As evening fell, Li Yunlan returned with Zhou Xiaohong. They didn't talk much—just watched Zhou Huai'an intently. Eventually, Li Yunlan asked what kinds of food he liked.

Lin Xiaoxiao sighed. "He isn't picky. He'll eat anything as long as it fills his stomach. After all, he grew up never having enough."

Then she tried to comfort Li Yunlan, "You don't need to be too upset. He's doing alright now."

But Li Yunlan only felt more heartbroken. She insisted on going to a state-run restaurant for dinner and ordered braised pork, steamed lamb ribs—basically every meat dish available.

During the meal, she kept serving Zhou Huai'an food without eating much herself. She just watched him, tears quietly rolling down her cheeks.

Seeing how much food was left, Lin Xiaoxiao went to bring Third Grandpa and Xiaozhu over to join them.

When she returned with them, Li Yunlan was still teary-eyed, gazing at Zhou Huai'an.

Third Grandpa turned to Lin Xiaoxiao and asked, "Is this Changsuo's birth mother?"

It had been so long that he could no longer remember what the pregnant woman from years ago looked like.

Li Yunlan, however, still recognized Third Grandpa. She might not have recalled his name, but she knew his face. She stood up, looking at him in surprise once again.

After they were seated, Li Yunlan asked Third Grandpa to confirm what Zhou Huai'an's life had been like in Zhou Village.

Third Grandpa, an honest man, recounted in detail how Zhou Huai'an grew up—including things even Lin Xiaoxiao hadn't known.

Li Yunlan's heart felt like it was being burned over a fire once more.

Her tears never stopped.

Finally, Third Grandpa sighed. "Changsuo is a good boy. He deserves a better life."

That night, thinking about their early trip to Zhou Village the next day, Lin Xiaoxiao didn't tease Zhou Huai'an and simply went to sleep.

The next morning, since there weren't enough seats in the car, Zhou Xiaohong stayed behind at the guesthouse while the others took Li Yunlan back to Zhou Village.

Lü Zhigang had borrowed the car from his work unit, so he had to stay with the vehicle.

After watching the car drive off, Zhou Xiaohong hesitated for a while before finally going to call her father. The day before, she hadn't fully believed Lin Xiaoxiao—or that this stranger could really be her brother.

Especially after what Lin Xiaoxiao implied about Zhou Xiaoming, she refused to trust a stranger over the brother she'd grown up with.

What if Lin Xiaoxiao was just trying to smear Zhou Xiaoming?

So in the end, she hadn't made the call. But that evening, after meeting Third Grandpa and hearing him talk about people and events in the village—details her mother could confirm—everything suddenly seemed much more real.

When she finally called home, not only was Zhou Zhennan there, but Zhou Xiaoming had also just returned, looking tired from his journey.

After listening to Zhou Xiaohong's rushed account, Zhou Zhennan was shocked. He glanced at Zhou Xiaoming, who had just walked in, then calmly ended the call without showing any reaction. He even asked Zhou Xiaoming warmly about his work and what he'd seen during his trip.

It was already afternoon when Lin Xiaoxiao and the others arrived at Zhou Village. When Xiaozhu saw familiar surroundings, he suddenly pointed toward home and indistinctly called out, "Grandma."

Third Grandpa and Lin Xiaoxiao were thrilled—it was a sign the child was recovering well.

By the time they reached the village entrance, the sun was setting, and cooking smoke curled over the roofs.

Knowing that Zhou Huai'an and the others had more pressing matters to attend to, Third Grandpa took Xiaozhu home first, saying he would come back later to help.

Wang Fenglan was stoking the fire in the courtyard to prepare dinner.

Zhou Chang'an was already back home recovering from his injuries. His wife had left after he hit her, abandoning their two children. Niu Chunying had also grown clever—she stayed out busy until after dark every day.

So the cooking duty fell to Wang Fenglan. As she boiled a pot of sweet potatoes, she grumbled and cursed everyone she could think of.

Hearing noise, she looked up and saw people walking in. Squinting, she first recognized Zhou Huai'an, then Lin Xiaoxiao. But she didn't know the woman beside Lin Xiaoxiao.

A sense of dread washed over her. She quickly stood up.

The group approached, and Li Yunlan studied the woman in front of her. Thirty years had passed, and Wang Fenglan had aged greatly—but those narrow eyes and sharp-featured face were still the same.

Clenching her fists, Li Yunlan asked, "Wang Fenglan, do you know who I am?"

Of course Wang Fenglan recognized her. Her legs trembled with fear, but she shook her head vigorously. "N-No, I don't. Who are you?"

Zhou Changyuan heard the noise and came out of the house. He was pleased to see Zhou Huai'an. "Changsuo, are you back?"

But when Li Yunlan saw Zhou Changyuan's face, her mind went blank—he looked so much like Zhou Xiaoming.

Suddenly, as if possessed, she rushed forward and grabbed Wang Fenglan by the hair. "You monster! How could you do this? You ruined my son!"

Wang Fenglan tried to fight back, but Lin Xiaoxiao quickly pinned her arms, leaving her unable to move as Li Yunlan scratched her face.

Zhou Changyuan still didn't understand what was happening. He tried to intervene, but Zhou Huai'an and Lü Zhigang held him back. "Changsuo, what are you doing? She's still our mother!"

he yelled angrily.

Zhou Huai'an pressed his lips together and stayed silent, his eyes cold and frightening.

The commotion drew a crowd of onlookers outside the yard.

Exhausted from hitting Wang Fenglan, Li Yunlan still gripped her arm tightly. "Aren't you afraid of judgment? How dare you switch your son with mine..."

Wang Fenglan was too terrified to say a word.

From Li Yunlan's crying and accusations, Zhou Changyuan finally understood—Zhou Huai'an really wasn't their biological brother. He had been swapped by their mother.

Remembering how their family had treated Zhou Huai'an all these years, he was filled with too much shame to lift his head.

Throughout the whole scene, Zhou Mancang never showed himself.

Once Li Yunlan had calmed down a little, Zhou Huai'an said quietly, "Let's go."

Lin Xiaoxiao quickly supported Li Yunlan. "We've found out the truth. Let's go back."

Li Yunlan followed her for a few steps, then suddenly turned and glared fiercely at Wang Fenglan. "Just you wait. I will make you pay for this."

Luo Caixia had also heard the news and rushed over. Standing on the edge of the crowd, she watched Zhou Huai'an from a distance, then noticed the well-dressed woman beside Lin Xiaoxiao. She recalled someone who had recently approached her, claiming they could help her marry Zhou Huai'an.

That person had also said Zhou Huai'an wasn't really Wang Fenglan's son—that his birth parents were important people.

Could it be true?

On the drive back, no one spoke. Li Yunlan leaned against the window, covering her head as she cried quietly.

Lin Xiaoxiao didn't know how to comfort her. Maybe crying would help Li Yunlan feel better.

It was too late to drive back all the way, so they ended up staying at a guesthouse in the county town.

Lin Xiaoxiao shared a room with Li Yunlan, while Lü Zhigang and Zhou Huai'an stayed in another.

After entering the room, Li Yunlan sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall. Just as Lin Xiaoxiao was wondering whether to leave, Li Yunlan suddenly spoke:

"Would you be willing to come back to Beijing with me?"