Zhang Dahai almost burst out laughing when he heard that. The last sentence was his real goal, wasn't it? It was just acting, and he knew how to do that too.
Zhang Dahai immediately became teary-eyed and grabbed his elder brother's hand, saying reluctantly, "Brother, I can't bear to leave you. I've never left home since I was a child, and I'm so unsure of myself. Why don't you pool some money to redeem me? I promise I'll work like an ox and horse for you, taking good care of our few acres of land, and making the women work harder to repay your kindness."
Zhang Ge felt his whole body stiffen. He then smiled awkwardly, "My dear brother, you joke too much. Where would I get that kind of money? If I had it, I'd still be at home!"
After saying that, he patted his younger brother's shoulder and quickly slipped away, afraid that he would ask for money again, especially since this whole mess started because of his own son.
Finally, under the watchful eyes of their mother, the father and his two daughters packed only a single tattered piece of clothing before leaving. In any case, Wu Caiwei would buy them new things.
Wu Caiwei, who was sitting at the same table eating with them, saw the two sisters stealing curious glances at her. She immediately smiled at them and said, "Are you curious about the relationship between your father and me?"
Seeing the two sisters nod frantically like little chicks pecking at rice, she cast a slightly mischievous glance at Zhang Dahai, then smiled at them and said, "I am your future mother, and your father's future wife."
After saying this, she even linked arms with Zhang Dahai. The two girls turned to stone, looking at their father with disdain.
Zhang Dahai couldn't take it anymore. "What's with those looks? As if I'm not good enough for her."
Zhang Qiuju nodded in agreement, "You are indeed not good enough for the madam. Although you are similar in age, you look like you could be her father. It was the madam who paid for me to leave the brothel. You don't match her in appearance or wealth. It's not that I look down on you, but with your personality, any woman who marries you would be incredibly unlucky. I don't know how you managed to get lucky and attract the madam's attention."
Wu Caiwei chuckled upon hearing this. She found the girl to her liking and thought that if she cultivated her well, she might become a capable assistant in the future.
Zhang Dahai felt his daughter's words had some merit. Though he was reluctant to admit it, in the eyes of outsiders, they were worlds apart. However, it didn't matter. He believed he would build a great future and shield them from all storms.
Zhang Qiuju had expected her father to get angry and reprimand her. However, to her surprise, after initially showing anger, he quickly came to terms with it. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Zhang Dahai immediately tapped her bowl with his chopsticks and said irritably, "Hurry up and eat. No matter how much you dislike it, I'll be marrying your mother in a few days."
The two girls accepted this well, after all, Wu Caiwei was beautiful, rich, and most importantly, she was good to them.
Since they couldn't leave the small town for a while, Wu Caiwei rented a small courtyard and settled the two sisters there.
The two of them secretly went to the small village where Zhang Taohong lived. After waiting for a long time, they saw her alone, carrying a large basin of clothes out of the house.
The moment Wu Caiwei saw her, she felt heartbroken for the girl. She was so thin that her bones were sticking out, her face lacked any color, and she exuded an aura of despair. If they hadn't come today, this girl probably wouldn't have lived much longer.
"Taohong, Taohong..." Zhang Dahai called out softly a few times. Zhang Taohong seemed lost in her own world, oblivious to everything outside. She didn't respond to his calls at all.
Zhang Dahai looked around, and seeing no one, he quickly rushed in front of her. Zhang Taohong, caught off guard, stumbled and crashed into him. She then trembled and retreated, repeatedly saying in fear, "Don't hit me, don't hit me, I didn't mean to."
Zhang Dahai said heartbrokenly, "Taohong, it's me."
Zhang Taohong didn't hear what he was saying. She was consumed by fear.
Fearing that her state might attract attention, Zhang Dahai quickly stepped forward, grabbed her shoulders, and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him properly. "Look carefully, I am your father. I'm here to save you. I won't hit you."
When Zhang Taohong saw her father, a flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes, followed by disappointment. "You won't save me. This is my fate."
"I am truly here to save you this time. Your two sisters and I have left the Zhang family, and we want to take you and Hexiang with us. But you must do as I say." Zhang Dahai looked at her sincerely, trying to make her believe him.
Zhang Taohong's dim, lifeless eyes slowly regained some spark. She looked at her father quietly. "Can I still trust you?"
Zhang Dahai nodded quickly, his voice choked with emotion. "Please trust me one last time. This time, I will definitely lead you out of this sea of suffering."
Zhang Taohong smiled, and as she smiled, tears began to flow. "I'll trust you one last time. If you lie to me again, I'll bash my head against your forehead. Anyway, I'm numb to this life and have long since despaired. It's better to go and be with Mother sooner."
Zhang Dahai hurriedly explained his plan, glancing around nervously for fear of being seen.
Although Zhang Taohong was surprised by her father's change, she listened attentively, not letting go of any opportunity to escape her current predicament. Soudan Novel Network.
Afterward, they parted ways in haste. Zhang Taohong went to the river to wash clothes as usual, and then returned to hang them out to dry. However, if one observed closely, they would notice that she was filled with a new vitality.
At lunchtime, Zhang Taohong did not, as usual, go to the kitchen to eat the leftovers. She specifically took out some meat from the house, boiled it, and when it was ready, she was the first to serve herself. She put her favorite parts into her bowl and ate heartily. This was the first time she had eaten so satisfyingly since coming to this home.
Her behavior was quickly noticed by her mother-in-law, who stormed into the kitchen, grabbed a firewood, and was about to strike her. Zhang Taohong, caught off guard, took a solid blow.
Then, she grabbed the other end of the firewood and said fiercely, "I've had enough. From today onwards, I refuse to tolerate this any longer. If you have the guts, just beat me to death. Anyway, I'm covered in wounds and everything hurts. I probably won't live much longer, and then you can pay for it with your lives. Of course, even if you don't kill me, perhaps one day I'll set the house on fire, and we'll all go to hell together."
Mother Pan looked into her eyes and listened to her words, suddenly feeling a chill of fear. She didn't doubt the sincerity of her words at all, because her eyes were filled with madness.
For a moment, she didn't know what to do. She hurriedly threw down the firewood and went to discuss it with her husband. No matter what, they had to find a solution and get rid of this menace.