Amanda Chapman’s face held a bitter smile that belied her age. "Living here, eating and drinking... it all costs money. My dad definitely won’t pay for it, and Grandma won’t agree."

"Don’t worry, Cousin. I’ll take care of you!"

Tang Xiaonan patted Amanda Chapman’s shoulder, her voice brimming with bravado.

PFFT.

Amanda Chapman chuckled and joked, "Alright then, little cousin. I’ll let you support me."

"Mhm."

Tang Xiaonan nodded emphatically, her mind already racing with plans to make money. ’Once I have money, Raina will be much easier to deal with, and she won’t be able to force Amanda Chapman back to Wraven.’

’I’ll have to ask Adrian Hawthorne in a few days if he can take me along the next time he goes to the city. This money-making plan is urgent!’

Amanda Chapman didn’t believe her for a second, but she was still deeply touched. ’My little cousin is so good to me. She saves me tasty snacks every day, scraped from her own meager portions. When I make a lot of money in the future, I’ll buy her tasty snacks every day, too.’

Around one or two in the afternoon, Frederick Thorne and his wife returned home. Tang Xiaonan found it strange. ’It’s the weekend, so Frederick Thorne and Lana Steiner don’t have to work. Why didn’t they come back earlier? It’s like they timed their arrival just for dinnertime. They’ll probably just eat and head back to town, barely staying at all.’

"Why didn’t you come back last night? Is this house so disagreeable to you?" Raina shot Lana Steiner a displeased look. ’It must have been my second daughter-in-law who didn’t want to come back. My good-for-nothing second son forgot his own mother the moment he got married. He listens to everything his wife says. Hmph!’

Lana Steiner forced a smile, though she was bitter inside. ’It’s because I’m useless. I can’t even bear a child. No wonder my mother-in-law dislikes me. I want a child more than anything, I even dream about it, but the heavens just won’t grant me one.’

"We had to work overtime at the factory until after midnight. I didn’t wake up until one o’clock. See? My eyes are still red!" Frederick Thorne showed Raina his eyes, which were indeed bright red and bloodshot.

Raina’s heart immediately went out to him. "Then go lie down for a bit in your third brother’s room. You’re not a young man anymore. Don’t push yourself so hard from now on. Let the younger ones struggle. What will you do if your health gives out..."

"I’ll sleep tonight. If I nap now, I won’t be able to sleep later. Mom, what’s for dinner?"

Frederick Thorne successfully changed the subject. Lana Steiner let out a sigh of relief and gave her husband a grateful look. Frederick winked at her, and the couple exchanged a knowing smile, their affection expressed in that silent exchange.

Tang Xiaonan watched it all unfold from the side, reflecting to herself. ’Second Uncle and Second Aunt have a love so beautiful it feels like it’s from another time. It’s such a shame that this deeply devoted couple didn’t get a happy ending. I have to change their fate.’

"Xiaonan, let your aunt do your hair for you."

Lana Steiner said softly, pulling some very pretty hair accessories from her bag. There were two pairs in total, one for Tang Xiaonan and one for Amanda Chapman. Ever since Amanda Chapman’s arrival, Lana Steiner always bought two identical gifts; whatever Tang Xiaonan received, Amanda Chapman did as well.

’Besides, Lana Steiner was beautiful, intelligent, and kind. She was cultured and had high emotional intelligence—hundreds of times better than Phoenix Golding. It was just a shame that good people don’t always get what they deserve. Hopefully, it’s not too late to change that.’

Lana Steiner’s touch was gentle as she combed her hair; it felt wonderful. Having her hair done by Phoebe Huxley or Raina, on the other hand, was like being led to the executioner’s block. It felt like her scalp was being torn off, and she couldn’t even complain, or they would just pull harder. Every day, Tang Xiaonan had to mentally prepare herself for ten minutes before the ordeal. Unfortunately, she was all thumbs, so no matter how painful it was, she could only endure it.

Dinner was a lavish spread of chicken, fish, and meat, along with stir-fried river snails and steamed swamp eel—it was like a New Year’s feast. Felix Thorne and Phoebe Huxley were eating there as well. The men of the family started drinking. It was a sorghum spirit from Frederick Thorne’s distillery. The crimson liquor had a lovely name: Beauty Drunk.