The short month of February quickly passed amidst the commotion. Qi Taiguo's cousin Deng Weixia eloped with a widow and never showed up again nor sent any word. No one knew if they were alive or dead, or where they had gone.
After the two of them ran away, the rest of the people still needed to live. The eldest aunt and Deng Weiqiu couldn't stay long at the Qi family home, so they returned to their hometown shortly after being discharged from the hospital.
With Deng Weixia missing, the Deng family was left with just the mother and daughter relying on each other, living a life that was miserable beyond words.
Why? The eldest aunt had suffered a stroke, her mouth was crooked, and her movements were not as nimble as before. She could only do light work, so all the labor fell on Deng Weiqiu. That girl cursed Deng Weixia and the others while working every day.
