Chapter 74: There Must Be a Way

Chapter 74: There Must Be a Way

Isn't it?

Li Shanhu felt uncertain herself.

Fan Qingyi's heart tightened. She pinched her palm to steady herself and deal with the man in front of her first.

"I've already told everything I know to the investigators who came last time. I was far away when they talked, so I really didn't hear anything. No matter how many times you ask, my answer will remain the same."

The man looked at her deeply for a moment before nodding.

He walked back to the other man, and after a brief conversation, they formally bid farewell to Old Li.

Old Li's face was ashen, looking ten years older instantly. His mouth opened several times but no sound came out.

Boss Li escorted the two men out.

"Mom, they're gone. The floor is dirty; you should get up..."

Li Laosan glanced at his mother's feet, where the chicken droppings had been smeared into a white line, and helped Mrs. Li to her feet.

Supporting her, he led her to sit under the shade of a tree, facing Old Li.

Mrs. Li wiped her tears and pounded her chest, wailing, "My child, my second son, you've broken your mother's heart..."

"...You ungrateful brat, making me bury my own child..."

"Ahhhh, Second Son..."

Li Laosan's nose tingled, his eyes red and swollen, and he whimpered, "Second Brother..."

Li Liuli and Li Zhenzhu stood beside Fan Qingyi, their faces pale with shock.

"Mom, they must be lying, right?"

Li Liuli looked up at Fan Qingyi, "Dad just went on a mission and hasn't sent any news... You and Grandma Song said that no news is good news. He just hasn't sent any news, right?"

"Waaa... Mom, I don't want Dad to die, Dad isn't dead, Dad isn't dead..." Li Zhenzhu sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

Fan Qingyi, her eyes red, nodded at her daughters, "Yes, your dad isn't dead! He just hasn't sent any news. He will definitely come back safely, definitely!"

She enunciated the last three words through gritted teeth, as if speaking to her daughters and to herself.

Her youngest daughter had said that Brother Wenfeng would outlive them all, and the plot of this era novel hadn't even unfolded yet. Brother Wenfeng couldn't just be gone like that.

As for the changes in the plot her youngest daughter mentioned...

If there really were any!

She could use the space to save her two daughters, who were supposed to die according to the original plot. There must be a way to save Brother Wenfeng too!!

There must be!

Fan Qingyi clenched the flesh of her palm until the pain made her shudder, trembling as she exhaled.

"Yes, we believe you, Dad will definitely come back safely."

Li Liuli held Li Zhenzhu's hand, her expression resolute, while Li Zhenzhu nodded through her sobs.

Li Shanhu sighed, silently thinking, "What if Dad really is gone? Mom, we'll really have to level up in hell mode."

Fan Qingyi hadn't thought about this possibility, but if it did happen, she...

Would travel the length and breadth of the land to find Brother Wenfeng, bring him home, and bury him in the place where he grew up.

"...I always said you were a fox spirit, luring people's souls away. Look what you've done to my son's soul!"

Mrs. Li, who had been crying her heart out, suddenly turned her anger on Fan Qingyi.

"You little whore, you evil star, you killed my son, my most promising son! Why didn't you kill me instead, you wicked woman! Bitch! You black-hearted monster! Give me back my son..."

"Old man, divorce her! You divorce this evil star, this fox spirit, for the sake of our second son!"

"Don't let her enter our family's ancestral tomb, don't let her harm our second son anymore..."

Mrs. Li, tears and snot streaming down her face, turned and tugged at Old Li, shouting hoarsely for him to divorce Fan Qingyi.

Li Liuli, her eyes bloodshot, stood firmly in front of Fan Qingyi to protect her, "Dad isn't dead! Mom isn't an evil star or a widow-maker!"

"Mom isn't an evil star! Dad will definitely come back safely. If you divorce Mom, Dad won't agree when he returns." Li Zhenzhu sobbed, her voice choked with tears.

Mrs. Li sprang to her feet, staggered over, and grabbed a broom, swinging it wildly at the three of them.

"Two money-grubbers, if it weren't for you, how could our second son have died without an heir, I'll beat you to death..."

"Mom!"

Fan Qingyi stepped forward, turning her back to shield the others from Mrs. Li's broom.

"Auntie Li, what are you doing?"

The bespectacled man led a group of strong village men into the yard, blocking Mrs. Li.

Boss Li watched indifferently, "Our second son is gone. The military said he died during a mission, a mission he didn't originally intend to take. You all knew that, right?"

The bespectacled man's pupils contracted sharply, and he glared coldly at Boss Li.

"What the hell are you talking about? How could Brother Wenfeng..."

"Brother Er Zhu, it's true, those two said it themselves, Second Brother... is gone." Li Laosan’s eyes were bloodshot, and he didn’t look like he was faking it.

The man with glasses turned to Fan Qingyi, "Sister-in-law, is it really true about Brother Wenfeng?"

"No, I believe he’s still alive," Fan Qingyi replied.

Mrs. Li scoffed, "Just because you say he’s alive doesn’t make it so. They’ve even returned his money and personal items for us to set up a cenotaph. How can he still be alive?"

Boss Li glanced at Mrs. Li, who grudgingly shut her mouth.

"Er Zhu, the military wouldn’t lie to us about this."

Boss Li closed his eyes, his breath trembling as he exhaled. He glared angrily at Fan Qingyi, "Second Brother didn’t have to go on that mission. It’s all her fault! She insisted that Second Brother take the mission! She’s the one who got him killed! This woman doesn’t deserve the protection he gave her! I agree with Mother, we should divorce her and kick her out of the Li family! What do you think, Laosan?"

"I... will follow what Father and Mother and Big Brother decide," Li Laosan said coldly, giving Fan Qingyi and her daughters a brief, indifferent look before sighing.

The man with glasses remained silent.

The people behind him, who had been standing up for the mother and daughters with righteous indignation, now looked at them differently.

Someone even muttered under their breath, "She really is a curse to her husband..."

"Ahh! Second Brother, if only you had listened to Mother! We told you not to marry her, but you insisted, and now you’ve cursed yourself to death..."

Mrs. Li wailed, pointing at the man with glasses and the others, "You’re still protecting her, waiting for her to curse you next..."

"Brother Er Zhu..."

Someone tugged at the man with glasses.

He silently stepped aside.

Fan Qingyi clenched her hands, digging her nails into her palms to keep from showing any fear.

The twins stood on either side of Fan Qingyi, shielding her.

Mrs. Li raised a broom and screamed, lunging at them again.

This time, no one stopped her.

Li Shanhu cursed, "Damn it, all the connections my father left behind are ruined now. What kind of hellish survival challenge is this?!"