Chapter Sixty-Seven: Reclaiming the Bracelet

“Father!” Lin Wenyan called out in delight.

Lin Sangqian finally let out a sigh of relief. She knew it. Before leaving, she had deliberately left a note at home with their address. With the tacit understanding among the three of them, how could Lin Hongda and Liao Shuxia possibly not come?

“My son! Are you alright?” Liao Shuxia rushed over, full of concern, and helped Lin Wenyan up.

“I’m fine, Mother.”

“Who are you people?” Zhao Xuwei pulled Xue Meier close and stepped back warily. “How dare you trespass into our home?”

Lin Hongda shot him a cold, sharp look, causing Zhao Xuwei to shrink back in fear.

“My son was beaten in your house, and you still dare to accuse us of trespassing?” Liao Shuxia laughed coldly. “Fine, let’s go to the magistrate right now and see whose crime is greater—yours or ours! Let’s go!”

At her words, the faces of Zhao Xuwei, Xue Meier, and Xue Meier’s brother, Xue Liu, all changed.

“Master, Madam, why argue with them?” High Aunt, flustered, wrung her hands at the side. “Madam, I think you should give the bracelet back to the young miss!”

Xue Meier shot High Aunt a fierce glare.

“So, the bracelet really is with you!” Zhao Lan’er shouted in fury. “Give it back!”

“Master!” Xue Meier whined to Zhao Xuwei, seeking sympathy.

“Lan’er! It’s just a bracelet, isn’t it?”

Xue Liu was still nursing his grievance after being kicked by Lin Hongda earlier. Now, seeing that Lin Hongda’s attention was elsewhere, he steeled himself and tried to launch a sneak attack from behind, swinging his fist at Lin Hongda.

But Lin Hongda seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He reached backward, caught Xue Liu’s fist in one swift motion, and with an over-the-shoulder throw, sent Xue Liu sprawling, thoroughly dazed.

“You people! Is there no law left?” Xue Meier shrieked. “How can you just hit someone like that?”

“We all saw it just now,” Lin Sangqian said icily. “It was your brother who attacked my father first. In the end, my father was only defending himself.”

“You—”

At that moment, a stern voice interrupted: “What’s going on here? Why all this noise?”

Everyone turned to see Di Qing stride in.

“Officer!” Xue Meier was quick to play the victim. “They barged into our house and assaulted my brother—”

“Brother Di!” Lin Sangqian called out before she could finish.

Xue Meier was instantly dumbfounded. So this officer knew them? This was doomed.

“It’s you?” Di Qing was a little surprised as well. It turned out that a neighbor, having heard the commotion and suspected a fight, had run into Di Qing by chance and informed him. So he had come to see what was happening, only to find Lin Sangqian there.

“What exactly happened?” Di Qing’s gaze swept over the group.

Lin Sangqian immediately stepped forward and recounted the events exactly as they had occurred, without exaggeration or bias, as if narrating someone else’s story.

After listening, Di Qing frowned and cast a look of deep disdain at Zhao Xuwei. What kind of father treats his own daughter like that?

“Alright, so it’s not such a big deal. Just return the keepsake to the rightful owner and let’s put this matter to rest.”

Xue Meier, hearing this, had no choice but to go inside and reluctantly fetch the bracelet.

“Officer, I was just beaten!” Xue Liu cried out, feigning pain.

“If you hadn’t run your mouth or your hands, would you have been hit?” Di Qing said impatiently. “Xue Liu, I know you. Last time at chess, you lost your temper and almost started a fight!”

Xue Liu looked embarrassed and didn’t dare say another word.

A moment later, Xue Meier returned with the bracelet and thrust it ungraciously into Zhao Lan’er’s hands.

Zhao Lan’er clutched the bracelet tightly, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

“You all better not cause any more trouble! The neighbors are already complaining!” Di Qing gave Xue Liu another warning before taking his leave.

The Lin family, with Zhao Lan’er, left as well.

Before leaving, Lin Sangqian glanced at High Aunt. She was standing by Xue Meier’s side, and when she noticed Lin Sangqian looking her way, she gave a sheepish grin.

Lin Sangqian returned the smile, her thoughts unreadable.

Once outside the Zhao household, Lin Sangqian asked Zhao Lan’er, “When did High Aunt start working at your house?”

“Let me think... About four years ago, I believe,” Zhao Lan’er replied. “She’s always been diligent and honest, never caused any trouble, so my parents valued her highly. They even gave her a raise last year.”

“Does she get along well with Xue Meier?”

“I’m not sure. But after all, she’s just a servant, and now that Xue Meier is the mistress of the house, it’s only natural for her to curry favor to protect herself. I can understand that,” Zhao Lan’er answered with a bitter smile.

Lin Sangqian said nothing more.

“Officer Di, we’re so grateful you came today,” Lin Hongda said as he walked with Di Qing. “Otherwise, who knows what might have happened.”

“Yes, thank you so much,” Liao Shuxia added.

“There’s no need to be so formal with me,” Di Qing replied, a bit embarrassed. “I only care about what’s right. You did nothing wrong today. It’s that other family who’s at fault—such twisted hearts, to treat their own daughter like that…”

He glanced at Zhao Lan’er but left the sentence unfinished.

Zhao Lan’er’s eyes reddened again as she clutched her mother’s bracelet, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Mother, I miss you so much…”

Liao Shuxia walked over and hugged her gently, full of sympathy.

Lin Sangqian moved to Lin Hongda’s side and gave him a meaningful look. Understanding at once, Lin Hongda said to Di Qing, “We’ve already moved to town. Why don’t you come to our house for lunch today?”

Since they were going to be living in town, it was certainly wise to cultivate a good relationship with the local authorities.

“Gladly,” Di Qing agreed without hesitation. He had been worrying about what to eat for lunch anyway.

The group returned together to the little Lin family courtyard. By then, Zhao Lan’er had composed herself and quietly helped Lin Sangqian prepare the meal. Liao Shuxia also joined in; the three women skillfully washed vegetables and sliced meat, while Lin Wenyan tended the fire, and Lin Hongda chatted with Di Qing outside.

Before long, the enticing aroma from the kitchen drifted out, causing Di Qing to swallow involuntarily. He had expected nothing more than an ordinary meal, but now, smelling that fragrance, he realized this lunch would be anything but ordinary.

Once all the dishes were ready, Lin Sangqian and the others carried them out one by one: braised pork, eggplant with minced meat, cumin lamb, braised chicken, and stir-fried cabbage with vinegar—each dish was a feast for the senses, making Di Qing stare in astonishment, his mouth watering uncontrollably.

“These… these are all made by Sangqian?” he asked in disbelief.