After everyone had left, Liu Hua looked at the ss and said, "It looks like we have a lot of work to do today."
Wang Muxiao, holding her large belly, added, "Sister Ah Piao, I will help you list the broken items."
Knowing that her friend was quick and precise when it ca to settling debts, Liu Hua agreed readily, "Good! Ah Xiao, rember to include compensation for my sister's ntal distress."
"You can leave this to . It's not like this is the first ti we have done sothing like this," Wang Muxiao said confidently.
After hearing their conversation, Liu Piao smiled and said, "Then I would like to thank you in advance, Xiaoxiao."
Standing near the entrance, Zhang Yulan hesitated for a mont before saying, "Sister Ah Piao, can I help too?"
When Liu Piao heard this, she was stunned. She knew that, aside from Zhang Ermu, everyone in the Zhang family—especially Zhang Yulan—disliked her for what her father had done back then. So when she heard Zhang Yulan's words, she couldn't believe her ears.
It took her a mont to process the words before she asked, "Yulan, you... have you forgiven ?"
Noticing her disbelief, Zhang Yulan felt embarrassed and lowered her head. She fiddled with her fingers for a mont before mustering her courage and said, "Sister Ah Piao, I'm sorry for all the hurtful words I said and the rude behavior I showed before."
"I didn't know that you were also a victim and that it wasn't your intention to leave. I have misunderstood you for so many years—and even stopped you when you ca to see my brother back then."
When she finished, Zhang Yulan looked up at Liu Piao and asked softly, "Sister Ah Piao, can you forgive ?"
Hearing this, Liu Piao felt her eyes sting, and she turned her head away. Using her sleeve, she wiped the tears forming at the corners of her eyes and took a deep breath. Besides Zhang Ermu, the person she cared most about in the Zhang family was Zhang Yulan.
Having grown up with Zhang Ermu, she had also watched over and cared for his younger sister. To her, Zhang Yulan wasn't just the sister of the man she loved. In her heart, Zhang Yulan's position was equal to that of Liu Hua. They were both like sisters to her.
When Zhang Yulan had shunned and hated her, it left Liu Piao utterly lost. It was one of the reasons she had run away like a coward—she couldn't bear to face the hatred and disgust in Zhang Yulan's eyes.
Although an apology couldn't erase the pain, Liu Piao was willing to let the past go. The present and future were what mattered now, and Zhang Yulan was important to Zhang Ermu. So, it would be nice if they could reconcile.
Once she had cald down, she turned back to Zhang Yulan and smiled, "Yulan, I never blad you."
The mont Zhang Yulan heard this, her eyes turned red, and she finally broke down in tears. She walked over, hugged Liu Piao tightly, and cried, "Sister Ah Piao, I'm really sorry. I should have trusted you."
Gently patting her back, Liu Piao sighed and said, "Yulan, it wasn't your fault. Back then, you were just a 12-year-old girl. It's natural that you felt disappointed and blad ."
Standing to the side, Wang Muxiao and Liu Hua watched the scene and sighed. This matter had been a thorn in the Zhang family's heart for so many years. Fortunately, they were finally able to resolve it.
While the four of them were busy tidying up the ssy yard and calculating Liu Piao's losses, Zhang Ermu was making his way through the mountains to check the traps he had set.
Since Liu Piao had agreed to marry him, he felt it was his responsibility to gather more ingredients for their wedding banquet. Even if he couldn't hold a grand feast like Liu Hua or Pan ijia, he wanted to host a decent celebration to invite her family and friends.
The thought of their future together filled him with boundless energy. Even his fatigue due to overworking these past days has been reduced.
As he ntally listed the things he still needed for the banquet, he reached his first trap. His eyes lit up when he saw the trap had been triggered.
Normally, his traps would remain untouched for days, and even when the bait was taken, the wild animals often managed to escape or were devoured by larger predators. Seeing the trap was triggered but not ruined was a rare sight.
Kneeling beside the dug hole, he heard rustling sounds from inside. Removing the bamboo cover, he saw two pheasants flapping their wings weakly. A delighted smile spread across his face instantly.
Today was truly a lucky day, he got two pheasants in one trap!
He quickly pulled out so dried vines from his basket, tied up the pheasants securely, and placed them inside his basket. After resetting the trap with fresh bait, he headed toward the next one with long strides.
Ten minutes later, he reached another trap and saw it had also been triggered. Quickening his pace, he removed the cover and was stunned by what he found. Inside the hold, there was a live roe deer.
'This was a rare catch!' he thought with surprise.
In all his years of setting traps, this was the first ti he had managed to catch a roe deer.
The deer's large, tearful eyes seed to plead for rcy as it looked at him. For a fleeting mont, Zhang Ermu hesitated. It almost felt as if the creature was begging for its life. He hesitated for a while, but practicality won over pity.
Given his current circumstances, he couldn't afford to be sentintal. Every part of the deer was valuable, and he wondered if selling it alive to Bajie would fetch a high price.
The thought of Bajie caused his mood to sour slightly.
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