Zhou Jiawang had never been so furious. Zhou Huai'an was a child they had all watched grow up. He used to wonder why such a well-behaved boy would wander into the mountains and return covered in blood.

He remembered clearly: seven- or eight-year-old Zhou Huai'an, face smeared with blood, clothes torn to shreds, dragging a dead wolf behind him.

Even a grown man couldn't have done that.

But Wang Fenglan had beaten him with a bamboo stick, scolding him for running off and ruining his clothes.

Back then, every family was struggling. Everyone had their own troubles to worry about, so no one bothered to ask what really happened to Zhou Huai'an.

After that incident, Zhou Mancang started calling him a "wolf cub" and even consulted the village fortune-teller, who claimed the boy was a curse on his parents and needed a name change.

That's how Zhou Changsuo became Zhou Huai'an.

The more Zhou Jiawang thought about it, the angrier he got. He slammed the table and yelled at Zhou Mancang, "Are you even human? If I were Changsuo, I'd never set foot in this house again! And after all these years, he still provided for you? You don't deserve a damn thing!"

Zhou Mancang didn't dare talk back. He muttered, "He's making up lies because he doesn't want to pay."

Zhou Jiawang sneered. "Bullshit! We watched that boy grow up—we know what he's like. It's you two who've always treated him poorly."

Third Grandpa sighed. "Mancang, Changsuo is a good son. Your hearts have always been biased.

You can't blame him for the choice he's making today."

After finishing her meal, Lin Xiaoxiao saw Wang Fenglan, Chen Qiaolan, and Niu Chunying eavesdropping by the window. She joined them, crouching under the windowsill to listen.

She arrived just in time to hear Zhou Jiawang reading the agreement. She was shocked—this wasn't a family division; it was a complete break of ties.

Then she heard Zhou Huai'an calmly describe how Wang Fenglan and her husband had once tried to kill him. The image was too cruel to imagine. Her face turned cold, eyes blazing like an angry little dinosaur as she glared at Wang Fenglan.

How could anyone be so evil—to harm a child over a few extra bites of food?

Wang Fenglan trembled with fear upon hearing the conversation inside. She never thought Zhou Huai'an knew everything. When she met Lin Xiaoxiao's fiery gaze, she flinched and shuffled away.

Lin Xiaoxiao grew angrier by the second. Finally, she couldn't hold back. She stood up and kicked Wang Fenglan hard in the backside.

Wang Fenglan yelped and fell face-first onto the ground. Before she could get up, Lin Xiaoxiao kicked her again.

Niu Chunying was still in shock, unable to decide whether to break up the fight or join in.

Zhou Huai'an was the first to hear the commotion and come out. He found Lin Xiaoxiao kicking Wang Fenglan like an enraged animal, her eyes burning with fury.

He quickly stepped forward, took her by the wrist, and pulled her aside.

Wang Fenglan, wailing in pain, sat up clutching her lower back. "Are you trying to kill me? My back... oh, my back..."

Lin Xiaoxiao glared furiously. "If it weren't against the law, I would! You're not even human—you're worse than an animal!"

Then she turned to Zhou Huai'an. "They tried to kill you! And you still sent them money all these years? Are you out of your mind?!"

If it were up to her, she would never have anything to do with this family again. If they wanted to live off his suffering? They could forget it.

Zhou Huai'an looked intently at Lin Xiaoxiao's red, angry face. Something soft stirred inside him.This was the first time someone had stood up for him—unconditionally.

He swallowed. "It won't happen again."

Lin Xiaoxiao turned and snapped at the sobbing Wang Fenglan, "You should hand back every penny Zhou Huai ever gave you! You're the real ingrate here!"

Zhou Jiawang and Third Grandpa came out and saw Zhou Huai'an's wife unleashing her rage.

None of them stepped in to stop her.

A crowd had gathered outside the courtyard—people who had heard about the family division and come to watch.

After a moment, Third Grandpa called to Zhou Huai'an, "Changsuo, take your wife to my place."

After what had happened, there was no way they could stay here.

Zhou Huai'an held Lin Xiaoxiao's wrist. "Let's go."

Before leaving, Lin Xiaoxiao gave Wang Fenglan one last kick, then huffily followed Zhou Huai'an inside to gather their luggage before leaving with Third Grandpa.

After Zhou Huai'an left, Zhou Jiawang glared at the still-sobbing Wang Fenglan. "Stop your crying. Look at what you've done—is any of it decent? Changsuo has done more than enough for you. If you dare make trouble, I won't hesitate to report you and have you arrested!"

Then he left, face dark with anger.

Wang Fenglan sat on the ground, too scared to utter another sound.

Even after arriving at Third Grandpa's house, Lin Xiaoxiao was still fuming. The thought that Zhou Huai'an had willingly played the fool for so many years made her even angrier.

Third Grandma welcomed them in warmly. "Changsuo, dear, please sit." She hurried to prepare tea.

After sitting down, Third Grandpa sighed heavily. "Maybe it's for the best. You've endured too much all these years."

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "It's fine. They're right—they gave me life and raised me. That's a debt in itself."

When Third Grandma heard what had happened, she too condemned Zhou Mancang and his wife. "I always knew those two were greedy and lazy. Didn't they also give away a daughter before Changsuo?"

So it wasn't surprising that they were capable of abandoning—or even killing—a child.

Lin Xiaoxiao, who had never known real hunger, couldn't understand how anyone could give away or abandon a child because of poverty. "Then they shouldn't have had children! What kind of person brings a child into the world only to neglect them?"

Third Grandma smiled faintly at Lin Xiaoxiao's outrage. "Rice feeds a hundred kinds of people—and there are a hundred kinds of hearts in the world."

Then she sighed. "The day will come when Mancang and his wife regret this."

Third Grandpa waved his hand. "Let's not talk about them anymore. Changsuo, from now on, focus on your work. As long as I'm alive, I'll make sure they don't cause trouble for you."

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "They wouldn't dare."

He knew Zhou Mancang and Wang Fenglan too well—selfish and greedy, but also cowardly. They were only tough on their own family.

Lin Xiaoxiao puffed out her cheeks. Then she noticed the wound on Zhou Huai'an's forehead—the blood had clotted, but traces still stained his face. In her anger, she'd forgotten to ask about it.

"Let me treat that for you. Really, why didn't you dodge? If it were me, I would've thrown it right back at him."

A faint smile flickered in Zhou Huai'an's eyes—brief as a firework, but strikingly handsome.When he smiled, the corners of his eyes softened, and his whole demeanor gentled.

Lin Xiaoxiao stared for a second, caught off-guard... and unconsciously swallowed.