Chapter 55: Another Family Member

When their in-laws came all this way, Fang Bo Song and Tong Lingxian felt embarrassed to have them eat with everyone else. So that same evening, they opened a separate meal just for them, taking out whatever food they had stored and giving their in-laws the warmest welcome they could manage.

When Zhou Yulan and Ou Wenrui saw that most of the dishes on the table were simply boiled vegetables, they quietly shed tears.

Even though they themselves had spent the past few days on the train, the environment there and the dry rations they brought were still far better than this. They wondered just how much hardship their in-laws and Xixi had suffered. It was as if they had endured a lifetime of misery.

Fortunately, Fang Mingxi remained optimistic. She sat obediently on the bed, holding her chopsticks and eating with a smile. Seeing that, Zhou Yulan’s heart twisted painfully.

Xixi was this happy even with just a piece of sweet potato, yet they, the adults, had truly failed her.

After the meal, everyone helped tidy up the small room.

This room had originally been a woodshed, piled with firewood. The others in the cattle shed took the initiative to move the wood out, carrying it to another open-air enclosure.

The enclosure was surrounded only by a few simple fences, with nothing to shield it from wind or rain. Everyone agreed they needed to go up the mountain in the next few days to look for something, anything, that could help reinforce the temporary woodshed. It was fine as long as it did not rain, but the moment it did, the firewood would be ruined.

Once the firewood was cleared out and the bed was moved inside, no one bothered to do any further cleaning. After sitting on the train for two days, they were all exhausted. Ou Wenrui and Zhou Yulan planned to spend the night at Tong Lingxian’s place and make do with sleeping on the floor.

The house was small, but sleeping on the floor was still manageable.

Fang Bo Song and Ou Wenrui spread a layer of cotton quilts on the ground. They would sleep there tonight, while Tong Lingxian, Zhou Yulan, and Fang Mingxi slept on the bed.

Fang Mingxi lay between the two women, her small hands resting on their arms. Listening to the soft breathing around her, she stared absentmindedly at the dark ceiling above.

Her family here was reunited, but she did not know if her parents, whom she had never met in this life, were still safe.

Fang Mingxi opened her system panel, tapping into the Flash-Sale System.

The interface displayed a plate of large meat buns, the last flash-sale item. It was currently in its update phase, and there were still five days until the next flash sale.

She let out a slow breath and closed the system.

It was almost February now. According to the timeline from the video, her parents were expected to get into trouble around this time next year. However, that was not necessarily accurate, and it could happen earlier.

If she was lucky enough to get something like a Wish Talisman again, she could use it on her parents.

At the very least, she could ensure their safety. With her golden finger, she believed no scheme around them would succeed.

It was the only method she could think of to keep them safe. He Xi’s luck was too strange, and her father was still in the military. Ordinary human interference would not work unless it involved some kind of supernatural ability.

She did not know if she would get another chance. If she did, she was willing to sacrifice five jin of meat.

Knock knock.

At midnight, everyone was fast asleep, and even Fang Mingxi was drifting off, her eyelids heavy.

Just as she fell into a light sleep, a sudden knock echoed in the quiet room.

The knocking was soft, like someone unconsciously tapping twice, but in the cramped house, it sounded loud. Fang Mingxi jolted awake immediately.

She turned toward the door, thinking she was imagining it, but the sound came again the next second.

Knock knock.

This time, all the adults woke up. Fang Bo Song and Ou Wenrui, who were closest to the door, shot upright.

Fang Bo Song grabbed a wooden stick from the foot of the bed, his eyes fixed on the door with full alertness.

“Who is it?”

Tong Lingxian and Zhou Yulan also woke up. They both sat up and quickly pulled Fang Mingxi into their arms, shrinking back toward the end of the bed.

Tong Lingxian moved toward the window in the dark, using the faint moonlight to peer outside.

She whispered to Fang Bo Song:

“There is someone outside. It looks like an adult.”

Fang Bo Song gripped the stick tighter. Ou Wenrui grabbed a brick from the corner, and the two men slowly approached the door.

The knocking did not stop even after Fang Bo Song shouted. Instead, it continued in a steady rhythm.

Three long, one short, then three long again, not too loud and not too soft. Loud enough for those inside to hear, yet quiet enough that those next door would not.

Fang Bo Song reached for the latch with one hand, raising his stick with the other.

Ou Wenrui crouched behind the door, brick in hand, peering through the crack.

Zhou Yulan covered Fang Mingxi’s eyes and huddled far back.

Tong Lingxian quietly pushed open the window, preparing to escape that way at the first sign of danger.

Everyone was ready.

Fang Bo Song silently counted down.

“Three…”

“Two…”

“One…”

The moment he finished, he yanked the latch loose, flung the door open, and raised the stick to strike.

“Granduncle, it is me!”

The stick froze five centimeters from the person’s head. A breeze lifted the stray hair at the visitor’s forehead.

The moonlight illuminated her face.

She was over one point seven meters tall, carrying a bundle, her hair loose with a hairpin tucked by her ear. Her facial features bore a noticeable resemblance to Tong Lingxian, with the same almond-shaped eyes, oval face, and a mole beneath the eye.

Fang Bo Song’s pupils contracted. His arm slackened, the stick dropping uselessly to his side.

“You… you are Xueyan!”

Xueyan? Who was Xueyan?

Fang Mingxi blinked, looking away from her system panel. Judging by Grandpa’s reaction, she must be another familiar person.

“Xueyan!”

Tong Lingxian, still beside the window, gasped. She did not even bother with shoes before running straight to the door.

Under the light, she finally saw the girl standing there. Her youthful face and familiar features revealed clearly that this was her elder brother’s granddaughter, Tong Xueyan.

Tong Xueyan smiled softly, tears welling in her eyes.

“Uncle, Auntie, I finally found you.”

“Whew…”

At half past midnight, Tong Lingxian covered all the windows with cloth. A kerosene lamp was lit, and everyone gathered inside.

She still could not believe it as she watched Tong Xueyan holding Fang Mingxi.

“Xueyan, how could you be so foolish? Why would you give up such a good job and voluntarily come to the countryside? Your grandaunt is doing fine here. Why put yourself through this?”

Her heart ached. Xueyan had always been an excellent student. Tong Lingxian’s older brother had already prepared a job for her, and she only needed to finish high school.

Yet now, right after graduation, she had suddenly come down here as an educated youth. No one knew how long she would have to stay.

Why had her elder brother agreed to this? Had he lost his senses?

Zhou Yulan and Ou Wenrui were just as stunned. The world truly was small, and fate worked in mysterious ways.

During the day, they had praised Tong Xueyan for being considerate and helpful throughout the trip. She was beautiful and sensible, yet they had wondered whose girl she was, coming down as an educated youth to endure hardship.

Now, at night, they learned she was actually their in-laws’ grand-niece. No wonder she looked familiar. Fate was simply unstoppable.

Tong Xueyan gently squeezed Fang Mingxi’s chubby hand, poked her round cheek, and finally smiled as she explained.