Li Honghua’s plight is truly sympathetic, but sympathy comes from outsiders. As the only natal family member who cares about her, Li Hongying is heartbroken.

Yi Roujing recounted Li Honghua’s abduction and told of the abuse she suffered, both physically and mentally scarred. Were it not for Dai Chunsheng, Li Honghua’s life might have been ruined.

"So, so that bowl of brown sugar water sent my own sister into the hands of traffickers?" Li Hongying’s eyes were vacant, her voice trembling, and her lip was immediately bitten through.

"Hongying, Hongying." Ding Weihuo saw his wife was somewhat lost and hurriedly slapped her to bring her back to her senses.

"Mom, don’t be like this. The fact that Aunt actually wants to see you means she truly cares about you. She knows you were innocent back then. You both should focus on the future. Don’t bring up the sad past in front of Aunt." Yi Roujing said.

"Hongying, Roujing is right." Ding Weihuo echoed. "And now, Aunt is living a life with children under her knee and a caring, loving husband. She will only have happiness in the future."

"All these years, I always thought you suffered more." Ding Weihuo said with heartache. In the Li family, you toiled like an ox, and marriage was akin to a transaction. All these are one thing, but the anguish in your heart, no one can replace it.

"For Aunt, we should make it up to her in the future." Ding Weihuo said, "The most important thing is that she’s been found, she’s still here, and things will get better from now on."

"Did Aunt really say she wanted to see me?" Li Hongying asked, holding Yi Roujing’s hand.

"Yes, today at the hospital, Zhenhua called me and said their whole family would come for the New Year. Aunt and Zhenhua are coming over for New Year’s Day."

"They’ll be here for New Year’s Day, oh that’s soon, just two months away." Li Hongying sometimes smiled, sometimes looked sad. "Big Sister loves eating zongzi the most, alkaline ones, without any fillings. She enjoys them even more with a bit of white sugar."

"She also loves tofu, she likes aged tofu, with some chili, she can eat two bowls of rice, and she also likes tofu cheese, making the porridge more delicious in the morning." Li Hongying stood up, "I need to prepare some tofu cheese."

"Hongying, I’ll help you. I’ll take a half-day off in the afternoon to make tofu cheese with you. I’ll borrow a small stone grinder from next door to mill soybeans for you." Ding Weihuo immediately followed her out, not wanting to leave Li Hongying alone at home to avoid idle thinking.

Yi Roujing looked at Li Hongying’s state and sighed helplessly. She had imagined how hard her mother-in-law would find this news, sigh, it’s something she needs to work through herself. It’s good to find something for her mother-in-law to do to distract her.

"Don’t take leave, you’ve just worked a few days, taking leave isn’t good. I’m fine." Li Hongying smiled at Ding Weihuo, "I’m just so happy to see my sister. She’s the one who suffered. How I feel is nothing compared to the hardships she’s been through." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Moreover, knowing that Big Sister is living happily now, what do I have to worry about?" Li Hongying’s eyes welled up, "Just seeing how well-behaved Zhenhua is, you can tell how well she’s been raised. Sister having such children is a blessing waiting to unfold."

"And Big Sister married into the Dai family, so her life should’ve been okay these years. I’m truly happy for her."

"Today is a day of great joy. Go to work early in the afternoon, and by the way, talk to the in-laws, invite their whole family to dinner tonight. Since they started working, we haven’t seen much of them."

With Li Hongying saying this, Ding Weihuo was assured she’d come around, "I’ll borrow the small stone grinder before I go out."

"Okay."

At Jing City, they had a stew, Li Hongying prepared raw ingredients in the afternoon, planning to have the hot pot in the evening, accompanied by some noodles, and the dipping sauces were cut and ready for everyone to season themselves.

"Mom, our hospital canteen is hiring, do you want to give it a try?" After Ding Weihuo left, Yi Roujing found Li Hongying in the kitchen.

Li Hongying put down her knife, wiped her hands clean, and led Yi Roujing to the living room, "You’re pregnant, best not go into the kitchen unless necessary."

"Roujing, Mom is really fine. After waiting all these years, knowing your Aunt’s whereabouts, what could possibly be off? Mom believes what you said is right. The past is gone, bringing it up only brings sorrow, let’s just talk about the future."

"As for work, Mom’s not going. There are so many of you eating, I have to attend to that. When you deliver the baby, I’ll be even busier. Even without working, I won’t idle my thoughts. I know what you’re worried about." Li Hongying spoke earnestly, and seeing this, Yi Roujing breathed a sigh of relief.

By the evening, Yi Roujing saw two large tables full of sliced ingredients, a large pot in the middle with fish bones and heads simmered with ginger and garlic as a broth base. There were two large plates of sliced pork belly, alongside fillets of snakehead fish, sweet potato slices, taro slices, garland chrysanthemum, radish...

Li Hongying had also made dumplings and cut noodles, to be cooked last to fill everyone up.

"Mom, is there something to celebrate today?" Ding Anmin found it rare to see Li Hongying so cheerful. Recently, traces of confusion, loss, and grief often crossed his mother’s face, yet today there’s no sign of them. Ding Anmin smiled and leaned in to ask quietly.

"Even good food can’t shut your mouth, huh." Li Hongying glared at Ding Anmin, "But there is indeed something to celebrate. Your Aunt has been found and is coming back to Huaixi County for New Year’s."

Ding Anmin was shocked, eyes widened, after the surprise, everything made sense, no wonder, such a feast was indeed in order.

"In-law, you are too kind! Ah, these few days to have hot pot is the best indeed, the weather is getting colder by the day, eating this warms the heart." Yi Shunyin looked at the milky broth steaming, and the table full of sumptuous ingredients, involuntarily swallowing a gulp.

Since Yi Shunyin tasted Li Hongying’s cooking, eating at home was somewhat torturous. His wife couldn’t cook, and his daughters-in-law were mediocre at best. He never realized before, but now with the comparison, the difference was clear.

"In-law, how’s the job adjustment going?" Li Hongying asked with concern.

"It’s going well." Yi Shunyin laughed broadly. He was just doing some labor in the county government canteen, moving things, taking out the trash.

"Ancheng must have put in a lot of effort. Ever since we went there, everyone in the kitchen has been very friendly. I just wash the vegetables and serve the dishes during meals, and if there’s any leftovers, I can take some home without spending any money, everyone at home is getting plumper." Liu Huilan said joyfully.

"But no chef at the county government canteen matches your level, in-law." Liu Huilan gave a thumbs up to Li Hongying, "Your cooking skills are top-notch, I’ve never tasted anything better than what you make."