The news of the Zhang family’s incident also shocked the Qi family. They instinctively hid it from the two children, planning to wait for the Zhang family to announce the mourning. If they request the children to return, they would address it then.

Qi Fenglian felt very uncomfortable, her mind absent even during lunch. Before leaving, as Cheng Su helped her pack her luggage, she said, "Elder sister, have a good talk with your husband so he doesn’t feel like you’re still attached to your previous family and become awkward."

Qi Fenglian froze, saying, "He won’t. He knows how much I hate them... Anyway, I’ll talk with him."

Cheng Su nodded, worried that the man might overthink, feeling Qi Fenglian’s heart still with the previous family, which would complicate things. It’s better to lay it out and clarify.

Qi Fenglian sat down with a piece of clothing, saying, "I never thought they would die like this."

Cheng Su looked over. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"When I was first married into the family, I never bore a son and suffered much torment. The two old folks favored the youngest son and the younger sister, I didn’t complain, enduring and doing my duty. It’s not that I didn’t harbor grievances, or didn’t hate; I’ve even thought, if they died, we’d have peace and could live well." As Qi Fenglian spoke, her eyes reddened, "But thinking is one thing, I never considered poisoning or killing them; they’re humans, not chickens or ducks—how could I harm them?"

"Yes, anyone with any conscience wouldn’t be able to do that," Cheng Su remarked lightly.

"I think I understand Lai Jinlan’s mindset when she acted. Her own son suffered from a serious illness, needing money for treatment, but the old woman was still biased, which fueled her anger. Ordinary favoritism could be tolerated; however, at such a critical moment, when they couldn’t even gather enough money, yet were still distributing resources, who could endure that?" Qi Fenglian wiped her eyes, "For her son’s sake, what wouldn’t she do? If it were me... probably I’d do the same!"

Cheng Su slightly curled her lips, not saying anything. For a child, a mother would certainly go the distance.

Lai Jinlan is intriguing, as despite the bone marrow matching her son’s, she refused to donate it and instead coaxed Zhang Jisheng into bringing Xiao Bao, to test his compatibility for use.

Yet now, she acted violently for her son’s sake, killing her biased in-laws; how contradictory is this mindset!

"But with such impulsiveness, she ultimately harmed her own son too," Cheng Su said, "The child is sick now, desperately needing his mother, yet she pursued momentary satisfaction and forgot about him. Now that she’s captured, the child must be truly pitiful!"

Qi Fenglian also sighed, "Indeed, she is truly foolish!"

It’s hard to say if she was foolish, impulsiveness is always present. Anyone committing murder, unless extremely psychopathic, acts on a momentary impulse and undoubtedly regrets afterward.

"Enough, the two families are unrelated; elder sister, just raise the two kids well. With such an incident in the Zhang family, they are surely ruined, and will never support Xiao Yun and her siblings!" Cheng Su stated.

"I know, let’s just consider this fatherly family gone," Qi Fenglian replied coldly.

After packing, Qi Fenglian’s family left, and the Zhang family never sent anyone to inform Xiao Yun and her siblings about attending the funeral, seemingly forgetting their two grandchildren.

After the Zhang family’s funeral was settled, Zhang Jisheng and Lai Jinlan’s youngest son succumbed to his worsening illness, passing away before Lai Jinlan’s sentencing. Zhang Jisheng sold the family’s land and house, left with Lai Jinlan’s daughter, and disappeared from the village, but that is a story for another time.