Chapter 398: Chapter 391: I’m Just a Face-Lover 33
Anning rose and walked towards the Wu Family’s house.
Wu Ping and a few others hurried to follow.
Anning entered a small thatched hut on the east side: "Your son died in this very room, didn’t he?"
Wu Ping nodded vigorously, Anning was absolutely right, it was indeed here that his son had taken his last breath.
"Your son was originally blessed with both fortune and longevity, but regrettably, your daughter-in-law, in order to obtain some money for her brother’s medical treatment, agreed to a scheme proposed by her parents, consenting to exchange your son’s fate with another family’s child. That child was burdened with deep karmic debts and unfortunate fate, destined to suffer in hell even after death. As a result, your son became the substitute, inheriting the other child’s cruel destiny. That family’s child has now seized your son’s good fortune, living a prosperous life, while your family..."
Anning glanced at Wu Ni and couldn’t help but sigh: "It’s not just your brother she doomed, but your entire family. If it wasn’t for the peculiar twist of fate you encountered, I’m afraid..."
She didn’t finish her thought.
But Wu Ni understood.
She knew that Anning had recognized her as someone who had lived a previous life. However, Anning’s eyes held only pity, no malice, which kept Wu Ni from feeling overly anxious.
Moreover, everything Anning said was true. In her past life, her family indeed met with a terrible end.
Her younger brother was worked to death, her father drowned, and she herself died a tragic double-death.
Recalling the outcomes of her past life, she couldn’t help but cover her face and begin to cry.
Originally, when Anning spoke of his son’s fate being switched, Wu Ping was close to losing his sanity with rage.
After Wu Ni began to cry, it brought back his composure.
Wu Ping rushed to comfort Wu Ni, flustered: "Ni’er, don’t cry, my dear, we shouldn’t be distressed."
"Dad ah..."
Wu Ni threw herself into Wu Ping’s arms, still sobbing loudly, while crying she said: "Disown my mother, please disown her quickly. Otherwise, she will bring down our entire family. She has already caused my death once; I don’t want to die a second time."
Wu Ni’s words stunned Wu Ping for a moment, and then he asked anxiously: "Ni’er, what do you mean by that? How did you die once? Tell me everything, in detail."
Knowing that Wu Ni might be about to reveal her rebirth to Wu Ping, Anning quietly left with Wang Chunhua and Xu Bao’er.
By the time the three of them left the Wu home, they had boarded a carriage and headed straight to the location Wu Ping had mentioned.
And true enough, the scenery there was quite beautiful. The three of them wandered in the peach forest for a while, then walked and talked alongside the rape flower fields.
Xu Bao’er’s face was still somewhat pale at this time.
She had been frightened.
She had never seen such a ruthless mother like Ms. Cui; for money, she didn’t hesitate to endanger her own son’s life, it was nothing short of madness.
Wang Chunhua was also shocked.
She whispered to Anning: "I’ve never seen such a mother before, it’s truly eye-opening."
Xu Bao’er spat in disgust: "She doesn’t deserve to be called a mother."
"Exactly, she doesn’t deserve the title," said Anning, chuckling softly, her laughter tinged with sarcasm: "Wu Ping must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck to marry such a calamitous woman."
Wang Chunhua then asked Anning: "You mentioned Wu Ni had a stroke of extraordinary luck, what was it?"
Anning gestured dismissively: "It’s not for me to say."
Wang Chunhua didn’t insist on getting an answer, seeing that Anning refused to disclose, she dropped the matter.
Xu Bao’er sighed, "Poor Wu Ni’s brother, such a good child and yet trapped to death like that."
The three wandered around for a while, filled their stomachs with the food they brought, and seeing that it was getting late, they prepared to head home.
As they arrived at the entrance of the village, they bumped into Wu Ping and Wu Ni.
Upon seeing Anning and her companions’ carriage, Wu Ping quickly approached.
Anning lifted the carriage curtain and glanced out, "I know what you two wish to ask, but I am currently indisposed. Wait another two days, and after you’ve divorced Ms. Cui, send your daughter to the Xiao Family to find me."
Wu Ping, holding Wu Ni, kowtowed several times to Anning before standing by the side of the road to watch the carriage leave.
After returning, Anning went to Mrs. Xiao to acquire some land deeds from the Xiao Family.
She picked a manor that was neither too big nor too small. Then every day she would go to the manor, but she didn’t have the tenants farm the land. Instead, she left a large piece of land unplanted, arranged with several tenants to follow her instructions and promised to pay them wages - not letting them toil for nothing.
The wages Anning offered were very generous, certainly more than what these families could earn from years of cultivating the land. This would at least allow them to be fed and clothed warmly; naturally, they were happy to work for Anning.
Thereafter, Anning instructed these families to refurbish the land and fertilize the soil as per her directives.
She had just finished arranging the manor matters when Wu Ni arrived.
Having lived through one lifetime, Wu Ni’s courage had greatly increased. She dared to come alone to the county and directly found the Xiao Family.
That day, Anning happened to be at home. When she heard from the gatekeeper that a girl surnamed Wu was looking for her, she immediately had Wu Ni brought in.
Wu Ni entered and saw Anning, her eyes shining with gratitude.
She didn’t speak at first, but kowtowed to Anning.
"Thank you for enlightening my father and me. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have known what happened to my brother, that all..."
As Wu Ni stood up, her eyes were red, but she forcefully held back her tears, "Last time you mentioned my brother was used as a scapegoat, suffering in someone’s place. These past few days, my father and I have been unable to come to terms with it. I came brazenly to beseech your help. Please save my brother. I have nothing else but bravery alone. As long as you help, I’ll do anything you ask."
Wu Ni knew that Anning surely wouldn’t need money and thus didn’t bring it up. Besides, even if she wanted to, her family had none.
To get Anning’s help, she was prepared to sacrifice her life.
She thought, if her brother’s fate could be swapped with that person’s, her father and younger brother surely would not meet a tragic end. No matter what became of her, at least someone in her family would have a good outcome.
Anning looked at Wu Ni, truly admiring the girl.
"Really, you’d do anything I asked?"
Anning asked with a smile.
Wu Ni nodded earnestly, "Yes."
"Would you do something illegal?"
Anning further inquired.
Wu Ni looked up at Anning, "Someone like you, how could you commit illegal acts?"
The child was certainly level-headed.
Anning smiled and motioned Wu Ni over.
She took a few steps forward, and Anning ruffled her hair a few times, "Alright then, in the future you and your father will work for my family. I just happen to need some trustworthy people."
Wu Ni was overjoyed, "Right, I’ll work hard."
Anning laughed, "Go back and have your father write down your brother’s birth time and date, and also, I need the blood of each of your three family members... Here’s what, the Wang family has a manor near your village. In a few days, I’ll be at the manor waiting for you and your father. Then, we’ll perform a mystical practice to save your brother."