Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 89 - 84: Sis-in-law, I Had a Nightmare

The scene in his dream shifts, and it’s still in the courtyard of the Song Family.

Beside the young woman, there’s a middle-aged woman negotiating with a dark green-dressed woman, "Eighty taels, if you want I will sell it to you."

The boy, talked about as if he were an object, was curled up nearby, holding his head helplessly, like a frightened deer, invoking sympathy from the onlookers.

"Da’an’s wife, you are heartless! You will face retribution!" An elderly man in the crowd pointed at them angrily.

"None of your concern, mind your own rice pudding that hasn’t cooled!" Da’an’s wife put her hands on her hips and spat.

"Lin Qiao! I forbid you to sell Tingfan! You must not sell him!!"

A woman, somewhat resembling the young woman, squeezed through the crowd and protectively shielded the terrified boy.

"Li Guifen, please talk some sense into your daughter, Song’s second family only has this child." An aunt in the crowd urged.

Others chimed in.

Li Guifen, with reddened eyes, stared at the young woman, disappointed and angry, "If you dare sell Tingfan, I won’t acknowledge you as my daughter!"

"This matter has nothing to do with you, I’m his aunt, I get to decide." Da’an’s wife rolled her eyes dramatically, looking like she wanted to mind her own business.

Ya Po saw the crowd growing and feared she couldn’t buy the boy, so she readily said, "Fine, eighty taels silver, hand over the goods and I’ll give the silver note, this is the contract, put your thumbprint on it." She handed a paper to Da’an’s wife as she spoke.

Da’an’s wife grabbed it and bit her finger to make a print, wincing in pain, then handed it to the young woman, "Quick, stamp it, I’ll split half with you."

The young woman hesitated clearly, and Da’an’s wife grumbled irritably, "Don’t tell me you still have feelings for this little brat? With the Silver, the Zhang Family will definitely take you in."

With forty taels of Silver, they wouldn’t just take her in, they’d pamper her.

Li Guifen scolded anxiously, "Lin Qiao, are you blind? Don’t stamp it, don’t harm Tingfan, he’s still a child, only twelve years old!"

She didn’t dare snatch the contract in fear that the two strong men Ya Po brought would drag the boy away.

"Sister-in-law, don’t sell me, I’ll work, I’ll work every day, I won’t be lazy, Sister-in-law, don’t sell me, I beg you." The boy, pale-faced, knelt and repeatedly kowtowed, bruising his forehead in the process.

The crowd couldn’t bear it anymore, this was truly sinful, the young woman hesitated uneasily, and when Da’an’s wife felt she was too slow, she grabbed her hand and quickly pressed it onto the contract.

If she weren’t currently Song Tingfan’s sister-in-law, she wouldn’t even share the Silver.

Eighty taels could build a few houses, and selling Song Tingfan was for his own good, ensuring he’d have food and clothing, much better than being beaten here.

Sinners, these people were just envious that Song Tingfan could sell for eighty taels of Silver, most kids were only worth ten taels at most.

"Hand over the Silver."

Ya Po, delighted, handed over the eighty taels to her, then received the contract, grinning almost to her ears—a good year, landing such a fine young boy.

The officials would surely love him.

She signaled the two strong men behind her, "Take him away."

The boy’s face turned lifeless as he stared blankly at the young woman, whispering, lips trembling, "Sister-in-law..."

Sister-in-law, don’t sell me, sister-in-law, I beg you.

Li Guifen immediately hugged the boy on the ground, glaring fiercely at them, "Don’t you think about taking him away, if anyone wants to take him, I’ll die right here."

Just wait a bit longer, soon Da’an and the others will be back.

"But I paid Silver for him, this boy is now mine."

Ya Po signaled to the two strong men, who then forcefully pulled at Li Guifen. Despite her strength, she couldn’t resist both men and was pushed to the ground, her hand scraping the dirt.

She cried to the crowd, "Help, don’t let them take Tingfan, I beg you."

No one in the crowd dared to step forward, the Song Family had already sold him.

Held down by the strong men, the boy struggled hard, his handsome face flushed red, still worried if the woman was hurt in the fall, choking out, "Aunt, are you okay?"

"Aunt is fine, fine."

Li Guifen couldn’t hold back her tears, she rushed forth to hug him, not allowing them to take him away, she said to Ya Po, "His uncle is still alive, their stamp is not valid, you can’t take him."

"If you take him, I’ll report you to the government!"

"That’s not my concern, I made a legitimate purchase, not afraid of being reported."

Ya Po, experienced in worldly matters, wasn’t intimidated by the official, and besides, she had legally bought him, holding up her case in court.

Realizing this, Li Guifen tearfully and accusingly fixed her eyes on the young woman, "Lin Qiao, get Tingfan’s contract back! If you don’t, I’ll kill myself here."

The young woman bit her lips tight.

Eighty taels in hand wasn’t to be let slip away, Da’an’s wife bit the Silver to confirm its authenticity, then shared forty taels with the young woman, "Forty taels."

If not for needing to explain it to her husband, she wouldn’t even give away forty taels.

She pocketed the Silver and left, not caring about the aftermath.

Ya Po, also reluctant to linger, lest something go wrong, signaled for the strong man who effortlessly tossed Li Guifen onto the ground.

Li Guifen’s head hit the ground, dizzying her, and Ya Po took this opportunity to lead the boy away.

The boy was forced to turn his head to see Li Guifen on the ground, casting one final glance at the unmoving young woman.

He lowered his eyes, clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, yet feeling no pain.

His sister-in-law had abandoned him.

He no longer had a home.

As she watched his distant figure fade, the young woman’s foot stepped forward but quickly retreated.

Once Li Guifen came to, her fists pounded the ground repeatedly, guilt-ridden and breaking down, "This is my sin, my sin, O heavens!!"

...

Awakening from the dream

Song Tingfan suddenly sat up, gulping down breaths, his expression was frightened, dazed.

After a while, he recovered, glanced around the room, realizing he hadn’t been sold.

Just a dream.

Yet still, he was severely shaken by the nightmare, and when the young woman entered, he instinctively sat up, hugging his knees, clearly slightly resistant.

Seeing his pale face and sweaty forehead, Lin Qiao reached out worriedly to touch his forehead, "Uncle, what’s wrong?"

Unexpectedly, Song Tingfan dodged her, even retreating a little, making her furrow her brows.

What was wrong, he said his sister-in-law was good before sleep, yet after waking he looked at her as if seeing a ghost.

She softened her voice, "Uncle, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare? Don’t be afraid, sister-in-law is here."

Perhaps her comforting voice eased him, and Song Tingfan’s panic and fear gradually faded; his gaze cleared somewhat as he looked at the sister-in-law exactly like the one in his dream. He bit his lip.

Feeling aggrieved, he said, "Sister-in-law, I had a nightmare."