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Yin Yue had originally thought of a subtle approach to tampering, intending to slowly introduce changes without anyone noticing. This way, except for the person involved, Yin Yujiao, who might feel a bit unwell, no one else would be able to detect any issues, and thus, no accusations could be made. However, to her surprise, not even two days had passed since she started tampering before her actions were discovered.

In the past, the lazy little brother, Yin Minglu, would only wake up when called by his mother, Shen Qiuyi, who would reluctantly get out of bed. Why was he up so early today? The sky wasn’t even bright yet! Yin Yue was frightened and flustered.

“Grandma, I just went to the bathroom, and then I got hungry, so I wanted to find something to eat in the kitchen. That’s when I saw Second Sister adding something to Elder Sister’s lunchbox.” The little one pulled on Grandma Luo’s sleeve, accusingly pointing it out. Only then did everyone realize that it was the child who had gotten up early in the morning, catching the sneaky troublemaker in the act.

“What did Yue’er add to my lunchbox?” Yin Yujiao, still in her pajamas, asked incredulously, rubbing her eyes to wake up.

The old lady’s face turned cold as she approached, picked up the lunchbox, and keenly spotted a wriggling, foul insect at the bottom. She was horrified and almost knocked over the tableware, and her blood pressure surged.

Such insects are common in the stinking ditches of rural areas and can cause stomach problems if ingested.

The couple in the first branch also noticed. Seeing the disgusting creature wriggling in the lunchbox, their faces were filled with incredulity. The eldest daughter was preparing for the college entrance examination, and in the early hours of the morning, the second daughter tampered with her lunchbox, making her eat this filthy thing. What was the intention? Only a fool wouldn’t see it. Was it jealousy, an attempt to make her sister miss the college entrance exam, or was she fundamentally malicious, first harming Xiao Bao and then planning to harm Yujiao?

Looking at the second daughter, who avoided their gazes with a guilty look, dressed in sweat-soaked clothes, the couple couldn’t feign ignorance any longer. They were immediately infuriated.

They stepped forward, seizing Yin Yue’s hands and shouting, “What are you doing? Trying to harm your sister’s chances of taking the college entrance exam? Don’t you know how important it is to her? You are plotting a crime!” The couple yelled so loudly that their necks thickened. They regretted having such a malicious daughter, one who dared to harm her own sister. They were angrier than anyone else and even found their own moment of weakness five days ago laughable and foolish.

The girl in pajamas pushed through the crowd and carefully examined the lunchbox. When she saw what was inside, her head buzzed. Thinking that this thing might have entered her stomach more than once, her lips trembled. Her face turned pale, and after three seconds, she couldn’t hold back any longer. She covered her stomach and rushed to the side to vomit.

These days, her younger sister Yin Yue had shown genuine concern for her, such as earnestly urging her to study well, staying up late to review with her, and even cooking late-night snacks and sharpening her pencils. Every little detail was seen by Yin Yujiao. The deep care and concern left her moved beyond words.

Now, discovering that her younger sister had plotted to harm her, Yin Yujiao felt a chill down her spine.

In the past few days, Yin Yujiao hadn’t given it much thought, but now she realized why she had been sleeping particularly soundly every morning. During sleep, she felt someone manipulating her body. Upon waking up, she found her clothes slightly damp, and the bed underneath was also somewhat moist. Initially, she thought it was a leaking ceiling or her own fever causing sweat, but now she wondered if someone had used a wet cloth to wipe her body, attempting to make her fall ill.

Why? She had always been kind to others, valued family ties, and never had conflicts with anyone. What had she done wrong to make her own blood-related sister deliberately plot against her every night?

Yin Yujiao’s face turned ashen, and a thin layer of tears appeared in her eyes. She nearly couldn’t stand steady, and Yin Minglu had to support her.

Grandma Luo directly scolded, “This is your so-called well-behaved daughter who vowed to turn over a new leaf? Her heart is truly dark! You two must be blind to believe such nonsense. You almost caused Yujiao to miss the university entrance exam.”

After scolding the couple in the first branch, the elderly lady with a gloomy expression immediately aimed the gun at Yin Yue, saying, “You, causing harm even to your own sisters. Our family may not be able to punish you, but we won’t keep you either. I’ll take you to the police station, let the authorities see if your actions lack a conscience. Is this how you betray your own kin?” Without giving Yin Yue a chance to defend herself, Grandma Luo acted decisively, giving the order to bind her directly. Ignoring her vigorous resistance, they took her straight to the town.

