Widow Wang sold tofu at the market and was known as the "Tofu Beauty." She was fair-skinned, buxom, and quite pretty, but had a loose reputation and was involved with many men. She’d gotten her tofu stand through a man, using her body to get ahead, much like Phoenix Golding.

Amanda Chapman went to the market every day to collect discarded vegetable leaves. That day, she got thirsty halfway through and went to Brian Chapman’s office for a drink of water. But it wasn’t yet the end of the workday, and the office door was locked tight. A wave of curiosity washed over Amanda, and she peeked through a gap in the curtains. Inside, she saw her father and Widow Wang locked in an embrace, flirting playfully. Her father was even shoving his hand under the woman’s clothes. The desperate, lecherous way he acted made her sick to her stomach.

But at the time, Amanda had only felt scared—afraid her father, Brian Chapman, would discover her and give her a beating. She slipped away quietly and never told anyone what she saw, not even Phoebe Thorne.

Ever since that day, however, any respect Amanda had for Brian Chapman was gone, replaced by pure disgust.

Tang Xiaonan was just as disgusted. ’In the book, Brian Chapman’s affair wasn’t exposed for a few more years, but it was with a widow from the market. It must be this same Widow Wang. To think they’re already hooking up now.’

’Phoebe Thorne must not know,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, why would she be having another baby with Brian Chapman?’

’They say the wife is always the last to know. Phoebe Thorne definitely has no idea.’

"Your dad’s a real piece of trash!" Tang Xiaonan said indignantly.

Amanda Chapman nodded vigorously. "He really is. I’m never going to marry a man like my dad."

’He’s useless but has a huge temper, and he fools around on the side. Her mom was a beautiful flower planted in a pile of cow dung.’ These weren’t her own words; she had overheard the neighbors gossiping. They all said Phoebe Thorne had really gotten the short end of the stick. She was outstanding in both looks and character and clearly could have married a much better man, yet she’d ended up with a good-for-nothing loser like Brian Chapman. What a waste!

"Poor Aunt Phoebe... Should we tell her?" Tang Xiaonan asked, her heart heavy with worry.

’If we tell her, I’m afraid it will be too much of a shock. But if we don’t, it feels so unfair to her. Ugh!’

Amanda, however, wasn’t quite so troubled. She had been bottling this up for a year, and it had been eating away at her. It was a relief to finally say it out loud. Now that her cousin was sharing the burden, she felt much better.

"Let’s wait until after my mom has the baby," she said. "The doctor said she can’t get angry or stressed right now."

Tang Xiaonan nodded. ’After Aunt Phoebe gives birth, I’ll tell Grandpa Byron and Grandma Raina about this and let the adults handle it,’ she decided. ’They dote on their daughter; they would never let her be treated so unfairly.’

Having shared their secret, the two cousins exchanged a smile, feeling closer than ever. Hand in hand, they set off to catch the adulterers.

It was only around three in the afternoon, and many people were still working in the fields. Seeing the two pretty little girls approaching, the farmers smiled and called out, asking which family they belonged to.

"My grandfather is Leo Huxley, and my uncle is Hunter Huxley," Tang Xiaonan announced, enunciating as clearly as a little adult.

"Oh, so your mother is Phoebe Huxley, right? HAHA! Everyone says she has a pretty daughter, and you really are a little beauty! Just look at this adorable face."

Everyone knew who Tang Xiaonan was as soon as they heard her name. Seeing that she was clean and nicely dressed, with fair skin, and that she spoke clearly and politely, they all took a great liking to her. They found her absolutely precious.

"You’re going the wrong way. Your grandfather’s house is over there," someone pointed out kindly, assuming she was looking for her grandfather.

"Thank you, Mister."

Tang Xiaonan decided to play along. She waved at the man who had pointed the way and pulled Amanda Chapman along with her. ’The area ahead is all open farmland,’ she thought. ’They wouldn’t be meeting in a place like this. We’ll have to look somewhere else.’

"Storm Xavier, plant faster! You’re slower than a granny!" someone hollered, clearly displeased.