin took her handkerchief and stuffed it straight into Sun Liancheng’s mouth. "Brother Xiangdong, don't mind my brother. He’s drunk. Let’s go."

Sun Yaqin went to settle the bill, only to find that Qin Xiangdong had already paid.

Qin Xiangdong saw the siblings home before taking his leave. The next day, when Sun Liancheng woke up, Sun Yaqin had already headed to the market.

Sun Liancheng woke up with a pounding headache, unable to recall what had happened the night before. He panicked when he realized his sister was gone, cursing himself for drinking so much.

He changed his clothes and, skipping breakfast, headed straight to the market. There were many more people at the stall today, likely having heard that someone was selling wild boar meat and wanting to see for themselves.

"Big brother, you're here! Come and help!"

Sun Yaqin had been busy since she arrived. Many people, seeing that the wild boar meat was gone, turned to buy other game. By mid-morning, most of the stock Xu Tao had provided was nearly cleared out.

As lunchtime approached, the siblings finally had a moment to rest.

"Big brother, can you help me collect more game from the village?"

"Besides Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt who are willing to give you game, no one else would dare, even if they wanted the money. If even you, the 'wild monkey' of Shanglin Village, can't handle it, I certainly can't."

Sun Yaqin pressed the money she had prepared into Sun Liancheng’s hand. "Big brother, go to the credit union and exchange this for brand-new ten-yuan bills. Then go back to Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt. Discuss it with them. There's a village committee meeting before the Lesser New Year, right? Present the money to Fourth Aunt in front of everyone."

"Don't say it's money from selling game. Just say it's money I asked you to bring back for them to buy New Year supplies. Trust me, people will come knocking at your door."

Sun Liancheng immediately understood his sister's plan. "You little girl, not bad! Your brain moves fast. I'll head back now."

Just as he was about to leave, he remembered something. "I was drunk yesterday. That Qin Xiangdong didn't do anything, did he?"

"You have the nerve to ask? You practically forced Brother Xiangdong and me to get married on the spot."

Sun Liancheng covered Sun Yaqin’s mouth and glanced around. "You brat, don't talk nonsense here. There's no way I would do that."

Sun Yaqin was just teasing her brother, wanting him to be more careful in the future and stop trying to act tough when he couldn't handle his liquor.

"If you don't believe me, go ask Qin Xiangdong."

"I'll be gone for a few days. You go stay at Eldest Sister's house; I don't feel comfortable leaving you here alone."

Sun Yaqin had been planning to visit her eldest sister anyway, so she agreed.

By two in the afternoon, the stall was sold out. She packed up and prepared to head to her eldest sister's home.

She bought some New Year's goods at the market to bring along. In her past life, after her eldest sister married, she never returned to Shanglin Village.

Sun Yaqin had assumed it was because she was married and had grown distant, but it wasn't until her sister passed away in that past life that she discovered the bruises on her body. She had wanted to seek justice, but her sister was already gone, and the scoundrel of a brother-in-law denied everything, forcing her to give up.

Sun Yaqin went directly to her sister's workplace.

"Comrade, who are you looking for?"

"Hello, I'm looking for Sun Yaling."

"Register here."

Sun Yaqin wrote her name in the logbook and walked into the compound.

Her sister's job was quite leisurely; she simply had to sit in the office each day to monitor the equipment, contacting maintenance workers only if an emergency arose.

When Sun Yaqin entered, her sister was knitting a sweater. "Yaqin, why are you here!"

"Eldest sister, the New Year is almost here. You haven't been home for years, so Mom and Dad asked me to bring you some supplies."

Upon hearing this, Sun Yaling’s expression darkened visibly, looking somewhat troubled, though she quickly took the items from Sun Yaqin.

"Yanyan is being looked after by my mother-in-law right now. When I’m off, I have to watch the child, so I really can't get away for the New Year."

Sun Yaqin didn't blame her; she knew this was just an excuse. Her sister must have suffered a great deal of hardship over the years.

"Mom and Dad know you're busy. They said that once they move here next year, they can help you with the child."

The sound of a child crying interrupted their conversation.

"Sun Yaling! Sun Yaling! I can't watch this child anymore! Whoever wants to can do it!"