If Yin Yue was a thorn in Grandma Luo’s side, then Yin Yujiao, the obedient and promising granddaughter, was another story. With Yin Yujiao causing harm even when given everything, she had crossed Grandma Luo’s bottom line. Grandma couldn’t tolerate a granddaughter with such a corrupt character. A woman who harmed her siblings couldn’t be tolerated in any village. Putting her in custody was the best solution.

At this moment in Wenshui Village, the sky was gradually brightening. The diligent villagers were already up, either pounding clothes or preparing meals. They noticed Yin Yue being tied up, and their eyes widened in astonishment. Some approached to inquire about the situation, and upon learning what Yin Yue had done, they couldn’t help but exclaim in shock.

Wenshui Village has a simple and honest community. The last beast who sold his own nephew to human traffickers has been in prison for five years, yet his story still circulates among the villagers. It’s easy to understand that Yin Yue, who drugged her own sister with insects before her upcoming college entrance exam, would become the next infamous example. Everyone applauded Grandma Luo’s righteous act of severing ties with her own kin. Otherwise, having such a neighbor made them all uneasy.

—-At the police station—-

The elderly man from the Qingshui Elementary School, helping the police with the composite sketch of the female trafficker from a few days ago, described her bit by bit. Due to his old age and fading memory, he could only provide limited details: “The woman looked very ordinary, inconspicuous in a crowd. She was around twenty years old… Oval face, dark skin. Her eyebrows were neither thick nor thin, and the distance between her eyes and eyebrows was short. Thin lips, with a somewhat stern look. There were also two moles near her mouth. Judging by her accent, she’s likely from our nearby area. But I haven’t seen her around these days.”

The police officer diligently recorded the information, nodding in acknowledgment, “Thank you, sir. Your detailed clues are valuable. We’ll notify you as soon as we have any updates.”

The elderly man was still lost in his memories. “Alright, alright, it’s my duty,” he said as he was about to step out. However, he suddenly saw Yin Yue being brought over by the villagers. In a moment of realization, he exclaimed loudly, “Hey, hey, hey, it’s her! It’s this woman! She’s the human trafficker! Hurry up and catch her!”

“What?” The police officers were shocked. They compared the physical features they had just recorded with Yin Yue’s appearance and found a striking resemblance—around twenty years old, oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, mole near the mouth. Every detail matched! They were even more astonished. Was she caught by a righteous individual, or did she willingly walk into the trap?

“What? Yin Yue is actually a human trafficker!?” The villagers were also shocked. Those with young children in their homes were immediately alarmed. The fact that a living human trafficker was in their village raised concerns about whether their own children might be targeted.

The scene became chaotic for a moment.

At this moment, a third party appeared. Qin Mao, with a blood-soaked bandage on his forehead, was supported by a young woman. His mouth was swollen, and he approached the front desk to file a report, saying, “A few days ago, I was attacked, and my shop was half-smashed. Those people are just idle troublemakers from the town. When they heard I was going to report them, they finally got scared. They claimed someone paid them to do this, and that person is my ex-wife. Please, you must intervene on my behalf.”

He explained that when he first sent out the invitations, everything seemed calm, and Yin Yue remained silent. It turned out the real trouble started later.

Seeing Qin Mao’s deep grievances and the severity of the situation, the police personnel felt sympathy. They poured him a cup of warm water and said, “Alright, sir, please have a seat here. Safeguarding public security and protecting the lives and property of the people are our unwavering responsibilities. The charges you describe are quite serious. Let’s go inside and discuss it in detail. We need to understand the situation between you and your ex-wife to determine whether this is intentional provocation and disturbance or a result of mishandled emotional conflicts. Also, please provide us with your ex-wife’s identity information so that we can conduct an investigation. We appreciate your cooperation.”

Qin Mao nodded, indicating his willingness to cooperate.

Upon entering the room, there was a moment when Qin Mao questioned if his head had been damaged because he found Yin Yue right there in the police station, her eyes glaring at him and the woman beside him.

Rubbing his forehead and trembling at his fingertips, he said to the police officers, “It’s that woman, she’s my ex-wife.”

Huh?? How is it her again? Is this a case with three different incidents??? The police personnel widened their eyes once more, taking a while to comprehend.

