Chapter 34: Heartache

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Heartache

Deng Yuyuan gladly accepted it. This was what she deserved; Shen Zhao’s life was worth far more than this.

Tuantuan’s ears twitched. She heard her mother’s voice. She liked it! Tuantuan opened her eyes!

The little piglet Tuantuan woke up amid the adults’ hushed discussions. Her big, round eyes darted about. The moment she spotted her mother, she began squirming restlessly. Her little mouth puckered, and she let out an ear-piercing WAAAH.

Zhao Erdong frantically followed the baby’s wishes and stuffed her into Deng Yuyuan’s arms. "She was frightened by Granny Zhang before she dozed off, and she only fell asleep because she cried herself out. Who would’ve thought this little one could hold such a grudge? Here, I bet she’s complaining to you."

Deng Yuyuan gently patted the baby’s mouth, vaguely murmuring and coaxing her. At Shen Zhao’s insistence, she didn’t take her outside.

"Even when she cries, she’s much better behaved than my nephew," Shen Zhao suddenly spoke up. "When that boy cries, it’s truly earth-shattering. No amount of coaxing works. During that time, my brother and his wife were completely exhausted."

A sudden flash of inspiration hit Deng Yuyuan. "There is actually something I need to ask of you.

"In the future... if it’s possible, should the two children ever have a conflict and I’m not around, could you please notify me? We can discuss a solution once I arrive."

She couldn’t predict how the future would unfold, but as long as she was present, she would always be able to protect Tuantuan.

Shen Zhao’s eyes lit up. "The two children... having a conflict? No problem. Does that mean you are from the same city as I am?

"That makes sense. You’re an educated youth sent down to the countryside, so you’ll have to go back eventually anyway. Do you need me to pull some strings so you can return early?"

The more he spoke, the more excited he became. A slight itch tickled his throat, causing him to cough softly, every inch of his skin trembling.

Deng Yuyuan shook her head. "I’m not from Beijing. I just figured that, if possible, I’d like to visit Beijing in the future."

"Then how about I take you to Beijing to live for a while right now?" Shen Zhao suggested. "My family is more than capable of supporting my savior, and you’d be able to get far away from all this mess."

Deng Yuyuan carefully observed the man. He was in the prime of his life, with deep, mature facial features. He had a high nose bridge and thin, resolute lips, possessing a handsome look that made it clear he was not to be trifled with.

Now that the blood had been wiped clean, his skin revealed an even, healthy bronze hue, as if he had been bathed in sunlight and sea breezes all year round. This was vastly different from the uneven, dark tans of the village men, which were formed by years of hard labor. His muscle lines were smooth and firm, brimming with a wild aesthetic. It was hard to imagine that this man’s actual profession was a painter.

Yet, the way he spoke and acted carried the naive innocence of someone raised in a greenhouse. He was single-minded in his decision-making. No wonder he had died all alone in the mountains in the original novel.

Aside from a few minor annoyances, most of the people in this village were friendly to Deng Yuyuan. Moreover, she had a legitimate place to live. Most importantly, according to gaming logic, one should never step out of the starter village—Dazhang Village—before becoming truly strong.

Although Beijing was bustling, it wouldn’t genuinely improve her situation. If she followed Shen Zhao to Beijing using her status as his savior, outsiders would likely view her as a scheming widow leveraging a favor to demand rewards for herself and her daughter. They might not gossip in front of Shen Zhao, but they definitely would in front of her.

After all, as an artist who loved sketching from nature and a youngest son with no real power, the chances of him being able to protect her were too slim. In all likelihood, he would eventually grow tired of her because of such friction.

Deng Yuyuan declined his kind offer, merely stating that she would definitely visit his home if the opportunity arose in the future.

In her arms, Tuantuan had cried herself out. Her two tiny hands were tightly clenched into fists as she fiercely punched the air. Then, she turned her head toward Deng Yuyuan and babbled, "AHH AHH AHH." The baby was so anxious she almost started talking!

"Mommy knows. Tuantuan was wronged, wasn’t she? Don’t be mad, don’t be mad now. No being angry!" The more Deng Yuyuan coaxed her, the more energetic Tuantuan became, her morale soaring ever higher.

Deng Yuyuan almost dropped her. She decisively pretended to smack her. "Behave, no squirming."

Tuantuan struggled to stretch her neck and obediently rested her head on her mother’s shoulder. "Yaa!"

"She really listens to you." The tone was so sour that even the flat electronic voice couldn’t mask it. Deng Yuyuan felt helpless. Like she’d said before, the electronic AI was strictly forbidden from throwing random fits of jealousy.

"Tuantuan is quite fierce. Baring her fangs and brandishing her claws like a little kitten." Zhao Erdong stepped forward with a grin, quietly blocking Shen Zhao’s intent gaze toward Deng Yuyuan. Rich young masters were only allowed to hand over money; they were not permitted to get any inappropriate ideas.

Shen Zhao’s eyes darkened for a moment before he said, "When she has younger brothers and sisters in the future, she’ll definitely be a brave big sister."

"She won’t." Deng Yuyuan tilted her head, looking at Shen Zhao past Zhao Erdong. "Tuantuan won’t have any siblings. She is my only daughter. I will not have any more children."

Zhang Ci Hao, whose fingers were raised to knock on the door, lowered his hand.

When he had heard Tuantuan’s cries from outside, he’d wanted to go in and help coax the baby. However, his father had grabbed him, pointing out that her mother was still inside, so there was no point in him interfering.

After a brief stalemate, Tuantuan started babbling again. Her weak voice, laced with anger, drifted out through the crack in the door. Zhang Ci Hao couldn’t wait any longer. Bypassing his father, who was acting strangely erratic for no reason, he went to find Deng Yuyuan.

He wasn’t stupid enough to just push the door open and walk right in. As he stood outside, rapidly trying to think up a good excuse, the room fell quiet, and he heard Deng Yuyuan’s voice.

After his initial shock and sorrow, he actually found himself understanding Deng Yuyuan’s stance. While it was true that not having a son meant breaking the family’s incense line, he was the youngest son in his own family. He had two older brothers and Shi Tou above him. Even if he didn’t have children himself, the Zhang family line would still carry on smoothly.

It was just that if a woman held such thoughts, her life would inevitably be a bit harder.

His heart ached with even more pity. Thinking of Tuantuan’s premature birth and how emaciated Deng Yuyuan had been at the time, he figured her first childbirth must have left her with deep psychological trauma. Whatever the case, it was all Brother Jiahua’s fault. Sadly, it was Deng Yuyuan who had to bear the bitter consequences.

"Are you going in or not? If not, move aside. The ambulance is here, and there’s a police car right behind it." The village chief patted his youngest son in exasperation, signaling him to snap out of it. Zhang Ci Hao quickly stepped aside, letting his dad take over.

Shen Zhao was loaded into the ambulance. Since the ambulance and the police car arrived one after the other, he was spared the trouble of struggling with his broken hand. He simply gave a verbal statement to the police, confirming that he had voluntarily gifted the item to Deng Yuyuan.

Granny Zhang started rambling once more about her long-standing grievances with Deng Yuyuan. Zhang Jiahua explained from the side, saying he was willing to write an IOU and promising to persuade his mother to return it within a few days.

The police ignored the two long-winded individuals. After getting a grasp of the situation from the village chief, they confirmed that Granny Zhang and Deng Yuyuan had no familial relation. Since Granny Zhang had been warned three times and still refused to hand it over, they arrested her on the spot.

Her hands restrained by handcuffs and the watch forcibly confiscated, Granny Zhang finally knew fear. "I already returned it to her! Why are you still arresting me?"