As for this “robbery,” it was hardly a big deal—nothing the village could uncover.
Just as Li Jianye had expected, the incident stirred some commotion, but it never really escalated.
The village chief, upon hearing about it, immediately gathered everyone into the ancestral hall.
Everyone stood in front of their own homes, and the village chief led them one by one for Li Jianye to identify suspects.
But Li Jianye firmly insisted he couldn’t recognize anyone, so the matter was dropped.
The village chief warned some of the more suspicious local ruffians, but with no evidence to convict anyone, suspicion turned toward outsiders from outside the village—so the village chief organized nightly patrols.
Tonight it was Li Jianye’s trouble; who knows whose daughter might be harmed next? They had to investigate thoroughly!
But Li Jianye himself wasn’t concerned. It was as if he forgot about it the moment he turned his head.
The next day, he was already urging Shi Meilan to borrow money from her family.
“The kids are still waiting for their textbooks. I don’t care much, but they’re about to take the college entrance exams. They can’t wait,” Li Jianye sighed.
Shi Meilan didn’t refuse. Early the next morning, she took Li Jianye back to the neighboring Shi Family village.
…
The Shi Family village was about half an hour by bike from Li’s village. Shi Meilan led Li Jianye straight to her family home.
Shi Meilan’s family was an ordinary household in Shi Family village.
Her father raised pigs for villagers but owned no farmland.
Her mother earned a little money mending shoes and making clothes, so the household income was meager. Yet they had four children.
The first three were girls—Shi Meilan was the third—and only the fourth was a boy: Shi Meilan’s younger brother.
Her brother’s name was Shi Jinyu. Spoiled by the family, Shi Jinyu spent his days eating and drinking, living the life of a good-for-nothing.
When he was younger and broke, he would show up at his three sisters’ homes begging for money—sometimes saying he wanted to buy new clothes for their mother, sometimes claiming their father’s chronic leg pain needed medicine, always coming up with reasons.
Shi Jinyu’s only redeeming quality was his smooth talk, especially with women.
He could act coquettish with their mother and complain to his sisters, always stringing together sweet words when asking for money.
“Mom, don’t worry, I won’t waste the money. You’re the best, Mom~”
“Sis, this money isn’t for me; it’s all for Mom. I really care about her.”
“Sis, help me out. When I start earning, I’ll buy you lots of good things.”
“Ah, Sis, I see you’re suffering, and it pains me too! If your husband treats you badly, come home. Your little brother will always have your back.”
With words like these, the women of the Shi Family could hardly resist him.
Even women outside the family had no way against his charm—he even managed to trick a good wife, a young daughter from a small orchard-farming household in Shi Family village.
Her father only had one daughter and almost no heirs left. He didn’t want to marry her off to a loafer like Shi Jinyu, but the girl was determined and threw tantrums until she married him.
Though Shi Jinyu had no real skills, his luck was good—his eldest and second sisters married early and rarely came back, and Shi Meilan followed suit.
The three sisters all earned dowries, which they gave as bride price for their brother, enabling him to marry well.
Their father-in-law’s health was deteriorating, and Shi Jinyu could now live off the estate of his childless father-in-law. With money in hand, his life was quite comfortable.
No wonder people said he was lucky! Living off his sisters and then the in-laws, he left nothing behind.
…
When Shi Jinyu caused trouble before, Shi Meilan just thought he was immature and reckless but not bad at heart.
She always took his side. Even if he truly messed up, she didn’t believe he meant harm.
But after what she experienced in her previous life, Shi Meilan realized her brother was truly unreliable.
When her sister was gravely ill and mistreated by her in-laws, her brother did nothing to defend her. Instead, he extorted money from his brother-in-law and left.
What use was a brother like that?
His mistakes weren’t due to immaturity or stupidity—they were intentional.
He either played dumb, letting others take the blame, or shirked responsibility altogether, pretending to be a clueless child while exploiting his sisters.
She used to see him as a dear brother, but now, after enough hurt, she was determined to be ruthless about borrowing money from her family.
Shi Meilan’s parents had no money at all; whatever they earned, it went straight to their son. When Shi Meilan asked to borrow money, her parents refused in every way.
“You’re married now. Why are you still asking the family for money? People will laugh at you,” her mother said, sewing shoe soles, her face full of frustration and disappointment. “You should think about your brother!”
“Li Jianye’s problems are the Li family’s business. Go find Li Jianye’s older brother to deal with it! Why come back to bother the Shi family?”
Shi Meilan stared coldly at them.
Her parents always favored her brother no matter what he did. Back then, she still had affection for him and didn’t mind. But now that affection was gone, replaced only by grudges.
They must have known what happened in her previous life. It was only half an hour away by bike—surely someone had told her parents.
After her brother took the money and left, her parents must have silently consented. Thinking this way made her hate them.
They feared not getting anything from her and only wanted to push her far away—better if they could squeeze every last cent from her.
If they couldn’t, they wanted nothing to do with her.
All born of the same parents, yet why was she nothing but a burden in their eyes?
“You married out, yet you demand ten yuan from me every New Year? Isn’t that embarrassing? Your brother’s kids go to Li Jianye’s school and never pay a dime. Don’t you know?”
“I think about my brother. Can’t you think about me? Am I not a person?” Shi Meilan pressed on fiercely.
“Mom, I gave so much money to the family before. Was it all wasted? If you don’t give me now, I’ll have to borrow from the Shi family uncles. Let’s see if you think that’s shameful.”
Her father smoked his dry tobacco quietly. With no choice, he called Shi Jinyu over.
Within ten minutes, Shi Jinyu arrived. Seeing his sister and brother-in-law, he greeted them cheerfully.
No sooner had he sat down than his sister asked to borrow money.
Shi Jinyu’s expression immediately darkened.
“Your brother-in-law was robbed recently. We need to make up the loss. Don’t you have some money? Lend it to us—we’ll pay you back eventually. We can write an IOU.”
Shi Jinyu had said plenty of sweet words before, but they were just talk.
He knew his three sisters were all responsible and wouldn’t trouble the family. They bore the burden silently without adding stress.
So he felt free to boast without consequence.
But he didn’t expect Shi Meilan to actually take him seriously now!
He was just joking around—how could Shi Meilan believe him?
What was going on? Shi Meilan used to be the type to grit her teeth and bear it no matter what. Why was she really asking him for money now?
How could his sister be like this?
Shi Jinyu hesitated, reluctant to lend. But thinking about her having to borrow from the village elders and then blaming him for not helping made him ashamed.
He was the root of the Shi family. If he couldn’t even handle such small family matters, he’d be laughed at.
People would say he wasn’t fit to lead the household.
For a man, pride was everything.
Fine, he’d lend it. His sister wouldn’t fail to pay back, especially with an IOU.
“I’ll lend it,” Shi Jinyu said unwillingly, “but I only have one hundred yuan, not two hundred.”
Shi Meilan nodded happily. When it came time to sign, she had Li Jianye do it.
Li Jianye didn’t think twice and signed—whether he or Shi Meilan signed didn’t matter; they were husband and wife, inseparable.
He wouldn’t shirk the debt and would repay it slowly.
After getting the money, Shi Meilan took Li Jianye and left Shi Family village, planning to borrow another eighty yuan in Li’s village.
Together with the twenty or so yuan they had, they could cover the shortfall.
Li Jianye was very pleased with Shi Meilan’s actions, quietly proud.
He hadn’t married her in vain.
A woman who married into his family must prioritize him in everything and think for him.