Tsk tsk, the commotion from early morning already indicated that this woman wasn’t a good person. Although she claimed the human trafficking accusation was a misunderstanding, her activities outside for almost ten months a year raised suspicions. However, other incidents, such as instigating her cousin, plotting against her own sister, and sending someone to assault her ex-husband, were clear and confirmed. These actions demonstrated that she didn’t value family bonds at all, had a more malicious mind than most men, and lacked moral decency.

As law enforcement officers, they would certainly handle the investigation and evidence impartially.

When the investigators returned from the provincial capital, they brought astonishing news to the people of Wenshui Village. It turned out that Yin Yue went to the provincial capital not to engage in human trafficking, but her activities weren’t exactly commendable either.

Despite claiming to have been deceived, she was vague about the details of how she was deceived and focused more on portraying herself as a victim. As it turned out, she had partnered with some out-of-town workers, mainly from other provinces, to engage in the clothing business. In this day and age, if you’re in the clothing business and not manufacturing the clothes yourself, you need a source for your inventory. If you’re not a big boss with a substantial amount of money, and considering the train tickets to and from Wenshui Village to cities like Wenshi or Shenzhen cost around thirty yuan for just one-way standing tickets, not to mention the cost of transporting goods, how do you establish a supply chain?

Naturally, they resorted to acting as middlemen or “daoye” in local parlance.

A “daoye” is someone who engages in small-scale buying and selling. They travel by train to other provinces, purchase clothing and watches in bulk, and then resell the goods in their hometowns. They buy at a low price and sell at a higher price, exploiting the price difference and taking advantage of market loopholes. In the past, this activity was referred to as “speculation” and was subject to legal consequences. In contemporary terms, it might be portrayed as someone adept at seizing business opportunities, but fundamentally, it remains an unlawful practice. If caught or reported by vigilant citizens, individuals engaged in such activities could face imprisonment.

This was what Yin Yue meant by being deceived in business. She took a train to Shenzhen, brought back several large bags of clothes, and almost got caught. It was only then that she realized she had been misled by her so-called business partners into becoming a “daoye.” Ironically, she thought she could make at least ten thousand yuan by selling these clothes.

Once on the thieving path, it’s hard to turn back. Fearing retaliation or exposure, she hurriedly returned to Wenshui Village overnight.

And that’s how she got caught by the police.

With multiple charges accumulated, the Yin family and Qin Mao, who initially thought she would only face a brief punishment, were taken by surprise. They hadn’t anticipated that Yin Yue, along with her clothing business associates, would be sentenced to seven or eight years. It felt like a heavy hammer had struck them, leaving them dazed and bewildered. Only then did they realize the extent of Yin Yue’s audacious activities outside. While they believed she deserved the consequences, their(Yin Yue’s parents timid nature led them to clutch their hearts, almost fainting from shock.

Qin Mao was the most fortunate among them, thankful for his divorce six months prior. If he had been persuaded into profiteering, during the “strict crackdown” campaign, the punishment could have been more severe, even involving his family and resulting in collective punishment.

The jesting remarks made by those men at the drinking table seemed to have come true, a twist they likely hadn’t anticipated.

In the first year of Yin Yue’s imprisonment, Yin Yujiao’s college entrance exam results were released. Unsurprisingly, she secured the first place in the city and the third place in the province. In an era where the number of candidates couldn’t compare to later years, such achievements were remarkable. She had her pick of top universities in the capital and Shuimu. Even the school and the city sent her bonuses, encouraging her to continue her academic excellence.

The rare piece of good news uplifted the entire Wenshui Village, bringing a renewed sense of hope.

It also brought a smile back to the face of the young girl who had been troubled in recent days. Encouraged by her family, she applied for the major of her choice, a challenging and demanding field in physical chemistry. It was said that she would often have to spend extended hours in the laboratory, requiring more time than others to graduate.

Grandma Luo didn’t understand what was so good about this major, but the young one explained, “It’s a profession that can change the future. In a world with a continuously expanding population and an escalating food crisis, especially in the context of the industrialization of the food sector, this major will surely be valuable.”

Grandma Luo may not have fully grasped it, but hearing that the major was somehow related to food, she reluctantly accepted it.

In the current situation, with the family business thriving, there was no urgency for the daughter to graduate quickly and start working to earn money. Therefore, in this lifetime, Yin Yujiao could bravely pursue what she loved, unlike in her previous life when physical limitations led to academic failure, forced marriage, and a lifetime of being a submissive woman like a Tussilago flower.

After all, this was the 1980s, a time of reform and opening up, a flourishing era where women could strive for their ideals. As long as one held a positive belief, it was an age full of miracles.

