Wang Fenglan took one look at Zhou Xiaoli's condition and immediately understood. She dropped the chicken she was holding and rushed over, shouting, "Get back inside! Stop yelling!"

She pulled Zhou Xiaoli toward her room, pushing her inside while yelling for Chen Qiaolan:

"Qiaolan, go boil some water! And bring the rolling pin!"

Lin Xiaoxiao had just stepped back into her room when she heard Zhou Xiaoli wailing like a stuck pig. Peeking through the door crack, she saw Wang Fenglan pushing Zhou Xiaoli into her room and noticed a puddle of water on the ground.

She could guess what was happening. She never imagined they would be so bold as to attempt an abortion at home—and so recklessly.

Didn't they fear something going wrong?

Seeing Chen Qiaolan hurry to the kitchen, she turned to Zhou Huai'an. "Your sister might be miscarrying. It looks serious."

Zhou Huai'an frowned. "This is madness!"

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded. "Absolutely reckless. Is there a doctor nearby? They should find one or take her to the hospital."

She wanted no part in this. Even if she helped Zhou Xiaoli, she wouldn't get any thanks for it.

The extent of her compassion was urging Zhou Huai'an to find a doctor.

Seeing how serious Lin Xiaoxiao was, and knowing Wang Fenglan's history of extreme actions, Zhou Huai'an hurried out to find help.

Wang Fenglan came out to fetch a basin and saw Zhou Huai'an leaving. "Huai'an, where are you going?" she asked sharply.

Zhou Huai'an frowned. "To get a doctor. You could kill someone like this."

Wang Fenglan panicked. She ran over and blocked his path. "You can't! You'll ruin your sister!

She's not married yet—if Doctor Niu finds out, the whole village will know!"

Zhou Huai'an was incredulous. "This is a matter of life and death! What if she dies?"

Wang Fenglan stood firm, arms outstretched. "If she dies, it's because her life was cheap. But if this gets out, how will our family show our faces? How will your older brother keep his position as village secretary?"

Her face darkened. "This doesn't concern you. Go back inside. If you dare bring a doctor, I'll dash my brains out right in front of you."

Her expression was so vicious, it looked like she meant it.

Zhou Huai'an had always known his family was unreasonable, but he never imagined it would go this far.

Seeing Wang Fenglan wouldn't budge, he had no choice but to retreat back inside.

Wang Fenglan hurriedly grabbed a basin and went back into Zhou Xiaoli's room.

Lin Xiaoxiao heard everything clearly from her room. She was shocked by their disregard for life.

She looked at Zhou Huai'an, who came back inside grim-faced. "This is really dangerous. If she hemorrhages, it could affect her fertility forever."

Zhou Huai'an stood by the window for a moment. He saw Chen Qiaolan carry a bucket of hot water into Zhou Xiaoli's room, then turned to Lin Xiaoxiao. "I'm going to find my brother. No matter what happens, don't go out."

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded. She was quite content to stay out of it, after all, delivering babies wasn't her area of expertise.

Next door, Zhou Xiaoli was thrashing on the bed, unable to sit or lie still. To keep her cries from alerting the neighbors, Wang Fenglan had stuffed a towel in her mouth.

Her face was deathly pale, her hair soaked with sweat. Only muffled groans escaped.

Chen Qiaolan had given birth to two children, but she'd never seen pain like this. Frightened, she looked at Wang Fenglan. "Mom, this looks bad. Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?"

Wang Fenglan spat. "To the hospital? To humiliate us further? Give me the rolling pin."

She climbed onto the kang, straddling Zhou Xiaoli, and used the rolling pin to press hard on her abdomen, rolling it downward with force. "You little bastard," she muttered viciously. "I refuse to believe I can't get rid of you."

Chen Qiaolan watched, her scalp prickling with fear, and backed away several steps.

Zhou Xiaoli, unable to scream, arched her back, eyes bulging. Then her body went limp on the kang.

Lin Xiaoxiao heard a terrified scream as Chen Qiaolan came rushing out of the room.

Just then, Zhou Huai'an returned with Zhou Changyuan and Zhou Changan close behind. They found Chen Qiaolan vomiting in the yard, clutching her chest.

Zhou Changyuan was alarmed. "How's Second Sister?"

Chen Qiaolan pointed weakly toward the room. "Xiaoli... she's dead..."

Zhou Changyuan and the others rushed in, ignoring all propriety. There lay Zhou Xiaoli, naked in a pool of blood, with Wang Fenglan trembling nearby in shock.

Zhou Huai'an stepped quickly forward, covering Zhou Xiaoli with a quilt. "Quick, take her to the hospital!" he yelled at Zhou Changyuan.

He might not like his sister, but he couldn't just watch her die.

Zhou Changyuan snapped out of his daze, wrapped Zhou Xiaoli in the quilt, and called Zhou Changan to help carry her out.

They used the production team's tractor to get her to the county hospital.

Zhou Changan couldn't drive the tractor, and Zhou Changyuan was too shaken to hold the steering wheel steady, so Zhou Huai'an took the wheel.

Lin Xiaoxiao followed them out and watched as Zhou Huai'an drove off with Zhou Changyuan and Zhou Xiaoli. She turned back to look at Wang Fenglan, who was still petrified, her legs shaking uncontrollably.

She felt a wave of sorrow for these ignorant and foolish people.

Only when the tractor was out of sight did Wang Fenglan begin to recover. She turned to Zhou Changan and Chen Qiaolan. "If anyone asks, say Xiaoli had a sudden illness. Don't you dare say a word otherwise."

Chen Qiaolan, still pale, nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, we won't say anything. But... will Second Sister be okay?"

Wang Fenglan didn't know. She should have gone to care for her daughter, but her legs were still too weak from fear. "She'll be fine. Women give birth all the time without problems."

Lin Xiaoxiao decided this had nothing to do with her and turned to go back inside.

Suddenly, Wang Fenglan shouted, "You! Stop!"

With Zhou Huai'an gone, now was the perfect time to put Lin Xiaoxiao in her place—and distract herself from her own fear.

Lin Xiaoxiao stopped and looked silently at Wang Fenglan.

Wang Fenglan's face was dark, her narrow eyes full of malice as she scanned Lin Xiaoxiao from head to toe. "You keep your mouth shut too. Don't go blabbing. And since Huai'an left in a hurry, he must not have taken any money. Give me some cash—I'll have Changyuan bring it to the hospital."

Lin Xiaoxiao almost found it amusing. Her daughter was between life and death, and yet she had the nerve to scheme for money. How shameless could she be?

Without a second thought, she refused flatly. "No."

It wasn't that she didn't have money—she simply wouldn't give it.

Wang Fenglan exploded. "What do you mean, 'no'? Huai'an's money is the Zhou family's money! You will give it to me! If you don't, you'll see what happens!"

In her eyes, a mother-in-law was supreme, and a daughter-in-law must obey her—and her son. Someone like Lin Xiaoxiao just hadn't been beaten enough.

Lin Xiaoxiao smirked coldly. "Oh? And what will you do?"

Wang Fenglan rolled up her sleeves and charged at Lin Xiaoxiao. But before she could raise her hand, Lin Xiaoxiao kicked her hard in the stomach...