en aback. Although water was scarce now, fortunately their eatery had its own water source, so they were not yet at the point of being unable to even have a sip.Running your business day-to-day, conse...When Zhao went to open the door for Fang Jinshi, she heard a commotion from outside the iron pillar. At this moment, she stood quietly at the entrance of the spirit hall.

Tiezhu had to observe filial piety for his father. Although Wang Zhuangyuan's body had already been buried, the mourning hall hadn't been completely dismantled.

They were still wearing white mourning banners, and both the mother and son were still dressed in filial attire.

Fāng Jǐnxiù stood up and saw that Zhào's eyes were fixed on her, filled with hatred. She took the initiative to walk over.

"Aunt Zhao, I'm sorry."

Zhao wiped away her tears, which she couldn't help but shed.

Now what use are you, My old man is not going to come back from the dead.

But Fang Jinshui, you listen to me, he lost his life for your family.

"It was Elder Three who killed him!"

"You owe our Lao Wang family a life, you remember that!"

Fang Jinxiu nodded and acknowledged, "Yes, I remember. From now on, Tie Zhu will be my younger brother. As long as I have a breath left, anything I have, he will have too."

Tie Zhu hurriedly walked over to stand in front of his mother.

"Mother, how can Sister-in-law Jinxiu be blamed for Father's death"

"It was Elder Three who killed him! If we're going to seek revenge, it's Elder Three we should target, that beast!"

Zhao, widowed just months ago, had aged considerably. Her hair was now half white, and her face bore the marks of premature aging despite being under forty.

"Tie Zhu, listen to me, don't interfere."

"There's a measure in her mother's heart."

"It was Zong Lao San who killed your father, there's no doubt about that, but he could have chosen to endure like most families in the village."

He went up the mountain desperately to protect those children from the second branch of his clan, so that they wouldn't get hurt.

"He fell down a ravine and died!" Zhao sobbed.

Fang Jinshi's heart tightened, her fingertips almost digging into the flesh of her palm.

So Uncle Wang passed away like this.

She took a deep breath and pulled the railing to the side.

"Aunt Zhao, let's forget all our past grievances. My word is my bond, and from today onwards, Tie Zhu will be my younger brother."

"I understand what you mean, Uncle Wang's revenge I will avenge for him."

"It's not just for Uncle Wang, it's also for myself!"

Under her forceful demand, Tiezhu stammered and called her "sister."

Zhao's cold and stiff expression finally relaxed slightly.

Actually, the moment Fang Jinshi saw her, she knew Zhao was not long for this world.

Wang Shu's death was a huge blow to her. On the surface, Zhao merely looked older than she actually was, with no apparent physical abnormalities.

This is actually the phenomenon of burnout and premature aging.

The only thing keeping her alive right now is Tiezhu. She's afraid that if she dies, Tiezhu will be devastated and unable to cope. She also worries that he'll have no one to rely on and no one to look after him afterward.

So when Zhao heard Fang Jinshiu's promise, the few strands of black hair left on her temples slowly turned white.

Zhao simply made up an excuse and went back to her room to rest.

The moment she lay down, a sense of relief washed over her. Her face was expressionless, but tears flowed freely from her eyes like a breached dam, disappearing into the silver strands at her temples.

"Old man, I'm here to keep you company."

Zhao's breathing grew slower and lighter, her eyelids gradually drooping shut, her face serene.

She walked very peacefully, even with no pain.

Fang Jinshi sat in the spirit hall. Without her asking, Tiezhu had already begun to talk like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, telling Fang Jinshi every single thing that had happened in the village and manor over the past few months.

She listened and suddenly her heart skipped a beat.

For some reason, the scene of Zhao leaving just now suddenly popped into my mind.

She suddenly interrupted Tie Zhu, “What’s the matter with your mother’s hair”

Speaking of this, Tiezhu's expression became a little sad.

After my father passed away, my mother went gray overnight and seemed to age many years.

He remembered that Sister Jinxiu's medical skills were amazing, so he hurriedly asked, "Sister Jinxiu, can you treat my mother"

"I don't expect her to ever be the same again, but she's not even forty yet, and she looks as old as a village woman in her sixties."

"I just hope she's okay."

Fang Jinshi suddenly stood up, "Why don't I go take your mother's pulse now"

Tiete nodded.

Two people came to Zhao's house door, Tie Zhu knocked on the door for a long time.

"Mom Mom, are you asleep"

He called out several times, even if Mrs. Zhao was asleep she should have been woken up by now.

How come there's no sound at all.

Suddenly, Fang Jinshi's pupils constricted, her eyes widening. "No good! Tiezhu smashed the door open!"

Tie Zhu's face changed, he didn't say a word and slammed the door open with a bang.

Zhao lay there so peacefully, lifeless.

Mother, Mother!p.Fang Jinshi naturally didn't know about the grudge between the two beasts. She thought Xiaohua just liked eating snake jerky.Zongyu walked out of the house and beckoned to her, he must have already...