He Shi lay there, her breath faint. Seeing Da Jiang and Qingshan by the bed, she couldn't speak, only shedding silent tears. After all the things she had been through this time, barely escaping death, she couldn't fathom how things had ended up this way.

He Shi recalled what happened the day she left Yu'er's house. After arguing with Yu'er's mother-in-law, she had done a lot of thinking. To be honest, she wasn't afraid of the difficulties presented by Yu'er's mother-in-law; if she had insisted on staying, Zhao Yu, out of respect for Yu'er, probably wouldn't have turned her away. She wasn't freeloading there either; she handled all the housework. Yu'er and Zhao Yu always had a ready meal, and with Zhao Yu away so often, her presence offered Zhao Yu some peace of mind while looking after Yu'er.

However, He Shi had witnessed Yu'er’s distress that day. She reflected that whether she was helping Yu'er separate households, assisting with chores, or looking after her, the ultimate goal was always for Yu'er to have a good life, for the couple to live in harmony. Since her presence was already causing trouble in Yu'er's life, why linger? Moreover, Zhao Yu’s mother was right; she couldn't stay there forever.

But He Shi still feared worrying Yu'er, so she coaxed Yu'er, saying she was going home. In truth, He Shi harbored resentment toward Da Jiang this time. She remembered how he had disregarded her well-being and threatened to divorce her—that memory stung her heart like a needle. After so many years of marriage, Da Jiang's actions truly showed that the man had never held her in his heart. Aside from the frequent beatings and scoldings, this time he had disregarded whether she lived or died.

Later, after staying at Qingshan’s house for so long, despite her resentment toward Da Jiang, she couldn't bring herself to completely ignore him. She always worried about him, missing him when he didn't return from work, and thinking of him when she cooked something delicious, concerned that no one was looking after him, often asking Qingshan or Yu'er to send him things. But what about Da Jiang? He never showed any reaction, as if she didn't even exist.

She was driven away by Yue Mei and had been at Yu'er's house for a long time; Da Jiang must have known, yet he never inquired about her. During the downtime at Yu'er's, He Shi would often reflect on these matters, and each time, her heart grew colder towards Da Jiang. This is why, after leaving Yu'er's, He Shi absolutely refused to return home.

But the maternal home was no longer an option. He Shi wandered around the outskirts of the village, thinking that the New Year wasn't far off. She planned to sneak back when Da Jiang was away to pack some clothes and money, find a place to hide for the year, and when spring arrived, look for work outside, enough to support herself. But unexpectedly, not long after leaving Yu'er's house, He Shi felt a bone-deep chill and grew dizzy. With no choice, she randomly found a dilapidated temple to rest for a while, intending to go back for her things the next day. She hadn't expected the weather to turn that night, and He Shi felt increasingly unwell, forcing her to remain in that corner where no one found her for days.

In those days spent in the ruined temple, she thoroughly re-examined everything she had done over the years. Looking back, He Shi couldn't figure out why she had become this way. She hadn't been like this originally. When she first married Da Jiang as a young woman, she was an honest, simple girl. Like all wives, she endured her mother-in-law's harassment and focused on raising children and supporting her husband. She and Da Jiang worked hard for many years, eventually saving enough money to open a shop in town. Her in-laws lived with them, and during those years, the family seemed to get along quite well. How did things turn so drastically upon returning to the village? What exactly happened? Whose fault was it?

Was it Da Jiang’s fault? Da Jiang seemed blameless. He had never thought for himself. All these years, he had supported the family by working outside—no gambling, no womanizing, just diligently working, never complaining about the hardship. Were the children at fault? No, the children weren't at fault; even if they erred, it was because the adults taught them poorly. Was it her fault? Perhaps not entirely; everything she did was for the sake of this family.

After much thought, He Shi concluded that perhaps she was truly at fault. In many matters, she should have accepted the arrangement of fate. After returning from town to the village, she should have reverted to her previous village life—working diligently and behaving properly, not striving for loftier things. For the sake of a better life, she had even discarded the most basic human dignity, constantly scheming to take advantage of others, because no matter how good another family's life was, it was earned through their own hard work. When asking for help, if someone refused, she shouldn't have become bitter and resentful, holding grudges, because others had no obligation to assist her. Reflecting on this, He Shi increasingly felt she had indeed done many wrong things over the years, and those mistakes were egregious. She wondered if there was any chance for amends.

Returning this time, knowing the entire family hadn't held her past actions against her—even the children had been searching for her—He Shi felt even more ashamed, unable to face them. Now that Da Jiang, Yue Mei, and Qingshan were still so concerned about her, He Shi truly didn't know what to say, only letting silent, regretful tears flow.

Seeing that He Shi was recovering, Da Jiang spoke: "Qingshan, Yue Mei, don't blame yourselves too much. Your mother is fine; she won't blame you. You should go back first and let her rest for a while."

Qingshan and Yue Mei nodded in agreement and left. Da Jiang looked at He Shi’s weak state, his heart still aching with pity. However, he was a man of few words and awkward expression. He just stayed by the bedside, repeatedly asking, "Wife, are you feeling better? Are you hungry? Tell me what you want, and I'll go make it for you."

He Shi shook her head, and after a long pause, finally spoke: "Husband, I was wrong all these years. I will change from now on. I will manage this household properly."

Da Jiang looked at He Shi and nodded silently. Although he wasn't sure if his wife’s words were genuine, this seemed different from her usual self, as if spoken from the heart. Da Jiang also said, "Good. Then let's live our lives well from now on."

He Shi nodded vigorously, tears filling her eyes.