The morning sun, breaking through the clouds, cast a radiant glow across the sky, bathing everything in golden light.

Yin Yujiao woke up from her sleep, tears streaming down her face. Holding Yin Minglu in her arms, she smiled and said, “Xiao Bao, I just had a dream. I dreamt that in my previous life, I got into a university. But when the acceptance letter arrived, I had a mental breakdown. My family let Yin Yue take my place, and she went to college instead of me.”

She didn’t know if this was the real reason Yin Yue wanted to harm her. All she knew was that everything in the dream felt incredibly real. A burnt-out brain meant she couldn’t continue her education, so she had no choice but to marry.

“My brain was fried. I seemed fine on the surface, but I often couldn’t speak. Few people knew I was mentally impaired. However, over time, those who needed to know found out. Qin Mao from the village didn’t mind, and we got married. He worked hard and was a good man. So, I just stayed at home…” She didn’t want to stay indoors, but she couldn’t go outside. Someone like her would easily get into trouble if she ventured out. Thus, after Qin Mao achieved success, she could only stay at home, dressed beautifully like a wealthy wife not embarrassing her husband, smiling at everyone. She seemed like a bird willingly confined.

Perhaps some people yearned for such a life, but she knew she didn’t want it.

Seeing the calm and knowing gaze in the little one’s eyes, Yin Yujiao suddenly knocked her own forehead, regaining her senses, “I was really having a nightmare. How could I take things from the dream so seriously?” For instance, Xiao Bao was perfectly fine, eating and drinking as usual, not turning bad at all. She also successfully entered university, even outperforming her past achievements. However, the vivid memories from the dream lingered, as if from a past life, and she couldn’t achieve a tranquil mind.

Finally, she explained her intention, “Xiao Bao, sister won’t attend Brother Qin’s wedding.” She wouldn’t listen to Yin Yue’s words, misunderstanding Qin Mao’s character. But knowing about the dream, she also wouldn’t go to see Qin Mao again. They had moved on to new lives, like parallel lines that would never intersect again.

“Okay.” Yin Minglu nodded and took a box of red rope cakes, heading to attend the banquet Qin Mao organized in the village.

With this nine-year-old kid representing the Yin family, Qin Mao didn’t mind at all. On the contrary, he felt pleasantly surprised when the little one appeared. It was as if the child’s face carried more weight than the faces of all the Yin family members combined. Gaining forgiveness from the little one was equivalent to gaining forgiveness from the entire Yin family.

In response, the couple jointly gave him a small red envelope.

Clutching the small red envelope, Yin Minglu headed home and, on the way, encountered Shen Qiuyi.

Shen Qiuyi shyly said to Grandma Luo, “I want to take Xiao Bao to visit my family.” After that, she rubbed the little one’s head and continued, “Xiao Bao, do you want to go with Mom to see your maternal granduncle? Tomorrow is his seventieth birthday. We’ll go and come back right away.”

Yin Minglu knew that as a daughter sold to another family, Shen Qiuyi harbored resentment, especially after her husband’s passing. She had witnessed her family’s brothers not only refusing to help but also adding to her troubles. Now that her fortunes had turned around, this visit to celebrate her father’s seventieth birthday was more about showcasing her son, indicating that she had a son to support her, and that the future would be good.

Such a mindset is indeed a common human sentiment.

Yin Minglu nodded in agreement. So, the mother and son went to visit her family, saved face, and then returned. After returning, Shen Qiuyi, holding the little one’s hand, seemed to have let go of many things. The knots in her heart melted away like spring snow until they were gone.

However, she became even busier, busy with her new life.

Because both she and Grandma Luo were skilled in cooking, following the little one’s suggestion, they began making fermented bean paste, garlic chive flower sauce, and even ventured into the production of spicy rabbit heads and spicy duck necks as vacuum-packed snacks. This became a branch of the family’s sauce business, expanding the market once again.

Every little detail of life that happened was written into letters by Yin Minglu and sent to Beijing. Sometimes, there were ten or more letters in a month.

Even after getting a landline at home, the frequency of communication between him and the teenager didn’t decrease at all. After all, there were certain things that could never be expressed through spoken words.

In the second year of Yin Yue’s imprisonment, everyone in the prison cell watched the Chinese New Year Gala on the black-and-white television. On the New Year’s Eve, a child dressed like a little fairy under the seat of the Bodhisattva, with a red mark on the forehead and standing on a lotus, sang a song amid applause. The pure and melodious child’s voice quickly propelled the sweet and catchy song to national popularity.

