Since their dwelling was a considerable distance from the main gate, Shen Xiaoyan asked Zheng Wei to buy a few small bells when he went into town.
The bells were to be hung inside the gate, with the rope used to tie them left on the outside. This way, if anyone arrived, they could pull the rope, and the people within the courtyard would naturally hear it.
"This can serve as a doorbell," Shen Xiaoyan mused.
At the moment, hearing the bell ring, Shen Xiaoyan felt a touch of confusion, unsure who had arrived.
After they had settled into the courtyard, apart from Wu Dagang who had visited twice, no one else had come.
"Could it be Brother Dagang?" Shen Xiaoming, hearing the bell, immediately grinned with delight and, standing up, rushed towards the main gate.
Shen Xiaoyan watched Shen Xiaoming's retreating figure, a flicker of pain in her eyes. Shen Xiaoming, living here with them, had no children his age to play with.
Thinking it might be Wu Dagang, Shen Xiaoyan did not get up, choosing instead to wait for them to arrive.
However, after a while, Shen Xiaoming did not return. Instead, she faintly heard a woman's voice.
Shen Xiaoyan furrowed her brow. It wasn't Dagang, so who could it be?
She stood up and walked quickly to the main gate, finally hearing clearly who was speaking outside.
"Xiaoming, seeing that you've recovered, your sister is truly happy. Since that's the case, you should come home with Mother and me."
Hearing the soft, timid voice, Shen Xiaoyan narrowed her eyes and, lifting her foot, stepped out through the small gate.
Outside, it was indeed Xu Xiao'e speaking. Seeing Shen Xiaoyan emerge, she also smiled and greeted her, "Sister is home too."
Shen Xiaoyan looked at her coldly, not speaking.
Seeing Shen Xiaoyan's silence, Xu Shi immediately raised her voice, "I say, you little brat, your sister is talking to you, can't you hear?"
"What business do you have?" Ignoring Xu Shi's shouting, Shen Xiaoyan asked calmly.
Xu Xiao'e scrutinized Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming from head to toe, and couldn't help but be taken aback.
Although Shen Xiaoming and Shen Xiaoyan were still wearing their faded old clothes, they were no longer as dark and thin as before.
Upon closer inspection, Shen Xiaoming had not only gained weight but also become fairer, appearing much healthier. He no longer looked as sickly as when they had last met.
Looking again at Shen Xiaoyan, her skin was not only fair and smooth but also much more beautiful. Her entire demeanor had changed.
The former Shen Xiaoyan was timid and hesitant, afraid to speak loudly, even afraid to look people in the eye. But the current Shen Xiaoyan was brimming with confidence, treating her and her mother as if they were strangers, with complete indifference.
Seeing this, a flicker of jealousy flashed in Xu Xiao'e's eyes. This woman, raised without a mother and abandoned by her father, why was she becoming more and more beautiful?
Thinking this, Xu Xiao'e felt a fire burning in her heart.
Controlling the surging jealousy within her, Xu Xiao'e smiled gently, "Sister, seeing Xiaoming's appearance, he must have recovered long ago, right? Why didn't you sister report back sooner? Father, Mother, and I have been worried every day."
Hearing Xu Xiao'e's words, Shen Xiaoyan's face showed a mocking smile. "Worried? Then why didn't you come to see?"
Xu Xiao'e said aggrievedly, "Father has so much to do every day, the younger siblings need to go to school, Mother is not well, and I have to look after the household chores at home. How could we have time to visit?"
Xu Shi, hearing her daughter's words, instantly felt a pang of heartbreak. It was true; after they had driven Shen Xiaoyan and her brother away, all the household chores had fallen upon her daughter.
Thinking this, Xu Shi spoke, "Since Xiaoming has recovered, he should come back with us."
Shen Xiaoming, hearing Xu Shi tell him to go back with them, immediately turned pale with fear, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Shen Xiaoyan, hearing this, laughed, "Are you dreaming?"
"How can Sister speak like that? Mother came to see you, and you didn't even invite her into the house, nor did you call her 'Mother'. Now you speak to Mother like this. Have you forgotten about Mother since getting married?" Xu Xiao'e chided.
Hearing this, Shen Xiaoyan merely sneered, not looking at Xu Xiao'e, and said to Xu Shi instead, "Don't you remember? It was you who asked me to take Xiaoming away in the first place, fearing the cost of treating him. Now that Xiaoming is better, you want him to go back?"
Xu Shi quickly said, "We asked you to take him away before because we were too busy with household matters to look after him. What's wrong with you, as his sister, taking care of him for a while? Now that Xiaoming is well, he naturally should return home."
"Home? Xiaoming's home is here. Where else is he supposed to go back to? Have you forgotten that his household registration has already been moved?" Shen Xiaoyan scoffed.
Xu Xiao'e and Xu Shi were both stunned by this. That's right, they had forgotten about that.
The two fell silent for a moment. Shen Xiaoyan, ignoring their thoughts, walked to Shen Xiaoming's side, embraced him, and whispered comfortingly, "Xiaoming, don't be afraid. This is your home. No one can take you away."
Xu Shi was rendered speechless. Xu Xiao'e, however, spoke again, "Moving the household registration that day was my sister's idea, wasn't it? You didn't do it deliberately, did you?"
As soon as Xu Xiao'e finished speaking, a momentary surprise flashed in Shen Xiaoyan's heart. She hadn't expected Xu Xiao'e to be so sharp.
Thinking this, Shen Xiaoyan smiled again, "So what if I did? If they hadn't agreed, I wouldn't have been able to do it."
The "they" Shen Xiaoyan referred to were naturally Shen Cheng and Xu Shi. Xu Xiao'e knew this.
But what of it?
"Even if the household registration has been moved, that is still Xiaoming's home. Sister, quickly pack Xiaoming's things and come back with me and Mother." Xu Xiao'e said softly.
Shen Xiaoyan was not swayed. This woman was a typical "green tea bitch." She had seen plenty of people like her in the apocalypse.
"Since the household registration is no longer with the Shen family, he is naturally no longer a member of the Shen family and will not return with you. This matter, whether you go to the village chief or report it to the authorities, I will not let Xiaoming go back with you."
After Shen Xiaoyan finished speaking, she pulled Shen Xiaoming and walked into the small gate, slamming it shut, leaving Xu Shi and Xu Xiao'e outside.
Xu Shi was instantly enraged, her eyes spitting fire. This little brat, after getting married, her personality had become so much more stubborn.
Xu Xiao'e looked at the closed small gate, startled for a moment, then filled with anger. What would happen if Shen Xiaoming didn't go back with them? She certainly didn't want to do housework anymore; her hands and face were becoming blackened by the smoke in just a month.
"Let's go back," Xu Shi said coldly, not caring about Xu Xiao'e's displeased expression. She turned and walked towards the main road.
Xu Xiao'e, seeing Xu Shi leave, quickly ran a few steps to catch up, but in her heart, she was still contemplating how to bring Shen Xiaoming back.
Meanwhile, Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming, after entering the courtyard and closing the main door, pulled Shen Xiaoming to the main room and sat on a wooden chair.
Looking at Xiaoming's still pale face, Shen Xiaoyan quickly spoke to comfort him, "Xiaoming, don't worry. Sister will never let you go back to that home again."
Shen Xiaoming looked at Shen Xiaoyan cautiously, then finally smiled and said, "But if we don't go back, Mother will definitely be unhappy. She might even bring Father. What will we do then?"
Shen Xiaoyan had indeed thought of this. She knew that Xu Shi might give up, but Xu Xiao'e would definitely not.