“I’m not going. She has hands and feet—she doesn’t help at all, yet she still has the nerve to ask me, the one doing all the work, to serve her?”

“Qingshu!” Mother Xie shouted angrily.

But Xie Qingshu wasn’t afraid at all. Instead, she retorted, “Mom, you shouldn’t go either! If she wants an apple, let her peel it herself! She’s not disabled!”

“Xie Qingshu, you’re really—”

Before Mother Xie could continue scolding her, Xie Qingshu turned to seek support from Xie Jingheng.

“Right, brother?”

But instead, she saw her brother pouring a glass of water for Lin Zhixia and handing it to her, even gently reminding her, “Careful, it’s hot.”

What?!

Was she hallucinating?

Her mother was one thing—she only cared about the grandson in the womb and treated Lin Zhixia like a treasure.

But why was her brother acting like this too?

Yesterday he clearly wasn’t like this!

What kind of magic did Lin Zhixia have? How had she managed to fool everyone?

Seeing this, Mother Xie smiled faintly. She turned and lightly slapped Xie Qingshu’s arm.

“Go and peel an apple for your sister-in-law.”

“She’s pregnant now. The doctor said eating more fruit helps the baby grow healthy and strong.”

With no choice, Xie Qingshu reluctantly agreed.

“Fine!”

She was only doing it for her nephew, not for that woman!

As she walked toward the kitchen, she still didn’t forget to glare fiercely at Lin Zhixia.

In the living room, the glass shards on the floor had been gathered and were ready to be thrown away.

Father Xie was straightening overturned furniture, while Mother Xie was sweeping up the glass. Xie Qingshu was picking up scattered items.

Xie Jingheng worked efficiently, quickly restoring the living room to its previous order. Aside from minor dents on the furniture, everything looked almost like last night.

Soon, Xie Qingshu returned with a sliced apple and slammed the fruit plate down on the coffee table in front of Lin Zhixia.

“Qingshu, thank you,” Lin Zhixia said with a smile.

The original owner had been in the wrong, so she didn’t mind the girl’s attitude.

“Hmph,” Xie Qingshu snorted and turned away.

Mother Xie pinched her arm again as a warning.

Reluctantly, she gritted her teeth and said, “No need!”

Lin Zhixia found her reaction amusing. Worried she might laugh and make the girl angrier, she quickly picked up a slice of apple and ate it.

The crisp sweetness perfectly balanced the greasy feeling left by the sponge cake she had eaten earlier.

While eating, she pushed the fruit plate toward Father Xie, Mother Xie, and Xie Qingshu.

“You all should eat too.”

“Zhixia, you eat. We’re fine,” Mother Xie refused.

“There aren’t many fruits left at home. We should save them for you,” she added.

But before she could continue, Xie Qingshu directly picked up a slice and shoved it into her own mouth, then forced another piece toward her mother, stopping her from talking.

She also handed one to Father Xie.

Lin Zhixia picked up the last piece and brought it to Xie Jingheng’s mouth.

“You should eat too. It’s very sweet,” she said with a smile.

Xie Jingheng looked at her slender, fair fingers—so delicate they seemed even whiter than the apple itself.

After a pause, he opened his mouth.

But as he bit into it, his tongue accidentally brushed against her fingertip.

A faint, soft, warm, tingling sensation spread instantly.

Realizing what had happened, Lin Zhixia’s cheeks flushed red.

Xie Jingheng also looked slightly unnatural.

The apple was sweet, but he could barely taste it—his mind was filled with the memory of that brief, soft contact.

When Xie Qingshu looked up to see if her brother would refuse, she witnessed the scene and quickly turned away in embarrassment, silently scolding them for being shameless.

Mother Xie and Father Xie exchanged a glance and smiled faintly.

The atmosphere in the room finally felt warm and harmonious, like a real family.

But soon, Mother Xie’s smile faded into worry.

“Zhixia, Jingheng has told you already, right?”

“During this time when we go to the countryside, you should stay with your uncle’s family. Your father has a friend who is a deputy factory director at the steel plant. With him, your uncle and aunt won’t dare mistreat you.”

As she spoke, Mother Xie took out a small cloth bag from her clothes.

“There’s some money and ration coupons inside. It’s not much—take it for now. After we settle down in the countryside, we’ll send you more.”

“Don’t be afraid to spend it. You’re pregnant.”

Lin Zhixia opened the bag curiously—and froze.

Inside were tightly packed stacks of cash and ration tickets. Roughly estimated, there were at least a thousand yuan in large notes and hundreds of various coupons.

Not much?

She remembered that a pound of pork only cost about one yuan, and grain cost just a few jiao per pound.

With this much money and coupons, the Xie family wouldn’t suffer too badly even in the countryside.

Truly, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse.

Xie Qingshu suddenly stood up in anger.

“Mom! This is all the family’s remaining money and ration coupons! Aren’t you afraid she’ll take it and run off with another man?”

“And she caused our family to be sent down—why should she stay in the city eating well while we suffer in the countryside?”

“Why should we still earn money for her to spend? Does she have no shame?!”

“Xie Qingshu!” Father Xie said sternly, “You’re not a child anymore. Behave properly!”

“Dad, you’re yelling at me?” she said, eyes instantly turning red.

Father Xie had always spoiled his youngest daughter and never raised his voice at her before.

“Apologize to your sister-in-law,” he ordered.

“I won’t!” she shouted through tears.

Just as the situation was about to escalate, Lin Zhixia quickly spoke up.

“Dad, Mom, Qingshu—I’ve already discussed it with Jingheng. I’ll go down to the countryside with you.”

“Living with family is better than staying elsewhere.”

“We’re a family. We should share both good times and hard times.”

“Where you go, I go.”

“Is that… really true?” Mother Xie asked in disbelief.

“You’re really willing to go to the countryside with us?”

Even Xie Qingshu froze, forgetting her anger.

Father Xie, who usually remained calm and composed, also showed surprise and anticipation.

All three of them stared at Lin Zhixia, anxiously waiting for her answer.