On the large screen, the child’s adorable face with snowy jade skin and eyes that seemed to speak left a deep impression. Yin Yue, shocked, clutched the wall and exclaimed, “That’s my brother!” Everyone thought she was bragging. How could someone in prison have a sibling who was a child star? Her sister was clearly an outstanding student at Shuimu University.

When Yin Yue regained her freedom, her greedy heart didn’t subside. The nearly ten years of incarceration had magnified the cynical side of her nature. She resented being a part of the family and wondered why she couldn’t enjoy such a prosperous life. She set her sights on the thriving sauce factory at home, intending to sell the recipes. However, she was unaware that the family’s sauce had already been patented and had the support of the Fu family in Beijing. The bottle even featured the image of the little one. Her attempt at piracy found no takers, and she was reported by angry fans for copyright infringement and illegal activities.

She had barely said goodbye to the prison walls when she quickly found herself back inside.

Yin Yue, in a daze, realized that Yin Minglu’s popularity surpassed even that of the young girl Meng Xingjun from two years ago.

This gala seemed to symbolize the rise of the other party. Unlike many child stars in the entertainment industry who rise and fall quickly like shooting stars, they had participated in more movies and TV shows over the past decade. Many of their roles had become signature classics, creating beautiful memories for a generation. They played characters like the elegant and charming young master with a smile like picking flowers, or the young martial artist with a turbulent background and a sense of justice in the martial arts world.

Unfortunately, this graceful young actor, even at the age of forty, had not been involved in any rumors, hadn’t married or had children. It was as if his entire life, including his romantic history, had disappeared with one of his classic roles, “disappearing like clouds,” leaving him silent in the world.

His mysterious and unpredictable nature made online forums in the future very active.

RedClayStove: Ahhhh, “Fragrant Romance Pavilion” is going to be remade again, starring XX and XX, and the poster looks like this. I’m going blind!

IronTetroxide: Just by looking at the cast and director, you can tell it’s going to flop. Remakes these days are all over the place, not a single one worth watching. The version from the ’80s is the most classic, with each actor looking outstanding and having distinctiveness. Even the maidservants were beautiful, unlike the current ones with their trendy or Instagram faces. Not to mention the lead actor’s looks, which outshine all the current pretty boys and popular actresses. [Images]

NightOfLeapYear: Ahhhh, it’s my Minglu idol! The young master he portrayed is really my favorite! He’s in his forties now but still looks so handsome, like he’s in his mid-twenties. I’ve never seen an actor so clean and devoted, without a single scandal. He’s incredibly faithful. That’s my idol! I’ll love him forever!

StaringAtTheCrotchCat: +1

……

…………

Thirty years later, when the male actor, who had received a lifetime achievement award, passed away, a pile of cherished stamps and letters from his home was finally exposed.

Yinshi Sauce is Delicious: Wait, have you seen the online news? Our idol’s romantic history has been exposed.

Yinshi Braised Rabbit Heads: Damn! I saw it too! Is it real? It made me cry. The everlasting friendship I believed in turned out to be a love affair? This is too romantic! All these letters are love letters! When the plum blossoms bloom in the mountains, does it mean, “I miss you so much”? These relics spanning the centuries, this sentimentality is just too moving!

As everyone knows, letters from that era were very innocent. Two young men in love exchanged letters, and they never casually mentioned their affection.

There were no poignant or sentimental statements inside, just some casual and idle chats, such as “the plum blossoms in the mountains have bloomed.” However, this casual conversation continued for almost half a century. The sparse and ordinary words, under the illumination of time, had turned into a lengthy and affectionate exchange, with a touch of romance that the internet age lacks.

In these letters, the images of the two young men were vivid, as if they lived between the lines, exceptionally bright and moving.

Those letters were eventually preserved by the other party.

The man had long achieved success and fame. When faced with interviews from reporters, he just smiled faintly, his face as calm as ever: “Nothing to miss because we’ll meet again in the next world.”

This was a profound and unwavering conviction from the depths of his soul.

---

 

T/N: sorry for the delay, I was going to post the updates yesterday but I fell asleep. I’m finally done with my finals ToT F*** YEAH!!! Now we wait for the results, anxiously. I’ll only be uploading these 2 chapters today coz I’m still editing the others(I got lazy pls don’t kill me) however I’ll be uploading a few more chapters on monday to make up for the delay :> Thanks for reading~

 

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